Kate Kavanaugh - Regeneration & Restoration

Kate Kavanaugh is an entrepreneur and regenerative agriculture advocate who co-owns and operates Western Daughters Butcher Shoppe in Denver, Colorado. Along with her partner Josh Curtiss, Kate sells fresh, local, grass-fed and pasture-raised meats that are all raised and harvested within 150 miles of Denver. Although she has been featured in such notable publications as “The New York Times” and “Forbes,” Kate is most proud of the deep connections she has formed with regenerative ranchers and farmers-- and the positive impact her business has had on the land. As you’ll hear in our conversation, Kate is deeply committed to regenerative agriculture and specifically the role that ruminants play in the health of soil and grasslands in the American West and beyond. She’s also a seasoned businesswoman who has paid her dues and suffered the bumps and bruises that come with any entrepreneurial endeavor. And it is the combination of her passion, toughness, curiosity, and willingness to think outside the box that has made Western Daughters such an inspiring success story. I had a great time chatting with Kate, and I learned a lot from our conversation. We started by talking about the story of Western Daughters--how the business began, challenges of running a brick and mortar store, and specifics around how the company supports local agriculture. We discuss Kate’s upbringing in Colorado and how she felt a deep connection to the land and the environment from an early age. We talk about Kate’s childhood commitment to vegetarianism and why she began eating meat again at age 20. We also chat about Kate and Josh’s exciting recent purchase of a farm in upstate New York, and how they plan to balance Western Daughters with farming their new land. We discuss food’s role in mental health, and Kate graciously shares some of her daily practices that help her manage anxiety and depression. Kate is a voracious reader, so there are tons of good books mentioned-- be sure the check out the episode notes for links to all the books and more. Hope you enjoy! --- More Episode Notes: https://mountainandprairie.com/kate-kavanaugh/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:15 - Western Daughters Butcher Shoppe, explained 4:45 - Kate’s early interest in agriculture 6:15 - Kate’s seriousness as a child 8:45 - Ending her run with vegetarianism 10:30 - Authors that helped Kate understand regenerative ag 11:15 - Starting Western Daughters 13:15 - Tribalism around food 15:45 - New York Times article 17:45 - Working with farmers and ranchers 22:45 - The ins and outs of regenerative ag 29:15 - The challenges of explaining regenerative ag to the masses 30:45 - Unexpected challenges of running Western Daughters  34:45 - Economic challenges of regenerative ag 37:45 - Kate and Josh’s new farm! 40:15 - Realities of running a brick and mortar business 45:15 - Thoughts on leaving the West 49:00 - Advice to people who want to farm 53:00 - Heroes and mentors 55:30 - Managing mental health 1:00:45 - Diet’s role in mental health 1:03:45 - Favorite books 1:04:45 - Favorite documentaries 1:06:15 - Favorite location in the West 1:07:15 - Most powerful outdoor experience 1:08:45 - Best advice ever received 1:10:45 - Request of the listeners