Winter Workshop 2026

Russell Hedrick

Russell is a first-generation farmer in the foothills of Hickory, North Carolina, where he farms JRH Grain Farms, LLC. Known as one of the most progressive young farmers in the country, Russell has been featured in Top Producer Magazine, Furrow Magazine, and on RFD TV, Ag PhD, and National No-Till Farmer for profitably farming by reducing fertilizer inputs and applying soil health practices to cash crops.

In 2017, he won the North Carolina Corn Yield contest — the first person in the state to do so using regenerative practices. Russell’s operation emphasizes maximizing profits and direct-consumer marketing across his product lines including corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, beef, and pork.

He is co-founder of Regen Mills and Heritage Ground with Liz (owner of Soil Regen, LLC), and has partnered with Foothills Distillery to produce the first bourbon in North Carolina since Prohibition. Russell also founded Farmers Reserve Distillery, a farmer-owned distillery crafting bourbon, whiskey, and other spirits from regenerative grains.

David Kleinschmidt

David Kleinschmidt is an independent conservation agronomist and owner of Progressive Agronomy Consulting Services (PACS). He helps farms transition to systems that balance minerals, biology, and management—using cover crops, residue planning, and right-sized fertility to build long-term soil function and reduce risk.

David is known for translating complex agronomy into clear, field-ready steps. His work includes soil testing interpretation, in-season diagnostics (including tissue/sap discussions), planter and sprayer setup, and trial designs that fit real-world time and budget constraints.

Ray Archuleta

Ray Archuleta is a Certified Professional Soil Scientist with over three decades of service at USDA–NRCS. A co-founder of Understanding Ag and the Soil Health Academy, Ray has trained thousands of farmers, agronomists, and conservation professionals across North America.

Ray’s teaching centers on the soil health principles—armor the soil, minimize disturbance, maximize biodiversity, keep living roots, and integrate livestock—and how these principles drive water infiltration, nutrient cycling, and plant resilience. His demos and stories make the biology beneath our feet visible and actionable.