Return to Nature

Hosted by The Sisters Bloom

Business EntrepreneurshipInterviews guests

Website RSS feed LinkedIn Instagram

Episodes

Latest episode

Sep 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

The health of humans and the planet are interconnected. Across industries, the forward march of progress has led to practices that, despite being proven as harmful, continue to proliferate. Fortunately, individuals and companies around the world have been innovating solutions that prioritize human and planetary health over profit. Join host Melissa Bloom, Founder of The Sisters Bloom, for inspirational conversations with the people reforming their industries with eco-conscious values and proving that, even in our modern world, it’s possible—and necessary—to live in alignment with Nature.

Listen to episodes

26 recent

October 26, 20261 hr 6 min

25. From the Source: Ethical and Sustainable Seafood with Max Peeler of Peeler's Wild Alaska Seafood

In this episode of Return to Nature, Melissa interviews Max Peeler, the founder of Peeler’s Wild Alaskan Seafood, a family-owned and operated business providing five-star, sustainably caught wild Alaska seafood to Montana, Idaho, and North Dakota. He grew up in Petersburg, Alaska, a small commercial fishing community of 3200 people in the southeastern part of the state. From the age of 7, he joined his family out on the Sierra Gale crabbing for Dungeness and seining for salmon. In college Max studied the challenges facing Alaska’s wild seafood industry like fish farming and seafood fraud. He realized there needed to be greater accessibility to wild seafood and education to help bridge the gap between the fisherman and consumers. After 20 years of commercial fishing in Petersburg, Alaska, Max started Peeler’s to support the long-term sustainability of wild fisheries, commercial fisherman and their families, and to bring the highest quality product to customers. He wants to help everyday Americans understand where their seafood comes from in order to maintain the long-term health of our wild fisheries for future generations. Max Shares: What is was like growing up in Petersburg, Alaska in a fishing community How salmon seining works Why he transitioned into the distribution side of the fishing industry Where commercial fish goes How the international fish markets affect the US market The positive changes that have already been happening in commercial fishing How regulations differ from Alaska to other parts of the US and other countries What ethical fishing entails What bottom trawling is, why it’s unethical, and where that seafood ends up The fluctuations in supply how that affects demand from year to year How he created the business model for Peeler’s and the education component missing from other models How fish is handled for commercial distribution versus smaller scale How farmed fish are raised and why farmed fishing started in the first place You can connect with Max via Peeler’s: Website: www.peelersseafood.com Instagram: @peelerswildalaskaseafood Facebook: @peelerswildalaskaseafood Intro/Outro music by Ken Belcher

September 9, 20261 hr 0 min

24. Restoring Natural Burial Methods with Melissa Meadow of The Modern Mortician

In this episode of Return to Nature, Melissa interviews Melissa Meadow, a formerly dual-licensed funeral professional who has spent over two decades witnessing, participating in, and ultimately challenging the traditional funeral industry. Known online as The Modern Mortician, she now dedicates her time to public death care education, end-of-life doula services, and behind-the-scenes support for progressive funeral providers. Through her social media presence, podcast, and consulting work, Melissa is transforming how people approach death, ensuring that everyone has access to accurate, unbiased information about their end-of-life options. For those looking to understand, navigate, or challenge the traditional funeral industry, Melissa Meadow isn’t just a resource—she’s a revolution. DISCLAIMER: This episode contains sensitive and detailed information about the inner workings of the funeral industry and process of death care. Please listen at your own discretion. Melissa Shares: How she started working in death care and the funeral industry The schooling required to be a funeral director or embalmer and what they don’t teach you in school The history and evolution of burial and the misconception about Egyptian burials How and why death was taken out of the home How embalming works Selling people on the idea of “the memory picture” How flame cremation works The lack of studies and information on the environmental impacts of traditional funeral care What water cremation is and how it works How human composting works The trending natural burial ideas that don’t actually work How pets can be a great way to teach children and their parents about death care The reason why natural burial can seem inaccessible and how it’s possible to do it even at a traditional cemetery How to find a green burial cemetery, natural burial cemetery, or conservation burial cemetery near you What a conservation burial cemetery is and the benefits of burying a loved one there The logistics of burial at sea The show Six Feet Under as a close representation of what it’s like to work in the funeral industry What it was like to leave the traditional funeral industry and begin advocating for natural burial Exposing the profit model of the funeral industry How wills factor into choosing a burial type for yourself or your loved one Titan casket as a more affordable alternative to funeral home options, with eco-friendly options Cemetery maintenance and what constitutes a truly a natural burial You can connect with Melissa via The Modern Mortician Website: www.themodernmortician.com Instagram: the_modern_mortician Facebook: themodernmortician Intro/Outro music by Ken Belcher

