The Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson

Bonus Episode 18: Seed Saving Class May 2018. A chat with a seed expert about Why is Our Gut Messed Up.In This Bonus Podcast: Belly hurt? Have gut problems? Bill McDorman and Greg Peterson unpack one of the reasons you could be ailing and share the market explosion of heritage grains that are changing the way we eat and bake. And of course you will find out where to get these precious seeds. This is the May 2018 episode of a Seed Saving Class at Urban Farm U.Join the class! Register anytime for the next event.Register Here for the Seed Saving Class with Live Q&ABill McDorman is Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance, Ketchum, Idaho. He got his start in the bio-regional seed movement while in college in 1979 when he helped start Garden City Seeds. In 1984, Bill started Seeds Trust/High Altitude Gardens, a mail order seed company he ran successfully until it sold in 2013.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/06/26/bonus18/ for show notes and links on this bonus podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Experimenting with bacteria and beverages.In This Podcast:Having first come across this drink at a cousin’s house and thinking there was something wrong with the odd beverage, it was not until much later - and with an appreciation for fermented foods - that Alex Lewin gave kombucha a real chance.  Now he has a real understanding of the process and teaches others how to make their own. We learn some chemistry, some fun tricks for additional flavor, and even what his new favorite drink as we chat with him.Alex grew up on the East Coast of the US.  In his evolving journey on the earth, he’s discovered that one of his gifts is the ability to co-exist side-by-side with friendly bacteria.  While others struggle with bacteria, Alex embraces them.Alex is the author of "Real Food Fermentation: Preserving Whole Fresh Food with Live Cultures in Your Home Kitchen" through Quarry Publishing, and the co-author of "Kombucha, Kefir, and Beyond" through Fair Winds Publishing.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/06/23/362-alex-lewin/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Digging up the story of a slow-food pioneer.In This Podcast: It must have been one well written obituary, because it stuck with Adam Federman and then after he found her book on his parents' shelves he wanted to know more about an almost forgotten culinary star. Ten years later and a treasure trove of writings uncovered, he released his biography of Patience Gray and brings her hidden history to light. Those who loved her book Honey From Weeds will love getting to know her better in his book Fasting and Feasting. He shares his story of finding hers, and leaves us hungry for more.Adam is a reporting fellow with the Investigative Fund at the Nation Institute covering energy and the environment. He has written for several publications including the Nation magazine, the Guardian, and Columbia Journalism Review. He is a former line cook, bread baker, and pastry chef.He has been a Russia Fulbright fellow, a Middlebury fellow in environmental journalism, and the recipient of a Polk grant for investigative reporting. Adam is the author of Fasting and Feasting: The Life of Visionary Food Writer Patience Gray, published through our friends at Chelsea Green.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/06/19/361-adam-federman/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Building local food systems through community markets.In This Podcast: She was not planning to be a Farmers Market Manager, but that where Sara Matlin ended up and she is passionate about her community. She tells about the Phoenix Public Market and how it has grown to over 100 vendors.  We also cover how growers can become vendors with their own booths and how they are supported by the market.  There are also opportunities for backyard growers to sell without having their own booth. www.urbanfarm.org/phxpublicmarketA native to the Phoenix Area, Sara is passionate about building community and supporting local businesses. Every Saturday you can find her running the downtown Phoenix Public Market managed through Community Food Connections, a nonprofit organization. This open-air market is open rain or shine, year-round. When she's not busy coordinating vendors or taking farm tours, she's hiking outdoors and exploring the small towns of the Southwest.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/06/16/360-sara-matlin/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Composting with nature's own army.In This Podcast:It was a common tilapia being released into the wild that had a profound effect on Keiran Olivares Whitaker. He realization on how ecosystems were being devastated by man’s actions prompted him to try and make a difference.  He’s also highly aware of the cost of food miles so he’s been working on a solution that helps in many ways and a method to help build it close to where it is needed.  All it takes is an army of single focused soldiers… soldier flies, that is.Keiran is the founder and CEO of Entocycle. He has a Masters in Environmental Design and Conservation, and while working as a scuba diving instructor he was fortunate enough to travel and visit some of the most beautiful places on earth. He saw first-hand the environmental damage that human development and current lifestyles are causing to these paradises.Convinced that we are killing our own planet, and that animal farming is the single most destructive activity humans have ever invented, he started Entocycle as an insect farming company using Black Soldier Flies to provide an alternative.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/06/12/359-keiran-olivares-whitaker/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Trekking around the world to learn about organic farms.In This Podcast: Starting a new adventure with a minimalist lifestyle and travel to foreign countries is not something readily understood by most people. Yet when faced with life changes and an opportunity to start anew, that is exactly what Jake Mace is going to do. Having sold most of their possessions they are off on a world-wide WWOOFing trip visiting organic farms in various countries. He tells what motivated the change and how they are going to document their experiences.Jake started gardening in 2011 with a peach, fig, pomegranate and kumquat tree to save money on his food budget. He has joined us multiple times on this show about his urban farm, best gardening tips and tricks, and learning from failure. As wells as how he became inspired by his mission to live a life that’s compassionate with a a zero- to positive-sum impact on the earth, particularly through his commitment to a vegan lifestyle.These days Jake is traveling the world WWOOFing and looking for his next great vegan meal.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/06/09/358-jake-mace/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Transforming food with healthy microbes.In This Podcast:Wanting to know more about healthy eating after his father got sick, Alex Lewin did lots of reading, studying, and research. He narrowed his focus to real foods and transforming food with healthy microbes.  Eventually he was quite skilled at fermentation and has enjoyed helping others get excited about this preservation process. He shares with us why this healthy option is worth learning about.Alex grew up on the East Coast where he discovered that one of his gifts is the ability to co-exist side-by-side with friendly bacteria. While others struggle with it, Alex embraces them. As a graduate of Harvard, the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, he seeks to create a healthier and tastier world by spreading the good news about fermentation and real food.Alex is the co-author of "Kombucha, Kefir, and Beyond" and the author of "Real Food Fermentation: Preserving Whole Fresh Food with Live Cultures in Your Home Kitchen".Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/06/05/357-alex-lewin/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Making the most of discarded plots for farming and community gardens.In This Podcast: He did not finish college, but that has not stopped Jourdain Beltran from pursuing knowledge and growing healthy food. He found a great business partner and together they are improving access to healthy food in local food deserts. They are also tackling the problem of healthy eating by teaching the youth in these areas about where good food comes from and starting good habits early!Jourdain is an Arizona native who started gardening by growing jalapeño plants with his grandfather. He is the co-founder of Urban Farming Organics, who are looking to overcome the food desert crisis in Arizona.Their mission is a “fresh off the vine” concept to make nutrient dense produce easily accessible to Phoenix locals. Part of that is working with local youth helping this next generation learn good, healthy, eating habits.Early on they saw the potential of vacant land as space for small gardens, specifically to help local residents to get fresh food with higher nutritional value. UFO is working to find local vacant or unused land by contacting the owners to start repurposing the land for farming or community gardening.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/06/02/356-jourdain-beltran/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Becoming the next generation of urban farmers.In This Podcast: Raised by two farmers, Sowan Thai wanted to do anything else with his life. Yet pursuing a degree in science led him back to his roots and now he's proud to call himself a farmer. A post-college stint in a medical marijuana science lab, steered him into growing food with a new friend and partner. As new farmers, they participated in a couple ASU Venture Devils Pitch contests and won both times. Now they are building their urban farm and teaching young kids how to grow food.Sowan was born and raised in Phoenix, leaving just long enough to earn a B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Arizona in Tucson. There he studied controlled environment agriculture, plant biochemistry, and genetics. He returned to Phoenix and did tissue culture research at a medical cannabis facility, where he would meet his future business partner Jourdain Beltran. After about a year, they decided to depart from the medical marijuana industry to start an urban farm together with their third partner.Beginning with only 2000 square feet, they were able to build a proof-of-concept urban farm and competed in ASU’s Venture Devils program, winning two rounds of substantial funding. Less than a year later, they have expanded their operation to an acre, supply several farmers markets, and share their knowledge and experience with the youth.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/05/29/355-sowan-thai/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Empowering a community's strength and resilience through gardening.In This Podcast: If you just can’t help yourself and tend to get involved in your community, then you might be just like James Ross.  He has a natural drive to help others and that often involves community gardens. James shares the story of the first garden he helped build which became quite long after everyone participated.  He also tells what he learned when negotiating leases for the land their gardens occupied.  Overall, the harvests are much greater than just the fruits and vegetables – so maybe there are other gardens around the corner.James, a father of five and grandfather of eight, is co-founder of the Quesada “kwe-seda” Gardens Initiative, QGI, a private, non-profit organization focusing on better health and quality of life in Bayview.  He and co-founder Jeffrey Betcher have helped to fund and nurture many community-building efforts; working with other foundations within Bayview Hunters Point to form a support network for the community.QGI has started two major community gardens, one is a place for people to sit and relax, and the other is a learning garden where community children learn how to grow food from seed to harvest. The initiative also runs a free build-a-backyard garden program called BayBloom.  He now lives in Danville, KY where he has founded 3 community gardens.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/05/26/354-james-ross/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Bonus Episode 17: Seed Saving Class April, 2018. A chat with an expert on Seeds.In This Bonus Podcast: There is always a bounty of information available in conversations with Bill McDorman. This is the April 2018 episode of a Seed Saving Class - Bill calls in from Cornville, AZ to talk about wild seeds, native seeds, noxious weeds, and so much more based on listener questions.Join the class! Register anytime for the next event. Register Here for the Seed Saving Class with Live Q&ABill McDorman is Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance, in Ketchum, Idaho. He got his start in the bio-regional seed movement while in college in 1979 when he helped start Garden City Seeds. In 1984, Bill started Seeds Trust/High Altitude Gardens, a mail order seed company he ran successfully until it sold in 2013.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/05/22/bonus17/ for show notes and links on this bonus podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Bringing a simple food source closer to the table.In This Podcast: After moving to a rural life, and googling crazy business ideas, Phil and Jenn Tompkins started a business helping people rent their chickens. This idea has taken off greatly and now as Homestead Phil and Jenn they help others start their own business with a supportive affiliate process.  They are eggscited to share their enthusiasm and some awesome stories!Homestead Phil & Jenn are the co-founders of Rent The Chicken. This rapidly growing chicken rental service started in 2013 as a part-time avenue of supplemental income and has grown to have more than 45 farmers and homesteaders renting chickens as an extension of their farms in the United States and Canada.Rent The Chicken is more than just a bunch of farmers and homesteaders building chicken coops and delivering chickens. Homestead Phil & Jenn are dedicated to being your chicken friends, helping to change local jurisdictions to allow backyard hens, and bringing one step of sustainable agriculture through fresh eggs closer to your table.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/05/19/353-phil-and-jenn-tompkins/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Bonus Episode 16: Seed Saving Class March 2018.A chat with an expert on Seeds. In This Bonus Podcast: There is always a bounty of information available in conversations with Bill McDorman. This is the March 2018 episode of a Seed Saving Class - Bill calls in from Cornville, Arizona to talk about seed sourcing, hybrids, sharing seeds, testing root crops, and so much more.Join the class! Register anytime for the next event. Register Here for the Seed Saving Class with Live Q&ABill McDorman is Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance, Ketchum, Idaho. He got his start in the bio-regional seed movement while in college in 1979 when he helped start Garden City Seeds. In 1984, Bill started Seeds Trust/High Altitude Gardens, a mail order seed company he ran successfully until it sold in 2013.