Going Soil to Sea with Samantha Duchaine | Sea Change

SPEAKERS
Jenna Valente, Samantha Duchaine

Jenna Valente  00:00
Hello, everyone, and welcome to the sea change Podcast. I am your host, Jenna Valente. And this is your go to show to meet the most inspiring people living, working and recreating along the American shorelines. And actually, in the case of today's episode, we are taking a shoreline adjacent approach by talking about the soil to see connection with a really fantastic guest who is based in Vermont. So today is all about interconnection, and the threads of action and impact that weave their way through and around every single one of us until what is left is the whole picture depicting the story of us. And what we have to show for ourselves when all is said and done. And it's time to hand over a planet to our children, our loved ones and future generations. So not only are we talking about interconnection today between soil and the sea, but we are being quite literal here, because my guest today is my cousin, Samantha Duchaine. So Sammy has been organically growing food. So she's been an organic food grower for about 15 years, probably more than that now, we'll definitely get into that in our conversation, in terms of her experience with organic food growing, and she is deeply knowledgeable, and so dedicated to health and wellness. She has worked on organic farms across the country, she had her own farm. And now she owns root juice, which is her super rad mobile juice and smoothie bar that she operates out of an Airstream caravan. She's just so great and see me as someone that I've admired for. Really, as far back as I can remember, she's been a role model to me. I view her as someone that really speaks and lives her truth and leads by example. She's passionate about the natural world and how interconnected it all is to our health. So with that, Sammy, thank you so much for joining me today and welcome.

02:28
I'm so happy to be here.

Jenna Valente  02:29
Yeah, thanks for being here. And, you know, I'd really love to start off by walking along your life path a bit. So just reflecting back, what are some of those pivotal moments that come to mind that led you to where you are now?

Samantha Duchaine  02:49
I think there's a lot of them. So I'll try to be brief with them. But I think man number one might have been my, so my parents got divorced. And then when I was 10, I had the most amazing stepdad come into my life, Paul, trim Dolly. And he is who my mom is with today. And he's just, he's been like a second dad, and he had this love for the outdoors. But I wasn't really raised with. And he was always taking me on hikes and little adventures, like climbing mountains, in the White Mountains. And one time, he was like, let's do the presidential traverse. And I must have been like, early teams. And I was like, I had no idea what that was, you know, but I knew we had these we have these like big exterior framed backpacks. And we were staying in the huts and we packed like salami and cheese.

Samantha Duchaine  03:53
You know, like, it was pretty funny what, what he did back then, you know, his style. Um, but anyway, I just remember that hike. And it was like two or three days. I mean, I think he took it pretty easy on me. I went with another uncle and cousin. And I just remember that like, there was like this fire inside of me, because on the presidential traverse, you can choose to do each peak or you can choose to go around them. And so it's like, I don't know, I think it's like an 18 mile above treeline traverse of the White Mountains from I forget the peaks, but it starts out in the peaks that it ends up but it encompasses Mount Washington, which is the highest mountain in the White Mountains. And I'm not even sure I don't I don't really remember if it's the highest one in the northeast, but it's a big one. And there's a big weather station up there and like all this stuff, but I remember that, you know, there was this way around each peak and I chose to go to the top of everyone and I just remember like running, I was so curious what the top of the mountain was like. And every time, you know, they were all pretty similar. And I just I think that sparked something in me, I remember driving through the White Mountains on the way to that trip and on the way out and just like, you know, craning my neck to see those mountains and wonder what was out there and wonder what it was like, and I've never been the same sense I have. I've made the natural world like, completely integrated into my daily life. And so I owe him a lot of credit, because I think the course of my life would have been a lot different. If I hadn't had that experience, and found that love and passion for the natural world.

Jenna Valente  05:56
And, you know, I love hearing those those stories of, like, I find that the people that I talked to, you know, the ones that have these, these moments where like a fire is lit inside of them, or like a switch goes off, just from an experience that they had in nature, or those are like my favorite stories to hear. They bring me so much joy, and they make me want to like get outside and continue to like connect with nature and, and, you know, rediscover places that I love to explore and then check out new spots like, like, the White Mountains, I've actually never done the presidential traverse I definitely aspire to and maybe you could be my guide on that. I think that would be a really fun trip for us to take. But I personally would this year with, you know, the lack of human connection that we've been able to have, by social distancing, I have found myself spending quite a bit more time outside and one of those places that I really spend a lot of time in that I hadn't spent a lot of time in before was in the White Mountains. They're incredibly special place. New Hampshire is a really cool state. And I think, you know, people that listen to my show, hear me talk about Maine all the time, but I will give credit where credit is New Hampshire and Vermont are both incredible places to explore. So for those of you listening, that are maybe considering a little northeast adventure, and hear me plugging Maine all the time, I would definitely Add New Hampshire and Vermont to your list. And so Sammy, I hear you talking about hiking, I know just from knowing you for as long as I have that you have hiked quite a bit. You've done the Appalachian Trail, which is incredible. Are you know, is hiking your favorite way to connect with nature? Are there other ways that you like to spend time outside? You know, what is it? In what ways do you like to connect with the outdoors? And? And are there any places that are particularly special to you and that you you connect with and why?