May 18, 20261 hr 3 min

23. The Truth About our Skies with Ariana Victor of Just Look Up

In this episode of Return to Nature, Melissa interviews Ariana Victor, an investigative filmmaker and truth-seeker devoted to exposing the hidden forces impacting public health, the environment, and human freedom. With a background in documentary storytelling, she interweaves her love of research and compelling narratives to topics often ignored or censored. Her current film Just Look Up dives into the urgent and controversial issue of geoengineering, uncovering its impact on our bodies, ecosystems, and skies. Ariana's mission is to spark awakening through courageous storytelling that doesn't just inform, but ignites conversation, challenges narratives, and inspires people to reclaim their power and think for themselves. Ariana Shares: How the book Whitewash by Carey Gillam ignited her passion for covering the glyphosate legal battles in Washington and the information she learned about the corruption of the organizations meant to protect us The vision that led her to move to Sedona, Arizona and begin a five year journey to investigate geoengineering Cutting through the misinformation to understand the truths of this subject The origin of the term “conspiracy theory” Why it’s so hard to pinpoint who is behind geoengineering The definition of geoengineering How cloud seeding works How stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) works The official government documents proving this technology exists and is being utilized How weather modification began as military technology and the environmental modification treaty that incentivized the transition from wartime technology to a public service The fourth Industrial Revolution we are currently living through What the HAARP research facility in Alaska was used for and its capabilities The importance of getting in touch with your own truth amidst all the noise The encouraging number of people and states who are actively fighting for legislation around geoengineering projects How awareness is key for a subject like this to be accepted as more than just conspiracy theory Learn more about the attorneys legally fighting geoengineeringa at https://thegeofight.com/ The importance of healing and balancing the body on an individual level as a form of fighting geoengineering Other ways to support the people fighting geoengineering, even if it’s not your calling How this is a bipartisan issue that has been politicized You can connect with Ariana through Just Look Up: Website: www.justlookupfilm.com Instagram: @justlookupofficial Instagram: @arianavictorfilm Intro/Outro Music by Ken Belcher Sound mix by Andrew Pals

March 16, 20261 hr 25 min

22. Returning to Raw: Boutique Dairy Farming with Jen Craddick of Lovenwater Farm

In this episode of Return to Nature, Melissa interviews Jen Craddick, a multi-sector entrepreneur, former petroleum industry professional, and a founder devoted to restoring traditional food systems while strengthening family centered farm life. Based in Kalispell, Montana, Jen operates Lovenwater Farm, a small agricultural enterprise focused on upscale, boutique style dairy production, livestock stewardship, and organically cultivated produce and flowers. Before moving to Montana and expanding Lovenwater Farm, Jen worked within multiple divisions of the oil fields in Western North Dakota. This background gives her a unique perspective, combining technical precision and practical knowledge. Jen’s work centers on offering the highest quality, nutrient dense foods using old world methods. The entire vision of Lovenwater farm is centered on a commitment to transparency, stewardship, and regenerative practices. Above all, Jen’s primary purpose and guiding role is serving others. Her work on the farm and business is rooted in building a stable, meaningful life not only for her own family but for many other families in the community. Sharing hard learned and gritty lessons she is preserving a legacy of independence and connection to the land. She views farming not only as an occupation, but as a calling that supports all future generations. Jen Shares: How she and her husband moved to North Dakota for jobs in the petroleum industry The poor soil conditions at her property in North Dakota that led her to starting Lovenwater farm Her high performance mentality that ultimately showed her that she wanted to step back from corporate life The pull many women have felt to be at home with their children, but also still be a provider and how she bridged that gap for herself The financial and regulatory realities of being a dairy farmer How and why she got into dairy farming when she moved to Montana Why raw milk became seen as dangerous to our health All about pasteurization and homogenization of milk They importance of localization in farming The regulations surrounding raw milk in Montana The health and life of a Lovenwater farm cow The specifics of raising Jersey cows How different types of cheese came about based on different regions, soils, and grasses The importance of eating regionally How she reversed her lactose-intolerance with raw milk You can connect with Jen via Lovenwater Farm: Website: www.lovenwaterfarm.com Instagram: @lovenwaterfarm Facebook: @lovenwaterfarm Intro/Outro Music by Ken Belcher

