
335 Cindie Christiansen and Analisa Winther - How a first-time non-profit raised almost €1 million to put 50 top regen farmers in the spotlight
11/12/24 • 67 min
A conversation with Cindie Christiansen and Analisa Winther, founder of Top 50 Farmers, about the narrative around farmers and how it has to change. Less than 12% of farmers in the EU are under 40, and it isn’t seen as "sexy." The stereotype of a 60-year-old white man on a tractor isn’t helping, and no, driverless tractors are not going to take care of our farming anytime soon. So how do we change that? One way is to put the current trailblazers, the pioneering regenerative farmers, in the spotlight by connecting them with resources and with each other, and yes, even with corporations, to turn this into a real movement and to change the public narrative.
Farming can be at least as sexy— probably more so— as being a chef. Do you remember when chefs weren’t famous and didn’t have book deals or Netflix series? That has drastically changed in the last few decades. We need to do the same with farming and farmers. Great, lofty goals—but how do you go about it? How do you finance something like this? Stay true to yourself and make sure you don’t burn out, which wouldn’t be very regenerative. All things we unpack in this episode.
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More about this episode on https://investinginregenerativeagriculture.com/cindie-christiansen-analisa-winther.
Find our video course on https://investinginregenerativeagriculture.com/course.
----------------------------------------------------
The above references an opinion and is for information and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be investment advice. Seek a duly licensed professional for investment advice.
Thoughts? Ideas? Questions? Send us a message!
Find out more about our Generation-Re investment syndicate:
https://gen-re.land/
Thank you to our Field Builders Circle for supporting us. Learn more here
https://foodhub.nl/en/opleidingen/your-path-forward-in-regenerative-food-and-agriculture/
Feedback, ideas, suggestions?
- Twitter @KoenvanSeijen
- Get in touch www.investinginregenerativeagriculture.com
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Thanks for listening and sharing!
A conversation with Cindie Christiansen and Analisa Winther, founder of Top 50 Farmers, about the narrative around farmers and how it has to change. Less than 12% of farmers in the EU are under 40, and it isn’t seen as "sexy." The stereotype of a 60-year-old white man on a tractor isn’t helping, and no, driverless tractors are not going to take care of our farming anytime soon. So how do we change that? One way is to put the current trailblazers, the pioneering regenerative farmers, in the spotlight by connecting them with resources and with each other, and yes, even with corporations, to turn this into a real movement and to change the public narrative.
Farming can be at least as sexy— probably more so— as being a chef. Do you remember when chefs weren’t famous and didn’t have book deals or Netflix series? That has drastically changed in the last few decades. We need to do the same with farming and farmers. Great, lofty goals—but how do you go about it? How do you finance something like this? Stay true to yourself and make sure you don’t burn out, which wouldn’t be very regenerative. All things we unpack in this episode.
---------------------------------------------------
Join our Gumroad community, discover the tiers and benefits on www.gumroad.com/investinginregenag.
Support our work:
- Share it
- Give a 5-star rating
- Buy us a coffee... or a meal! www.Ko-fi.com/regenerativeagriculture
----------------------------------------------------
More about this episode on https://investinginregenerativeagriculture.com/cindie-christiansen-analisa-winther.
Find our video course on https://investinginregenerativeagriculture.com/course.
----------------------------------------------------
The above references an opinion and is for information and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be investment advice. Seek a duly licensed professional for investment advice.
Thoughts? Ideas? Questions? Send us a message!
Find out more about our Generation-Re investment syndicate:
https://gen-re.land/
Thank you to our Field Builders Circle for supporting us. Learn more here
https://foodhub.nl/en/opleidingen/your-path-forward-in-regenerative-food-and-agriculture/
Feedback, ideas, suggestions?
- Twitter @KoenvanSeijen
- Get in touch www.investinginregenerativeagriculture.com
Join our newsletter on www.eepurl.com/cxU33P!
Support the show
Thanks for listening and sharing!
Previous Episode

334 Andres Jara - Walking the land of market garden De Stadsgroenteboer with a regenerative farmer
A new episode of the Walking the Land with a Regenerative Farmer to explore the journey of Andres Jara, a regenerative farmer who has turned a mere 0.4-hectare plot outside Amsterdam into a vibrant market garden De Stadsgroenteboer. Andres shares his innovative farming practices that support an 650 people weekly and how the farm not only thrives on biodiversity, but also champions a unique trust-based market stand model, overcoming challenges like sourcing organic materials from abroad. De Stadsgroenteboer market garden is really pushing the boundaries of what success means financially, quality of life, quality of products, and of course the health of the soil.