Samantha Duchaine  08:14
Actually, it's funny, I've done a ton of hiking and it is not my favorite way of connecting to nature. Not even close. I think after the Appalachian Trail, I was like that's it. I'm never hiking again.

Samantha Duchaine  08:29
No, I, I'm definitely I'm, I enjoy other other ways. I think hiking Actually, I should rephrase, I think hiking is probably one of the best ways to connect with nature. But it is not my favorite way to connect with nature. I think, you know, this the pace of hiking, slow, like walking through the woods, like, you know, it taps into that you know, the nervous system, right. And it's, it's definitely like a, I think it's a very like sacred and spiritual act. But I much prefer skiing or you know, downhill or cross country. I really love mountain biking. I am you know, rock climbing is probably my biggest passion and all of my life. And so I think actually my, my biggest connection to nature that I have is come through climbing and that that like that slow, methodical rhythm of hiking is even slower and it's even more focused and it's even more meditative when you're climbing because you know, you you can't just trip over a rock, you know what I mean? Like you have to be like really present and fully aware. And so that's probably my my go to connection.

Jenna Valente  09:57
rock climbing is something that I was actually talking to a friend about this the other day, I feel like if you if you look at me and you know me at like a surface level, it seems like I'm somebody that would enjoy rock climbing. Something that I like I just can't get into. But I have so much respect for people that do it. Like, I feel like all of my friends do it and are obsessed with it for a good reason. Like, it looks like so much fun. It's a challenge. It's physical, its mental, like you really have to connect with yourself and be intentional and mindful with everything that you do. And then you get to explore some really cool places. So that's something that I feel like a longing to enjoy, but have never really come around to. I just think at this point, I've accepted that I'm sort of more of like a terrestrial, like I belong on the ground.
And that's totally fine. It's not for everybody.

Jenna Valente  10:54
Yeah, and I mean, I'm not knocking it, I think, the coolest thing in the world, it's something that like, I wish that I liked more, I guess, is what I'm trying to say that something else I heard you mentioned, that I want to spend a little time talking about is the importance of, of mentors and positive influences in your life. And so you found that in one way through your stepdad, Paul, who I personally can only say positive things about you know, I've, I've known him from my whole life as well. And he's just a wonderful, wonderful human and really great leader and role model to have in both of our lives. And I think it just really puts an emphasis on finding people and sometimes those people find you that, you know, push, push your boundaries in like a healthy and comfortable way, and help you learn and grow and are there to support you. And, you know, we heard a little bit about Paul, but I'm wondering, are there other people or other things in your life that really motivate and inspire you to recreate and connect with the world in the way you do? And then also, you know, jump into the field of work that you do that we'll get into in a little bit.

Samantha Duchaine  12:14
Oh, man, yeah, I feel so grateful. I have so many role models, and people that I look up to and who have inspired me I feel super, super grateful to I mean, I don't know that I know the end of the list. But I the first person that sort of stood out was Jeff riddle. He was a teacher in high school, and he ran the Outing Club. So we had an outing club at Windham High School in Maine. And that was pretty revolutionary. When I was in school. I mean, it was like, I whatever. 35 now, so that was a long time ago. And for a school to have an Outing Club, you know, he was a sea kayak guide and summer so he would, you know, he had a fleet of sea kayaks and we used to go out in those and then he taught me how to climb to rock climb and ice climb. He taught me how to cross country ski, he taught me how to Telemark ski. He was a big, big role model for me. And I think, for a number of reasons he gave all of himself, he was the cross country coach. He taught, I believe it was geology, in high school. But he just was fully present with all of us. He fully opened up I mean, he opened up his home, he was like, it was like that first moment in my growing up where a teacher became like a friend. And I remember sitting at his kitchen table having breakfast before going out ice climbing for the day. And he was just he had this way of sort of sharing in vulnerability and authentically that I'm just a really a really amazing person. And he's still he's still a friend, you know, I make it a point to try and see him when I go back to Maine. He's gotten he's done amazing work for the high school. He's still at Windham High School. And he, he got like, I want to say a multi million dollar grant for outdoor education projects. And they they built a climbing wall in the gym of the school and he bought I mean he It was amazing. He got to buy trailers and kayaks and all the gear and really operate a really amazing program. And for me, I think, you know, a big part of that was the I was always into team sports. And that was great, but there wasn't really much of an option. You know, it was like whether you're a runner, a swimmer or you're in team sports and to have this like idea of just recreating outside like it Nature not on like a groomed field and like, and it was so fun, you know. And I think that's part of the reason why I fell in love with climbing because well, he really liked climbing, but we would just go throw top ropes on things and just giggle and laugh and have fun. And I just remember it wasn't, it was about the fun. And, and even now, like I skied a big race in Colorado a couple years ago, and I called him because I was like, your cross country coach, you know, how to train for endurance sports, like, what should I do?

