Welcome to the FLOURISH Podcast, where we at the Palouse Conservation District interview farmers, ranchers, and researchers on topics related to conservation agriculture. FLOURISH, also known as Farmers Leading Our United Revolution in Soil Health, is a farmer-led conservation innovation project to support the widespread adoption of soil health practices by integrating cover crops and livestock into farming operations in the Inland Pacific Northwest. The ambitious purpose of FLOURISH is to not only regenerate our soils, but also our rural communities by creating opportunities for younger generations to return to productive, sustainable farms. On this podcast, we bring you updates from on-farm trials, research, findings, and advice from farmers.
This work is supported by the Conservation Innovation Grants program at USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Episode 8: Diversified Cropping and Cattle Integration with David Dobbins
Join us for a conversation with David Dobbins to discuss his transition to more diversified crop rotations, his experience grazing cows on cover crops, and the infrastructure investments that made these changes possible. He shares interesting observations from the last three years of the FLOURISH trials, as well as the challenges he has faced along the way.
David is a participant in the FLOURISH on-farm trials. FLOURISH is a farmer-led conservation innovation project to support the widespread adoption of soil health practices by integrating cover crops and livestock into farming operations in the Inland Pacific Northwest. The ambitious purpose of FLOURISH is to not only regenerate our soils, but also our rural communities by creating opportunities for younger generations to return to productive, sustainable farms.
24 Nov 2025
Episode 7: Improvements in Soil Biology with Stuart Elliott and Jessiann Loomis
Join us as we chat with farmers Stuart Elliott and Jessiann Loomis about their usage of cover crops instead of a fallow period, and the changes they found in their soil biology after cover cropping. Stuart and Jessiann share what has worked, what hasn’t, and what they’ve learned along the way.
Stuart and Jessiann are participants in the FLOURISH on-farm trials. FLOURISH is a farmer-led conservation innovation project to support the widespread adoption of soil health practices by integrating cover crops and livestock into farming operations in the Inland Pacific Northwest. The ambitious purpose of FLOURISH is to not only regenerate our soils, but also our rural communities by creating opportunities for younger generations to return to productive, sustainable farms.
7 Aug 2025
Episode 6: Cover Cropping Trials and Goat Herds with Eric Odberg
Join us as we chat with farmer Eric Odberg about his use of goat and cattle grazing in his cover crop system. Eric shares how partnering with a goat herder and cattle ranchers has helped integrate livestock into his operation over the past few years. Eric and Ryan explore lessons from Eric’s on-farm trials, including surprising discoveries, what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what he’s learned along the way.
Eric is a participant in the FLOURISH on-farm trials. FLOURISH is a farmer-led conservation innovation project to support the widespread adoption of soil health practices by integrating cover crops and livestock into farming operations in the Inland Pacific Northwest. The ambitious purpose of FLOURISH is to not only regenerate our soils, but also our rural communities by creating opportunities for younger generations to return to productive, sustainable farms.
3 Apr 2025
Episode 5: Lessons in Dryland Cover Cropping and Livestock with Neil Appel
Join Ryan and Neil Appel as they dig into the lessons learned over the years by integrating livestock into Neil’s farming operation. Neil has teamed up with a friend to integrate cattle into his FLOURISH cover crop trials, and has been experimenting with what works best over the last couple of years. Ryan and Neil also chat about cover crop mixes, cover crop termination processes, aluminum toxicity in soil, and ideas on future soil health experiments.
Neil is a participant in the FLOURISH on-farm trials. FLOURISH is a farmer-led conservation innovation project to support the widespread adoption of soil health practices by integrating cover crops and livestock into farming operations in the Inland Pacific Northwest. The ambitious purpose of FLOURISH is to not only regenerate our soils, but also our rural communities by creating opportunities for younger generations to return to productive, sustainable farms.
18 Jul 2024
Episode 4: Cover Cropping and Cattle with Allen Druffel
Join Ryan and Allen Druffel as they dig into the good, the bad, and the ugly of integrating cattle into the Bar Star Farms operation. They discuss how Allen got involved in the FLOURISH program and his experience with cattle, cover crop mixes, experimenting while keeping the family farm viable, and his thoughts on improving the soil for years to come.
Allen is a participant in the FLOURISH on-farm trials.
FLOURISH is a farmer-led conservation innovation project with the goal of supporting the widespread adoption of soil health practices by integrating cover crops and livestock into farming operations. The ambitious purpose of FLOURISH is to not only regenerate our soils, but also regenerate our rural communities by creating opportunities for younger generations to return to productive, sustainable farms.
The views and opinions expressed on the FLOURISH Podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Palouse Conservation District or the USDA Conservation Innovation Grants program. Any content provided by our Guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything.
30 Apr 2024
Episode 3: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Farming the Peone Prairie with Josh Riddle
Join us for the second part of our conversation with Josh Riddle, a farmer on the Peone Prairie outside of Spokane. Ryan sits down with Josh to chat about his experiences on his farm and with the FLOURISH on-farm trials. In this episode, hear all about seed treatments; the good, the bad, and the ugly of extracts; and Josh’s experience with roller crimping, worm castings, and other cropping practices.
