The Urban Exodus Podcast

This episode is brought to you by Spoondrift Studio. Let website designer and brand specialist Nora Gray at Spoondrift Studio take the burden of all things design and website off of your plate so that you can focus on what you do best! Nora excels at listening to her clients immediate and long term needs - crafting engaging websites that bring your vision to life and set you up for success. It’s Spoondrift Studios mission to make your business shine and stand out from the crowd.  Put your best foot forward and visit www.spoondrift.studio today for a free consultation!I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Joshua Kwaku Asiedu. ​​Born and raised in Milan, Italy, Joshua didn’t feel like he could thrive within the modern, Western culture he found himself in. At 20, he decided to leave home in order to explore the world and see what it would teach him. With 50 euros in his pocket and a one-way ticket, he left without knowing where this new chapter would lead.Joshua worked a myriad of jobs - an electrician, mason, model, retailer, waiter, chef, farmer, etc. He lived for periods in cities all over the globe London, Sydney, Auckland, Cape Town, Los Angeles and more. Then he ventured to rural awe-inspiring landscapes. Midway through his travels Joshua started to leave behind hostels, guests houses and rental rooms, in order to find rest in tents, caves, beaches, temples, and forests. After seven years of life altering experiences exploring remote regions of the world and learning from the places and people he encountered, Joshua came to the conclusion that our modern Western world, is rooted in materialism, consumerism and superficialities. This is leading us away from Mother Nature - the source of independence, freedom and inner expansion.Willing to leave those said societal structures once and for all, he started to look for a native piece of land where to move. After a demanding and dedicated search, he discovered that his father’s ancestors left plots of lands in heritage - in Ghana. This brought him back to his Motherland to track down and reclaim this inherited land.Joshua moved into the bush with only a mosquito net and a beach bed. His home that he has lived in for the past 3 years, he built himself out of cow dung, mud, clay, and bamboo. After digging a well, planting fruit trees, Joshua has been working on expanding his eco-village by building more dwellings on the land.In 2019, Joshua began  sharing his journey on social media and started Asaase - Live to Learn. Learn to Live - a series of online and in person courses centered around relearning Indigenous practices, organic farming, decolonization and natural building methods. Joshua has amassed a large online following who are inspired by his journey and want to learn from him. In our conversation we speak about Joshua’s paradigm shift, the challenges he has faced while building his new community, how to find and follow your purpose, working through fear-based narratives, and rediscovering ancestral knowledge.This is a story about the transformative power of travel, choosing earth centric living, and the value of persevering through fears and obstacles in orderSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

This episode is brought to you by Spoondrift Studio. Let website designer and brand specialist Nora Gray at Spoondrift Studio take the burden of all things design and website off of your plate so that you can focus on what you do best! Nora excels at listening to her clients immediate and long term needs - crafting engaging websites that bring your vision to life and set you up for success. It’s Spoondrift Studios mission to make your business shine and stand out from the crowd.  Put your best foot forward and visit www.spoondrift.studio today for a free consultation!I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Australian farmer and conservationist Louise Glut. She and her husband David run HighField Farm and Woodland: A working farm, conservation site, and eco-stay.In their prior lives, work took them to cities all over the world. They’ve lived in Beijing, Sydney, Melbourne, and Shanghai. Now their home is 27 km from the nearest town, a very small one. While living in Sydney, David and Louise both worked at the University of Sydney. Although they liked their jobs, they lefty the city nearly every weekend to bushwalk in the High Plains of the Kosciuszko National Park. They both felt like they were born into the wrong place – country people living city lives.One day, the push they needed arrived. A newspaper ad for  a voluntary residency in the country opened up, allowing them a structured opportunity to leave their city lives behind. Eventually that led them to plant permanent roots near Kosciusko.Louise and David had no farming background, but had a drive that led them to want to learn as much as they could. They now find tremendous joy and fulfillment feeding their community. Nothing can compare to the quiet, the merits of working for themselves, and living in alignment with their values.In our conversation we speak about the reality of climate change as a farmer, indigenous land management, the impact of tourism on the land, eschewing black and white thinking when it comes to change, and the importance of living your values.This is a story about finding your “why,” supporting your community through tough times, and protecting our wild spaces.Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Asli Mohamed. Asli is difficult to describe because she does so many things, and has lived in so many different places. She is a mother, a world traveler, a doula, a farmer, and an entrepreneur among many other things. While Asli grew up in London, she was born in Somalia, and has spent the last few years living abroad back in Somalia, then Kenya, and now Belize. While in London, Asli and her husband both had very busy lives, working constantly, and unable to spend much time with their young son. They were earning a good living, but felt unfulfilled. Every break they got, they spent traveling. They were itching to see the world and experience new ways of life. A few years ago, Asli had a realization that she wanted to live what she calls a “decentralized life.” Meaning she has no place she calls her one home. Instead, she plans to move every few years to a new country, experiencing different cultures, careers, and communities. Asli has made bold steps, moving countries twice while pregnant, building a homestead over the past few months in Belize, and is growing her skincare brand while also homeschooling her children. She has embraced the unconventional nature of her life, preferring to live a life full of cultural and natural richness, and passing along that joy and curiosity to her young children. In our conversation we speak about myths around childbirth, global citizenship, indigenous vs. western ways of living, the joys of travel, and nomadic sustainability. This is a story about trusting yourself, stepping outside the bounds of convention, the oneness of humanity, and the magic of motherhood. Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

This episode is brought to you by Spoondrift Studio. Let website designer and brand specialist Nora Gray at Spoondrift Studio take the burden of all things design and website off of your plate so that you can focus on what you do best! Nora excels at listening to her clients immediate and long term needs - crafting engaging websites that bring your vision to life and set you up for success. It’s Spoondrift Studios mission to make your business shine and stand out from the crowd.  Put your best foot forward and visit www.spoondrift.studio today for a free consultation! I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with mushroom farmers John Deloge and Lizzie Devane of Slipstream Farm in Newfane, Vermont. At Slipstream they grow gourmet mushrooms and make medicinal tinctures.When Lizzie’s job became remote in the early days of the pandemic, Lizzie and John took it as the push to pursue their dream of becoming full time farmers. They packed up their lives in Boston and found their way to Vermont. Lizzie and John met in Boston at an NA meeting, and have found time on the farm and in nature has helped them tremendously in their recovery. Growing mushrooms has put them in touch with the magic of the mycelial process, which is integral in both human and ecosystem health. I’m grateful to Jon and Lizzie for sharing their story with depth and candor. We speak about the reality of running a business, making money without feeling like money owns you, marketing yourself as a small business, addiction recovery, and the truth behind the saying that “wherever you go, there you are.”This is a story about recovery, putting yourself out there, the healing powers of mushrooms, and personal reinvention. Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Grace Chen. Grace is a big thinker, product engineer, former tech CEO, musician, mother and self confessed pickleball fanatic. After studying Management Science and Engineering at Stanford, Grace began working in the Silicon Valley tech world. She worked at several large companies before co-founding Common Networks - a start-up aiming to bring affordable, high-speed internet to the masses. Several months into the pandemic, Grace and her husband Ryan decided to go visit his parents in rural Maine so that they could escape the wildfire smoke, stay at home orders, and their small San Francisco apartment with two restless kids. Grace had recently become the CEO of her start-up and was pitching to banks, venture capital firms and companies from an unreliable wifi signal in the small community of Unity, Maine. Despite the technical obstacles, the pace of life in Maine agreed with Grace and she found herself feeling more at ease and happier than she had been in years.After just a few months, Grace and her husband Ryan decided to move to Maine permanently. They didn’t even return to pack up their apartment in San Francisco. In December of 2020, Grace’s company was acquired by Meta. She worked remotely for Meta until quitting a few months ago. She is keeping busy by volunteering at her kids school and figuring out ways she can plug her skills into the community. Her goal for this next chapter is to be a net positive in the place where she now calls home. This is a story about tenacity and overcoming obstacles, plugging your energy and passion into your community, and the importance of rest and reflection after periods of intensity and change.Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

This episode is sponsored by Maine Women Magazine. As a Maine-based entrepreneur, I can’t say enough good things about Maine Women. For those of you that aren’t familiar, Maine Women is a printed quarterly and an online publication focused on sharing news and stories that highlight innovative women making waves in the state of Maine and beyond. When you subscribe, you’ll find a myriad of articles exploring Arts & Culture, Activism & Social Issues, Health & Wellness, Business & Entrepreneurship, and much more! Maine Women is going through an exciting transformation and will be soon offering Maine-made goods, classes, networking events, and retreats. You don’t want to miss out! I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Helena Woods. Helena grew up in San Diego but moved to New York City at the age of 18 to pursue a career in acting. After a few exciting years in the city, the charm of the entertainment industry began to wear off. She realized what a fickle and difficult business it was and yearned to find another way to tap into her creativity. After the sudden passing of her father, Helena started a photography practice. Photography was an incredible way of capturing time, space and memory. Although Helena had always been interested in astrology, photography led her on her journey into the study of astrocartography - how place and time interact with one another in our lives. She dove deep into studying all that she could about astrocartography and now gives online readings to people to help them find the best places for them to live, based on their birth charts. In 2020, Helena and her English professor partner decided they were ready for a big change. He applied for several university positions around the world and landed a job teaching English at a college in a small town in the French countryside. Helena didn’t hesitate when he asked her to join him. They quickly got married, sold nearly all of their possessions and moved to France. Helena’s work as a content creator and astrocartographer allows her to be a digital nomad - working from wherever she is. Since moving, Helena has lived in three small rural communities in France. Helena has amassed a large following from vlogging and blogging about astrocartography, her life in France and embracing slow living. After years of creating content for fun, it has evolved into a sustainable career that gives her greater flexibility in her days. Through her work, Helena wants to inspire others to reconnect with their inner voice, downsize their lives and find greater happiness in the everyday. This is a story about turning passion into profession, the freedom and joy of minimalism and tapping into the cosmos to find a place where you belong.Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Jonathan Weston. Jonathan is a serial entrepreneur, a father of four, a technology executive, the author of Camping is for Everyone and the founder of Wanderland Campground and the Wanderland Society in Rising Fawn, Georgia.Jonathan felt called to 72 acres of land near Lookout Mountain in Walker County. It is a magnificent site of hilly and steep terrain with views across the lower Appalachian Mountain range. He has intentionally steward the land as a primitive event space, keeping the ecosystem intact. In an era where camping is being tied more and more to RV pads and electrical hookups, Jonathan is proud to offer a venue for traditional tent camping.The mission of Wanderland is to conserve natural areas while providing a welcoming space for all campers to enjoy the outdoors. The slogan, "Camping is for everyone, Wanderland is for you," reflects the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to connect with nature. Since 2020, Wanderland has hosted thousands of campers, many of whom were new to camping and left with a newfound appreciation for the outdoors. By creating a safe and welcoming environment, Wanderland hopes to help individuals feel connected to the earth and to each other.Reconnecting with nature has profoundly impacted Jonathan’s life. He has found wisdom, healing and solace spending time in the forest. Through his work at Wanderland, Jonathan aims to give others an opportunity to do the same and nurture the next generation of ecological stewards. This is a story about getting lost in the woods to find yourself, growing slowly with intention, and the transformative power of rites of passage rooted in nature.    Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