Samantha Duchaine  15:37
And he's still he's still that, you know, I look up to him all the time. And so that's probably, he's the first person that comes to mind. And then similarly, in college, I had this he wasn't a professor of mine, but he was a professor while I went to Western State. And he retired shortly after, but his name is George Sibley, and Mario Super Mario guard, excuse me, his his girlfriend, they got together later in life, and they're just the most amazing couple. She's she works for the arts. She does amazing work, raising money for arts foundations. But he is an environmentalist, to the core. And he, you know, he wrote a huge book on, like, the history of water rights in the West. And he I just remember, sitting down with him a friend, some friends of mine were really close to him. And it's that like, that bridge, right? where it's like, in college, they're a little bit more like your peers than they are, you know, like your teachers. And he had this beautiful spread of food. And I remember, after dinner, like, you know, the conversations were rolling, and he was just like, you know, when was that moment when a teacher changed your course of action in life? Like, what was that for you? Like, he was trying so hard to make big impacts on his students and to really, like change the world through each person at a time and I just, I'll never forget that like, when that funkin hearing, hearing him ask that question to someone else. And like, the fact that he really wanted to know it, that was really impactful for me, and he and I are still friends to this day. And every time I go back to Colorado, I, I swing by and I say hello. And I mean, currently in my in the health and wellness world, one of my biggest role models is another friend from college, Rita Fleming. She's She's someone who underwent a huge, huge health transformation. Like she was in a car accident and nearly died in high school. And so I met her in college. She was from where I went to college. She was from Crested Butte and she had chronic pain. I mean, I will never forget, she was just in chronic pain she had she you know, she I think she was in the hospital for something like six months, she broke her spine and like a crazy number of places the doctor said should never walk again. And her mom, who's another super big influencer for me, Mary are not mere Brenda Fleming. Mary Fleming is her sister. But Brenda Fleming is a yoga instructor. You've definitely got me into yoga and alignment based yoga, Iyengar yoga and she did so much work with Rita. And I believe that's why we was able to still like walk in. But she was held back from chronic pain for sure. And um, and since the time I left Colorado, graduated and moved away and then 10 years rolled around and I was like, wait a minute, you know what's going on. And she had completely healed herself from chronic pain through regenerative, healing, regenerative healing, and so she is my big time mentor in this in this realm. And she's a big reason why I went back to school and why I started practicing in the health and wellness industry, so I'm just so I mean, I could go on for the entire time about all of my life. Well,

Jenna Valente  19:36
I think that you know, I love asking about this because I think it is a really important and useful thought exercise to reflect on who those people are, that were really impactful in mentoring you or being leaders or role models because in a way that helps take a moment to pause And then think about like, as where we sit as people that could be considered leaders in our respective fields? Like, how do I want to lead? And how do I want to connect with people that are either new in the field or curious or might look to me for guidance. And so thinking about those, those traits of the people that helped you get to where you are, you know, I heard you mention, making sure that it's fun, and even providing the opportunity to get outside and experience nature and the outdoors, in maybe a less formal setting than a team sport. You know, like, kind of just reflecting on what is it about those people that made them so impactful to you, and, you know, trying to move forward with including some of those traits in the way that you lead, I think that it's really nice to hear you reflect on those people. And in addition, you know, not everybody that is a leader and a mentor is going to be someone that's famous and that everybody knows about. So I think giving credit where credit is due is also great. So that's always like one of my favorite parts of these shows is just hearing about all the great people that are out there. And I try to talk to them all, but I'm not going to get to everybody. So you know, it's a little like, shout out corner on my, on my show for them. But I was like flipping that around. So thinking about where you are now. Now that we've talked about some people that have motivated and inspired and influenced you, I'm interested in hearing a little bit more about who do you hope to reach and inspire and motivate with the work that you're doing?