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/05/17/bonus16/ for show notes and links on this bonus podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Improving polyculture growing techniques.In This Podcast:When one of his farmer clients was seeking answers for their aging avocado farm, Scott Murray encouraged a solution that allowed for polyculture farming of coffee on the coastal side of some Southern California mountains.  The micro-climate conditions they were able to create is producing results, and the preventative techniques he employed against weather and furry pests can be replicated on most other farms.  There is a lot of information in this podcast, so be prepared to take notes!Scott has 44 years of organic agricultural production experience in the United States and Mexico. He has a multitude of experience with conservation, food production, and environmental leadership—including serving as an elected California Conservation official for the last 26 years. Scott also specializes in farmland preservation projects utilizing Smart Growth Principles. He now does farm creation and consulting as his primary work, including work on a farm growing coffee in Southern California.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/05/15/352-scott-murray/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Growing florals for a farming business.In This Podcast: She married her husband for all the right reasons of course and everything was going well.  Then later Lisa Ziegler realized also got the bonus of the land and equipment she needed for the dream career she did not know she wanted.  Now Lisa is a flower farmer on a small farm in the middle of a city and loves it so much she teaches the basics of this career path to others. She recommends this as a great side business for anyone who likes gardening.Lisa is a cut-flower farmer, author, and speaker on organic cut-flower gardening.  She has been farming since 1998 in Southeastern Virginia on the Ziegler family homestead.  In season, her urban three-acre farm produces thousands of stems of flowers and an abundance of vegetables, which she sells to florists, supermarkets, at farmer’s markets and for her members-only farm market. In recent years, she has started leading hands-on-training on the farm for flower farmers and everyday ‘flower junkies’!  Lisa is the author of four books including Vegetables Love Flowers, The Companion Planting Guide for Beauty and Bounty by our friends at Quarto Publishing.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/05/12/351-lisa-ziegler/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Helping students have better access to healthier foods.In This Podcast: After earning his PhD, an academic career was not going to work for him, so Andrew Nowak pivoted his passions and experience into improving the lives of his kids. This eventually led him to take on changing the protocols and processes of helping school cafeterias source food from school gardens and local farms. This broke ground for school districts around the country to implement new protocols themselves. This is a MUST listen for any parent wanting healthier food in their school’s cafeteria!Andrew is the former Director of the National School Garden Program for Slow Food USA where he was responsible for building capacity of nearly 150 Slow Food chapters to be partners in school garden projects.  For 12 years he was the co-director of Slow Food Denver’s Seed-to-Table, School Food Program and developed protocols for Youth Farmers’ Markets and Garden to Cafeteria programs.Since 2009, Andrew has been the District Partner for Denver Public Schools and Jefferson County Schools helping to source local fruits, vegetables and meats for the cafeterias, to develop scratch cooking and salad bars in schools, and the development of school farms to grow organic vegetables for school kitchens.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/05/08/350-andrew-nowak/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Building healthy bodies and minds through good nutrition.In This Podcast:After getting a card from her youngest child and he said that he loved her but not her cooking, Jennifer Johnson set out to change that. She eventually became a Chef and now focuses on cooking healthy and nutritious food, as well as teaching others how to make those selections for their own dishes.  She shares some of her secrets with us in this podcast.Jennifer became a Chef 23 years ago after her son told her he hated her cooking in a Mother’s Day Card. At the time she managed seven manufacturing facilities around the world in Corporate America; now she is a full-time Eco Conscious Organic Chef with a passion to help people learn that health is wealth and it is not limited to those who can afford it.  She uses distinct ingredients, organically grown, and cleanly made in all aspects of her business: catering, meal plans, food prep, cooking and food education. Chef Jennifer’s style of cooking is a French and Italian Fusion influence on American Food, using her international training to make quick nutritious meals. She will tell you Good Nutritious Food empowers you to have your best day!Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/05/05/349-jennifer-johnson/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Helping agricultural technology startups.In This Podcast:Working at a startup company through the process of growing and its IPO was informative and provided Megan Vollstedt with invaluable insight for helping other entrepreneurs and startups get off the ground. She shares how having resources and mentors can help new companies find a path to a successful launch. She also explains how the program at Iowa AgTech is open to business all over to apply with their ideas for admission applications. Megan is the executive director of the Iowa AgriTech Accelerator, bringing with her more than six years of experience in the startup community. She has developed a deep knowledge and understanding of best practices for managing and growing a startup from infancy.Outside of the office, Megan stays engaged as a member of the Young Professionals of Ames, Young Professionals Connection, and volunteers for organizations that promote the arts, health and community betterment.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/05/01/348-megan-vollstedt/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Keeping critters and pests at bay humanely and safelyIn This Podcast: Dealing with pests in your garden or farm can be overwhelming unless you can change your perspective.  Having her yard become a wildlife habitat gave Theresa Rooney a chance to reconsider what was bringing the small visitors into her space and why they may or may not be welcome. For those wishing to find more humane ways of controlling the critters, she has some suggestions that will help.Theresa is a self-taught, life-long gardener. She is a Master Gardener who has turned her small urban yard into a Certified National Wildlife Habitat, home to an increasing number of welcome and unwelcome critters. She has written articles for Minnesota Gardener Magazine, teaches gardening classes, and is the author of "The Complete Guide to Humane Critter Control" published by Quarto Publishing.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/04/28/347-theresa-rooney/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Emphasizing simplicity with self-discovery.In This Podcast: Growing up between two worlds and two lifestyles, Justin Ehrlich realized working behind a desk was not his calling. The Asian influence in his youth, and the environmental awareness he gained from his father’s business, blended naturally into a calling to be an acupuncturist.  