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.
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
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.