Samantha Duchaine  22:02
Hmm. Yeah, that's a really good question. I basically, um, I should be really clear on my target audience, right. That's what everybody says, um, but I want to provide hope and inspiration, possibilities, solutions to people that aren't sure they exist, or to people who are at the end of their rope, you know, and that's a lot of the health coaching work that I do, where it's like, I'm sick and tired of feeling sick and tired, and, or I'm sick and tired of not having control over my body, or my mind, or that connection between the two. Or I just want to feel better. And I don't, I've exhausted all of my options, like I need help. And I don't know how to approach this. And so I think on the surface, that's what I'm, that's obviously, who I want to reach. But I think, on more subtle levels, I would love to reach that girl that I was that got dragged up, you know, to the presidential traverse and kind of like, let out of her cage a little bit. And I I think it's really important to provide the space and the opportunities for people to discover who they are. So there was this moment on the a tee, where I had this like big epiphany. And I was soaking wet, and everything was wet. It had been raining for what seemed like days, and you know, it's impossible to stay dry when you're through hiking. And I just was so uncomfortable and so wet. And I remember looking around and I was like, Oh, the trees are wet, and the animals are wet and the ground is wet, and everything's okay. all wet. So I'll be okay to like, I'll all just be wet with everything else. And I found so much solace in that connection to the natural world, that it was like we're all in this together, kind of feeling. And I think I hope to sort of instill that in others like I really want to share that like anybody who's struggling. can go to the natural world and through a connection through the connection to that natural world there is great comfort. And and there has been for me and I can't say that there will be for everyone but I think holding the space and allowing.

Samantha Duchaine  24:52
Allowing like natural places and programs and like all of the little steps along my life that have connected me To the natural world, sort of showed me that or helped me to feel that. And I think that I would like to encourage that. For others too, like, there are, you know, there's a great deal of comfort in understanding that we're part of a big hole. And that we are all in this together. And for me, it came through in a rainstorm when I was at the end of my rope, and I was sick and tired of being wet. And I was like, Well, okay, everything's wet right now. So I'll get through it just like everything else will. So I think I would like to, I would like to help that person, you know, who is looking for solace, or comfort or connection? I'd like to help them understand that it's everywhere.

Jenna Valente  25:51
Yeah, and yeah, you're really never alone. When you're in that outdoors, either. Like, even if you're on a hike or walking by yourself, all it takes is just looking around. Like at your feet, you'll have bugs or even little microscopic organisms all the way through, like birds in the trees and in animals on the ground. And I think it's such a special moment, when you find yourself outside in moments like that, where you can just pause and take a breath. And realize that even in those moments, when you're alone, you're never actually alone. You're always surrounded by this entire ecosystem and nature and, and energy in the planet, which I think is just one of the most beautiful things that we could ever experience as a being in this lifetime and on this planet.

Samantha Duchaine  26:42
Absolutely. And I would extend that even further to say, even if you're in a sterile apartment in the city, you still have ecosystems of you know, bacteria on your body. Yeah, you know, and and that is the essence of who we are. And there it's like, we aren't, we aren't just human. We are bacteria and fungi and viruses. I mean, we are like we have huge, huge

Samantha Duchaine  27:14
numbers of species surviving on us at any given time. So I just wanted to add that

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Jenna Valente  28:17
Yeah, you know what I think when before we jump into some of your work, I think you're starting to get me on this thought path. And not to get too into a deep discussion about this, because I feel like we could go on and on forever. And just be in awe of the complete, amazing wonder that this experience on earth is but you know, there there are common themes in this conversation that I'm hoping to get at. And it's mainly being cute. It's like human being and like planetary health. And I think about it as our bodies both being ecosystems in themselves, as they're impacted by how we treat them in our actions and what we feel them with. And they're also a part of something that is so much larger than ourselves, which is, you know, the natural environment and like the planetary ecosystem. And they're, I feel like they're like, it's one in the same. So I like, what I'm trying to get at is it's almost like, we're thinking about it in a framework and our worldview of prioritizing both like internal and external ecosystems, and they both need to be healthy in order for us to thrive.

29:39
Absolutely.

29:40
Yeah. And so as

29:42
Yeah, go ahead.

29:44
No, go ahead. You might be asking.

Jenna Valente  29:48
Well, no, I was just, I was just gonna, you know, I'm really interested to hear more about how you got in your initial interest. So when we're thinking about what you fuel your body with In that like internal ecosystem and how that impacts both the way that you feel and then the external ecosystem around you based off like the choices you make and like, where you source your food from and all that. What was it that originally interested you in organic food and farming in integrative health?

