Will Westmoreland, a Missouri agroforestry grower, discusses focusing on expanding Chinese chestnuts and developing gluten-free chestnut flour, after past work with elderberries and a family cow-calf operation. He explains chestnut production timelines (fruit in 3–5 years, heavy yields in 8–10) and uses in silvopasture, and describes building retail products through his large Back 40 following. Westmoreland founded The Back 40 as rural advocacy to counter stereotypes about rural voters and address rural decline driven by out-migration, weak local economies, and policy neglect. He outlines Back 40’s priorities: rural-framed local policy, health access awareness, voter empowerment, and economic resilience, emphasizing major rural healthcare shortfalls, education engagement, broadband/infrastructure investment, and constructive persuasion over culture-war issues. He argues immigration can revive small towns and shares where to find him and Back 40 online.

We're glad you're joining us for another episode of Barnyard Language. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend (or two) and be sure to rate and review us wherever you're listening! If you want to help us keep buying coffee and paying our editor, you can make a monthly pledge on Patreon to help us stay on the air.

You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok as BarnyardLanguage, and if you'd like to connect with other farming families, you can join our private Barnyard Language Facebook group. We're always in search of future guests for the podcast. If you or someone you know would like to chat with us, get in touch.

If you have a something you'd like to Cuss & Discuss, you can submit it here: speakpipe.com/barnyardlanguage or email us at barnyardlanguage@gmail.com.