“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.” ~William A. Foster  Let’s get informed on our food and why quality AND morality matter in the farming world! I am excited to welcome Larry Lempka, local owner of Los Rios Farms! Los Rios is a regenerative farm that has been in Larry’s family for over 60 years. As times as moved, Larry has worked to evolve as well and stay on the trend setting tip of farming, but also maintain quality and intentionality. We unpack a lot in this conversation from big food/big pharma, the Dust Bowl, why we need to stop plowing, how we did it wrong from the beginning by disrupting the Indigenous people who had so right, and so much more. Larry gives some great insight on what you can do now from making better choices and shopping local, to checking out certainly documentaries and leaders in the community. This convo is a great intro into questioning a better way on how you fuel- yourself, your family, and your soul. Enter to win $75 worth of met from Los Rios Farm HERE !!   Related Articles: Regenerative Agriculture – An Evolving Concept Regenerative agriculture: merging farming and natural .. Big food companies commit to 'regenerative agriculture' but ...   Time Stamps: 1:15- Larry’s Bio 3:28- Growing up to play in the dirt 8:57- The great land rush 14:11- Too big, too fast 18:10- We have weeds… and immunity 22:24- Avoiding the mono-culture 25:23- Cheap at what cost 27:29- Fueling for performance 29:54- Los Rios Crops and practices – do more with less 34:33- Go to a farm, see it for yourself 38:23- Slowing down- how was the food? 45:12- Using food scraps 46:47- Why farmers are afraid to share the story 49:35- So many hats to wear in farming 52:55- What’s one thing we can do? 53:47- Agritourism 55:44- An award-winning burger is crap 1:00:25- Regenerative farming out of dire necessity 1:02:11- What can we do to help 1:05:47- Lots of ideas, call Larry!   Larry Lempka : Larry is a CSU Alumni, with a degree in Agricultural Business, and a minor in Agronomy.  He was a member of FarmHouse Fraternity and was a member of the National Champion Meat Judging Team at CSU. He is a Proud member of the Future Farmers of America, where he held the position of State Reporter in 1979-80 and created the first year of the ongoing Colorado FFA Magazine.  He holds the FFA American Farmer Degree. He is currently President of the Little Thompson Watershed Coalition which was established after the 2013 Flood and was a member of the Larimer County Agricultural Advisory Board to the County Commissioners.  He is a member of the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Colorado Coalition to Enhance Working Lands, Citizen Science Soil Health Project, and several other soil improvement and livestock associations. He has been awarded the 2022 Environmental Stewardship Award from Larimer County and recently been selected to participate in the Saving Tomorrow's Agricultural Resources Plus Program to work to promote and improve agricultural lands where he was established a 4 out of 5-star rating in the initial year of the program.   Los Rios Farm: Although not being born on a farm, yet living on one most of his life, Larry Lempka is the originator of Los Rios Farm, the farm that has been in the family for over 60 years influenced by growing up on the Little Thompson River south of Berthoud Colorado.  He has an extensive agricultural heritage for many generations going back to Poland and Russia.  His first solo experience on a tractor started at age 6, with his first animal being a grafted bull calf that started a small herd at age 10.  His first leased farm was acquired as a Junior in High School his first crops were snap beans grown for Kuner Empson Company, and grass hay.  He has commercially grown vegetables consisting of snap beans, peas, onions, potatoes, sweet co