He now seeks to help educate and empower about the connection Chinese medicine has with nature and how true healing can take place.Drawn for most of his life to many of the mystical practices that originated in ancient China, Justin has been a California state licensed acupuncturist since 2002 and a student of the Jade Purity branch of Daoism since 2001.After many years of questioning the nature of reality, then using these practices to work through his own struggles, heal old wounds, and find a deeper connection to the Divine, he can attest to how powerful and transformative this path can be.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/04/24/346-justin-ehrlich/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Inspiration through film.In This Podcast:She’s had a “greenie” intuition as a youth but spent part of her adulthood pursuing a publishing career and a side venture as a tango dancer, but Antoinette Wilson found herself living in a permaculture-based community for a year and it changed her life.  She partnered up with another community member to write and make documentaries about the lifestyle they were experiencing, and even made some short films about others who were doing their best to have better impacts on their space.  These documentaries and short films are inspiring others to take steps toward change too.Tasmania-born and New Zealand-bred, Antoinette began her professional career in book publishing and dreamt of managing the editorial offices of Random House New York by the age of 40. Instead, just before her 40th birthday she took on the management of the harvest and labour at a CSA in rural New Zealand. She had begun studying towards a Permaculture Design Certificate and was committed to living a low-impact lifestyle.During a 2015 documentary project exploring simple living, she realized the extraordinary capacity of film to educate, and teamed up with Jordan Osmond in Happen Films. The pair write, direct and produce short films and more recently their new feature film, Living the Change: Inspiring Stories for a Sustainable Future. The self-taught filmmakers live in a 20sq/meter (folks that is 215 square feet) unplumbed but luxurious room on the end of a shed in a friend’s 3-acre food-forest and have a passion for sharing stories that educate and inspire about how we can all live beautifully on earth.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/04/21/345-antoinette-wilson/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Bonus Episode 15: Seed Saving Class February 2018.A chat with an expert on seeds. In This Bonus Podcast: There is always a bounty of info available in conversations with Bill McDorman. This is the February 2018 episode of a Seed Saving Class - patents, descriptions, regional adaptation, open sourced seeds, and so much more.Join the class! Register anytime for the next event. Register Here for the Seed Saving Class with Live Q&ABill McDorman is Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance, Ketchum, Idaho. He got his start in the bio-regional seed movement while in college in 1979 when he helped start Garden City Seeds. In 1984, Bill started Seeds Trust/High Altitude Gardens, a mail order seed company he ran successfully until it sold in 2013.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/04/17/bonus-15/ for more information and links on this bonus podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Making simplified gardening even easier.In This Podcast: New at gardening, the lackluster results of their first garden could have turned them off, but Jennifer Pratt and her husband decided there was an easier way.  Using their need for a simpler method of spacing seeds in the garden, they designed a guide to do the measuring for them.  This new tool is so easy to use that even Mel Bartholomew called to tell them how much he liked it. A kickstarter program has helped launched this simple idea into a new business for them.Jen is an entrepreneur and inventor. After a frustrating first attempt at growing a family garden, she and her husband saw the need for a tool that would simplify the process of both planting and tending their vegetable garden - and felt that the proper spacing of seeds was the ticket.  And they were right! Now, after crowd funding, patents and a few more gardens under her belt, she’s here to tell us her story and share more on the tool that is changing the way people grow food.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/04/14/344-jennifer-pratt/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Bonus Episode 14: Seed Saving Class January 2018.A chat with an expert on seeds. In This Bonus Podcast: There is always a bounty of info available in conversations with Bill McDorman. This is the January 2018 episode of a Seed Saving Class - discussing Grain School, original peanuts of South Carolina, inspiring gardeners, broccoli in Alaska and so much more.Join the class! Register anytime for the next event. Register Here for the Seed Saving Class with Live Q&ABill McDorman is Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance, Ketchum, Idaho. He got his start in the bio-regional seed movement while in college in 1979 when he helped start Garden City Seeds. In 1984, Bill started Seeds Trust/High Altitude Gardens, a mail order seed company he ran successfully until it sold in 2013.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/04/12/bonus14/ for show notes and links on this bonus podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Spreading the word about healthy and sustainable eating.In This Podcast: It is easy to notice the conviction of purpose as we hear an update from Ocean Robbins about the principles behind this year’s Food Revolution Summit. He also shares some news about some dietary trends, how food system and food choice awareness is making a difference in many parts of the world. Visit www.urbanfarm.org/summit for more detailsOcean is the CEO, Co-founder and Co-host of the 450,000+ member Food Revolution Network, and the co-host of the Food Revolution Summit since it started in 2012.  He has facilitated more than 50 week-long gatherings and 100 day-long workshops for leaders worldwide.  He is the co-author of Choices For Our Future and The Power of Partnership, along with the most recently released Voices of the Food Revolution: You can heal your body, and your world, with foodThe annual Food Revolution Summit has already reached 800,000 people; teaching what’s really going on with our food, and presenting information to help us take action for our health, and for a more ethical and sustainable world. The 2018 Summit will take place April 28-May 6 this year, featuring John and Ocean Robbins interviewing 24 of the world’s top food experts.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/04/10/343-ocean-robbins/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Using your doctor as a valuable resource.In This Podcast:Having a background in construction, he was not your typical med student, but Dr. Ken Berry used his real-world experience to become a better doctor. Then when he realized he was becoming physically unfit while following the very advice he had been giving his own patients, he questioned his teachings and sought out better answers. He now helps people communicate better with their doctors and offers advice on diets to fight obesity and Type 2 Diabetes among other chronic illnesses.Ken is a Family Physician, Speaker and Author of the self-published book Lies My Doctor told me.  He has been practicing Family Medicine for over a decade. He is board certified in Family Medicine, and has been awarded the degree of Fellow, by the American Academy of Family Physicians.  Having seen over 20,000 patients of all ages during his career, he is uniquely qualified to write on both acute and chronic diseases. More and more, he has focused on the chronic diseases caused by the Standard American Diet and Lifestyle, and has made it his mission to turn the tide on the epidemic of Type 2 Diabetes, chronic inflammation and dementia. Ken has four children, 3 dogs, 2 cats and 7 peacocks. He, and his beautiful wife Neisha, live on their farm in Holladay, TN.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/04/07/342-ken-berry/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.Ken Berry on Discussing Health with Your Doctor.

Bringing awareness of the beauty of nature.In This Podcast: Connecting with nature is so natural to Mary Reynolds, that when life got  busy and bogged her down to the point that she forgot to make it a priority, she actually felt ‘squished’.  Mary’s story of winning the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show was told in the movie Dare to Be Wild. Here we learn more about her special relationship with nature and how she hopes to teach and inspire others to develop their own connection, for the good of all.Mary grew up on a small mixed farm in Wexford, in the south of Ireland and eventually set up her own company designing gardens in Dublin. A few years later, and having lost the will to live from constantly creating modern gardens, she realized that she could no longer continue shaping land in the same way and thus re-imagined her work to become nature rather than human centered.She brought her new, still relatively unformed ideas to be showcased at the Chelsea flower show in London where she achieved a gold medal, unusual at the time for a first-time effort. Since that time, Mary has built up quite a cult following in the world of garden design and is considered unique in her field.  She eventually decided it was time to rethink the whole relationship we had with land and re-examine what it truly means to design in harmony with nature. This led to her book ‘The Garden Awakening – Designs to Nurture Our Land and Ourselves’Special note: Her story is told in the film Dare to Be Wild, available on NetflixGo to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/04/03/341-mary-reynolds/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Telling a story of young environmentalists reaching for their dreams.In This Podcast: Becoming a scriptwriter had been a goal she set to the side while she worked her way into corporate finance law. However, when Vivienne DeCourcy heard the story of a young award winning garden designer’s journey, she found her way back. She shares how searching for a garden design consult then filled her need to connect to nature and introduced her to an amazing woman with an amazing story. This is the background of how the film Dare to Be Wild was completed. Vivienne came from a long family line of market gardeners, academics and rebels, yet somehow found herself having lived for 20 years in a Chicago high rise practicing corporate finance law. She really missed the landscape of her childhood - between Dublin and West Cork, and after getting breast cancer in her early thirties, she left corporate law, followed a childhood dream and started writing scripts.  She went back home and bought a small hill farm where her love for natural landscape, writing, and trying to make the farm hers, came together and gave her the opportunity to write the script for Dare to be Wild, released spring 2016.DARE TO BE WILD, is a romantic adventure based on the true story of two young environmentalists, whose quest is to show the world the power of wild nature as they reach for their dreams - one garden, one vast desert, at a time. SPECIAL NOTE:  This film opened on Netflix APRIL 1st, 2018.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/03/31/340-vivienne-de-courcy/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Optimizing the diet for backyard poultry.In This Podcast:Watching a bakery business fail, spending time in the navy on a destroyer, and then selling macaroni & cheese, might not seem like the background of a person managing part of a large poultry and egg business.  However, this is the path that led Frank Bergin to Eggland’s Best and helping them decide to offer their best proprietary feed to urban farmers.  He shares with us the reasons he joined the company as well as some significant statistics they found in their research and why they opted to put their feed on the shelves.  Frank is currently General Manager of Strategic Ventures & Innovation for Eggland’s Best, LLC. He has always wanted to run a food business since he was a teenager working in his family’s summer bakery.  After spending seven years as a US Naval Officer, the next eleven years he helped grow iconic brands like Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, Jell-O, Cream of Wheat, Post Cereals, Balance Bar and Ritz Crackers. In his final role with Kraft, Frank led the turnaround and rebirth of the Back To Nature natural/organic business.He went onto pursue his passion for building smaller, more entrepreneurial businesses and since joining EB in 2010, where he has help the company’s revenue triple. It was in looking for new ways to keep that remarkable pace of growth going that Frank and the Eggland’s Best team hit upon the idea of selling its proprietary feed directly to backyard chicken farmersGo to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/03/27/339-frank-bergin/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Reducing food waste in the supply chain.In This Podcast: After years of watching unused raw materials go to waste in his industry of nutraceuticals, Tim Intfen decided to do something about it. He figured out a solution that changes potential waste into back into a resource with value. He shares this unique business idea with us and tells why it can save time, money and nutrient resources. This free to use platform allows business to work together to avoid waste.Tim is the President and Co-Founder of InField Market – their mission…to reduce food waste and offer opportunity. InField Market is a unique business to business eCommerce platform that saves companies money and prevents waste.  Their market the - animal nutrition, food and beverage, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Their secure and free to use system features a robust real-time inventory and competitive pricing.Since 2004, he has worked in raw material distribution with principle manufacturers throughout the world. Tim is excited to bring InField Market as an opportunity based, game-changing solution to businesses throughout the globe.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/03/24/338-tim-intfen/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Bonus Episode 13: Seed Saving Class, November 2017A chat with an expert on seeds, Bill McDorman.In This Bonus Podcast: There is always a bounty of information available in conversations with Bill McDorman. This is the November 2017 episode with a Seed School Chat Class - continuing the conversation with an in depth discourse on grains and corns, an ancient potato, grain trials, growing all your groceries, and so much more.Bill McDorman is Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance, Ketchum, Idaho. He got his start in the bio-regional seed movement while in college in 1979 when he helped start Garden City Seeds. In 1984, Bill started Seeds Trust/High Altitude Gardens, a mail order seed company he ran successfully until it sold in 2013.