Josh is a participant in the FLOURISH on-farm trials.
FLOURISH is a farmer-led conservation innovation project with the goal of supporting the widespread adoption of soil health practices by integrating cover crops and livestock into farming operations. The ambitious purpose of FLOURISH is to not only regenerate our soils, but also regenerate our rural communities by creating opportunities for younger generations to return to productive, sustainable farms.
Resources:
Joel Salatin (https://polyfacefarms.com/homepage)
Worm Castings (https://www.planetnatural.com/worm-castings-benefits/)
Elaine Ingham (https://www.soilfoodweb.com/)
Johnson-Su BioReactor (https://regenerationinternational.org/bioreactor/)
Kiss the Ground (https://kisstheground.com/) - Film
Gabe Brown (https://brownsranch.us/)
David Brandt (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Brandt_(farmer))
Biochar (https://regenerationinternational.org/2018/05/16/what-is-biochar/)
Lentil Underground (https://bookstore.acresusa.com/products/lentil-underground) - Book
The views and opinions expressed on the FLOURISH Podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Palouse Conservation District or the USDA Conservation Innovation Grants program. Any content provided by our Guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything.
21 Feb 2024
Episode 2: Farming Inspirations and Aspirations with Josh Riddle
Ryan sits down with Josh Riddle, a farmer on the Peone Prairie outside of Spokane, to chat all about his inspirations and aspirations with farming. Josh and Ryan discuss how Josh got started in farming and how he now has 100 landlords. They also discuss Josh’s inspirations for what led him down the conservation agriculture path and his experience with cover crops and integrating other alternative cropping practices like using extracts and sea minerals in his cropping rotation. Josh and Ryan also explore more ideas on where farming in the region could go in the future.
Josh is a participant in the FLOURISH on-farm trials.
FLOURISH is a farmer-led conservation innovation project with the goal of supporting the widespread adoption of soil health practices by integrating cover crops and livestock into farming operations. The ambitious purpose of FLOURISH is to not only regenerate our soils, but also regenerate our rural communities by creating opportunities for younger generations to return to productive, sustainable farms.
Resources:
Info on Peone Prairie (https://revisitwa.org/waypoint/peone-prairie/)
DNS - Dark Northern Spring Wheat (https://smallgrains.wsu.edu/dark-northern-spring/)
Triticale (https://washingtoncrop.com/triticale)
Norman Borlaug (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug)
Gabe Brown (https://brownsranch.us/) - Regenerative Rancher
Elaine Ingham (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaine_Ingham) - Soil Microbiologist
Spokane Conservation District (https://spokanecd.org/)
Johnathon Lundgren (https://www.bluedasher.farm/) – Blue Dasher Farm
Kiss the Ground (https://kissthegroundmovie.com/) - Film
The Biggest Little Farm (https://www.biggestlittlefarmmovie.com/) – Film
Common Ground (https://commongroundfilm.org/) – Film
Extracts (https://microbiometer.com/blog/regenerating-soil-biology-through-liquid-compost-extract/) - Regenerating Soil Biology through Liquid Compost Extract
The views and opinions expressed on the FLOURISH Podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Palouse Conservation District or the USDA Conservation Innovation Grants program. Any content provided by our Guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything.
31 Oct 2023
Episode 1: FLOURISH Foundations and On-Farm Trials with Jason Bishop
Jodi and Ryan sit down with Jason Bishop from Living Heritage Farms in Edwall, WA, to discuss the foundations of the FLOURISH project, as well as results from the first year of on-farm trials.
Jason, Ryan, and Jodi discuss how the FLOURISH project all got started and its purpose, the background and changes to agriculture in the region in the last 100 years, the challenges of integrating cover crops and livestock in the Inland Pacific Northwest region, as well as farmers’ ambitious goals to solve those challenges.
FLOURISH is a farmer-led conservation innovation project with the goal of supporting the widespread adoption of soil health practices by integrating cover crops and livestock into farming operations. The ambitious purpose of FLOURISH is to not only regenerate our soils, but also regenerate our rural communities by creating opportunities for younger generations to return to productive, sustainable farms.
Resources:
USDA Awards Conservation Innovation Projects to Support Climate-Smart Agriculture and Soil Health (https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/news/usda-awards-conservation-innovation-projects-to-support-climate-smart-agriculture-and-soil)
Sweet Clovers (https://www.sare.org/publications/managing-cover-crops-profitably/legume-cover-crops/sweet-clovers/)
Earl Butz (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Butz#:~:text=His%20mantra%20to%20farmers%20was,of%20the%20small%20family%20farm.)
Speech by Wendell Berry- Agriculture for a Small Planet Symposium July 1, 1974 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1tioiBrZRE)
FLOURISH Website (https://www.inwflourish.org/)
Palouse Conservation District Website (https://www.palousecd.org)
NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants Program (https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/cig-conservation-innovation-grants)
The views and opinions expressed on the FLOURISH Podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Palouse Conservation District or the USDA Conservation Innovation Grants program. Any content provided by our Guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
34,112
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.7 / 5
3 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 36 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
18
Social presence
0
YouTube
76
Engagement
60
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