PODCAST
Podcast Overview
Father & son duo - Bill & Stephen Jordan - invite you to join the team as they dive into conversation about their family business, Jordan Energy & Food Enterprises, and their work with the Let's Share the Sun Foundation. The podcast is a space for authentic dialogue about the ups and downs of life on the "solar coaster," all while staying grounded in relationships built on trust. Twice a month, we'll slow down to share insights on our business ventures and personal pursuits, sprinking in a few laughs along the way.
Building Farm Viability: Two Harvests - One Sun! EPISODE 4
Episode Description :This podcast features Greg Plotkin from American Farmland Trust (AFT) discussing the urgent need for "Smart Solar" to ensure long-term farm viability across the United States. Greg highlights that with 83% of new solar development projected for agricultural land, the industry must shift toward agrivoltaics—the symbiotic co-location of solar panels and active farming—to prevent the permanent loss of topsoil to traditional development. By integrating solar as a "diversified crop," farmers can offset skyrocketing utility and input costs, creating a reliable 25-year financial hedge that keeps multi-generational farms in business. This conversation frames renewable energy not as a replacement for agriculture, but as an additive tool that preserves the rural way of life while meeting national energy demands.
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JordanEnergyFoodEnterprises
Learn More
Jordan Energy & Food Enterprises: https://www.jordanenergy.org/
Let’s Share the Sun Foundation: https://www.letssharethesun.org/
Cariño & Grit: The Power of Connection in Farming, Business, and Life! EPISODE 3
Episode Description : In this episode, we reflect on the start of a new year and explore the power of Cariño—a word that captures warmth, affection, and human connection. Through conversations about family farming, wine culture, leadership, solar energy, and team accountability, we unpack what it means to build resilient communities, strong businesses, and meaningful lives. From small farms and generational transitions to lessons from sports leadership and faith-driven mentorship, this episode is about slowing down, owning challenges, and moving forward together.
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cF6sGKmcO8rfPCLA72I2K?si=36adb52e08d746d8
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JordanEnergyFoodEnterprises
Book / Film Mentions
The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty by Julia Flynn Siler The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel Here Comes the Irish (Peacock documentary) Seeing Peace: Footsteps of an International Catholic Peacebuilder by Father William R. Headley, Elisa Lurkis, Stephen Jordan
Farm / Project Mentions
Lakewood Vineyards — Stamp Family, Finger Lakes NY (Ben & Abby returning as next generation) Storm’s Oasis— Jason Storm, NV pivot corner solar; Phase 2 complete, Phase 3 planned Puglisi Egg Farms— Tom Puglisi, NJ & DE; four phases of solar partnership Russell Farms— Max Russell, NY; long-term planning mindset Hoffland Dairy — Luke Vanderhoff, MI; upcoming installation celebration with Dairy Farmers of America Ballet Flowers and Design— David and Suzanne Balet, NY; upcoming visit and AFT farmland preservation discussion
Partners / Orgs Mentioned
Chapters
00:00 – 02:31 | Cariño – Something you feel 02:31 – 09:41 | Why small farms drive innovation 09:41 – 15:28 | Value of wine, connection, and fulfillment in AG 15:28 – 21:20 | Building trust with the multi-phase approach 21:20 – 26:04 | Intergenerational decision-making 26:04 – 34:34 | Accountability in falling short of Goals 34:34 – 40:19 | Mentorship, team goals, and moving forward 40:19 – 45:21 | Relationship building in the new year
Learn More
Jordan Energy & Food Enterprises: https://www.jordanenergy.org/
Let’s Share the Sun Foundation: https://www.letssharethesun.org/
Resilient Energy - Harvesting the Sun: Rooted in Trust Episode 2
Episode Description : The theme is resilience as Bill and Stephen Jordan reflect on policy “whiplash”, why solar paired with storage keeps winning on cost and reliability, and how values-driven partnerships move real farm projects forward. One major highlight of this episode is a first of its kind agrivoltaics project on a peach orchard in Colorado - Talbott Farms. There are many hard lessons that come within being solar pioneers, some call this the bleeding edge. Jordan Energy has been wise through the years to not get ahead of our skis yet within innovation comes great success. This podcast was filmed during the government shutdown so you will hear Bill and Stephen advocate for centrist leadership to bring unity admits such division.
