Did you know that 1% of every order you place with Foria goes towards a nonprofit of your choosing? One of those organizations is Kiss The Ground, a nonprofit promoting soil health as a solution to the wellness, water, and climate crises we face.
In honor of Earth Day (& month!), we sat down with Karen Rodriguez, Chief Operating Officer of Kiss The Ground, to learn more about the work they are doing and how Foria helps support that mission.
Spoiler alert: You’re about to know more about soil than ever before — but it’s interesting (and super relevant to your health), we swear!
Prefer to listen? Watch the full interview on our YouTube channel here.
For those who have never heard of Kiss the Ground, can you tell us how Kiss the Ground started, your role in it, and how you came into this work?
Kiss the Ground is an audience-supported nonprofit in the U.S. promoting soil health as a solution to the wellness, water, and climate crises we face. We've been around since 2013, and our mission is to awaken people to the possibilities of regeneration. When we first heard about regenerative agriculture, it wasn’t even called that — it was referred to as “carbon farming” or “sustainable farming” — but once we learned what soil can do when it's cared for the way nature intended, it was mind-blowing.
We were all in our late 20s, working in the food industry and immersed in the organic and clean-eating movements. We lived in Venice Beach at a time when almond milk and juicing were becoming popular, but we noticed that many people our age didn’t really understand the deeper connection between soil and food. That changed when we learned from soil scientist Graham State how soil actually works. We realized that if soil is restored to a healthy state, it increases food nutrition, improves water retention, restores water cycles, and supports overall human health.
At that time — 12 or 13 years ago — we felt an urgency. Reading the IPCC reports, we saw the environmental crisis coming and knew we had to act. Coming from an urban background — I’m a Mayan woman from Guatemala but was raised far from that culture — we felt this calling to reconnect with the earth. We started with a small community garden, taking a third of an acre on city property that tested positive for lead contamination. We planted sunflowers and barley to help regenerate the soil and spent five years demonstrating what healthy soil can do.
During that time, we connected with farmers and scientists who were already working in regeneration. We realized that indigenous cultures had been practicing these methods for centuries — there’s a wisdom that has been lost in modern agriculture. But more than anything, we understood that storytelling was key. If we, as food industry professionals, didn’t know about soil health, most people wouldn’t either. We needed to tell the story over and over, in a way that people could relate to.
How important is storytelling to your organization and its mission?
The first story we had to tell was how soil works. Most people don’t know — even I didn’t know.
Early on, we connected with the creators of The Story of Stuff videos, which were popular at the time. We asked them how to make such a complex topic digestible. Soil is dense — you need concentration and patience to grasp its magnitude. You can’t just stare at a plant and watch it grow.
We realized two key things: First, people listen and learn differently. Some are visual learners, some are auditory, and some need to engage directly. Second, we had to simplify the message — say it in a simpler way, then say it again. That’s still a challenge for me. When someone asks what regeneration is, I struggle to explain the whole universe in one paragraph — but it’s gotten easier with practice.
We launched when Instagram and Facebook were emerging, which gave us room to experiment. We tried different approaches, messed up, and adjusted. Today, you’d call it “A/B testing.” People would joke, “Are you a PR company for soil?” In a way, yes — but it was organic. We just kept talking about soil with everyone we knew.
Meeting people where they are is key. Everyone comes from a different perspective. Some people care about climate change, others care about gut health, and others care about their kids’ health. Since the story of soil touches all of these issues, we needed to frame it in a way that connected with what mattered to each person.
Where did the name “Kiss The Ground” come from?
We had a lot of names, some were really awful and thank God we didn't choose them. But "Kiss the Ground" came from a Rumi quote: "May the beauty that you love be what you do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground." It reflects a return to reverence for nature.
What are the biggest threats to soil health that you're seeing and speaking about?
Soil is like a layer of skin on the earth. Its function is to hold life — microorganisms, mushrooms, and plants — and keep everything bound together within layers upon layers. If that skin doesn’t have what it needs to thrive, plants and trees can’t grow.
Carbon isn’t bad, but the amount in our atmosphere, caused by human activity and waste, is too high, which disrupts the system. Another issue is leaving soil bare. If you don’t cover it with plants or cover crops, it becomes too hot and breaks down.
Disturbance is a major issue. Tilling or aerating the soil is like a massive claw tearing through our home — it’s highly disruptive. Animals naturally help the soil through their movement. Their hooves create small indentations that capture rainwater. Their waste acts as fertilizer, and their digestion creates nutrients that enrich the soil.
Biodiversity is also crucial. If you only grow one type of crop, you only have one type of root, which limits the ecosystem. But with a variety of crops, you attract different types of insects and wildlife, which enhances the health and balance of the soil. Just like in human communities, diversity creates strength — mixing ages, backgrounds, and experiences enriches culture.
Chemical agriculture is another challenge. It’s like taking antibiotics — sometimes necessary, but overuse weakens the system. When you nourish your body properly, you need fewer medical interventions. Soil works the same way. If you farm in a way that mimics natural ecosystems — like a forest, where animals, trees, and water cycles naturally maintain balance — you need fewer artificial inputs.
