My love for open land didn't come naturally. Growing up in Southern California, my heart belonged to the beautiful, blue Pacific Ocean. I was a surfer, chasing waves and sunrises, and the idea of land beyond the coastline never really entered my mind. I always loved fishing and eating fresh seafood, but I had no clue how or where the rest of my food came from. Farms, ranches, open ranges — these were distant concepts, scenes from a movie, not anything I lived.
Everything changed when I went to the University of Wyoming in the mid-1990s to play football.
Landing in Laramie, Wyoming, was like landing on another planet for a California surfer kid. The horizon stretched out endlessly, not a wave in sight, but in its place: vast prairies, mountains, rivers, wildlife, and a sky so wide it seemed to swallow you whole. It didn't take long for the spirit of the West to seep into me. I encountered ranchers for the first time — real-life stewards of the land. I watched how they respected the earth and the animals they raised, and how they understood the intricate balance between human life and the natural world.
I learned about cows, horses, and ranch life from the rodeo team and local families. Their deep bond with the land and livestock was more than a way of life; it was a sacred trust. It made a big impact on me that the University of Wyoming's team name is the Cowboys — "The Pokes," as a nickname. Somehow, being a Cowboy became part of my soul. Even when I returned to Southern California, the surfer side of me remained intact, but it was forever braided together with the Cowboy spirit. I've often joked that someday, "Surfer Cowboy" will be the title of my autobiography.
A Health and Fitness Journey Meets the Land
As my career evolved and I became a health and fitness expert and writer, I kept studying — not just the human body, but the earth that sustains it. I realized that our personal health is inseparably linked to the health of the soil, the animals, and the air. True wellness can't exist without connection to the source. That's where I discovered regenerative farming and ranching — the most natural, sustainable, and healing system for both the planet and our own bodies.
Regenerative practices go beyond "organic." They mimic nature's cycles: rotating animals across pastures to fertilize the soil, planting diverse species to support ecosystems, protecting natural predators like wolves and coyotes that keep herds moving and healthy. Everything is interconnected. The animals enrich the land. The land supports the animals. And we, as part of this great web, benefit from nutrient-dense, life-giving food.
Two very special companies have become near to my heart, exemplifying everything that's right about this movement: Roam Free Ranch and Pasturebird.
Roam Free Ranch: Returning the Bison to Their Homeland
Roam Free Ranch (https://www.roamfreeranch.com) in Montana is the dream of Jon and Brittany, two incredible humans who walk their talk. Jon's love for bison began with a childhood trip to Yellowstone National Park with his father. Standing before these majestic creatures, he knew he wanted to dedicate his life to bringing them back.
After serving in the Air Force, Jon made that dream a reality, working to restore bison herds to their native lands and heal the prairie through regenerative ranching practices. Roam Free Ranch raises 100% grass-fed, grass-finished bison, rotating them across the land just as nature intended. Their approach rebuilds soil health, restores native grasses, sequesters carbon, and brings life back to ecosystems that have been degraded for generations. They aren't just ranching; they're restoring history and hope.
Pasturebird: Revolutionizing Chicken Farming
Pasturebird (https://www.pasturebird.com) was born from Farmer Paul Grieve's leap of faith. After leaving the Marines, Paul and his wife started raising a few chickens for their own family. That humble beginning quickly expanded into a mission: to change the poultry industry for good.
Paul saw firsthand how moving chickens to fresh pasture every day — like natural predators would in the wild — resulted in happier animals, healthier meat, and stronger land. Today, Pasturebird raises pasture-raised chickens outdoors under the sun, moving them daily in mobile coops. Their practices mimic the natural rhythms of the land, allowing chickens to forage, fertilize the soil, and live as nature intended.
From those early days in Washington State to building a thriving farm in California, Paul's vision has never wavered: better for the land, better for the animals, better for us.
Regenerative Farming: The Natural Way Forward
Regenerative agriculture recognizes that life doesn't thrive in isolation. Different species work together: bison disturb the soil with their hooves, encouraging grass growth; chickens scratch and fertilize; predators like coyotes naturally move herds across the landscape, preventing overgrazing.
Humans are part of this cycle, not separate from it. When we honor this design, we restore the planet and ourselves. Regenerative farming captures carbon from the atmosphere, builds topsoil, protects watersheds, increases biodiversity, and produces foods richer in nutrients. Compared to the devastating effects of industrial agriculture, it's not just sustainable; it's redemptive.
Why This Matters for Your Health
Food from regenerative farms like Roam Free Ranch and Pasturebird is fundamentally different. It contains higher levels of healthy fats like Omega-3s, more vitamins and minerals, and no synthetic chemicals. It's food the way nature intended — nutrient-dense, clean, and healing.
When we choose regenerative food, we're voting for a healthier planet, a healthier community, and a healthier body. Every dollar we spend is a seed we plant for the future.
How You Can Help
Support your local farmers and ranchers who care for the land and animals the right way. Buy directly from them at farmers markets or through farm delivery programs. And if you're looking for companies you can trust with your family's health, please visit: Both families have poured their hearts into these businesses, and every purchase supports their mission to heal the land and feed people with integrity.
Coming Soon on the Scottastic Life Show!
I'm thrilled to announce that I'll be hosting Jon and Brittany from Roam Free Ranch and Paul Grieve from Pasturebird on upcoming episodes of the Scottastic Life Show! You'll get to hear their full stories, their struggles, and triumphs, and why they believe so deeply in what they're doing. If you want to feel inspired, empowered, and connected to something bigger than yourself, you won't want to miss these interviews.
The earth needs healing. We need healing. And it all begins with a return to God's perfect design. From a surfer's love of the ocean to a cowboy's respect for the land — this is the journey that changed my life, and I believe it can change yours too.
Editorial comments expressed in this column are the sole opinion of the writer. Always consult a physician before starting an exercise or diet regime.