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cF6sGKmcO8rfPCLA72I2K?si=36adb52e08d746d8
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JordanEnergyFoodEnterprises
Book / Film Mentions
Here Comes the Sun - Bill McKibben
Solar Revolution - Travis Bradford
The Light Won't Dim - Documentary
The Death of Truth - Michiko Kakutani
Farm / Project Mentions
Talbott Farms, Co - Agrivoltaics on Peach Orchard
Farmer Clip: George Hunt Jr. - Hunt Dairy
Partners / Orgs Mentioned
American Farmland Trust- Smart Solar
New York Wine & Grape Foundation
Casa Pueblo (Adjuntas Puerto Rico) - Community Leadership
Learn More
Chapters
00:00 – 03:20 | Resilience after whiplash
03:20 – 10:10 | Pivots and partnerships on the ground
10:16 – 17:00 | Farmer economics and agrivoltaics
17:05 – 21:45 | Storage first and the path to abundance
21:45 – 26:12 | Distributed resilience from the ground up
26:12 – 32:35 | Truth, trust, and local leadership
32:35 – 41:39 | Community, relationships, and what’s next
Highlights
05:44–06:09 — New partnerships: AFT and NY Wine & Grape Foundation
08:34–09:19 — “We are a storage industry now where solar isthe generation"
10:57–12:16 — George Hunt Jr. Agrivoltaics Mindset 75% + 75% = 150%
23:46–24:08 — “At some point the storage gets so cheap yousay, I do not need the grid”
38:09–38:44 — “We are in the relationship business” (RichardBall mention)
Thank you for the support and give us any insights into what you would like to hear about on the next epiosde.
Harvesting the Sun: Rooted in Trust Podcast Episode 1
Episode Description : In this inaugural episode, Bill Jordan and his son, Stephen Jordan, launch Harvesting the Sun: Rooted in Trust: a podcast that explores the intersection of solar energy, sustainable agriculture, and the power of community. The conversation begins where it all started: in the Jordan’s basement, the birthplace of Jordan Energy & Food Enterprises.
They reflect on the company’s origins, its mission including the efforts of the associated nonprofit Let’s Share the Sun, and how both ventures have grown from one orchard installation in 2009 to solar and batteries that include family farms across the U.S. and into Puerto Rico and Honduras.
Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cF6sGKmcO8rfPCLA72I2K?si=36adb52e08d746d8
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JordanEnergyFoodEnterprises
Book Mentions
Humans by Brandon Stanton: on storytelling andempathy
Mentoring (gifted to Bill by Stephen): on guiding and supporting the next generation of leaders.
Good to Great by Jim Collins: inspiration for Jordan Energy’s team culture.
Farm Mentions
Prospect Hill Orchards, NY: https://prospecthillorchards.com/
Learn More
Jordan Energy & Food Enterprises: https://www.jordanenergy.org/
Let’s Share the Sun Foundation: https://www.letssharethesun.org/
Chapters
00:00 – 00:01:14 | Welcome & Basement Beginnings
00:01:14 – 00:02:39 | Humble Origins and First Solar Project
00:02:39 – 00:03:44 | Let’s Share the Sun Foundation
00:03:44 – 00:04:50 | What ‘Rooted in Trust’ Means
00:04:50 – 00:05:58 | Harvesting the Sun as a Shared Metaphor
00:05:58 – 00:07:07 | Mutuality and Global Connection
00:07:07 – 00:08:21 | Trust in Action – Colorado Dairy Story
00:08:21 – 00:09:26 | Solar Everywhere & From Good to Great
00:09:26 – 00:10:32 | Books and Mentorship
00:10:32 – 00:11:46 | Thought for the Week
00:11:46 – 00:12:04 | Closing & Future Episodes
