Today’s guest is Matt Adler, a US Air Force veteran whose military background isn’t the typical straight line into agriculture—but stick with us, because the connection matters.
Matt spent his time in uniform working in highly technical, high-stakes environments where mistakes weren’t an option. And while we do touch on his experience as a nuclear specialist, the real value of this conversation is how that kind of training reshaped the way he sees agriculture.
As Matt puts it,
“What the military really taught me was systems thinking… When I got into agriculture, I realized it’s the same exact thing.”
In this episode, listen closely for a few key threads: first - how military systems thinking applies directly to soil health and farm management; secondly - why agriculture punishes shortcuts the same way the military does; and finally, how Matt’s transition forced him to slow down, filter noise, and focus on what actually drives outcomes on the land.
This is a wide-ranging conversation, but at its core, it’s about interconnected systems and why veterans often see agriculture differently once they step into it.
Enjoy!
1840 Farm Foundation - https://www.linkedin.com/company/1840-farm-foundation/
Elm Spring Farm - https://elmspringfarmco.com/
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