Samantha Duchaine  30:29
Wow. Okay. So, man, what was it that initially interested me, I um, well,

Samantha Duchaine  30:34
I got sick. So when I moved to Colorado, I was like 18 years old, maybe 19. And I had been, I had just gotten vegetarian. Like the year prior, I read the Food Revolution by Tony Robbins. And it was all about the environmental impacts of eating meat. And as a budding environmentalist, I was like, Oh, my God, one of the biggest things I can do to like, save water on this planet, and save, like fossil fuel consumption. And all of these, you know, crazy repercussions of the meat industry is just stop eating meat, and just like, lessen the demand. So that was what I did. And, and I, you know, I

Samantha Duchaine  31:25
always told myself, if I ever wanted meat, I could have it. And I never, I there wasn't, it was never like, you can't ever have this again. You know, it was never forbidden. But it was just my choice. And I stuck with it. And over the course of a year, I started to get sick, and sicker and sicker. And it may or may not have had anything to do with the fact that I changed my diet. But I ended up finding this doctor and it was all like digestive sickness, like, really bad cramps, really terrible bloating. And to the point and like fatigue, to the point where I had to stop running because my intestines hurt so much when I was like jumping up and down. And I was, I mean, I just saw a picture of myself from that time, actually, I was going through old pictures the other day, and I was like a balloon. I mean, my eye was so inflamed everywhere. I was puffy, it was like, I did not even recognize myself was so puffy. My body was just screaming at me. And I was really, really lucky. I didn't have health insurance. I was broker it, then anything. I mean, I was a college student. So yeah, I was lucky to find this amazing doctor who was working with me for nearly a year to help me figure out what was going on. And basically, we did a food panel test, we tried all of the other things. And I was allergic to or sensitive to, like a million different foods. And so everything that I was eating was irritating me, because my body didn't have the enzymes to digest certain proteins in those foods. Gluten, some of the big ones were gluten, eggs, dairy, all dairy products, like things like lemon, and pineapple. Definitely strange foods. And so he really, he helped me figure out how to eat a diet without any of those things. And within two weeks, I felt amazing. And I lost all of the puffiness, I lost all of the excess weight, I was probably 10 pounds overweight. And I became so much more vibrant. And that was sort of the moment where I was like, wow, like the food we eat can kill us. Like I understood that my body could not have withstood that. for very long, it was just under too much stress. And so that was probably the moment where I realized the power of food and the power of what we eat daily. And then the power of of not eating certain foods to start the healing process. And a big thing that he was talking to me about was how this came comes down to the microbiome and the basically our gut bacteria and interestingly enough, about a year before I started to get sick, I had a huge antibiotic dose I almost died from a kidney infection. And the antibiotic treatment was like severe and thank God it saved my life. But I start to piece those things together. You know, learning a little bit about what what the doctor was sharing with me and about enzymes in the body and how important they are. And so that was probably my first my first experience with like, natural healing and, and using food as medicine. And then. And then I fell in love, obviously. So I fell in love with growing food, there was this farmer at the farmers market who who would come to us and when I was in college, and he had the most beautiful food I've ever seen. And it was just like this radiance coming from it. And they were all these different varieties and foreign looking foods, and he just was the most genuine, kind hearted person on the planet anyway. So I am obviously being a poor college student couldn't afford to buy his produce. And I was like, do you ever do that thing where like, maybe I could work a little bit in exchange for just food instead of money. Of course, he was like, Oh my gosh, I would love to. So we became really good friends. And I would go over there on the weekends and help him with harvest. And then I would get a ton of food and so much food that I would, you know, put up food for the winter, I was very, very well taken care of. And that was sort of when I started to fall in love with that, like the art of farming. And I took over the community garden on campus. And that was a really cool program I was involved with. And so it was basically an opportunity for any students to get their hands in the dirt and to grow some food for themselves. And so that was kind of what it was, it was very loosey, we just would get together, we would like prep the beds in the spring, and we would prep them in the fall for bed. And we would just grow whatever we were interested in. And that evolved. I ended up using, you know, some of my professors had greenhouses and they would like let me grow all the stars in their early spring. And then we would have like a big transplanting party. And then it turned into me advocating for a greenhouse on campus. And there was like this board of us that were trying to get a greenhouse on campus, because gudnason is like the coldest place in the continental US. So you really, you're hard pressed to get a tomato off of a tomato plant there. And so, you know, and then just bringing in the environmental science bit of it, like, you know, we need a greenhouse, and it's pretty cool, you know, institutional changes like that take forever. But I got an email from my environmental studies professor had, you know, chair of the, of the group, and he was like, I just want you to know, all that work you did on the greenhouse, we finally got a greenhouse. And that process. So it was, it was great. And it's nice to go back and see the community garden has expanded and the greenhouse and all of the programs surrounding that. And so that was probably where it all started was. Listen, me not feeling well, and then finding solutions through food. Yeah, yeah. And that's fiction.

Jenna Valente  38:12
So now you we fast forward to where you are now today, where you are a business owner, and I saw you referred to as a vermonter printer and I I like died laughing. I think that is the greatest, the greatest title ever. But so yes, now you're you're a VM entrepreneur, you're a business owner, and you run to different companies, will you tell me a little bit more about the mission behind both root juice and integrated roots?