December 15, 202559 min

21. Generational Farming with Will Harris of White Oak Pastures

In this episode of Return to Nature, Melissa interviews Will Harris, the owner of White Oak Pastures, a holistically managed regenerative ranch and farm in Bluffton, Georgia. Will is a fourth-generation cattleman, who tends the same land that his great-grandfather settled in 1866. Born and raised at White Oak Pastures, Will left home to attend the University of Georgia's School of Agriculture, where he was trained in the industrial farming methods that had taken hold after World War II. Will graduated in 1976 and returned to Bluffton, where he and his father continued to raise cattle using pesticides, herbicides, hormones, and antibiotics. They also fed their herd a high-carbohydrate diet of corn and soy. These tools did a fantastic job of taking the cost out of the system, but in the mid-1990s, Will became disenchanted with the excesses of these industrialized methods. In 1995, Will made the audacious decision to return to the farming methods his great-grandfather had used 130 years before. Since Will has successfully implemented these changes, he has been recognized all over the world as a leader in humane animal husbandry and environmental sustainability. Will is the immediate past President of the Board of Directors of Georgia Organics. He is the Beef Director of the American Grassfed Association and was selected 2011 Business Person of the year for Georgia by the Small Business Administration. He is also the author of A Bold Return to Giving A Damn , a memoir-meets-manifesto on betting the farm on a better future for our food, animals, land, local communities and our planet. Will Shares: How his great grandfather and grandfather ran the farm and how his father transitioned to industrial practices How he was raised and educated to believe that there was nothing wrong with industrial farming practices His observation of the quality of his farm’s dirt versus the untouched soil in the woods The reason his daughters have chosen to come back to the farm and work at White Oak Pastures The unintended consequences of industrial agriculture and taking cost out of production How transferring from industrial to regenerative is a long term process The importance of allowing animals to express their instinctive behaviors The resiliency of regenerative agriculture versus the efficiency of industrial agriculture How label regulations can affect farmer’s profitability The pandemic’s role in their creation of White Oak Pasture’s new distribution avenue: online orders The right amount of growth for a regenerative farming operation to make sure short term profitability is not the main focus, but rather generational profitability White Oak Pasture’s non-profit, which helps educate people on their regenerative practices How the government could be instrumental in making a national shift to regenerative agriculture Why the shift to regenerative will most likely happen outside of the existing industrial model You can connect with Will through White Oak Pastures: Website: www.whiteoakpastures.com Instagram: @whiteoakpastures Facebook: @whiteoakpastures Intro/Outro music by Ken Belcher Sound Mixing by Andrew Pals

October 28, 20251 hr 3 min

20. A New Model of Ranching with Cole Mannix of Old Salt Co-op

In this episode of Return to Nature, Melissa interviews Cole Mannix, the president and co-founder of Old Salt Co-op. As fifth generation of the Mannix family, his love for people, ranching, and land stewardship is deep rooted in Montana. Though his schooling and professional life have taken him many places beyond the ranch, his heart remains devoted to the cause of bringing people together around a love for life and all of its beautiful diversity. He founded the Old Salt Festival, a food & music celebration of Montana land stewardship hosted on the Mannix Family Ranch in Helmville, MT, bringing together wood-fired cooking, Americana musicians, Montana ranchers, and Western makers to celebrate in high Montana style. Cole Shares: The deep history the Mannix Family shares with their Ranch in Helmville, Montana How his time away from the ranch got him interested in the distribution side of the operation How the Salt of the Earth Rancher’s Cooperative was started and why it evolved The problem with food labels The issues with policy change when it comes to agriculture How the Old Salt Co-op came to be The necessity of making an entirely new system versus just trying to change production of meat The importance of broadening our idea of success and wealth Why and how producers should have ownership in distribution avenues The fallacy of failure when it comes to regenerative ranching and truly healing the soil Having an organic mindset even when you have to rely on conventional methods How familiarity with the process can build trust for a product How labels and certifications can be true but not meaningful You can connect with Cole through Old Salt: Website: www.oldsaltco-op.com Instagram: @oldsaltcoop Instagram: @oldsaltfestival Intro/Outro music by Ken Belcher