We explore Andres' vision of making regenerative agriculture accessible to a wider audience, including diverse communities such as Turkish families seeking unique produce. From humble beginnings with basic setups to cultivating plants from seed and improving operations with self-made compost, Andres and his team have navigated the complexities of soil management and no-tillage practices.
While we walk through the farm, Andres shows exciting projects like the development of an outdoor kitchen space aimed at enhancing culinary education, giving aspiring chefs a firsthand experience with a variety of plants and flowers and deepening their understanding of ingredients from garden to table.
Finally, we focus on the broader themes of financial growth and ecosystem development in sustainable agriculture. Andres discusses the economic viability of regenerative farming, highlighting how strategic collaborations with local businesses have helped create a thriving community. You'll hear about innovative strategies, such as encouraging birds of prey to manage pests and using edible flowers to attract pollinators, which enhance both the environmental and economic aspects of the farm. Through Andres's insights, we are invited to consider a more harmonious relationship with the environment, emphasizing the need for a shift in financial paradigms to support the next generation of farmers.
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Join our Gumroad community, discover the tiers and benefits on www.gumroad.com/investinginregenag.
Support our work:
- Share it
- Give a 5-star rating
- Buy us a coffee... or a meal! www.Ko-fi.com/regenerativeagriculture
----------------------------------------------------
More about this episode on https://investinginregenerativeagriculture.com/andres-jara.
Thoughts? Ideas? Questions? Send us a message!
Find out more about our Generation-Re investment syndicate:
https://gen-re.land/
Thank you to our Field Builders Circle for supporting us. Learn more here
https://foodhub.nl/en/opleidingen/your-path-forward-in-regenerative-food-and-agriculture/
Feedback, ideas, suggestions?
- Twitter @KoenvanSeijen
- Get in touch www.investinginregenerativeagriculture.com
Join our newsletter on www.eepurl.com/cxU33P!
Support the show
Thanks for listening and sharing!
Next Episode

336 Kevin Wolz - Starting an agroforestry industry in the belly of the beast, the soy and corn monoculture heartland of the US Midwest
A conversation with Kevin Wolz, CEO of Canopy Farm Management and former founder of the Savanna Institute. Canopy provides tree planting and management services to farmers and landowners in the US Midwest. They establish perennial crops, timber plantings, conservation practices, and integrated agroforestry systems.
We have been talking about agroforestry systems and investing before (see link at the bottom of this page!): trees were the answer to whatever your question was. But how do you start an agroforestry industry right in the middle of the belly of the beast, the American Midwest, where corn and soy are everywhere, leases are 1 to 3 years, and there are no trees as far as the eye can see? And especially here, trees are needed, not as magical carbon sequestration tools but as climate adaptation, against erosion, wind breaks, to protect animals and crops, nutrient leaking into streams, and, of course, to produce a lot of food integrated into the fields. What does it take to build an agroforestry industry here? What about finance, equipment, planting, seedlings, tree nursery, harvesting, markets, and much more?
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Join our Gumroad community, discover the tiers and benefits on www.gumroad.com/investinginregenag.
Support our work:
- Share it
- Give a 5-star rating
- Buy us a coffee... or a meal! www.Ko-fi.com/regenerativeagriculture
----------------------------------------------------
More about this episode on https://investinginregenerativeagriculture.com/kevin-wolz.
Find our video course on https://investinginregenerativeagriculture.com/course.
----------------------------------------------------
The above references an opinion and is for information and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be investment advice. Seek a duly licensed professional for investment advice.
Thoughts? Ideas? Questions? Send us a message!
Find out more about our Generation-Re investment syndicate:
https://gen-re.land/
Thank you to our Field Builders Circle for supporting us. Learn more here
https://foodhub.nl/en/opleidingen/your-path-forward-in-regenerative-food-and-agriculture/
Feedback, ideas, suggestions?
- Twitter @KoenvanSeijen
- Get in touch www.investinginregenerativeagriculture.com
Join our newsletter on www.eepurl.com/cxU33P!
Support the show
Thanks for listening and sharing!
Investing in Regenerative Agriculture and Food - 335 Cindie Christiansen and Analisa Winther - How a first-time non-profit raised almost €1 million to put 50 top regen farmers in the spotlight
Transcript
The narrative around farmers has to change . Less than 12% of the farmers in the EU are below 40 . And it isn't sexy . And the stereotype of a 60-year-old white dude on a tractor isn't helping . And no , driverless tractors are not going to take care of most of our farming anytime soon , if at all . So how do we change that ? One way is to put the current trailblazing , pioneer
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