Samantha Duchaine  38:47
Yeah, so the mission is basically to regenerate our bodies, regenerate the soil and regenerate our, how we communicate, our communities, our financial well being. Basically my big mission is to create an economy based in regeneration. And so that's regeneration on every level. It's regeneration in our communities, in our bodies, and in our environment. And we do that through regenerating soil. And so, me working with clients and health coaching helps people understand the connection between their bodies in the natural world and their bodies and what they put in their bodies and where that food was grown and how it was grown. And with root juice, that's a juice bar. And so I am taking a big a big reason why that's connected. For me. It's because I work with local farms and so I'm taking local organic food and condensing it into basically a multivitamin and offering really healthy option, I started at festivals. And so it was like, when there's only junk food around, I really wanted people to be able to get some good food in them. And so I started, that was sort of that was the vision and the mission. And it's, you know, it's obviously evolving, like everything is in the times right now. But I want to make healthy, healthy choices available and affordable. And readily, you know, something, I want it to be an easy option for people. So that's why I'm doing that.

Jenna Valente  40:41
Mm hmm. And will you describe your operation a little bit? So I'm curious to learn more about how you source your produce. Are there specific things that you factor in that process? You know, like, what is the juice making process? Like, like, a little like snapshot of the day in the life of fruit juice?

Samantha Duchaine  41:03
Yeah, so the juice making process is a lot of moving book. Because if you think about juice, I'm taking, you know, whole food and I'm turning it into I'm taking out all the fiber, and I'm condensing it down to like a potent elixir. So it involves I try to find right now I'm trying to find farms who are who have storage crops. And so that's something that's difficult because I just my current firm just stopped getting beats. And so I'm like, Okay, great. Now I have to find somebody else who has been so but I'm buying about 50 pounds of carrots, 25 pounds of beets, five to 10 pounds of cabbage, 12 pounds of kale, 50 pounds of apples 10 pounds of ginger, you know, half a case of limes every week, and turning that into something like 50 quarts. And so the process is actually very physical. Like, you have to wash all the produce, cut it all or, you know, get it small enough to fit into the juicer. And then I just got a different juicer that grinds it. So it's like this big wood chipper almost. And it grinds the boot the food into like a pulp a mash, and then I take that mash, and I put it into these cloths, and I fold the cloth and put them into a hydraulic press, and then the press extracts the juice. And the reason why it's this way, rather than your typical like kitchen juicer that spins up a net around with a blade is because cold pressed juice retains all of the vitamins and minerals and enzymes. Much better than a regular like centrifugal juicer. So there's no heat generated in the process. And there's very little oxygenation and so that spinning like screenie net thing, really oxygenate the cells of the juice, and that promotes oxidation, which then promotes you know, mineral and nutrient loss.

Jenna Valente  43:19
So, yeah, yeah, so it almost, it almost seems like you know, I imagine the juices almost changed with the seasons. You know, I found following along with your, your, your route juice, Instagram account and your own personal Instagram account, like I see what you are offering weekly. And obviously, it's not just one juice. And I think that's a really interesting way to approach getting nutrients to is is eating what's fresh, you know, what is offered naturally by the season. And then working toward that more circular economy where you're partnering with local farms and making your products based on what's available. And all of it tastes great and is good for you. But it's like it's basically it sounds like a way to connect back into the earth in the soil like in this jar. And also note because this this show is about like sustainability and conservation and you know, you you serve all of your juice in glass jars. So I imagine there's an aspect to it that is relating to reducing the waste and food waste and packaging waste.

Samantha Duchaine  44:42
Absolutely. And my my clients are my members are amazing at returning the jars. So really the only thing I have to like rip off is the label and replace. So that's been pretty cool.

Jenna Valente  44:55
And this might seem a little bit back to basics, but There may be people out there that are curious about, like the raw food movement or raw, raw and cold pressed juice. And I know you mentioned a little bit about, like, it's very nutritious for you like throughout the whole process of making it. But will you elaborate a little bit more on? You know, what is raw juice? And what are the benefits of including that or just raw food in your diet?