July 21, 202549 min

19. The Hidden Toxins in Our Clothing with Jeff Garner of Prophetik

In this episode of Return to Nature, Melissa interviews eco fashion designer and filmmaker Jeff Garner. He and his sustainable label Prophetik are on a path of transformation, leading the evolution of fashion and changing our perception of luxury by creating sustainable, plant-based fashion. Born in the Civil War town of Franklin, Tennessee, and raised on a horse farm, Garner grew with a connectedness to nature and a peaceful understanding of the world. His ultimate vision is to bring awareness to the toxins found in commercial synthetic fashion and the health implications to the human body to allow everyone the power of choice. His documentary, Let Them Be Naked , exposes the hidden dangers of toxic chemicals found in everyday clothing and reveals the devastating health impacts of these unregulated substances, shedding light on their role in chronic diseases such as cancer. The film advocates for a radical reimagining of garment production, highlighting how the choices we make as consumers affect both our health and the planet. Jeff Shares: How he got his start in fashion dressing his musician friends for their bands The importance of practical education through learning on the job The dichotomy of growing up wearing handmade clothing with natural materials versus the synthetic materials he had to work with in his early career interning for mainstream fashion brands How natural fibers used to be the norm and his mission to convert us back to that so price points go down How synthetic fibers are made to look and feel like natural fibers The factors playing in to why more people aren’t buying natural, from economic to educational The policy change necessary to regulate the fashion industry and make materials more transparent The lack of accountability for fashion conglomerates versus small designers actually creating their clothing How fashion conglomerates can start phasing in non-toxic, natural clothing without sacrificing the rest of their inventory The hidden products used on what would otherwise be organic clothing How the end clothing products need to be tested before reaching consumers A participatory model of fashion where people buy undyed clothing and dye it naturally, throughout the years changing its color to reinvigorate it The best way to get rid of plastic-based clothing The component of consumer education that is needed to bridge the gap between what is seen as a quality product versus natural The issues with certifications supposedly regulating materials and manufacturing processes You can connect with Jeff through Prophetik and Let Them Be Naked: Website: www.prophetik.com Website: www.letthembenaked.com Instagram: @prophetik Instagram: @letthembenaked Facebook: @prophetik Sound Mix by Andrew Pals Intro/Outro by Ken Belcher

June 2, 20251 hr 8 min

18. Ranching in Relationship to Land and Community with Brian Gorman of Blarney Ranch

In this episode of Return to Nature, Melissa interviews Brian Gorman, a regenerative rancher and co-owner of Blarney Ranch. He and his wife Karla raise grass-finished Dexter beef on a historic ranch in Trego, Montana. The ranch has been in continuous operation since 1894. Brian was born and raised in Monterey Country, California, an area extremely well known for agriculture. The events of September 11th, 2001 led him to join the US Army for 10 years, where he was shocked to discover the poor quality of food provided to soldiers. While in Afghanistan, he visited the dining facility of a German-controlled base to find real, high quality food being served. He and his wife were always conscious of health and what they consumed, which led them to raise and grow a lot of their own food, including meat. In 2015, they decided to move to Montana and start a ranch of heritage breed cattle. An homage to their engagement in Ireland and the Blarney Castle, they chose the name for their ranch, which is derived from the gaelic “an bhlarna,” meaning “small green field.” Brian Shares: His experience in the US Army and the quality of food provided versus what he was used to growing up at home The industrial trajectory our food systems have been on since World War II How he and his wife chose to settle in Montana and how they began their first regenerative ranch in Arlee The demand that led them to move to their current operation in Trego, Montana Why cattle breed matters and how he chose the heritage breed Blarney Ranch raises Why Angus became the popular choice for beef in America How cross breeding has affected animal instincts and ancestry How regenerative agriculture is just a new term for an old way of farming and ranching How being in tune with the environment and observing what the land needs can broaden the climates in which agriculture can be practiced How regenerative ranching practices have brought native species of plant life back to Blarney Ranch’s land A look inside Blarney Ranch’s regenerative operation How regenerative ag affects irrigation How stockpile foraging works in Winter The scalability of regenerative agriculture The “value added” products that are possible when ranching regeneratively The ethics of raising meat in a society that is disconnected from the realities of agriculture The greenwashing of the industry that makes it hard for consumers to truly know the quality of food they’re purchasing You can connect with Brian through Blarney Ranch: Website: www.blarneyranch.com Instagram: @blarneyranch Facebook: @blarneyranchmt Intro/Outro Music by Ken Belcher

