55: From Vegan To Animal Farmer: Why Animal Agriculture Matters For Health, Ecology & Climate | Abey Scaglione

In this episode, we sit down with Abey Scaglione, author of Radical Farm and farmer at Ruckle Heritage Farm in Salt Spring Island, BC, to explore the ecological, nutritional, and ethical case for well-sourced animal foods in our food system. We dive deep into Abey’s journey from being a low-fat vegetarian and Pilates instructor in Los Angeles to managing a holistic livestock farm in British Columbia, examining why so many former vegans evolve into supporting well-managed animal husbandry once they understand real food systems. Abey reflects on the emotional complexity of raising and harvesting livestock; she deconstructs common environmental arguments against meat; and she explains the relationship between the natural carbon cycle and rotational grazing practices. We explore Abey’s homesteading experiences, from calf-sharing with dairy cows and raw milk cheese-making to the benefits of mobile chicken tractors and mob grazing for soil fertility. Finally, we discuss the economics of small-farm profitability, the shift from self-sufficiency to community sufficiency, and how consumer choices ultimately drive change in our food system.

Abey’s book Radical Farm: https://www.radicalfarmbook.com/

Timestamps

[00:00] Intro

[01:40] Radical Farm book.

[03:45] The former vegan arc: Unpacking animal agriculture, ethics, and maturity in food choices.

[12:05] Overcoming low-fat diet trends, disordered eating, and returning to traditional real foods.

[21:04] Navigating the emotional complexity of farm life and slaughtering animals.

[32:17] Regrowth, bale grazing, and debunking methane myths in ruminant agriculture.

[53:40] Getting started with livestock: Poultry, rotational systems, and culling layers.

[01:03:00] The realities of keeping a dairy cow, calf-sharing, and the case for raw milk.

[01:29:30] Farm economics, land management, and shifting from self-sufficiency to community sufficiency.

[01:39:36] Rapid-fire questions: Lessons on acceptance, Bruce Springsteen, and supporting pastured pork.

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Guest Social Media Links

Abey Scaglione:

Book: https://www.radicalfarmbook.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abeyonthefarm/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@abeyonthefarm

Farm: https://rucklefarmsaltspringisland.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rucklefarm/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RuckleFarm#

JM:

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

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