Samantha Duchaine  45:26
Yeah, so enzymes are like they're in anything living. So, enzymes are present in any uncooked vegetable or fruit. And enzymes are required for the body's protein synthesis and energy production. And any food, like, all raw foods contain a multitude of enzymes, but any food that's cooked, loses 100% of its enzyme. And that means our protein synthesis, and our amino acid function is impaired. And so it's actually incredibly important to have raw food in the diet. Because these enzymes are important for almost every function in the body, from proper brain function to energy assimilation. And so having any raw food is absolutely crucial. And so one of the benefits to cold pressed juice is I know, it's the wintertime in the northeast, like we're not having much produce, like they're even, you know, even the stored produce is limited. And so what goes into one juice is like, I think one, one pound of carrots is needed to make eight ounces of juice. And so if you think about the concentration of those enzymes, right, from one pound, you're never going to sit down and eat one pound of carrots, most likely. So, but you can definitely grab it,

Samantha Duchaine  47:08
right. And so it's one of the best ways to ensure our proper enzymes that we need for just healthy functioning of the body, especially in a time when we're not eating very much raw food. So also, I would encourage, yeah,

Samantha Duchaine  47:28
so I would encourage the livefood definitely incorporating a little bit of raw food every day. And and that might be in the form of juice. But another reason why it's so important, is because our soils are becoming increasingly depleted. And so we actually need all of the nutrients that that is in that food. And anytime you cook a food, you're killing off some of it, right. So you're definitely killing off the enzymes, vitamin C is, is heat sensitive. There's a bunch of other things that are heat sensitive. So it's really important, especially if you're trying to heal or increase your immunity, understanding that our food is already being grown in depleted soils. And understanding that we just we need every ounce of lifeforce in that food. And one of the best ways to ensure that is eating eating a raw.

Jenna Valente  48:24
Yeah, and I think that was a perfect segue to where I was going is is, you know, will you describe a little bit more of what regenerative, regenerative agriculture and farming is? And, you know, what is your experience with it? And what are the benefits of it? So making that connection between agriculture and soil health to human and environmental health?

Samantha Duchaine  48:52
Yeah, so this is a whole topic on its own, but I'll try to be brief. The regenerative agriculture movement is kind of like this Beyond Organic concept. So one of the obviously organic farming is wonderful because it prevents the spraying of toxic chemicals on the crops. And that's really important. But one of the ways that it handles like excessive weed growth is through excessive tillage. And so instead of spraying an herbicide, a regenerative or an organic farmer would be disking his field constantly to deal with the weeds. And that disking destroys the microbial and bacterial life in that top five inches of dirt. And what all of those microbes and fungi do, that are that are living there and all the earthworms. They're providing access to all of the nutrients in the soil for the plants. They're harboring water and moisture Providing hummus, you know all the earthworms and aeration. They're basically it's it's fascinating when you start studying soil and how the symbiotic relationship between some guy and minerals, and then plant health, you know, you have these fungi that are attracted to certain electromagnetic. Like, there's like an electromagnetic attraction between certain minerals and fungi. And then those fungi start like, you know, breaking down those minerals, and they break down those minerals into a form that the plant can just uptake through its roots. And so this like, relationship in the soil ecosystem is so important for growing healthy food. And one of the sort of hallmarks of regenerative agriculture is stopping that excessive tillage. So you're allowing the top five inches of the soil to regain its balance, like if you look at a forest, for example, every year, it just gets more leaves. And then those leaves start to break down and then in that breaking down process mycelium, you know come in and bacteria, and then there's more leaves, and you know, they just not being churned, like our farm soils are. And so having cover crops, letting land lay fallow. Direct seeding like, no till farming is a big one. So seeding directly in like drilling holes in cover crops and growing that way, that's a big piece, not adding chemical fertilizers is a big piece of regenerative agriculture. And that is one of the things we talked about with the oceans. And what sort of damaging our waterways is all of this fertilizer running off. And completely changing the ecosystems of those water zones. And so that idea of allowing for healthy soil, which actually means letting it go, you know, it's like a year of fallow soil, and then you cultivate on it for a year, and then you let it lay fallow again. And what that has capabilities for as far as carbon sequestration, for example, is phenomenal. But also what it does, is it allows the plant to uptake all of its nutrients. And so when we're adding like an NPK fertilizer, for example, and this is even done in organic farming, so nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and those are like, the macro nutrients that foods need in or any plant needs in sort of a large quantity. And they all relate to growth. And so you see a plant thriving, and you know, it needs a certain amount of energy, a certain amount of pee and a certain amount of K. But what it also needs is all of the micronutrients. And those are like all of the minerals that are in maybe tiny, tiny amounts in the soil. And so when you have an NPK fertilizer going down, excessive tillage and or an herbicide, that plant isn't even able to start tapping into the nutrients that are in the soil, it's just being fed Basically, these super water soluble fertilizers that are making it grow and look strong. But actually, when you look at the nutritional profile of regenerative Li grown organic produce versus conventionally farmed, you know, fertilizer grown produce, like the protein structure changes and the the amount of protein changes, like the protein will actually go up in a soil that's regeneratively grown. And so you're getting many more nutrients, because the fungi and bacteria are able to do their jobs. But you're also getting a higher quality of food. And that food directly translates to our bodies. And so just like I talked about the connection between the natural world and like that connection I had in the forest with the trees getting wet and how I found solace in that. We have this ability this total. You know, it's a total privilege every day that we eat, to bring that connection into our bodies physically in the form of food. And so when we're eating food that's grown in regenerative soil, we're actually getting information to our cells on us, like cellular nourishment in our body. And we're getting the health of all of those microbes and bacteria and fungi. What they did to the plant and the soil they're going to do in our bodies, to all of those minerals that we're eating. So it definitely is totally connected. And I, like I could go on for hours on this.