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/03/20/bonus13/ for show notes and links on this bonus podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Taking school lunches very seriously.In This Podcast: When you have a passion for food and teaching and helping your community as well as being creative and you find a group that melds all three, then you are going to find great pleasure in sharing about this group. Chef Molly Beverly tells us about Slow Food USA and their concept of changing our mindset about school lunches. We hear about The Ark of Taste, Food Literacy, and the Slow Food Movement. Chef Molly is Prescott, Arizona’s creative food activist and teacher. As Prescott College Food Service Director and Chef for 9 years, she built the food service into a showcase of sustainable, educational, and tasty food.Molly has taught cooking since 1976 to adults and children at Prescott and Yavapai Colleges, most recently Edible and Delicious Science for Kids. She is a regular writer for Edible Phoenix and she operates a small organic farm and catering business. As Chair of Slow Food Prescott, she champions school gardens and sustainable food education.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/03/17/337-molly-beverly/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Bonus Episode 12: Kerry Audisho on the Tour De CoopsA chat about organizing a tour of backyard chicken farms.In This Bonus Podcast: We chat with Kerry Audisho about an upcoming Tour de Coops in Phoenix, and she helps us understand what this event is and why it is something every city should have. She tells us about how she got involved in running the Tour de Coops and how she is ready to help other cities start their own. We also learn about Easter Eggers, the benefits of chickens, a garden program for kids, and getting kids to try Swiss Chard then ask for seconds.  Kerry is a Dr. Sears Certified Health Coach, founder of Your Farm Foods, Friending Farmers, and the non-profit organization Garden Play. She has been a practicing health coach since 2011, and on the health seeking journey for over 15 years.In Garden Play, she and her team establish and maintain gardens in schools, as well as teach students how to garden, about the health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables, and how to prepare the foods they grow. Garden Play is also the organizer for the Phoenix Tour De Coops taking place on March 25th 2018.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/03/13/bonus12/ for show notes and links on this bonus podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Helping the community plant fruit trees successfully.In This Podcast: We catch up with Returning Guest Susan Poizner as she shares more about fruit tree care and the training that she offers through her podcasts as well as the courses at Niagara College.  She helps explain why pruning is important, especially when strong weather conditions come.  She has a lot of great information for anyone who is growing their own fruit trees.Susan is an urban orchardist in Toronto, Canada and the author of the award-winning fruit tree care book “Growing Urban Orchards” as well as the creator of an award-winning, online fruit tree care training course. In her in-person and online workshops, Susan has trained hundreds of students from across North America. Her students include Master Gardeners, arborists, and people who are completely new to gardening and fruit tree care.IF that was not enough, Susan is the host and creator of The Urban Forestry Radio Show and Podcast on RealityRadio101.com and an Instructor of Fruit Production Program at Niagara College in Ontario.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/03/10/336-susan-poizner/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Supporting local farmers with supplies and resources.In This Podcast: Having several years of corporate retail in his resume, and working at a books store, Bill Bezuk was intrigued when he noticed an uptick in the interest in books on raising chickens. He took this insight, combined it with his experience, and eventually opened a “boutique urban farming supply store” in Eugene.  Tailoring his store to fit the needs of local urban farmers, he has built up a dedicated customer base who have been coming for years. He tells us his story and includes a little story that Greg calls out as EPIC! Bill opened his store the Eugene Backyard Farmer in April, 2010.  There were already several traditional feed stores, yet he felt they did not understand the unique needs of the urban farmer. With that in mind, Bill created what he calls a “boutique urban farming supply store”, and has seen significant growth since opening.The Eugene Backyard Farmer helps people convert their back yard into a more sustainable and thriving place with supplies for small scale flocks, plus gardening and pollination items as well as chicks, custom feeds, garden plants, soil amendments, and bee hives.  Through his store, Bill shares knowledge and experience, and hopes to continue to be the center of the urban farming community in Eugene.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/03/06/335-bill-bezuk/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Knowing the joy of being a chicken parent.In This Podcast: Technology was the world he was most familiar with, until Kunal Sampat got introduced to the life of raising chickens.  He shares the story of how he started his flock, and how it did not take long for this to become a passion. He also helps break a few myths about backyard chickens. Kunal has regular tours of his farm to help others learn about keeping these flocks, teaches classes online and offers a special to Urban Farm listeners.   After living in urban neighborhoods for his entire life, Kunal wanted to experience a sustainable, rural lifestyle. In 2013, he welcomed a flock of 16 baby chicks at his home in San Jose, California. Since Silicon Valley kids knew a whole lot about technology and very little about raising chickens, he started to offer free farm tours in his backyard.A teacher at heart, Kunal recently launched a comprehensive online video course on raising chickens. He enjoys connecting like-minded people, introducing new ideas, and immersing himself in an environment of continuous learning.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/03/03/334-kunal-sampat/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Helping farmers think INSIDE the box!In This Podcast: Camping with her father in a old VW Van had a much more of an impact on Brandi DeCarli than her father could have realized. Keeping everything you need for your adventure in one van/box is now what she does for new farms. She tells us how Farm From a Box got started as a way to help communities build their own farms with a tailored package of “deliverable infrastructure” in a shipping container. And there is a way that you can be a part of the project right from home.Brandi is the Founding Partner of Farm from a Box, an off-grid farm system that uses modern technology to make farming more efficient, more productive, and more environmentally beneficial, all in one deliverable system. Built from a modified shipping container, it comes equipped with all of the technology needed to start and maintain a two-acre planted farm. It is specifically designed to conserve water, save energy, and help build a healthy soil. Their goal is to revolutionize local food production and enable communities around the world to grow their own nutritious food with clean technology.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/02/27/333-brandi-decarli/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Caring about local communities and their vegetable gardens.In This Podcast: Looking for a group to join so she could make a difference in her community, Barbara Masoner found a local group that wanted to start a garden project in the state capital.  Readjusting their focus after getting turned down, they got support from the mayor and started a project that is still making a difference more than ten years later. The simple idea now has a team of 400 volunteers all working to help feed food pantries and better their community.Barbara’s background is in environmental studies.  Her first garden was a 4-H project in 5th grade. Thanks to her many gardening mentors, including her great grandfather, she has found gardening rewarding, fun and inspirational.  In 2009 she was one of the founders of Grow Local Colorado (GLC).Since then GLC has grown over 23,000 pounds of fresh produce for dozens of Denver’s communities in need.  Each grow season Barbara oversees some 400 volunteers in ten garden sites, many of those volunteers are young people.  Her goal is to see as many vegetable gardens in Denver as there were Victory Gardens during WWII.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/02/24/332-barbara-masoner/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Bonus Episode 11: Seed Chat October 2017. A chat with an expert on Seeds, Bill McDorman. In This Bonus Podcast: This is the October 2017 episode with a Seed School Chat Class - continuing the conversation with some motivational quotes, adjusting for new weather norms, coming back from gardening disasters, and so much more.Bill McDorman is Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance, Ketchum, Idaho. He got his start in the bio-regional seed movement while in college in 1979 when he helped start Garden City Seeds. In 1984, Bill started Seeds Trust/High Altitude Gardens, a mail order seed company he ran successfully until it sold in 2013.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/02/20/bonus-episode-11/ for show notes and links on this bonus podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Turning waste into gold with off-the-shelf, readily available items.In This Podcast:Changing lifestyles to be more sustainable was something that Zach Brooks was willing to do with complete commitment, especially when it seemed fairly easy to do. He semi-retired young enough to realize he could make a difference so he bought some property and is creating a sustainability experiment to help others see how they can implement easy changes too. One main ingredient to his project is the worm farm and worm education and he shares key tips on how beneficial they are.  He wears the title of lazy gardener with comfort and wants to teach others how to be more efficient without working so hard at the process.Zach semi-retired from Healthcare Management at age 42 when his consulting company went public. And when his first of three grandchildren were born, he went back to Arizona State University to get a second Masters Degree, in Sustainability.  Frustrated that most causes of climate change were not only fixable – but fixable with “off the shelf” practices and technologies, Zach set out to prove that an off-the-grid lifestyle could be every bit as comfortable as a wasteful lifestyle and have a positive impact on the environment.He wants to show we don’t need some new invention, we just need to use the solar and wind power we have now and nature’s method of organic composting, natural mulching, smart growing, and less silly waste.  On his farm is worm composting is key with the worms turning garbage into fertilizer and serving as food for their chickens.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/02/17/331-zach-brooks/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Finding efficient processes to help make farming productive.In This Podcast: It takes a dedicated minimalist to try living without adding new items to the property, and Ben Hartman took this simplistic mindset to most areas of his early adult life. Then when he too a look at his 5-acre farm he realized he could do with less unnecessary stuff and he found it improved his productivity. The lessons he learned have helped many others become more efficient and he shares some of them here with us.Ben is the author of The Lean Farm (winner of the prestigious Shingo Award), and The Lean Farm Guide to Growing Vegetables, both published in 2017 by our friends at Chelsea Green.  In that same year he was appointed to the 2017 Grist 50, a list of emerging green leaders in the United States.He and his wife Rachel Hershberger own and operate Clay Bottom Farm in Goshen, Indiana, where they make their living on less than one acre by growing and selling specialty produce to restaurants, at a farmers market, and through cooperative CSAs.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/02/13/330-ben-hartman/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Putting fresh, organic food within reach of the kitchen counter.In This Podcast: When a millennial has too much time on their hands and is not feeling like they are making a difference, AND they happen to be the kind of person who like to design things, what can possibly happen?  We get to hear why Ryan Agrey is a millennial like that, and how he was motivated to take a game-system-designed farm to the next level and create something that could be used by any novice gardener to bring fresh, organic food within easy reach.Ryan is from a small town in Alberta Canada, just north of Washington.  Along with his father Brad and sister Tessa, he spent the last 2 years developing a simple “plug and play” indoor garden that allows anyone to grow food at home regardless of where they live. It requires no previous knowledge of growing food, and can pay for itself in just a few months.During this journey they developed a unique technology for hydroponics which is currently patent pending. With the use of this technology they then created an affordable and simple kit to provide you with everything you need to grow year-round, indoors from the comfort of your home. Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/02/10/329-ryan-agrey/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Helping small farmers build their brands and grow their business.In This Podcast: A relaxing horseback ride with his wife helped motivate businessman Tim Young into the strange new world of farming. He didn't know much about farming, but he knew a lot about marketing so he used that knowledge to help build their farmstead into a successful one with award-winning products. Not content with being the only one to succeed, he has started a project helping other farmers learn the ways to become successful themselves, and shares some of those concepts here.Tim is a corporate executive turned modern homesteader and founded \ Nature’s Harmony Farm in Georgia, produced award-winning farmstead cheese, grassfed beef & lamb, woodlot pork, and pasture raised chicken. This is where he, his wife Liz and their young daughter, milk their own cow, produced all the cheese, soap, medicine, meat and vegetables - They truly enjoy a simple life.Tim’s also the founder of the Small Farm Nation Academy, an online resource devoted to helping family farmers learn skills to build their farm brands, attract more customers, and grow profitable farm businesses.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/02/06/328-tim-young/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

The September 2017 Q&A session with two experts on Gardening and Fruit TreesJake Mace the Vegan Athlete and Greg Peterson of The Urban Farm are both gardening educators offering classes, podcasts, and videos on a large variety of gardening topics. Every month they get together for a monthly gardening chat to discuss what is going on in their gardens and answer your questions. To dive in, get more information, and send us your questions visit AskJakeandGreg.com - so let's get on with the show... This is the September 2017 Q&A episode with a variety of questions addressed from prepping for fruit trees, raised garden bed soil layers, and much more.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/02/03/bonus-episode-10/ for show notes and links on this bonus podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Paying attention to the pests and diseases that affect crops.In This Podcast: Science and the study of the biology of plants is a true calling for Robert Reeder, as he has been part of different projects at CABI for several decades; and his focus on the Plantwise Programme is something that is making a difference. He shares with us how the Programme is helping farmers in developing countries diagnose and tackle different crop issues, as well as their work to help counter the spread of soil born diseases that are affecting banana crops around the world.Robert is a plant pathologist working with the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI), based in the United Kingdom. His areas of interests are in international development and the management of pests and diseases of tropical crops. Having worked for CABI for nearly 25 years, he’s gained extensive experience in diagnosing pests and diseases of a diverse range of tropical crops. As part of his work he has traveled to many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.His current focus in the Plantwise Programme which aims to help farmers lose less of what they grow to plant-health problems. Plantwise operates in 34 countries and works closely with national agricultural advisory services to establish and support a sustainable network of plant clinics.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/01/30/327-robert-reeder/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Adding some sweet and spice to life through delicious fruit jams.In This Podcast:A simple request to help fill a charity basket for cancer patients has turned into a small food-craft business for Jan McCarthy. Acting on the request of her son to help out a charity event, Jan made a few jars of jam.  Little did she realize how popular they would become, especially once she put her own special twist of adding hot peppers to some of her recipes. She tells about some of the steps she needed to go through to make her business legit, as well as some tips to making good jams.Jan worked in her parents’ bakery from age 12 until she was 32 when she went back to school to be a para legal which she has done for 30 years. Ready to put some of the high stress of the legal world behind her, she was willing to try something new so as a favor to her son she started making jams for community projects of the Joy Bus Diner. Now her specialty is making hot spicy jams.  Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/01/27/326-jan-mccarthy/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Operating a small-scale diversified farm.In This Podcast:Growing up in an urban community in Chicago would not normally lead a person to choose a farming lifestyle, but during her college years several things led her to the agriculture career she has now. Liz Whitehurst tells us about the nudges that pushed her this direction as well as the amazing opportunity that came her way at the right time.  She also shares some useful tips that can help any new farmer who is working their own CSA program. We also hear about a heartwarming story of her five-year old customer who missed his peashoots!Liz is the owner/operator of Owl’s Nest Farm, small-scale diversified vegetable farm 15 miles outside Washington, DC.  Before starting her farm, she worked on a wide variety of farms and gardens as a grower and educator, including the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Angelic Organics Learning Center.Owl’s Nest Farm grows unique, delicious, nutritious, diverse vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruit on four acres. Liz was recently featured in a Washington Post article about how young farmers are changing the food system.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/01/23/325-liz-whitehurst/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Bonus Episode 9: Seed Chat, September 2017A chat with an expert on Seeds, Bill McDormanIn This Bonus Podcast: There is always a bounty of information available in conversations with Bill McDorman. This is the September 2017 episode with a Seed School Chat Class continuing the conversation on Seed Saving Principles, Intellectual Property rights, Seed Saving policy history, and so much more.Bill McDorman is Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance, Ketchum, Idaho. He got his start in the bio-regional seed movement while in college in 1979 when he helped start Garden City Seeds. In 1984, Bill started Seeds Trust/High Altitude Gardens, a mail order seed company he ran successfully until it sold in 2013.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/01/20/bonus-episode-9/ for more show notes and links on this bonus podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Making the most of small spaces for gardens.In This Podcast: Returning guest Jessica Walliser opens our eyes and minds to working in small spaces with container gardens.  She worked hard to make a comprehensive book with important steps and key details for those who wish to make a container work for growing their vegetables, fruits and flowers too. And we get a few ideas for containers too.Our Returning guest Horticulturist Jessica co-hosts The Organic Gardeners, an award-winning program on KDKA Radio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of The American Horticultural Society.In addition. she is also the author of several gardening books including the Amazon best-seller Good Bug, Bad Bug: Who’s Who, What They Do, and How to Manage Them Organically, and her fourth book, Attracting Beneficial Bugs to the Garden: A Natural Approach to Pest Control, which was awarded the American Horticultural Society's 2014 Book Award.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/01/16/324-jessica-walliser/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Growing crops and raising livestock in urban spaces.In This Podcast: Returning guest Kari Spencer talks about her first book City Farming, and shares about some of the key aspects of farming in a city space.  She visited several farms to research other perspectives and methods and gathered all the data into this book. She also tells about how it is so jam packed with information that part of the book had to go digital.  There are several great ideas to help urban farmers gain confidence and overcome some challenges.Kari is a popular local gardening & homesteading speaker. As a Master Gardener and a Master Farmer, she enjoys sharing her passion for growing and raising food with others. In addition to teaching classes all over the city of Phoenix, she is the creator of Urban Farm U’s Growing Food the Basics & Backyard Livestock courses.She and her family operate The Micro Farm Project, a small farm in North Phoenix, where gardens and livestock animals provide her family with fun and food. Her new book City Farming: How-To Guide to Growing Crops & Raising Livestock in Urban Spaces, by 5MPublishing has just been released.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/01/13/323-kari-spencer/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.