March 18, 20251 hr 7 min

17. Animating Through Technological Advancements with Chuck Duke

In this episode of Return to Nature, Melissa interviews Chuck Duke, a seasoned stop-motion and CGI animator with over 40 years experience. At age 22 Chuck found himself working claymation for Will Vinton Studios sculpting and animating the California Raisins. Between 1985 and 1995 Chuck animated on several Emmy winning Television Productions for Will Vinton. He left Vinton Studio to work on his first feature film, Henry Selick's James and the Giant Peach . In 1997, Chuck began working at George Lucas's ILM, animating on films such as Small Soldiers and Star Wars Phantom Menace. Since then, he has animated on notable stop-motion films such as Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox and Isle of Dogs , Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie , and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio . Chuck Shares: The Ray Harryhausen film that sparked his interest in learning how stop-motion was done How he made his early stop-motion films as a teenager His dad’s support for his interest in the arts and animation The lack of schooling available for stop-motion and animation in general during his college experience and how he garnered an informal education His first job in stop-motion for Will Vinton Studios and how he got it How technological progress has changed everything from getting an education to breaking into the industry. An overview of how stop-motion technology and software has changed since he started The capabilities of the industry standard Dragonframe stop-motion software How he got hired on Henry Selick’s James and the Giant Peach Why the Mars Attacks! animation switched from stop-motion to CGI Why he and other stop-motion animators transitioned to doing 3D animation The differences between the various stop-motion directors he’s worked with His experience animating at The Sisters Bloom

December 6, 20241 hr 1 min

16. The Healing Wisdom of Plant Medicine with Mariah Gannessa of Four Visions

In this episode of Return to Nature, Melissa interviews Mariah Gannessa, the founder of Four Visions, a global leader, educator, and advocate for the study, benefits, and uses of plant medicine. Born and raised in Northern California, Mariah now lives in Colombia, working directly with the Indigenous tribes. She’s spent the last decade immersed in the healing cultures of the Amazon and has dedicated her life’s work to the plants and the peoples of the Amazon Rainforest. Four Visions supports these communities through direct commerce partnerships, donations, and sponsoring charitable initiatives. Mariah also founded the nonprofit organization, MAGIC Fund , where she spearheads projects to preserve the Amazonian people, their culture, and their lands. Mariah Shares: Her early life as an academic over-achiever and how her first plant medicine ceremony was a catalyst for her healing Her travels that led her to Columbia to embark on a 10-year apprenticeship learning about the art of healing, guided by her teacher, Tiata Juanito How her desire to find a way to support the ancestral practices and the indigenous tribes who guard them led to the creation of Four Visions Choosing her own path despite cultural and familial conditioning Keeping a connection to Nature whether immersed in the forest or in the city Insight into the Yahe culture of the Columbian Amazon rainforest and all the ways they utilize plant medicine Western attachment to the idea of credentials as necessary to being successful or experienced The various ways to experience plant medicine in our modern society A detailed look into an ayahuasca ceremony, as practiced by the Inga culture, and the experiences one can have Four Vision’s offerings and what those four visions of the future are You can connect with Mariah through Four Visions: Website: www.fourvisions.com Instagram: @fourvisionstribe Intro/outro music by Ken Belcher

Is this your show?

Claim this listing to keep it up to date, reach guests who want to pitch you, and manage bookings with Guestify.

Claim this listing

More Business podcasts