This episode is brought to you by Taproot Magazine. Now is the perfect time to rediscover the joys of snail mail! Published in Portland, Maine, Taproot is a beautiful print publication that celebrates food, farm, family, and craft through six ad-free issues a year. I've been a subscriber for years now and am always so excited to find my next issue in my mailbox! I love how there's a little bit of everything in this magazine. Each issue features seasonal recipes, tutorials, craft projects, and stories inspiring readers to live more intentionally and connect with their communities and the natural world. Want to see what Taproot is all about? Use code PODCAST for free US shipping on a past issue at at taprootmag.com. I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Ashlie Thomas. Ashlie is a scientist, writer, health coach and food security advocate. She is the woman behind the Mocha Gardener on Instagram, where she shares her tips, advice and growing journey. Ashlie was inspired to start gardening after spending time in rural South Carolina with her grandparents. She realized how few healthy, fresh food options were available locally and decided to roll up her sleeves and learn to grow. Ashlie and her husband Tyler settled in the suburbs of North Carolina and built a garden oasis on their 1-acre lot, where they grow food year around. Ashlie's growing journey has been so profound that she has decided to go back to school to study nutrition. She wants to encourage more people to tear up their lawns and get growing - not just for the food but also for the healing that comes from reconnecting with the soil. Gardening has shifted Ashlie's outlook on the world and how she interprets living a successful, happy life. This November, Ashlie authored her first book How to Become a Gardener: find empowerment in creating your own food security. This book walks readers through the practical ins and outs of gardening, providing tangible pathways for people to take charge of their family’s food security by learning how to grow their own fruits, vegetables, and herbs. In addition, Ashlie discusses the often overlooked, but equally important, benefits of gardening - beyond the nutritious food it provides. This is a story about the life altering experience of becoming a gardener and the gifts, magic, and lessons that growing gives. Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Diane Anastasio. Diane grew up in the rural reaches of the Connecticut suburbs. From a young age she was planning her escape to the bright lights of the city. Right out of high school she moved to New York City for college. After she graduated, she moved to San Francisco and worked for a music magazine. City living agreed with Diane, she loved the culture, diversity and easy access to community, especially as a queer person and musician. She never in her wildest dreams thought she would live in a rural place again.In 2015, Diane moved to London to pursue a masters in gender studies. She battled some health problems which caused her to drastically shift her diet and lifestyle in order to heal. The recovery journey was so profound that it derailed Diane’s academic career to study nutrition. Nutrition led Diane on a path towards working with livestock because she became interested in the intersections of human health, raising healthy animals, and preserving the health of the land. This interest inspired Diane’s journey back to rural living and becoming a shepherd. One fateful day, Diane was driving in her car in Oakland and heard a radio segment about a sheep shearing course in Hopland and every part of her knew she had to do it.Yet, after five days of shearing at Hopland, Diane knew that wasn’t the way she wanted to work with animals. In 2019, she embarked on her first shepherding journey in the European Alps and then moved to a sheep and pig farm in VT during the pandemic. There she learned rotational grazing, lambing and farrowing, butchery, and some business aspects of agriculture. While living in Vermont Diane’s perspective on rural living started to shift. He began to see the real benefits of living a life rooted to people and place. She noticed that folks treated each other with such kindness, respect and generosity - regardless of their background or politics. She began to build deep, lasting friendships with her neighbors and realized she had been missing that deeper knowing and understanding of the people in her midst. After the pandemic, Diane moved back to the West Coast and landed a job as the ranch manager at Shepherdess in Ojai. Diane now runs sheep and goats through hard to reach lands in the Southern California mountains. This work has helped to mitigate fires by restoring soil, native vegetation and cutting back on brittle grasses and brush. It is labor intensive, solitary work but she feels a deep connection to the animals and the land she roams. In addition, the isolation of shepherding has given Diane time and space for her creative passions of music and writing. She has come full circle, weaving the fibers of the sheep she keeps into tapestries and writing songs inspired by the diverse landscapes of the rural spaces she’s had the opportunity to call home. For a woman who has had many metamorphosis, the life of a shepherd feels just right. This is a story about trusting your gut, the grand adventure of a life bravely led, and the importance of utilizing the wisdom from the past in the future.Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Mary and Magdalene (M & M for short) - the identical twin sisters behind Busy Homebodies, an urban homesteading focused Instagram account. Here, the sisters share the ins and outs of their journey towards greater self-sufficiency. In only several years, these two ambitious siblings have learned how to can and cook food from whole ingredients, raise, breed and harvest quails and rabbits and a myriad of other homesteading skills. Before homesteading and working in content creation, M & M worked for many years in childcare and teaching. When their work closed down in 2020, the sisters began to awaken to the reality that they were completely reliant on our fragile supply chains to feed and care for themselves. Although they were living in an apartment, that didn’t deter them from starting to acquire homesteading skills.Mary and Magdalene decided to bring others along on their journey by documenting their triumphs, failures and experiments. They bring a refreshing authenticity to the urban homesteading space - learning from books, Youtube and trial and error. This is a story about sisterhood, surpassing expectations, and starting wherever you are and growing from there. Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I am excited to invite you to my conversation with Hillarie Maddox. Hillarie is a writer, creator and life-long learner. She is founder of Black Girl Country Living. Hillarie studied social work in college, but realized that a social worker's salary would barely cover her school loans. Instead, she got hired at a big tech company and began her successful climb up the corporate ladder. Although Hillarie enjoyed her work and her contribution to her company, the birth of her first child made her start to rethink her career path and work/life balance. She felt like something was missing and yearned to live closer to nature.After the 2020 stay at home order, Hillarie and her husband decided to leave Seattle. They settled in a small island community in the Puget Sound. This move made Hillarie tap back into herself - she began the process of “rewilding” - reconnecting with the natural world, reconnecting with others and reconnecting with her own inner voice.Moving to the country profoundly transformed Hillarie’s life and set her on a course towards a greater purpose. And now she is building Rewilding experiences so that she can help others find healing, clarity and grounding from the process of reconnection. This is a story about breaking the golden handcuffs, collaboration over competition, and creating pathways for people to rewild.Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

This episode is sponsored by Maine Women Magazine. Maine Women is a printed quarterly and an online publication focused on sharing news and stories that highlight innovative women making waves in the state of Maine and beyond. When you subscribe, you’ll find a myriad of articles exploring Arts & Culture, Activism & Social Issues, Health & Wellness, Business & Entrepreneurship, and much more! Maine Women is going through an exciting transformation and will be soon offering Maine-made goods, classes, networking events, and retreats. You don’t want to miss out, sign up for a membership today! Learn more by visiting their website.  I am excited to invite you to my conversation with Susie (Susana) Hernandez Zaldivar. Susie is a stay-at-home mom, a homesteader, a content creator and a small scale flower, egg & veggie farmer. On her Instagram, @Home.Garden.Coop Susie shares tutorials, videos, creative projects and images from her homesteading journey. Susie grew up in a multi-generational household on her grandmother’s farm in Sonoma Country. Her grandmother practiced homesteading and taught Susie how to grow food and raise chickens. At 12, Susie’s grandmother passed and her parents sold the farm to move to the city. Susie married young, and worked for a couple of years before becoming a stay-at-home mom for her two kids. She did little jobs here and there - working in gardens and volunteering at the farmers market. She always knew she wanted to work outdoors.Susie’s vision for the future is buying land to build a regenerative farm. She wants to create a place where she can host field trips and workshops and grow/raise food to sell and donate to her local community. Through her continued work, Susie wants to inspire people to start their homesteading journey, no matter where they are in their lives.This is a story of listening to your inner voice and changing course, dreaming big but starting where you are at and the restorative, healing power of slowing doing and reconnecting. Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

This episode is sponsored by Marvelous, is a software platform that has everything: courses, bundles, memberships, live streams, community, integrations, a mobile app, and live tech support from real humans. It is the world's most beautiful and easeful teaching platform. Check it out at: heymarvelous.comI’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Nicola Harvey and Pat Ledden. In 2017, Pat and Nicola relocated from Sydney, Australia to take over her father’s land lease, north of Taupo in Aotearoa New Zealand. It was here that they built Slow Stream Farm. Their primary goal at Slow Stream Farm is to create a sustainable and regenerative agriculture operation - raising cattle on rotationally grazed pasture. Rich soil, clean waterways and healthy animals – all of the elements of the land and the farm living harmony with one another. Since our last interview, Nicola and Pat had a baby, they pivoted their farm and work processes to weather Covid. They experimented with more unconventional ways of raising animals and regenerating the soil, and Nicola published a book on her farming journey, Farm: The Making of a Climate Activist, documenting her farming journey and struggle with effective industry-wide climate action.Before starting Slow Stream Farm, Nicola worked as a journalist. Her career had her working for various media companies and production houses in London, Melbourne and Sydney. She worked her way up the corporate ladder and landed the sought after Managing Editor position at Buzzfeed Australia. Pat worked as a property valuer and played guitar in bands. In 2019, I interviewed and featured Nicola and Pat for Urban Exodus. They were just starting their journey and it is absolutely incredible how far they’ve come since we last spoke - what they’ve learned, the hardships they’ve faced, and the incredible ways their lifestyles and perspectives have shifted since leaving city life in Sydney. This is a story about stepping outside of your comfort zone, coloring outside the lines to find better ways of doing things, and standing up for the planet (even when it isn’t popular).Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

