Regenerative agriculture is not a slogan—it is a system. And Chuck Schembre knows where that system can break, where it works, and how growers can make the transition without throwing yields out the window.
If you care about specialty crops, produce, vineyards, apples, almonds, or the real-world economics of farming differently, this conversation is for you.
Chuck brings a rare perspective shaped by both science and hands-on farming. From working restaurant lines with peak-season tomatoes and onions that changed how he thought about food, to farming across California, Sonoma, Napa, and now the high desert of Nevada, he shares the path that led him into soil health, ecological farming, and regenerative consulting.
This conversation gets into the realities behind regenerative agriculture—not just the ideals. Chuck and Monte discuss why transitions are so complex, what actually motivates growers to change, and why removing one conventional practice can create ripple effects across an entire production system.
They explore herbicide reduction in orchards and vineyards, cover crop termination, fertility management, phosphorus overapplication in organic systems, food safety challenges in produce, and why regenerative farming doesn’t necessarily mean eliminating every conventional tool.
Chuck also explains why context matters. A practice that works on a small diversified farm may not translate directly to a large produce operation, vineyard, or orchard. Successful transitions require understanding the entire system, the economics behind it, and the realities growers face in the field.
**About Our Guest**
Chuck Schembre is the owner of High Desert Harvest Farm, a small diversified regenerative farm in Washoe Valley, Northern Nevada, and founder of EcoSoil Solutions, a soil health and regenerative agronomy consulting company.
A Certified Professional Soil Scientist and agronomist, Chuck has two decades of experience farming organically and regeneratively while interpreting soil and plant health metrics and connecting them to practical farm management. His experience ranges from small-scale organic vegetable systems to large orchard and vineyard operations.
He holds a B.S. in Earth and Soil Science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Find Chuck online: https://ecosoilsolutions.com
**Timestamps**
06:14 – Napa demo farm and the move to northern Nevada
08:40 – Cal Poly: soils, organic farming, and surf
10:31 – How fresh tomatoes and onions changed his understanding of food
17:35 – Regenerative transitions and finding committed buyers
21:23 – Soil tests, sap testing, and grower experience
23:47 – What motivates growers to change
31:23 – Why chemical reduction often starts with weed management
36:38 – Moving beyond herbicide dependence
37:07 – Systems thinking: one change affects everything else
42:20 – Why cover crop termination is the key decision
43:14 – Myth-busting regenerative agriculture in specialty crops
46:33 – When conventional fertility may still have a role
47:55 – Phosphorus overapplication in organic systems
48:49 – The tool chest: conventional, organic, and regenerative constraints
50:20 – Restoring orchards before replanting
51:08 – Food safety rules and soil health in produce
53:02 – Why large-scale produce is difficult to transition
58:34 – How small growers can profit through creative sizing and packing
64:49 – Why being a farmer makes Chuck a better consultant
