Meet David “Kip” Ritchey: Small-Scale Farmer

We had the good fortune of connecting with David “Kip” Ritchey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David “Kip”, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Smarter By Nature LLC is a regenerative agriculture business that facilitates sustainable relationships between people and the natural environment by providing fresh food and education to our local and online community.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My career started in 2014 when my partner and I went to participate in the NY People’s Climate March. It was the largest march since the Civil Right Movement and it was there that we realized we shared a passion for earth stewardship and community resilience along with thousands of other people. Since then, our business has revolved around building better community through food security and helping others grow for themselves as well. It hasn’t been easy. One of the main lessons we learned was the importance of proper planning and maintaining a positive mental attitude when creating healthy business habits for success.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If someone was visiting me, I’d take them kayaking down Bear Paw River, we’d shop at the local farmers markets in town to meet other producers and we’d also go hiking on St. Mark’s Trail.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate my shoutout to regenerative small-scale farmers everywhere and to the book, “The One-Straw Revolution” by Masanobu Fukuoka.

Website: https://www.smarterbynature.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smarterbynature/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/smarterbynaturedesign/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/SmarterByNatureTV