35: Eliot Coleman Legendary Organic Farmer | What Is the True Meaning of Organic Farming?

In this episode, we speak with legendary organic farmer Eliot Coleman. Recorded live at the Canopy Retreat with an audience of growers, Eliot reflects on how processes—not products—hold the key to truly regenerative agriculture. He shares how his farm no longer uses external inputs and why growing your own organic matter through green manures is the path toward clean, self-sustaining fertility. Eliot recounts his early days learning from European farmers and agrarian elders, explains the science behind plant resilience and soil biology, and issues a cautionary critique of industrial compost, seaweed, and the co-opting of terms like “regenerative.” The conversation dives into the philosophical and practical tensions between tillage and no-till farming, and the importance of rejecting guilt-based marketing in favor of science, intuition, and lived experience. The episode wraps with a call to action for the next generation of growers to resist commodification, prioritize clean food, and reclaim the agrarian wisdom that has guided organic farming for over a century.

Eliot’s new book, The Self-Fed Farm:

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/797560/the-self-fed-farm-and-garden-by-eliot-coleman/

Learn more about our Canopy program: https://themarketgardener.com/canopy-leadership-program/

Timestamps

[0:00] Intro

[3:05] Jean-Martin on Eliot’s influence and legacy

[6:49] How Eliot built fertile soil from spruce forest without outside compost

[10:36] Learning from European organic pioneers in the 1960s

[15:24] Tapping into nature vs. chasing “progress”

[17:28] Root exudates, soil biology, and natural pest resistance

[20:02] The radical roots of the organic movement

[23:15] Why sharing knowledge became Eliot’s mission

[30:59] Inside Eliot’s rare 2,500-volume organic farming library

[35:02] Processes over products: the case for green manures

[44:34] Eliot’s critique of the no-till trend and regenerative greenwashing

[58:17] Fighting for the soul of organic through the Real Organic Project

[1:04:05] Why we must fight to preserve the integrity of organic farming

[1:22:31] What farming taught Eliot Coleman about life, meaning, and satisfaction

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Guest Social Media Links

Eliot Coleman: 

Website: https://www.eliotbarbara.com/ 

Farm Website: https://www.fourseasonfarm.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fourseasonfarm/#

JM:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanmartinfortier
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeanmartinfortier