Why Ian Somerhalder Left Hollywood

Hearing Ian Somerhalder talk about living in "paradise" with wife Nikki Reed, two kids and 18 pets (domestic and farm-related), far outside the city, makes sense as to why they left behind the beachside LA home.

"Walking through the farm with kids and dogs and family, every stop, you're pulling off of trees or off of bushes, pulling up out of the ground and feeding everyone as you're moving through the farm." 

The two grow lavender, rosemary, and cucumbers, stroll through fields with cows on a halter, and tend to donkeys that protect the collection of goats from coyotes and other predators.

"It is a lot of work. It's unbelievable when you see these amazing creature life forms and how they all live on the farm together is really special."

Its been four years since Ian or Nikki stepped into a new role, but they've busy with another passion project.

"We're farm people, we produce most of our own food, I live in my cowboy boots."

The only time those boots have made it inside a studio, was to narrate bit of Ian's 2020 documentary 'Kiss the Ground,' and the newly released follow up 'Common Ground.'

Both detail focusing on regenerative farming and improving the world's soil, which can help combat climate change. 

"I stepped away from acting a little over four years ago to raise my kids, build my companies and get these films launched."

"By using healthy soil management practices, we are building a secure future today, or tomorrow. And once you do have children, you realize I am no longer alone here. I am leaving this to my children."

He aimed to create 'Common Ground' as a "love letter to out children. As a parent, you never want to have to look at your kids and say, 'I'm sorry.' You want to be able to look at your children and say, 'We did something. And as a result of that we secured our future.'"

The film was made alonside filmmakers Josh and Rebecca Tickell, and had a cast complete with Laura Dern, Jason Momoa, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson and Donald Glover.

Ian understands the concept of overhauling the agriculture industry feels daunting, and this is because he's discussed it multiple times with people, watching their reactions.

"You have the ability every day you walk out of your house to have the single most powerful vote on the planet, which is to vote with your dollar. What companies are you going to support? Are those companies good stewards of not just the environment, but of the communities that support that?"

At the top of his list are Nutro, which is a pet food brand that launched Greater Ground, an initiative to increase awareness for healthy soil practices. 

They even asked Ian to give voice to their animated short film 'Tail of Two Farms.'

Ian acknowledged he's not the sort to amass brand deals, "This was everything I'm about all rolled into one."

The brand is educating pet parents on the lengths they're going to provide the best and healthiest for their furry friends.

They're attempting to raise up to $300,000 for their Greater Ground soil growth grants.

"That's their way of saying, we want to get in there and literally get our hands dirty, and start helping these farmers transition because it can be a little scary, right? But when we do it together, it's way less scary."

Ian and Nikki seem to be adjusting quite nicely to their new family of four. 

"It's the best thing ever. Once you become a parent, you realize everything you do throughout your day, you have the ability to make these little tiny incremental changes, whether it's who you buy your cat and dog food from, what restaurants you eat in, how you dispose of your own waste."

He said each little win adds up "because it's a pretty big, pretty crazy world out there. So the tiny things that you can do throughout your day, that make you feel great, are making a difference."

And now, he has no intention of hanging up his boots.

He wears quite a few hats due to projects like the Brother's Bond Bourbon brand, he shares with Paul Wesley, but his environmental work is what keeps him grounded. 

"I was asked why I care about this." The answer "is because I'm building my entire life and world to do that exact thing."

"I will be a rancher and building legacy brands, whether it's my bourbon or my health and wellness company, and the regenerative agriculture and healthy soil management practices that I live by and our family lives by. That's where my life was going. So when people say 'Why do you care?' That's why I care. Because that's who I am, that's what I'm going to become."