I'm not a farmer, and I’m not here to criticize farmers. But leaning into natural health rather than relying on artificial inputs creates a more sustainable system. Chemical inputs may increase yield and shelf life, but they don’t work well in our bodies. Studies have found chemicals like glyphosate in breast milk. We begin life building cells, microbiota, and an immune system — all dependent on bacteria and viruses. Introducing chemicals early disrupts that balance.
I had cancer as a child and was saved by chemotherapy, but the gut issues I’ve faced since then have been difficult. I've been in remission since I was 12, but at 42, I’m still working to repair the damage. Food and soil health have been key to my healing. If soil creates nutrient-rich food from the start, health begins at the root.
People are starting to understand how their health is connected to what they put in their bodies, but they don’t always make the connection that what they eat comes from the soil — and the health of that soil directly impacts the nutritional quality of their food and their gut health.
From the beginning, Foria has focused on going beyond organic in our sourcing. That’s especially important because we concentrate oils that people apply to intimate areas. When you concentrate anything, you’re also concentrating any pesticides, chemicals, fertilizers, and heavy metals used during cultivation. This is true not just for intimate products but also for cosmetics and skincare.
Beyond that, organic farming itself isn’t necessarily regenerative farming. You can have large-scale monocrop organic farms that still rely on heavy inputs and don't actually improve soil health. So can you help in user-friendly terms define some of the differences between organic farming and what regenerative agriculture is seeking to do?
Organic farming is incredible — it’s the foundation of a lot of this work. But regenerative agriculture goes deeper. Regenerative farming isn’t just about growing food — it’s about growing soil and organic matter. Organic certification doesn’t always require practices like building carbon levels, improving water retention, or avoiding tilling. Organic farming allows for organic pesticides, but regenerative farming focuses more on building long-term soil health and environmental resilience.
Regenerative and organic farming can work together, but regenerative agriculture pushes further. It’s not just about avoiding chemicals — it’s about improving soil nutrition and increasing the amount of healthy soil.
A lot of climate change is caused by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. What does soil have to do with carbon capture, if anything, and helping the atmosphere?
We push towards regenerative farming to reverse a lot of that. Basically, if the soil again has that health and those glues and all of that together and it's working, it actually draws carbon out of the atmosphere and it turns it into sugars that then feed the microorganisms. So it's such a big part of nutrition. What's happening is going to the ocean and it's acidifying the ocean. But if the soil is capable of holding it, it’s naturally supposed to be stored there. So it draws it down, it stores it, and then it's not in the atmosphere.
What are one or two small shifts people could make in their own lives to support soil, the farmers, and the storytelling you're doing?
We named the organization, like I said, after that Rumi poem, and it says there's hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground. And what that meant to us is that everybody can participate in their own unique way. Are you going to be a farmer? Maybe. Are you going to go to the farmer's market and get to know a farmer and make a relationship with them? Maybe. Are you going to donate to a nonprofit? Maybe. Are you going to make a piece of art that celebrates soil and shows the magic of this underground life? Maybe. Are you going to make a song about it? There are so many ways to be in reverence and so many ways to participate — especially in this time that we're living today.
I've been with the organization from day one. In the 12, 13 years I've been doing this, we’ve changed the way we listen, connect, and argue, but simple actions are powerful. Who makes decisions about soil in your community? Is it your mayor, a senator, or a local group? Find their name and email — it's easier than ever today.
You could also start small — talk to your family about soil, grow something with your kids or cousins. Engagement matters. We're overwhelmed with information these days, but if we slow down and reconnect with what matters, it can give us life.
People often ask about the definition of regenerative agriculture. That’s tricky because context is a key principle. If you and I ate the same food for two weeks, we'd have different results because we have different bodies and contexts. It's the same with farming — a farm in Nebraska won’t operate the same way as one in Northern California or Argentina.
Defining something means finding its end — but regeneration has no end. If reduce, reuse, recycle is a triangle, regeneration is a spiral — a continuous cycle of energy. To keep that alive, we need to engage and steward the land.
So, find your way to engage — whatever inspires you. Farmers are the true heroes doing this work every day. If you’ve never been on a farm, we have a map on our website showing the farmers we've worked with. Or you could visit a farmer’s market, join a community garden, or volunteer.
There’s a lot happening in the world, but this isn’t the time to disengage. It's time to ask: What do I care about? Where do I want to put my energy? For me, it’s soil. The only place life has ever made sense to me is on a farm or a piece of land. That’s why I chose to serve the earth. For those feeling disconnected from food, land, and soil — you can reconnect. It starts with simple steps.
How can people support your organization other than shopping with Foria?
We have some exciting initiatives this year. First, we launched a coffee product that supports our mission. It tells the story of coffee from planting to processing, and it’s certified regenerative by Regenify.
We also introduced a new 90-minute course, Regenerative Agriculture Essentials. It’s a short but informative course that covers the basics of regenerative agriculture. It’s designed for both professionals and businesses, and it’s packed with valuable insights.
We’ve also made significant contributions to the farming community. This year, we awarded $500,000 in grants to farmers for regenerative projects and education. We regularly update our website with impact stories — following and sharing those stories is a great way to support us.
Of course, donations are always helpful. You can donate through our website or Foria — every bit helps keep these initiatives running.
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