Sword&Spade Beyond "Cranking Out Kids": A Conversation on Family Life w/ Joel Stroot
Feb 12, 2026
Joel Stroot, a permaculture farmer and practicing dentist who runs Faith Family Farm, shares perspectives on living authentically Catholic and linking food-as-medicine to family life. He talks about fatherhood, building local Catholic community and practical farm projects that form boys into men. The conversation centers on rootedness, stewardship of land, and choosing work to prioritize faith and family.
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Farm Childhood Shaped Vocations
- Joel Stroot grew up working at a family agritourism farm and learned responsibility early through hands-on chores.
- His father modeled faith-first priorities despite low income and shaped Joel's vocation to combine farming and dentistry.
Authentic Faith Is Whole-Life Practice
- Living authentically Catholic means integrating faith into all daily roles, not just Sunday worship.
- Joel ties this to food, health, and dentistry: nutrient-dense soil creates flourishing bodies and souls.
Rootedness Builds Culture
- Rootedness to place and multi-generational legacy matter for sustaining culture and virtue.
- Ownership isn't strictly necessary to be rooted; commitment and stability can create place over time.
