Together We ROC™ The Midwest: On Rain, Lettuce, and the Importance of Knowing Your Neighbors

Written by David Green, Brand Engagement Manager at the Regenerative Organic Alliance

There is a peculiar modern tendency to believe that every challenge can be solved from a great distance.

We host virtual meetings, develop strategic frameworks, and circulate enough slide decks to deforest a small county. Yet when it comes to building a healthier food system, the most effective approach often remains delightfully simple:

Put some good people on a farm. Feed them lunch. Let them talk.

That was the spirit behind Together We ROC™ The Midwest, hosted at Gwenyn Hill Farm in Waukesha, Wisconsin back in June, where approximately 50 farmers, brands, retailers, researchers, advocates, and community leaders came together for a day centered on one powerful idea: regional ecosystems matter.

The event represented more than a gathering. It was an early expression of the Regenerative Organic Alliance’s broader vision for Together We ROC™—an evolving series of regional events designed to bring together stakeholders across North America and beyond for conversations rooted not only in regenerative organic agriculture, but in the unique communities and landscapes where that work takes place.

As any farmer will tell you, weather is one of the few event attendees that never bothers to RSVP.

The day began under a steady blanket of rain. Not the cinematic kind that makes everyone look rugged and inspirational. Just honest Wisconsin rain doing what honest Wisconsin rain does. But rather than dampening spirits, the weather seemed to reinforce the reason everyone had gathered in the first place: agriculture is ultimately rooted in real places, real seasons, and real communities.

Before the day’s programming began, attendees were welcomed by Brian Randall, General Manager of Gwenyn Hill Farm, who shared a brief history of the land and the farm itself. His remarks provided more than an introduction; they grounded the gathering in a sense of place.

That felt especially fitting for an event devoted to regional collaboration. Before discussing the future of regenerative organic agriculture, participants were invited to understand the landscape beneath their feet and the history that shaped it.

The warmth of that welcome carried throughout the day, thanks in large part to the efforts of Jen Schimelfenyg, Program Manager at Gwenyn Hill Farm. From planning and logistics to creating an atmosphere that felt both intentional and welcoming, Jen’s hard work was evident in every aspect of the experience.

At the center of the day was a discussion moderated by Christopher Gergen, CEO of the Regenerative Organic Alliance.

Joining him were:

• Sara Newmark, COO of True Grace Health
• Rachel Comeaux, Sustainability Manager for INFRA
• Sandy Syburg, Activist and Farmer of White Oak Farms
• Erin Silva, Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison

Now, if you’ve attended enough conferences or “Industry events”, you know the traditional panel format.

Five people sit in chairs. One person asks questions. The crowd falls quiet. Panelists politely wait their turn while pretending not to think about lunch.

This was not that.

The conversation quickly evolved into something far more useful. Questions came from the audience. Ideas swirled around the room.

Attendees challenged assumptions, offered experiences, and expanded on one another’s thoughts. In other words, it started behaving like an actual community conversation.

One particularly memorable moment came when Will Rosenheimer of Wild Oats was called upon to share an impromptu perspective on what ROC™ means to the Wild Oats brand and the broader KeHE ecosystem.

No prepared slide deck. No rehearsed talking points. Just a thoughtful exchange between people trying to figure out how to build something better.

Which, frankly, might be where some of the best ideas come from.

The room was further enriched by the presence of Noreen Mucha, Executive Director of Wisconsin Organic Agriculture, whose participation helped connect the day’s conversations to the broader network of organizations working to strengthen organic and regenerative agriculture throughout the region.

One of the most encouraging aspects of Together We ROC™ The Midwest was that it wasn’t a program imposed upon a region; It emerged from the region itself.

The idea for a Midwest gathering was championed by True Grace Health, a longtime ROC™ brand and committed supporter of the Regenerative Organic Alliance. As the event’s core brand sponsor, True Grace recognized an opportunity to bring regenerative organic stakeholders together in its own backyard and create space for the kinds of conversations that often don’t happen at larger industry gatherings.

