E31: Rural Can’t Mean Struggle, with Lauren Hernandez and Lexi Boeger (Our Egg)
What makes a community truly thrive? Is it new businesses? More housing? Protected open space? Good jobs? Strong local agriculture? Healthy forests? A sense of belonging?
The reality is, it's all connected.
On this episode of All Land is Beautiful, I'm joined by Lauren Hernandez and Lexi Boeger, co-founders of El Dorado Economic Generator and Germination—better known as Our EGG. Their work sits at the intersection of economic development, working lands, conservation, and community, asking a deceptively simple question: How do we build a future where rural communities don't just survive—but thrive?
Our conversation explores why "place" means so much more than geography, how healthy economies and healthy ecosystems depend on one another, and why keeping working lands productive may be one of the most powerful conservation tools we have. We also dive into the challenges facing El Dorado County—from housing and land use to outdoor recreation, wildfire resilience, and the changing economics of rural life—and why many of those same conversations are unfolding in communities across the country.
Whether you're a conservationist, farmer, landowner, policymaker, or simply someone who cares deeply about the place you call home, I think you'll find this conversation both thought-provoking and hopeful.
Check out what Our Egg is up to.
28 May 2026
E30: Landed: The Next Hands on the Land, with Brooks Lamb (American Farmland Trust)
In this episode, I sit down with American Farmland Trust’s Brooks Lamb to unpack one of the biggest challenges facing agriculture today: the impending transition of 300 million acres of working lands to the next generation of farmers and ranchers.
From aging farmers and skyrocketing land costs to succession planning, conservation easements, and the future of working lands, this conversation dives deep into the emotional and economic realities shaping rural America. Brooks shares stories of struggle, resilience, and innovation from farming communities across the country — and explains why protecting farmland isn’t just about food production, but also about wildlife habitat, community identity, and the future of conservation itself.
We explore:
Why America is at risk of losing millions of acres of working lands
The emotional weight behind succession planning
How conservation can help keep farms and ranches intact
The rise of regenerative agriculture and next-generation stewardship
Why community connection matters more than ever
What all of this means even if you’ve never stepped foot on a farm
This episode is a powerful reminder that the future of land, food, and community are deeply connected — and that saving farms starts one conversation at a time.
If this episode resonates with you, be sure to check out AFT’s LANDED Podcast. The prologue is out now, and the first full episode drops June 2nd!
23 Apr 2026
E29: The Million-Acre Man - Shelton Douthit: How Land Actually Gets Protected
On this episode I sit down with a man who’s helped protect over a million acres of land.
But before you picture sweeping landscapes and pristine wilderness, let me stop you—because this story isn’t just about nature. It’s about deals. Contracts. Legal puzzles. And the kind of detective work that happens long before a trail ever opens to the public.
From scrambling through decades-old land records, to uncovering buried hazards in the middle of nowhere, to closing high-stakes, high-speed conservation deals—This is the not-so-glamorous behind-the-scenes world of land protection that almost nobody sees.
Because every park you’ve hiked, every open space you love…there’s a story behind how it was saved. And chances are its way more complicated than you think.
This time on All Land is Beautiful I dive into that story with Shelton Douthit, the Million-Acre Man—a guy who didn’t set out to become a real estate expert but ended up mastering the art of conservation deals at a scale most people can’t even imagine.
This is about how land gets saved—one negotiation, one title report, and sometimes, one hundred thousand acres at a time.
Who has been a guest on All Land is Beautiful
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Alan Ehrgott
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