This episode is sponsored by Marvelous, is a software platform that has everything: courses, bundles, memberships, live streams, community, integrations, a mobile app, and live tech support from real humans. It is the world's most beautiful and easeful teaching platform. Check it out at: heymarvelous.comI’m excited to invite you to my conversation with KT and Marco Benevento. KT is a metalsmith, jewelry artist and t-shirt designer and Marco is a pianist, songwriter and record producer, who has been a fixture of the New York experimental music rock and jazz scene for the past two decades. He is the founder and recording engineer of Fred Short, a recording studio in Upstate New York, and a member of the rock groups Benevento/Russo Duo and Joe Russo's Almost Dead. I photographed Marco and KT for Urban Exodus back in 2016. When I first met them they were just a few years into their transition from NYC to the woods of Woodstock, New York. They had both hoped that eventually they would find their way out of New York City but it wasn’t until Marco had made it to a level in his career where he didn’t need to live in a city to survive that they felt confident to make the leap. It took the couple three years of house hunting, with their baby girls in tow, before they finally found their perfect place in the country. Covid threw the Benevento’s a major curveball when Marco’s touring income, that their family was dependent on, completely dried up. KT and Marco put their heads together and came up with a number of creative ways to stay afloat. Marco collaborated and recorded with other artists, hosted virtual concerts and started a local outdoor concert series. KT began designing T-shirts, making jewelry and hosting pop-ups. Her local Woodstock community - that she cultivated through years of helping and volunteering  - championed her work and were her biggest customers.This is a story about taking risks and making creative pivots, being held and supported by the community in hard times, and the amazing way music fosters deeper connection and compassion.Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

This episode is sponsored by New Hampshire’s Monadnock Region. Home to five state parks, thousands of acres of pristine lakes, a flourishing arts scene, and Mount Monadnock, the most climbed mountain the U.S. Natural beauty and bustling downtowns await, just a two-hour drive from Boston. Every Urban Exodus begins with an urban escape, and yours is Within Thriving Distance. Visit MonadnockNH.com today.I am excited to invite you to my conversation with Mara Tiekan. Mara is an Associate Professor of Education at Bates College.  Her writing and research focuses on racial and educational equity in rural America. Her book, Why Rural Schools Matter, is an ethnographic study of two rural Arkansas communities that examines the roles that schools play in rural towns. Mara’s interest in rural education began while working for a small school in Tennessee. There, she was able to witness first hand the experience of a struggling rural public school, but also the school’s integral place in the community. She noticed that unique issues regarding rural education were often overlooked in political reform, and education research and schooling. In our conversation we speak about the impacts of school closures and consolidations in rural America, how rural schools have weathered Covid, the lasting ramifications of segregation and discrimination in public schooling, the blind spots that legislatures have when it comes to rural education and funding, the economic and social value of public schools in rural communities, and why everyone should be paying attention to the issues facing rural education.Mara's work has been published in the Review of Educational Research, Harvard Educational Review, American Educational Research Journal, Peabody Journal of Education, and Sociological Focus.Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

This episode is sponsored by Marvelous, is a software platform that has everything: courses, bundles, memberships, live streams, community, integrations, a mobile app, and live tech support from real humans. It is the world's most beautiful and easeful teaching platform. Check it out at: heymarvelous.com I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Renaldo Holmes, Holmes to all who know him, he is the person behind HolmesFindsFreedom on Youtube and Instagram. Holmes is a talented poet, educator, farmer and nomad. Holmes says that poetry saved his life and wants others to experience the healing power of spoken word. He had a bad stutter as a child and had hard time communicating and making friends. He would write a lot of poetry and eventually discovered spoken word. Holmes went to his first open mic, knowing he would stutter, and was terrified. The host told him he had two options - stay on this stage and recite your work no matter how long it takes or quit. He stayed on the stage and that changed his life. He began going back every week and his stuttering improved until he was able to cure himself of it completely. This is a perfect example of the courage, passion, dedication and creativity that Holmes approaches life with.  Several years ago Holmes sold his home, left a career as a power plant technician in Connecticut. He wasn’t feeling fulfilled in his life and didn’t want to live out his days continuing to feel like something was missing. He traveled all over the United States and eventually found a  city to settle in, bought a plot of land and started growing food for himself and his community. During the pandemic, Holmes felt called back to nomadic life. He sold his property, bought a van and embarked on a new adventure, spreading seeds, his farming knowledge and joy in every community he visited. He found his way to Mexico, working for a few urban farms before settling in a small rural  community. Holmes fell in love with the people, culture,  and way of life in Mexico. Holmes also felt greater love, acceptance and ease being a Black man in Mexico. He didn’t feel like people looked at him differently because of the color of his skin. With funds running out, Holmes made the difficult decision to return to the US so that he could put a plan in place to move to Mexico permanently. He returned to his power plant job in  and is continuing to live out of his van so that he can save money. A passionate grower, Holmes hasn’t let vanlife keep him from farming. When he returned to Connecticut, he put a call out to his community to see if anyone would let him grow food at their house and someone offered their front yard. This summer he grew a ton of produce and continued making  wonderful tutorial videos for his online following. His goal is to build  passive income streams to sustain him for the long term and save enough  to buy a small parcel of land in Mexico to homestead and live off of the land. This is a story about the healing effects of poetry, the community building power of growing food, and commitment and vision to work towards your dreams.Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

This episode is sponsored by New Hampshire’s Monadnock Region. Home to five state parks, thousands of acres of pristine lakes, a flourishing arts scene, and Mount Monadnock, the most climbed mountain the U.S. Natural beauty and bustling downtowns await, just a two-hour drive from Boston. Every Urban Exodus begins with an urban escape, and yours is Within Thriving Distance. Visit MonadnockNH.com today.I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Mallika Viegas. Mallika was born in Goa, India, and moved to Canada with her family at age 11. Her husband was also born in Goa and immigrated to Canada. Serendipitously, the couple met in Toronto after college and connected over their shared friends and upbringing. In Toronto, Mallika built a successful career in storytelling - working as a journalist, documentarian, content producer and podcast host. She has worked for Vice, Toronto Star, CBC, Fashion and The Cut. When Mallika’s son Freddie was born in the early days of the pandemic, she realized her desire to make a seismic life shift so that she could work less and spend more quality time with her family.Battling the isolation of being a new mom during a pandemic, Mallika yearned to be closer to her parents, who had recently retired in Costa Rica. Throwing caution to the wind, the young family braved a pandemic trip to see her family. Fate changed their plans of a return trip, because their flights back to Canada kept getting canceled. It only took a few weeks before they decided to relocate permanently. Since moving to Costa Rica, Mallika’s lifestyle and priorities have completely shifted. The lower cost of living has allowed her to be more selective of the freelance work she takes on - giving her much more freedom in her days. Living in a close-knit beach community, with an appreciation of family and children, has also allowed her to let go from elements of materialism and individualism, raising her son in a more holistic and natural environment.This is a story about the beauty of embracing a new culture, unexpected new chapters, and finding home wherever family is.Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

This episode is sponsored by New Hampshire’s Monadnock Region, home of Keene Pride week; the Monadnock Arts Open Studio Tour and the Radically Rural Summit. Natural beauty and bustling downtowns await, just two hours from Boston. Every Urban Exodus begins with an Urban Escape, and yours is Within Thriving Distance. Visit MonadnockNH.com today.I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with State Senator Chloe Maxmin. At 28, Chloe Maxmin is the youngest woman ever to serve in the Maine State Senate. She was elected in 2020, after unseating a two-term Republican incumbent. In 2018, Chloe served in the Maine House of Representatives, after beating a Republican incumbent in her traditionally conservative leaning rural district. Chloe ran on a 100% positive campaign, choosing to reject political partisanship and toxic attacks on her opponent. She went on an epic door-to-door campaign, knocking on tens of thousands of doors in her district, committed to reaching her voters directly. Chloe grew up on her family’s farm in Nobleboro, Maine. From a young age, she has been a community organizer and dedicated climate activist. While attending Harvard, Chloe co-founded Divest Harvard, a campaign calling on Harvard University to divest from fossil fuels. The campaign drew hundreds of thousands of supporters and eventually pressured the university to divest the entirety of their multi-billion dollar endowment from fossil fuel stocks.Chloe is the recipient of the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes and the Brower Youth Award. She was also named a “Green Hero” by Rolling Stone. Her work has been recognized by the Maine Women’s Fund, Washington Post, Rolling Stone, Real Time with Bill Maher, CNN, MPBN and more. This year, Chloe wrote and published Dirt Road Revival, along with her campaign manager, a how-to guide on rebuilding rural politics, and tackling political polarization from the ground up.This is a story about radical empathy, tenacity, and the power of humility in connecting with others.Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Shala Monroque. Shala is a Saint-Lucian native who chased her big city dreams to NYC in the early 2000s. Shala was a verifiable “it-girl “of the art and fashion worlds -  glossing the pages of numerous magazines and street-style blogs. She was a creative director at Garage, an independent fashion magazine, and also worked as a consultant for Prada. Shala was by all accounts on top of the world, but in reality she battled burnout, depression, and an unshakeable homesickness.In 2012, Shala returned to St. Lucia after her brother was in a near-fatal car accident, staying for a few months while he returned to health. However, by 2014 Shala didn’t want to be away from her family any longer, and made the decision to leave her sought after career in fashion to move back home to St. Lucia. Since moving, she has established a small organic farm on her family’s land, taken up diving and photography, and has slowly found her way back into the fashion world on her own terms. Shala’s determination, and commitment to herself and the natural world has allowed her to reimagine a future in fashion defined by balance, wellness, and ecological consciousness.This is a story about following your intuition, prioritizing your well-being, and earth-centric thinking.Read Shala's full feature on the Urban Exodus blogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Rachel Segal. Rachel is a digital strategist, and has spent more than a decade working with some of the largest brands in the world on their social media and content marketing programs. In 2012, burnt out with the pace of city life, Rachel and her partner Scott moved to a remote island in British Columbia. Moving to the country was a revelation - they were instantly lighter, happier and really enjoyed the pace of balancing remote freelance work with raising animals and growing food. When the option presented itself to buy ten acres of raw land in an area they loved, they jumped at the opportunity to plant permanent roots and build their forever home. However, finances required a slow building process. The couple and their two young children lived and worked out of a canvas tent for three years before their home was ready to move in. Not for the faint of heart, Rachel braved tent-living while pregnant, and through multiple Canadian winters with two kids under the age of three. Rachel's story is inspiring, and honest. In our conversation she shares what it was like to make such a dramatic transition in her life, and how she navigated work, networking, and learning on the go as a new mom and first-time farmer. Rachel has found lasting satisfaction in building a life that allows her pick out the best parts of modern life and old-world self-sufficiency.This is a story about making your work work for you, long-term thinking, and marrying the best of old-world and modern living.Read her full story on the blog: urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Ivy Walls. Ivy is a farmer, entreprenuer and food justice activist located in Houston, Texas.  Before farming, Ivy worked as an epidemiologist for the CDC and later became an infection preventionist for a hospital in Houston where she worked closely with COVID-19 patients. During the pandemic, Ivy witnessed firsthand how the virus further exposed the inequities faced by her Sunnyside community   – including higher rates of infection and mortality. Ivy already had experience gardening for herself, but felt called to grow food for her community when she realized there weren’t local places to source fresh produce without having to drive to another part of town. Serendipitously, the day Ivy quit her job at the hospital, was the day she found out she received a $10k grant from Beyoncés charitable foundation.Ivy has found that climate change and uncertainty has been the biggest challenge for her as a farmer – and unpredictable floods and other weather events has shortened her growing season, but the value she's brought to her neighborhood by taking the task of providing health affordable food into her own hands has been tremendous.This is a story about community action, being the change you wish to see, and the power of plants to heal and connect.Read more about Ivy and see photos from her farm on urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

This episode is sponsored by Visit LivCo. Livingston County, New York is the heart of the Genesee River Valley, home of Letchworth State Park, and westernmost gateway to the Finger Lakes. Make LivCo your basecamp for one-of-a-kind hiking, dining and more. Plan your escape at www.visitlivco.com and follow along on Instagram @visitlivcoI am excited to invite you to my conversation with Melissa Hughes. Melissa and I met through Urban Exodus, as she was a dedicated reader in the early days of the project. When living in Los Angeles, she would often pursue the stories on the website during her lunch breaks, dreaming of her own escape. After a few years of planning, scheming, and rooftop gardening, Melissa and her husband took a leap of faith and left LA  to return to her childhood stomping grounds in rural Western New York. When Livingston County last year made the decision to move their tourism office to the local chamber of commerce, they offered Melissa the role as director of tourism.  In our conversation we speak about Melissa's experience moving back to her hometown, finding purpose through your work, the urban/rural divide, rural gentrification and rising costs, and the power of art to transform.This is a story about rural revitalization, returning to your hometown, and prioritizing quality of life and family connection.Read more about Melissa and see photos from life in Livingston County urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I am excited to invite you to my conversation with Luisa Batiz. Luisa grew up in Brownsville, Brooklyn but her family is from Honduras. When Luisa was a child she spent her summers living off-grid with her relatives in a small village in Honduras.Luisa was the first in her family to go to college, and by all accounts she had “made it,” building a successful career in education administration. Although she had reached a level of financial success, she didn’t feel happy or fulfilled in her work. She started questioning the way she was living, the things society was telling her she should strive for and decided to take a leap of faith and move to Honduras full time. This is a story about reconnecting with your roots, living with an abundance mindset, and stepping away from convention to create a more fruitful life.Read more about Luisa and see photos from her life in Honduras on urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I am honored to invite you to my conversation with Jon Jackson. Jon is a former US Army ranger who served six deployments in Iraq and Afganistan. In 2014, he built and founded Comfort Farms – A 20-acre farm in rural Georgia, as a place to help veterans on their journey of reintegrating into society. Readjusting to civilian life was a challenge for Jon, who suffers from a traumatic brain injury and PTSD. He did not find hope or help in the traditional systems serving veterans. Each year in the US, thousands of veterans die by suicide. In starting Comfort Farms, Jon aims to bring this number down, and provide a space for vets to work and heal together.This is a story about service, sacrifice, and the healing powers of nature.Read more about Jon on urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I am very excited to close this season of the podcast with Sonya Harris. Sonya is a special-ed teacher turned garden educator and philanthropist.  In 2017, she established the nonprofit Bullock Garden Project to share the joy of gardening with her community and help alleviate food insecurity. She teaches kids and adults to grow their own food. Her tireless work and enthusiasm has inspired many of her former students to pursue careers as future green industry leaders. Sonya’s work in garden-education began when she was looking for creative ways to teach her students math. As a teacher, she did whatever it took to get her kids to learn, and that sometimes meant taking lessons outside the four walls of the classroom. When she witnessed the success of her outdoors teaching experiment she got the idea to start a community garden. Sonya rallied together and was able to source nearly $200,000 in donations to put together a prolific school garden. This garden brought notoriety to her and her school, helped feed her students, and launched her second career into non-profit work full time. Since then, she has consulted countless schools, teachers, and town leaders on ways they can build a similar garden project in their own community. In our conversation we speak about the pandemic’s effects on food insecurity, the harsh realities of our desperately underfunded public schools, why teacher’s voices need to be heard, and the problem with politicizing education. We speak about how Sonya fell in love with gardening, how she was able to fundraise for her school, and why now more than ever, we need to prioritize kids’ health and wellbeing.This is a story about the power a person has to do radical good, the importance of great teachers, healing communities through self-reliance, and the beauty of a life dedicated to service.To read her full feature visit: www.urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Cig Harvey. Cig is an award-winning fine-art and commercial photographer. She has published five sold-out books and her photographs and books are in the permanent collections of museums across the world. Cig and her partner bought a crumbling farmhouse in Midcoast Maine in 2007 and moved there full time in 2011. She left a tenured track teaching photography in Lesley University in Boston to pursue her artistic practice full time. While Cig had established the beginnings of her career in the city, the high cost of living was a barrier to offering her the time and space to really explore her voice, and provide her with the freedom within her days to work on making her own work. In our conversation we speak about the steps she took to build a thriving fine art career in a small town, advice for emerging artists on ways to get their work noticed, the power of art to expose the difficult truths of the human experience and the incredible healing power of creativity.This is a story about prioritizing beauty, finding your voice, planting roots where you feel most alive and cultivating community through creative expression.Read her full story and see photos from Cig's latest book on  urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I am excited to invite you to my conversation with Cory Murchy. Cory is a professional musician and fine artist who spent nearly two decades playing bass for the Seattle-based indie-rock band Minus the Bear. Cory reached a level that most musicians only dream of - being able to support himself entirely off of his music. He toured all around the world, playing sold out venues from New York to Japan. In 2018, the band played its last show and he had the opportunity for a major life change. Cory and his wife Annie decided to throw caution to the wind, sell their house in Seattle, pack up their cars and their dogs and take a house-sitting job on an 800-acre ranch in rural Colorado. It was an enormous change, but they fully embraced the hard work and the steep learning curve. This is where Cory developed a deep seeded passion for water movement, farming and irrigation. Following the ranch, they planted permanent roots in a little village nestled along the Rio grande in the high-desert of New Mexico. Cory had dabbled with painting when he was working as a professional musician, but he didn’t have enough energy or time to fully commit to the process. Once he left the city, he finally could focus on art. His wood-panel geometric paintings are explosions of color and energy. He initially planned to make a living through art commissions but realized that the hustle required to make that his full time pursuit was taking away the joy and peace that painting gave him. Instead, he opted to take a full time irrigation and farming job on a historic ranch and paint in his free time, on his own terms. Having been in a collective creative pursuit for 20-years, painting has been a therapeutic expression of his own individual creativity. It has brought tremendous calm, joy and clarity to his life. In our conversation we speak about the power of taking risks, believing in the process and picking yourself up when you fail. We talk about the future reality of water access based on Cory's knowledge as an irrigation specialist, and the joys of reaping what you sow. We speak about the pros and cons of making a living off of your art, compromise, and creative autonomy. This is a story about finding your voice through individual expression, the freedom to shift your path without fear, reconnection to self through change, and embracing new chapters in life fully.Read his full story and see photos from his visit on  urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Molly Nakahara. Molly is a farmer and the farm institute director at the nonprofit Sierra Harvest, she has also worked to support farmers through the UC Cooperative Extension and as a member of the EcoFarm Board of Directors. Molly grew up in the Bay Area but moved with her partner to Grass Valley in 2010 to build Dinner Bell Farm, which offers certified organic flowers and pasture-raised pork. Molly’s paternal grandparents farmed lettuce and green onions in Salinas, before they were imprisoned at a Japanese internment camp during WWII and their land was confiscated. After the war, her family continued to grow for themselves on a small city allotment and this nurtured her passion for growing food and flowers.  