How Do We Scale Small-Scale Farming?
with Jean-Martin Fortier
About this episode
In this solo episode, Jean-Martin Fortier reflects on the question: How do we scale small-scale farming? Fresh from the Canopy leadership retreat, he shares insights on building resilient, human-scale farms rooted in ecology and community.
Highlighting the wisdom of guest speakers like Eliot Coleman and others, Jean-Martin critiques the industrial co-opting of terms like “organic” and “regenerative,” emphasizing instead the need to multiply small, autonomous farms that feed local communities. He calls for collective action, not through industrial reform, but by creating a global ecosystem of interconnected growers working toward a more vibrant and sustainable food system.
[0:00] “How do you scale small scale?”
[2:11] Reflections on the Canopy leadership retreat and guest speakers
[5:34] Eliot Coleman’s visit and his philosophy: “Process over products”
[8:03] The purpose of the Canopy program and building a global network
[10:33] Jean-Martin’s evolving mission: multiplying impact beyond his farm
[12:13] Organic vs. regenerative: concerns about industrial co-optation
[15:35] The power of small-scale farms to feed communities
[20:03] Replacing industrial food systems with local farm networks
[22:48] Building ecosystems to support 100,000+ farms
[26:25] Ecology, social ecology, and the forest as a metaphor for resilience
Mentioned Links & Resources
Jean-Martin Fortier
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