Jenna Valente  55:05
Yeah, I think that this is an incredibly refreshing conversation to have both to, you know, just bringing it full circle, I spend a lot of my days thinking about the ocean and the coasts and understanding that it's all connected. But, you know, as a human being, I have a limited space for where my attention goes. And a lot of it is focused on the marine part of the globe. And these are really great conversations to have to, to deepen my understanding of like, yes, I do know that it's all connected, but how like, adding some context and information into the how, so that I can be more mindful moving forward. And that listeners can be more mindful moving forward. And I think something that I really admire about you. And what you're doing is, is not only, you know, are you working to create a healthier community, by realizing the power you have, and the impact that you can have through sharing your knowledge and by sharing healthy and nutritious foods that are sourced in a sustainable way. But you also are starting to share these conversations. Similarly, to like what we just did on, on your Instagram pages, through Instagram lives, where you are talking to people that are subject matter experts and different things that you're curious about, and sharing that with your followers. And I had so much fun joining you last week to talk about ocean health. So we've had a bit of a crossover with this soil to sea connection and bridging that like land to ocean gap. And I think that is something I'm definitely interested in doing more of on this show. And then, you know, maybe even partnering with you moving forward to talk more about ocean health and how it's all related in and connected. But I'm sure that there are people out there that are interested in learning how they can stay in touch with you and your businesses and your ventures and learning more from you through following along. So how can people stay in touch?

Samantha Duchaine  57:27
Yeah, awesome. So basically, I have an Instagram account for riches. And that's route juice, vT vT s in Vermont, and that's Instagram, for the juice company. And then I have a private Instagram account, which I deal with more of the health and wellness stuff. And that's field to florist with underscores between each word. And that's sort of how I'm using that's what I'm using for communication these days. I'm working on a website, and I hope to get it done soon. But it's a lot of work.

Jenna Valente  58:02
Yeah, yes, you're only one person. And it will all happen in due time. But yeah, it's like field to forest to soil to see, like follow along with Sammy. Yes, everybody, please give her a follow. She is always sharing really important and interesting information. And I feel like I'm always learning and growing. Just through knowing you and sort of wrap up my show, I always ask my guests the same series of questions. And we'd like to start with, what do you think, is the most pressing environmental challenge that we're facing?

58:45
Ai climate change?

58:48
It's a good one.

58:49
It's a big one.

58:51
That's probably what

58:53
I would say. Yeah.

58:55

Jenna Valente  58:57
And I like to end on more of a positive note. So what are you enter, like, what, what gives you energy and what energizes you moving forward?

Samantha Duchaine  59:08
I think understanding the power that one person can have when we band together, and when we collaborate. And I think that that just reaching out to you and finding how our missions align. And figuring out that, like, we can reach a lot more people if we just come together and we like to share what we're passionate about, and figure out where they overlap. And so I think we have the real, real potential to make positive change in this world if we just join hands with one another. And that really motivates me. Gets me feeling like there's hope.

Jenna Valente  59:51
Yeah. And so this this last one is a bit of a two part question. So what's the best advice you've ever been given? And then we flip it and say, What advice do you have for our listeners?

Samantha Duchaine  1:00:07
So the best advice I've ever been given came from my mom and she said, You can do anything you set your mind to. And I think that that's the best advice that I can handoff to anybody else is you can do anything you set your mind to what are you excited about? And follow that.

Jenna Valente  1:00:26
Wise words from Renee. We also love Rene we gave Polish shout out at the beginning of the show. And now we we close out the show with a shout out to Rene Eva, I don't think I see any more. Perfect. Well, thank you so much for joining me, Sammy. I really enjoyed this conversation. As always, I learned a lot and I look forward to sharing it with the listeners.

Samantha Duchaine  1:00:50
Awesome. Thank you so much for having me on here. I had a great time. So.

Jenna Valente  1:00:54
And I would also like to thank the listeners if you liked what you heard and want to hear more of this show or shows like it. Find us at the American shoreline Podcast Network wherever you listen to podcasts, subscribes, rates, and reviews are very much appreciated. And if you are a social media user, you can find us online at coastalnews365 on Twitter and Instagram, and the American shoreline Podcast Network on Facebook. And if you would like to connect with me personally, you can find me at Jenna Valente on Instagram and @yennabenna on Twitter. So find us online and let's chat about our beautiful coastlines.

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