For Molly, farming has been a radical act of connecting with her ancestors and continuing her family’s farming legacy that was previously cut short by racism and xenophobia.Like many growers, when Molly first forayed into farming, she committed to only growing "pragmatic" crops, meaning food. She believed flowers to be impractical, and chose not to plant them at first. However, as time went on, she opened up to the magic and possibility that flowers provide. Molly learned that her grandmother was an immensely talented ikebana artist. Ikebana is the ancient Japanese art of arranging flowers, or in translation, "making flowers alive." She began her own practice of creating art and beauty through arranging flowers. Early into her flower farming journey, Molly's husband had the idea that they donate extra flowers to the local hospice center. She found the experience of bringing  joy to people in their final days to be immensely moving. She grew the practice even more, and has allowed customers to help pitch in so that she may be able to give back even more to the hospice community. Growing flowers has also allowed Molly to appreciate their value in new ways. Paraphrasing her sentiments, flowers are how we express emotion. They are a part of the most important events in our lives. People buy flowers for weddings, births, funerals, and other special occasions. They are how we express affection to one another.  Through her work, she now feels like she is helping to connect with, and heal, her ancestral line. In our conversation we speak about the difficulties small scale farmers face when it comes to land access and climate uncertainty, reconnecting with ancestral legacy, the tremendous power of small radical acts of kindness, raising children on a farm, the value of specializing, and so much more.This is a story about healing through the soil, being a good neighbor, the emotional value of philanthropy, and embracing beauty for its own sake. To read her full feature, see photos from her farm now (and from our visit back in 2018), visit the blog: www.urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m so excited to invite you to my conversation with modern-day Renaissance man, Jonathan Wilkins. Jonathan is a former firefighter and landscape designer turned professional hunter, outdoor guide, chef, podcaster, historian, musician, and writer. Currently, Jonathan operates Black Duck Revival, a hunting lodge in Brinkley, Arkansas, where he offers stays, excursions, and educational experiences. The business came out of a desire to bring together hunters of all backgrounds and experiences to support and learn from one another. Jonathan grew up in the city and started hunting, fishing and foraging as an adult. He immediately fell in love with learning different historic and modern processes to acquire wild food. Hunting has strengthened Jonathan’s connection with the natural world and he is passionate about encouraging others to reclaim their own self-sufficiency practices.In our conversation we speak about embracing discomfort to expand your horizons, the meditative and healing benefits of hunting, advice for anyone wanting to hunt/catch/or forage wild food, and how to build mutual respect and community in a rural area. This is a story about participating fully in your life, turning your passion into your profession, growth through challenge, and the value of integrative self-reliance.To read his full feature visit: www.urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m so excited to invite you to my conversation with Dr. Jeanine Canty. Jeanine is a writer, and professor with in the  Transformative Studies Doctoral program at the California Institute of Integral Studies.  Her teaching examines issues of social and ecological justice connected to the process of worldview expansion. She specializes in ecopscyhology, which is the study of how ecology and human psychology intersect and affect one another. It links mental health and illness to the health of the planet.Through her research and writing, Jeanine links the oppression of peoples and the earth together and discusses how we can expand our worldviews so we can be more aware, resilient, and change our philosophies when it comes to interacting with the natural world and with one another. Her forthcoming book,  Returning the Self to Nature: Undoing Our Collective Narcissism and Healing Our Planet, will be released in September of this year.In our conversation we speak about the effects of cultural narcissism, our current mental health crisis, how to recreate a sense of belonging with the natural world,  breaking our individualistic western worldviews,  the interconnectedness of all beings, rethinking our approach to the climate crisis, and how we can shift to a more ecologically-minded paradigm. This is a story about healing, prioritizing joy and connection, the power of compassion and empathy, and choosing to imagine and work towards a brighter tomorrow. To read her full feature visit: www.urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I was so excited to reconnect with Franchesca Hernandez for this episode of the podcast. I met Franchesca on my Urban Exodus cross country roadtrip in the Spring of 2015. Back then, she was living in a yurt on her Whirlaway Farm in Garfield, Texas.When she first bought the property, it was little more than a scrubby 3-acre lot covered in weeds, but through sweat and hard work she transformed it into an abundant farm and homestead. She was recently engaged to be married and felt rooted to this forever-home in rural Texas. But since we last connected, Francesca’s life has taken a wholly new, unexpected, and joyful 180 degree turn. Franchesca and her fiancee broke up and it left her running the farm business on her own. One fateful day, she reconnected with an old flame from her teenage years. She fell madly in love, and after an unexpected pregancy at 40, she and her partner, who is British, rushed to move to France before Brexit took hold and made European citizenship likely out of reach. Francesca embraced this new chapter and unexpected version of her life wholly, and used the opportunity of a big move and selling her beloved farm to build a new career as a freelance writer in her countryside home. While many aspects of her current life might seem idyllic, Francesca doesn’t shy away from the more difficult everyday realities of her move to a new country, and offers so much great advice and important considerations for those who dream of making a similar transition of your own.In our conversation, we speak about how Francesca quickly pivoted and built a thriving career as a freelance writer living abroad, healing childhood trauama as a new parent, the different reality of covid lockdowns in Europe, the struggles of living day-to-day with a language barrier, building friendships in a foreign country, and  how true love transformed her life.This is a story about reuniting with lost love, breaking generational patterns, moving past fear, and the joy of unexpected new beginnings.  To read her full feature visit: www.urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m so excited to share my thoughtful and powerful conversation with Mariah Gladstone, the founder of Indigikitchen. Mariah is a community leader, food sovereignty activist, self-trained chef, digital entrepreneur, aerialist teacher and performer and so much more. She grew up on and off the Blackfeet Nation Reservation, located near Glacier National Park in Northern Montana. She moved to New York City to get a degree in Environmental Engineering from Columbia University and moved back to New York to attend the masters program at the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment at Suny Syracuse. When the pandemic hit in the middle of her program, Mariah and her partner decided to return to the Blackfeet Nation and plant permanent roots.Indigikitchen is an online cooking platform where Mariah shares both traditional and modern preparations of Indigenous foods. In her cooking presentations Mariah weaves history lessons and ancestral knowledge into the episodes - offering so much more than just cooking demos. Through this work she hopes to build community, help reestablish Native food sovereignty, and provide a library of recipes using traditional Indigenous ingredients that are easily accessible, searchable, and shareable online. The idea came one week when she took some time off to attend a food sovereignty conference. The experience awoke a passion  in her, and she recognized the tremendous need for Native people to rebuild their local food systems and regain access to and knowledge of traditional foods. It didn't matter to her that she she didn’t have any professional media or cooking experience. Instead, she was guided by her desire to do good for her community, and share rare and lost recipes. Mariah had a DSLR that she duct taped to a broken tripod and just got started. Even though the early videos had low production quality, she  was energized by the fact that people responded really positively to her work. In our conversation we speak about her work as an advocate for her community, how she built Indigikitchen with no prior media experience, moving from engineering to activism, her food and self-sufficiency practices on her homestead, and what it means for us to truly re-indiginize our diets. We also dive deep into the historical consequences of colonization on native foodways in the US, and what food sovereignty truly means to her. We speak about the effects of climate change on access to wild foods, climate adaptation strategies, and Mariah's incredibly valuable work in preserving and sharing ancient indigenous recipes from all over the world.This is a story about reconnecting with cultural and ancestral wisdom, using art and food as a catalyst for positive change and the importance of building strong local communities. To read her full feature visit: www.urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I'm excited to invite you to my conversation with Jean Voronkova. Jean was born and raised in Singapore, but now lives with her husband Vitaly in Bali, Indonesia. Together, they have built passive income streams and investments to be able to live a slow, simple and fulfilling life in Bali. They have intentionally opted out of the workaholic 9-5 culture, and now prioritize joy and peace over the golden handcuffs of a corporate paycheck. By design, they have given themselves ample time to be creative and surf. One of their creative pursuits is running a popular Youtube channel, where Jean shares practical advice for others who dream of leaving the rat race behind.  In her previous life, Jean worked as a corporate lawyer in both Singapore and Dubai.  By all standards she was a success, living comfortably with ample means to shop, eat out, and travel. Yet, deep down, she was desperately unhappy. A couple of years in, she picked up surfing as a hobby and completely fell in love with the sport. The act of surfing was a meditation, allowing her ample time and space in her body to reflect on what truly held importance and meaning in her life.  Jean realized she wanted to have more time to do the things that she loved, and she didn't want to live out her years trapped in a cubicle. In our conversation we speak about Jean's journey from corporate law to surfing, how she built a passive income, the trap of workaholism, breaking away from rigid cultural beliefs, spirituality, and so much more. Jean opens up about the pushback she faced from her family and friends after leaving her career, and how difficult it was to feel estranged from her loved ones. Thankfully, after some time, her family has come to accept her new life path after seeing how much happier she is now. This is a story about following your inner voice, bravery, and the profound joy of living with less. I hope you enjoy.To read her full feature visit: www.urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited invite you to my conversation with Walter Brooks Jr. Walter is a serial entrepreneur and the owner and operator of Brooksmade Gourmet Foods - a global food company specializing in clean-label, locally sourced sauces & rubs made in Georgia. Walter grew up in a large family in South Central Los Angeles. As one of nine kids, money was tight and he didn’t always know where his next meal would come from. Battling food insecurity in his youth made him value good food and instilled a deep passion for cooking when he got older.Walter left Los Angeles to attend hospitality school in Georgia as a young adult. He spent many years doing various service jobs - working in hotels, as a security guard, and as a car repairman. Along the way, people recognized Walter's natural talent and drive they continually encouraged him to strive for more and build something of his own.An unexpected medical emergency gave Walter the time and space outside of work to nurture his love of cooking. After recovering, he decided to pivot and open up a catering business. From the beginning, Walter used his cooking to contribute to his community by donating to food drives, hosting community events and cooking for the homeless. It meant so much to now be in a position to give back to others. He insists that you shouldn’t let the world marginalize you because of your circumstances. In Walter’s words: “Just because I wasn't better off, that doesn’t mean I was less than.”Walter is deeply passionate about giving back to the next generation and credits mentorship as a vital component of his success. In addition to running his business, he mentors the next generation of entrepreneurs and works closely with organizations such as 100 Black Men of America. In our conversation we speak about what hurdles he had to overcome to believe in himself,  the valuable guidance he received along his path, and how he defied expectations. Walter offers some really powerful advice on ways to avoid self-defeating thoughts and behaviors. Walter is mentor to many, and credits his own success to mentorship. I hope you find value in his words, perspective, and generous spirit.This is a story about the power of mentorship, humility, and how generosity can lead to prosperity.To read his full feature visit: www.urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Clara Infante. She is an artist, maker, marketing professional and mother to three young boys. After the birth of her first son, Clara and her husband left Los Angeles and moved back to her home country of Spain.  