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Rediscovering the definition of regenerative agriculture

In reality, regenerative farming has been practiced in this country for many hundreds of years, by many indigenous cultures, long before the wave of Western industrial agriculture. Ever heard of Three Sisters Crops? If not, you should look it up and try it in your garden.
In reality, regenerative farming has been practiced in this country for many hundreds of years, by many indigenous cultures, long before the wave of Western industrial agriculture. Ever heard of Three Sisters Crops? If not, you should look it up and try it in your garden.

Today on Food Trek, host Tory Dahlhoff searches out the real definition of farming's biggest buzz word of the last few years: regenerative agriculture. Where did the term come from, and what does it really mean?

We've covered a little bit of distance so far here on Food Trek. And sometimes when you're traveling, you just got to let the engine rest, put your boots up on the dash and maybe dive into a good book. Like, say, a dictionary.

Nothing transports Food Trek host Tory Dahlhoff more during a long journey than a good deep ponder on diction. So today on Food Trek, we’re taking a quick pitstop for a review of terms – specifically, the term regenerative agriculture. You probably hear the term more and more these days. But what does it mean?

Sometimes learning about food systems can feel like learning a new language with all the buzzwords and catchphrases. And you know who's good at learning new languages? Kids.

So Tory asked his kids – and some other experts – for some help finding the right definition.

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Tory Dahlhoff is a freelance reporter based at WCBU. He's also the host of the food and farming podcast Food Trek.