A key partner in making that vision a reality was INFRA (Independent Natural Food Retailers Association), a longstanding advocate for regenerative organic agriculture and ROC™ brands. Through its network of independent natural food retailers, INFRA continues to play a critical role in connecting values-driven consumers with products and practices that support a healthier food system.

Together, these organizations helped demonstrate an important truth: regenerative organic agriculture advances most effectively when farmers, brands, retailers, researchers, educators, and advocates work alongside one another rather than in separate lanes.

One of my favorite details from the entire day involved lettuce, which is not a sentence I ever expected to write.

Now, lettuce rarely receives the respect it deserves. Most lettuce lives a tragically anonymous existence. Harvested somewhere. Bagged somewhere else. Shipped who-knows-where. Consumed without ceremony.

Not this lettuce.

The organic lettuce served in the day’s lunch came directly from Gwenyn Hill Farm.

And somehow that simple fact felt important.

The catering itself was provided by Hop Harvest & Vine, the restaurant within Good Harvest Market, a beloved natural foods retailer and proud INFRA member.

Suddenly, the regional ecosystem everyone had spent the morning discussing wasn’t theoretical anymore.

It was lunch.

The farm hosted the gathering. The farm grew the food. A local market and restaurant prepared it. Regional stakeholders shared it.

That’s not a supply chain diagram; That’s community.

After a morning spent watching rain fall across the farm, the weather finally relented.

As the panel discussions concluded, the skies cleared almost on cue, creating the perfect opportunity for attendees to participate in a guided tour of Gwenyn Hill Farm’s beautiful landscape.

The timing felt symbolic.

After spending hours discussing soil health, biodiversity, stewardship, and resilient food systems, participants were able to walk the land itself and see many of those concepts reflected in practice.

Conversations continued across fields and pathways. New connections formed. Ideas that began inside the meeting space found room to breathe outdoors.

It was a reminder that regenerative organic agriculture is, ultimately, about relationships—not just between people, but between people and place.

As any good Midwesterner might politely suggest, meaningful conversations often reach their highest potential once people are holding reasonably attractive beverages.

Farmers Gin elevated the experience with handcrafted cocktails, including the crowd-favorite “Pear Pressure“, featuring ROC™ cold-pressed pear juice from Wild Oats.

Guests also enjoyed ROC™ wines from Robert Hall Winery, creating another opportunity to showcase the growing diversity of regenerative organic products available in the marketplace.

Additional support came from a remarkable community of ROC™ brands and advocates, including:

• Yerba Madre
• Ancient Nutrition
• Gaia Herbs
• Philosopher Foods / Gut Nuts
• Painterland Sisters Yogurt

Together with True Grace, INFRA, Wild Oats, and Farmers Gin, these organizations demonstrated that regenerative organic agriculture is no longer confined to individual farms. It is increasingly becoming a connected, global network of businesses, products, retailers, and consumers helping to build demand for a healthier food system.

If the day proved anything, it wasn’t that regenerative organic agriculture needs more “Industry events”, it proved that regenerative organic agriculture needs more places to gather.

Places where farmers can speak with retailers. Where researchers can speak with brands. Where advocates can speak with distributors. Places where people can occasionally stop talking long enough to look around and appreciate the landscape they’re trying to improve.

As attendees wandered across Gwenyn Hill Farm beneath newly cleared skies, the purpose of Together We ROC™ felt remarkably clear.

Regional ecosystems matter.

Not because they’re trendy. Not because they’re efficient. And certainly not because they’re good marketing.

They matter because every healthy food system begins somewhere specific—on a particular farm, in a particular community, among particular people who are willing to know their neighbors, share their knowledge, and do the work together.

Late in the day, a quote from Wendell Berry came to mind:

“If you don’t know where you are, you don’t know who you are.”

That sentiment felt especially fitting.

Throughout the event, conversations centered on soil health, stewardship, markets, and community. But beneath all those topics was a simpler truth: meaningful change starts with a connection to place and to the people who share it.

That’s not just a lesson for regenerative organic agriculture…

It’s a pretty good lesson for life.