Clara was born in Barcelona, but grew up in Miami. Her dad is from Spain and her mom is French, and she grew up speaking Spanish, Catalan, French, and English.Clara didn't thrive in a school environment and decided to leave high school and not go to college. A lover of music, she opted to take a job working in a night club and managing their social media presence. She began her job at the infancy of social media and learned quickly how powerful Myspace was to build community and expand audience reach for musical artists. She quickly became the liaison for all musicians that played at the venue and pitched her social media management services to bands when she would drive them to the club from the airport. Eventually she was able to move to Los Angeles and became a founding member of an agency representing artists' presence online. While working as a marketing director for a record label, she met her husband, British musician SOHN. It was an instant connection and they very quickly were married and expecting their first baby. Soon after her son arrived, Clara started thinking about making a major life shift. Her previous lifestyle didn't really fit with being a mom and so she decided to leave her corporate job at Sony. Her and her partner wanted to plant permanent roots somewhere but the cost of real estate in Los Angeles was out of reach and they weren't sure if they wanted to raise kids there. While touring rural real estate listings online, Clara stumbled upon her perfect affordable "Los Angeles style" home in the coastal mountains of Spain. The house was an architectural gem - a one-of-a-kind midcentury modern - built almost entirely off-grid from local materials. They moved in only 10 days before the delivery date of their second son. Moving to the countryside awakened Clara's creative side. She realized that being a mom wasn't enough to fill her cup. She knew she didn’t want to work in music anymore - and now she had the financial safety net of her husband's job to be able explore her passions.  Clara is candid about the privilege she was afforded that gave her space to explore and experiment. That sense of stability and freedom is what allowed her to open up to her creative side, without initially feeling the pressure to earn an income from it. She started off reselling her children’s used clothes online, and honed her skills as a photographer. She then became interested natural dyeing, and started doing that as well, posting her process online. She learned that she thrives off of feedback in her work and that, in turn, helped her gain exposure along the way. Nowadays, Clara's business is focused on making hand-made crayons and one-of-a-kind sculptural candles - all from natural and mostly local materials. She will often go on little adventures in her landscape to gather plant and earth materials to use as natural pigments and dyes in her products. Each creation is as much a piece of her as it is the landscape she calls home.Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Celeste Lopreiato. Celeste, and her partner Simone Weinstein, operate Conscious Kitchen and Slow Growing Business Coaching. Conscious Kitchen is a vegan, zero-waste food delivery service based in Ontario, Canada. After completing an environmental studies degree at university, Celeste applied for over 100 jobs in the environmental non-profit sector. She found that most positions, although paying close to minimum wage, required a masters degree. She eventually got a job working for a non-profit but found the work to be uninspiring and frustrating. Instead of settling into a 9-5 routine she opted to try and find other ways to make a living. She started preparing meals for one family and, as word of mouth spread, that quickly expanded into more clients. She didn’t have formal training as a chef or a degree in business. She taught herself through research, books, online workshops, and trial and error. At 22, she envisioned where she wanted to be and what she needed to build in order to get there. She also saw a need in her community for a business like hers - one that was affordable, yet shared in her values of zero-waste, plant-based, local and organic. Celeste has a unique perspective as someone who started working for themselves nearly right out of college. She completely defied expectations of someone her age. Instead working for years in building someone else's dreams, she chose to take a leap of faith and invest in herself and her future, which is something that most young people aren't encouraged or taught how to do. In our conversation we speak about learning through doing, overcoming fears of risk, starting small, and setting yourself up for success in the long term. We also speak about diversity in rural areas, the effects of the rural influx on local economies, and how to build bridges instead of walls when moving to a small community.  I am so inspired by Celeste and the incredible business she has built at such a young age. I hope her story inspires anyone contemplating entrepreneurship. This is a story about the power of believing in yourself and your ideas, learning through failing, perseverance, and hard work. I hope you enjoy it!For more episodes and features, visit: www.urbanexodus.comSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Natalie McGill. Natalie is a farmer and farm educator living on the Eastern shore of Virginia. Natalie grew up in the East Coast suburbs, but decided she wanted to farm at a young age. She met her partner Stewart in college and they connected through their shared passion for agriculture, ecology and animals. They both decided to avoid chasing the capitalist derived vision of the American Dream and instead learned to live off the land and in harmony with nature. In 2010, fresh out of college, the couple wed and Natalie’s parents offered them access to family land to build their homestead. At first they had no idea what they were doing, but they were committed to learning how to grow enough food to feed themselves. They worked odd jobs and learned about various sustainable agriculture practices through trial and error. What began as a homestead garden eventually grew into a fully operational farm. Now they run a CSA and farm store that provides meat and vegetable shares to their community. They currently grow vegetables, raise a myriad of heritage livestock breeds and host workshops for apprenticing farmers. Looking back on their journey, Natalie wishes she would have had more farming experience before jumping right in. She is quick to acknowledge the privilege she was afforded by having access to land from the get-go, which has helped her in so many ways, but the learning-by-doing method was extremely difficult. Based on her own experience, she recommends that new farmers, regardless of whether they have access to land, to seek out internships and farming jobs as a way to learn the vocation.I admire Natalie’s work as a lifelong learner and a teacher and how she is passionate about preserving and honoring ancestral farming practices, heritage breeds, and heirloom crops. This is important work, because climate uncertainty means that we need more resilient, healing and adaptable crops and farming practices. Collectively we must move towards greater crop diversity, regenerative agriculture practices and more localized food systems so no communities fall risk to supply chain food shortages. More people like Natalie are needed now more than ever, so I appreciate the role she takes in giving back and educating our future farmers.  In our conversation we speak about the effects of climate on farming, biodynamic practices, the alchemy of growing, and the plight of our current food system.This is a story of initiative, passion, and working in harmony with the natural world. I hope you enjoy.You can find photos from Natalie's farm and find links to her website and social accounts by visiting the Urban Exodus Blog. Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Molly Leary. Molly is a single mother, a musician, and a small business owner. She runs Squash Blossom Vintage, offering one-of-a-kind pieces that reflect her love of late sixties and seventies fashion. She has pivoted throughout the years - going from consignment to pop-up to brick and mortar and now she sells exclusively through her weekly Instagram stories. Molly has built a roster of repeat customers from all over the world and her business has graced the pages of Vogue and Elle magazine.Molly left the vibrant music scene of Austin, Texas so that she could be closer to family and build a better life for her girls. While living in Austin, Molly’s two daughters were diagnosed on the autism spectrum. It initially felt overwhelming because it was a steep learning curve to understand the unique needs of each of her girls and figure out what was available to assist in their learning and development. She decided to move back to her childhood stomping grounds in the Gold Country of California because the resources for children with special needs were superior to what was available in Texas. It also meant that her daughters could grow up with their grandma and aunt nearby.While searching online for available rentals, Molly accidentally clicked on a home for sale and not for rent. It was the house she had always dreamed of - all redwood, passive solar, built in the same era as the clothing that she sold. It seemed impossible as a cash-only, fixer-upper, that she couldn’t afford but she just couldn’t shake the feeling this was destined to be the place where she raised her daughters and had to find a way to make it work. It felt like divine intervention when her community rallied together to help her get the house. Molly’s real estate agent worked with another agent to buy the house in cash and their friend who owned a construction company made the necessary repairs so that Molly could get a conventional loan.Molly has found success and work/life balance with her small vintage business and she offers some great advice about not rejecting the path that speaks to your passions, your skills, and your talents. In our conversation today we speak about motherhood, navigating the complexities of an autism diagnosis, and creative entrepreneurship. This is a story about a mother’s love, manifesting dreams, and cultivating everyday happiness. I hope you enjoy.We have included some resources for anyone researching moving to a rural area with a special needs loved one in Molly’s episode feature on the blog. In addition, you will find photos and interview questions from my visit with Molly back in 2019, including photos of her incredibly unique home, links to her social accounts and her website by visiting urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Margo Candelario. Margo is an author, a visual artist, and the owner and operator of a female run multi-generational family farm in Oconee County, Georgia. Margo runs Young Female Farmers with her mother, and her three daughters. They offer fresh produce, baked goods, and wildcrafted tinctures. Margo started her career on Wall Street but after the birth of her daughter, her and her husband decided to move to rural Georgia. Although she loved the blue sky and fresh air, she felt like a fish out of water and had a difficult time adjusting and finding work. Coming from a successful career in finance, the only jobs she could find in Georgia were low paying service positions. Her husband Phil, seeing Margo’s struggle to find gainful employment, offered to be the sole-financial provider for their family so that Margo stay home with their daughters.Leaving the workforce was a welcomed refocus until tragedy struck. While pregnant with their third daughter, Phil suffered a massive heart attack and passed away at age 34. Margo became a single mother overnight and had to find a way to take care of her family. Weighing her limited options, she decided that the only feasible option as a pregnant, single mother was to start her own business.She began making sweet potato pies and selling them at farmers markets and then expanded into fresh produce - making a point to visit food deserts in their area to provide fresh vegetables to people in her community that wouldn’t otherwise have access. Farming and entrepreneurship allowed Margo to bloom and build a new beautiful chapter for herself and her girls.In our conversation today we speak about Margo’s journey from Wall Street to rural Georgia, healing through the soil, and the wisdom she has gathered through following her heart’s path all these years.This is a story about family, love, overcoming extreme tragedy, and celebrating life. I hope you enjoy it.To find additional interview responses, images from Margo's farm and links to her work and social accounts, visit the Urban Exodus Blog. Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Bo Dennis of Dandy Ram Farms. Bo is a flower farmer, a new farmer advocate and rural queer activist. This is an insightful and honest interview, and I’m very grateful for Bo’s trust in sharing his story on the podcast. As a queer and trans person who has lived in rural spaces his entire adult life, Bo’s lived experiences offer a glimpse into the hardships LGBTQ+ people still face when it comes to accessing health services, and feeling safe and accepted in their rural communities.He has lived in small towns throughout Maine, ranging from a small island of only 11 year-round residents to current hometown with 900 residents. Bo is deeply passionate about breaking down the many barriers in farming and speaks on the real need for more financial transparency and acknowledgment of privilege in the small-scale farming space. In addition to running his small-scale flower business, Bo also works for the Maine Organic Famers and Growers Association - as a New Farmer’s Program Specialist - where he helps connect new farmers to educational, financial and infrastructure support to get their farm business going.  In our conversation today we speak about his experience as a queer person living in rural America, farming and farm activism, making a living as a farmer while grappling with erratic climate shifts, and his hopes for the future of agriculture. This is a story about self-love, resilience, and not letting anything get in the way of living your purpose. I hope you enjoy.To find links to Bo's website, social accounts and to see images from our visit to Dandy Ram Farm on the Urban Exodus Blog. Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Alicia Malone. Alicia is a recent Maine transplant, who relocated from Los Angeles during Covid. Alicia was born and raised in Australia. She is a published author, film expert, and most well known for her role as a host on Turner Classic Movies. Her two books -- Backwards and in Heels  and The Female Gaze - focus on the role of women in cinema history, and the accomplishments and struggles of many female filmmakers today.Ever since she was a kid, Alicia has been obsessed with cinema. She knew she wanted to someday work in the film industry, and was super focused towards manifesting her goal of building a career in the highly competitive entertainment industry. Instead of going to college, Alicia moved to Sydney right out of high school to work behind the scenes in television production. After cutting her teeth as a film journalist in Australia, she moved to Los Angeles, with the specific goal in mind to one day work as a host for Turner Classic Movies. Contrary to the many assumptions about the role of a television host, Alicia writes all of her own scripts, and loves the viewing and researching process more than her time on camera.As a child, Alicia grew up on a farm and always dreamed that she would go back to live in the country someday. It was always that “one day” sort of dream, but when the pandemic hit, that dream finally seemed like a viable option. Alicia was working remotely, and taking trips every couple of months to film for Turner Classic Movies at their headquarters in Atlanta. She realized nothing was keeping her in the stressful, congested, party scene of Los Angeles. On a whim, she found a monthly Airbnb rental in a town in Maine that she had only driven through once. Even though she'd never spent anytime there, that one drive thru was enough to enchant her and make her want test the waters to see if could feel like home. In less than a month, she knew this was where she wanted to plant permanent roots. She quickly bought her first home because she saw real estate prices increasing and inventory decreasing. While most of her work takes place outside of her small community, Alicia is currently pursuing a dream to open a local independent theater. She wants to show classic and contemporary films and is looking forward to contributing to the "movie memories" of others.Alicia is such an inspiration, not only because of the joy and tenacity with which she approaches following her dreams, but the life she has built for herself on her own terms. I know how grateful she is to make the shift back to small town life after decades of building her career in big cities. I love hearing about how returning to a small town has allowed her to re-experience her childhood rural roots, and also return to a more authentic version of herself - even dyeing her hair back to her natural blonde. Alicia took her physical move as an opportunity for a mental shift as well in prioritizing her health, and also stepping back from the rat race and ‘more is more’ mentality. In our conversation, we speak about her advice for urbanites making the dramatic shift to small town life, moving while single, Alicia’s lifestyle and career choices, and the changes she haSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited for you to hear my conversation with Daniel White - homesteader, explorer, and all-around trailblazer. Originally from Ashville, NC, Daniel grew up a city boy. Yet, deep down, he always had a desire to live closer to the natural world.Daniel dropped out of high school at 16 and in his mid 20s took a job as an electrician. He spent over half a decade working 60 plus hour work weeks. At 31, he boarded his first airplane and immediately got the travel bug. After a bad break up he decided to quit his job, cash out his 401k and savings, and hike the Appalachian trail. With no training, his first time sleeping in a tent was on the trail. Daniel documented his experience online for his friends and family and began to amass a following of supporters who helped him stay the course and hike all the way from Georgia to Maine. Originally, Daniel didn’t think he would hike the whole trail and just planned to keep going until he couldn't afford to go any longer. He decided to document his experience on his social accounts and in a short period of time he amassed a number of supporters from all over the world that were able to keep him and his adventures going until he finished the trail in Maine. After that transformative 190 day journey, Daniel continued his adventures, biking the 2,000 mile underground railroad trail, hiking Scotland and Spain from coast to coast, and most recently the island nation Dominica.Perhaps Daniel's biggest adventure and challenge to date is realizing the dream he and his late father shared. Through contributions from his online community, Daniel was able to purchase 10 acres of land in northern Maine and is building his vision of a community homestead of tiny houses for like-minded folks who wish to enjoy a  lifestyle outside of the confines of the city. Daniel has zero pretense for the things he has conquered and achieved thus far. He is a person of action, a person who has realized that the people that succeed the most, often also fail the most and then are able to brush themselves off and try again. I think so many of us have these little voices in our heads that tell us we can’t do this or can’t do that, but I hope listening to Daniel’s wisdom and story helps inspire you to step out of your comfort zone and work towards whatever you want to manifest or change in your own life. Fear of the unknown and fear of being uncomfortable is a powerful deterrent on a path to greater happiness and self-reliance. Daniel has had the courage to take control of his destiny and work towards his own vision of a life well lived. That hasn’t been the easy route in any regard, but it is one that he is committed to and I know he will be successful in. In this modern day and age, each one of us has the power to share our stories and to connect with like-minded people - across the globe. I encourage you to follow Daniel’s journey and consider contributing to the build out Zion North. Daniel's story is one of tenacity, self-reliance, courage, and the endless pursuit of adventure. I hope you enjoy it. To see photos from my visits to Zion North, links to Daniel's website, crowdfunding campaign and social accounts visit the Urban Exodus Blog. Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with artist, embroiderer and DIY designer Sarah Benning. At first glance, Sarah's life seems like a vision from the past. She lives in a historic Victorian home in New Hampshire, and spends most of her days embroidering.  Although, in actuality Sarah is a successful contemporary artist, creating one of a kind hand stitched artworks, DIY kits and digital embroidery patterns. Sarah studied painting in college and despite being drilled in school that in order to be a successful artist you have to live in a big city, she decided to throw caution to the wind and leave Chicago and city life after graduation. She took a job as a nanny and in her downtime began experimenting with embroidery as a creative medium. She found that the lower cost of living and the less stressful lifestyle gave her more free time, which actually inspired her creative process and ingenuity in taking up an antiquated art form and bringing it into the 21st century. Documenting her work and process on Instagram in the early days of the app Sarah amassed an enormous online following that helped her begin selling her work. In just a year and a half, Sarah reached a point where she felt like she could make art her full time hustle. She has slowly built a sustainable art business by constantly evolving her work and offerings to keep up with the wants and needs of her customers. Now, both Sarah and her husband work full time to run the business. They are able to live in a small town and have much more flexibility in their lives. I am so inspired by Sarah’s creative journey of taking a leap from side hustle to full time artist. I also really appreciate her journey of leaving the city and moving to a tiny community before realizing that a slightly larger small town felt more like home. Sarah’s story speaks to both the intense amount of work it requires to build your own business and also the tremendous rewards of having more autonomy over your own life. I encourage you to peruse Sarah’s online shop or consider taking one of her workshops. This is a story of making your passion your profession, being open and willing to make creative evolutions, rural entrepreneurship in the digital age, the lost art of embroidery, and so much more. I hope you enjoy it. For links to Sarah's work, social accounts and photos from her creative home and studio visit the Urban Exodus blog. Photo credit: Sanders ThreeSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with David Barron. David is a true renaissance man, juggling a busy and fulfilling life as a firefighter, farmer, parent, and community leader in Western Oregon. David grew up in Arkansas, and moved to Oregon as a teenager. He and his family grow vegetables, raise animals, keep bees, and make and sell bath and body products on their farmstead. He practices and advocates for regenerative agriculture, using a curricular approach to tending his crops and animals, and keeping healthy bees.In addition to his heroic work as a structure firefighter in one of the most fire-prone parts of the country, David works as a leader with the youth organization Word is Bond. The group seeks to heal and reconstruct the narrative between young black men and law enforcement through leadership development, thoughtful dialogue, and civic action. His family also hosts an agriculture camp on his farm every year. All of David’s work is in direct benefit to his community whether it be putting out fires, providing nourishment, volunteering with youth, or hosting country curious urbanites on his farm as a part of his Urban Outreach program. You can tell through his words and his actions how much he really cares and is optimistic about making the world a better place. It is all too easy to feel bogged down by all the world’s problems, and while it is necessary to call out our society’s wrongs, David’s perspective is so refreshing and a great reminder of all the things we can do to manifest change on a local level. No matter how big or small, we shouldn’t discount the actions we can take to make our families, loved ones, and communities stronger. David is an inspiring person for so many reasons, but his positivity and love for his work and community is what makes him so wonderful to listen to. I hope you enjoy!To see photos from his farm and links to his website, social and Word is Bond, visit the Urban Exodus Blog. Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with V Smiley, a former chef and the passionate driving force behind V Smiley Preserves - a honey-based jams, savory preserves and marmalades business based in New Haven, Vermont. V was born on a farm in rural Vermont, a child of Back-to-the-Landers. Some of V’s fondest childhood memories are sitting around the table enjoying delicious meals grown on their farm. In their early twenties V came out as queer and it was not well received, especially by V’s father. Feeling unwelcome to return home, V moved to the West Coast and started working in restaurants. The pace and culture of the restaurant industry was intense so when V had an opportunity to make preserves for a seasonal fine dining restaurant - which had a different skill set, pace and hours, V jumped at the chance. Thus began V’s mastery and passion for preserves. V Smiley Preserves was built in Seattle as a side hustle with the full intent to eventually move that business back to V’s childhood home and farm in Vermont. V's story hopefully will speak to anyone out there dreaming of returning to their rural roots but can't figure out how to find employment or build a business. V transitioning from employee to employer has required analysis of the system and culture of the food industry to see where improvements and changes can and should be made. It is I am so inspired by V and Amy’s vision for the future and their tireless work they’ve put into creating a rural destination in New Haven. It is extremely difficult to build something from scratch and trying to find funding when you are one of the first businesses trying out a unique business model in a rural location. I hope V is able to make the mini-factory a reality. I encourage anyone listening who is a jam or preserves lover to treat yourself to V’s incredible line-up of products. This is a story of homecoming, careful and intentional planning, legacy, perseverance and preserves. I hope you enjoy it. To find links to V's 2018 UE feature, interview questions, photos and more - visit the Urban Exodus Blog. Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Hana Oh, a recent rural transplant, mother, goat, sheep, cow and chicken keeper, and newly Licensed Master of Social of Work who lives with her young daughter about an hour outside of Waco, Texas. Hana's parents immigrated to the United States from Korea in the 1980s. She was raised in the evangelical faith in the culturally diverse city of Houston, Texas. In the fourth grade her parents relocated to a rural community just outside of Austin, Texas. Looking back that year was a particularly hard and traumatizing time in her life, "Houston is one of the most diverse and cultured cities, so going from that to being one of very few children of color in a white, rural town was difficult. My brother and I experienced racism at school, but didn't have any language for what we were experiencing and just didn't know how to name it or talk about it. We moved back to Houston a just year later."Hana's lived experiences have shaped who she is today and have called her to work towards positive change in the world. Feeling the enormity and weight of the collective problems we are facing as a society, Hana returned to school to study social work so that she can dedicate her energy and skills towards making tangible, impactful change. In this episode we speak on the power of collaboration, being called to a purpose greater than yourself, why real progress takes time, and her experiences living in rural Texas during such a difficult and contentious time in U.S. history. I so appreciate the way Hana uses her compassion, energy and intention to work towards impactful change on a local level. Her vision for the future is a world where anyone can walk down the street at any time of day or night and feel safe. I also really appreciate her approach to transitioning to rural living by moving slowly and not rushing into trying to do or master all the things all at once. I think it is easy to jump into rural life and want to get all the animals, grow all the food, do all of the things, but there is really something to be said for observing and moving slowly with intention - by listening. I hope her words were inspiring to anyone feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of problems we face and anyone embarking on their homesteading journey and feeling overwhelmed by the never-ending "to do" list. I encourage you to think about ways you can make a small impact in your own way, using the skills and connections you have. We all have a part to play in the making a better future.Thank you Hana for sharing your story with us! Follow @ohhana on Instagram. To see images from her homestead, visit the Urban Exodus Blog. Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Melissa Rebholz, a chef, farmer and the passionate driving force behind Midge’s Kitchen in Wheeling, West Virginia.I initially connected with Melissa back in 2015 when she was farming solo in the rural Appalachian town of Greenville, Tennessee. Several years before I visited, Melissa had left NYC to learn to farm. She moved around to different farm jobs, including a stint in California working at Green String farm.The cost of living in California, paired with her desire to be closer to her family in upstate New York inspired her move to Tennessee to grow for a non-profit farm. Several years after I visited Melissa in Greenville, she had to leave the home and farm she had built to remove herself from an abusive relationship and start from scratch. The inner strength Melissa has harnessed to break free from that toxic relationship and start anew is inspiring.Melissa has moved several times since leaving Tennessee and planted roots in Wheeling at the beginning of the pandemic. The pandemic made Melissa realize that she needed to stop postponing her dreams and go after them - there is no sense waiting for the right time because there is no such thing as perfect timing. In 2020 Melissa left her job and enrolled in a small business incubator program so that she could put together a plan and finally build her own food related business. She encourages anyone wanting to start a small business to listen to their own community's wants and needs because the ultimate goal of any small business is fix a problem or fill a hole in local offerings.Melissa is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to growing food, farming, building a community and a business in a new place. My hope is that Melissa's entrepreneurial will inspire others to consider betting on themselves and working towards building their own business. I highly encourage anyone who finds themselves in Wheeling, West Virginia, to go eat at Midge's Kitchen. To read Melissa's Urban Exodus feature from 2015 and see images of her culinary delights and kitchen garden visit the Urban Exodus Blog.Support the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Christopher Joe, a 3rd generation Black Angus cattle farmer, a District Conservationist for the National Resources Conversation Service, and the founder of Connecting with Birds and Nature Tours. Christopher's family has owned 200 acres forests and fields in Alabama’s Black Belt since the early 1900s. Christopher was raised with a deep respect of agriculture, land stewardship and the natural world. In addition to running the farm, Christopher's father worked as an agribusiness educator for over thirty years and Christopher earned a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management from Alabama A&M University.Chris is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to finding creative ways to use your land to benefit yourself, your community and the greater ecosystem - no matter if you have hundreds of acres or a small allotment. At the NRCS Christopher works farmers and land owners to help them best utilize and conserve their property. While looking for creative ways to diversify the Joe Farm's income streams, Christopher reached out to different area organizations and universities to get their thoughts on ways of incorporating agri-tourism into their farming operations. Connecting with Birds and Nature Tours was born in 2018, giving birders and naturalists access to explore and birdwatch on Christopher's family's farm. By partnering with local small businesses, Christopher has created opportunities for the entire local economy. This has led to the creation of jobs, regional economic development, and support for local landowners/businesses, in his historically underserved community. In addition to the birding tours, Christopher and his father have begun to receive grants to build bird houses, towers and boxes for University studies. He has also discovered a deep love of birding and photography. These days he never leaves home without his camera and his "rocket launcher" birding lens. Christopher's Instagram is filled with beautiful captures of the birds he finds and now he is selling his photo prints to visitors. In addition to his photography, they have added camping, nature walks, mountain biking, bird houses and other offerings to further diversify their farm income and ensure they can continue to maintain and keep their family land in the future. My hope is that Christopher's journey into agritourism will inspire others to think up creative ideas for diversified rural entrepreneurship and land stewardship. It's amazing to see the power and opportunity that one agritourism business can have on the greater natural and economic ecosystem. I highly encourage anyone going through Alabama, even if you aren’t a birder, to go take a birding or naturalist tour at the Joe Farm. To learn more about their programming or schedule a tour visit their website. To see photos of the Joe Farm, birding tours and Christopher's birding images, visit the Urban Exodus BlogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Simone Leon, a writer, and film festival program producer living in Camden, Maine. After attending film school, Simone was thrilled to land a job working for a major talent agency in Los Angeles. While she loved the people she worked with and the projects she got to assist on, the traffic, long hours, stress and pollution began to overwhelm her. Simone began dreaming of living a life on her own terms and moving to a place where nature was closer and local food was plentiful and affordable. At 25, she left her job in the film industry and moved across the country to work as a talent/locations scout for a small creative workshop school. Even though it was a big pay cut, it was the perfect job to meet people and become familiar with her new home of Midcoast Maine. I met Simone in 2019 while teaching a course at the school where she worked. She has been a trusted freelance collaborator, assisting me on writing stories, planning workshops and producing podcast episodes. In addition to her freelance work, she works full time as a program coordinator for Points North Institute - a documentary film festival and launching pad for documentary filmmakers. I am so grateful that our paths crossed because of Urban Exodus. Without Simone's encouragement and help I probably would’ve never had the courage to start this podcast. I look forward to future collaborations with this incredibly intelligent and hardworking woman and I look forward to seeing what Simone and her partner build for themselves here in Maine.To see photos from our photo tour of Simone's home and links to her partner's music, visit the Urban Exodus BlogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Safiya Khalid, a fearless young politician who is inspiring her community and the next generation of civic leaders. Safiya was born in Somalia and fled the country with her mother and siblings. They were initially placed in New Jersey but found their way to Lewiston, Maine for the community. Lewiston has a large population of African immigrants, with 10% of the population from Somali. Safiya learned how to speak English in Lewiston schools and became an American citizen at age 14. She worked for LLBean making boots during high school and college. Safiya’s mother instilled a strong desire to help others and this upbringing inspired Safiya to run for office to be a voice for her community.  In 2019 she ran for Lewiston city county at age 23. Safiya was singled out by hate groups during her election and received racist messages and threats from all over the country. She didn’t let that hate deter her and won her seat by nearly 70 percent of the vote. Safiya is the first Somali-American council member and is working hard to bring more opportunities to Lewiston and be a voice for her constituents. I am so inspired by her passion, courage and drive to help her community. Safiya is a powerful agent of change and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for this hardworking young woman. As a Mainer, it was really such an honor to get to interview Safiya. You can find a link to additional photos by visiting urbanexodus.com/blogSupport the showSign up for  Apple Podcasts premium or our Patreon Membership for ad-free listening, rapid-fire guest interviews & our new mini-pod Ditch the City. urbanexodus.com | @theurbanexodus | buy the book