American Family Farmer

Host and American Family Farmer Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com begins with news about the second round of trade payments, and milk prices are going higher. Next, Doug welcomes Jackie Allenbrand who started P.H.A.R.M. Dog USA, Pets Helping Agriculture in Rural Missouri www.pharmdog.org . They train dogs, primarily labs or lab mixes, to do a variety of helpful tasks such as retrieving or picking up dropped tools, opening a latch gate system, carrying buckets, as well as standing and bracing if a farmer has stability issues, or going for help. Jackie determines the needs of prospective clients, makes farm assessments, and facilitates placement of the dogs. She and another trainer handle the training for the dogs and their new owners. Finally, Doug opines about all the wasted time worrying about Methane Gas and Global Warming.

Host and Family Farmer Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com has more news about the new Farm Bill and why Family Farmers are upset about it. Next Doug welcomes former turkey farmer and broadcaster Darrell Anderson. Darrell hosts a weekly radio feature called "Farm to Fork." www.northshoreproductions.com The feature deals with a wide range of topics affecting the American Family Farmer. Finally, Doug opines with his view of what 2019 may hold for the farming community.

Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com begins with news and opinion about how the American Family Farmer is getting screwed by the brand new Farm Bill. Next, meet Country Singer and Family Farmer Ben Rue http://www.benruemusic.com/ Ben came to Nashville by way of small-town in Oregon, where he grew up the youngest of three brothers on his family’s 2000-acre grass seed farm. Driving a combine since he was 11, Rue wasn’t one to shy from the hard work of the farm, but found himself writing songs and creating his own music as he worked. While continuing to work on the family farm after graduation, Rue formed his own band, began performing regionally and successfully auditioned for TV’s The X-Factor, which – together with the support of a local country DJ – ultimately spurred Rue to make the decision to move to Nashville in 2012. Finally, Host Doug opines about the kind of marketing that you should be doing for your products.

Host Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarms.com has news about how the Family Farm is in trouble. Next, Doug welcomes Darla Tyler-McSherry who started "Ask In Earnest" www.askinernest.org after her father died of an apparent suicide. "I believe that my dad was born to be a farmer. He spent his entire life working the land, caring for the animals, providing for his family, and providing food for countless people over the course of his lifetime. Like all other farmers, he experienced numerous challenges—drought, crop disease, insect infestations, hailstorms, unpredictable markets, blizzards, breakdowns during harvest, and the long days with the hot prairie winds blowing on his neck. "I could never picture him doing anything else." The single most important concept that Darla wants to share with others is to listen carefully to farmers and to ask in earnest to help prevent suicide in farming. Resources are available to help. Finally, Doug opines about the big farms versus the small farms, and the breakdowns of net p

First, Host/Farmer Doug Stephan talks about his personal farm, Eastleigh Farm http://www.eastleighfarm.com . Next, the news from The White House, that President Trump wants more aide for needy farmers. Doug wonders who will decide who the "needy" farms are. Doug Welcomes Steve Nygren from Serenbe http://www.serenbe.com . Serenbe’s is an "AGRI-HOOD," consisting of a community of hamlets that have complementary commercial centers focused on the elements of a well-lived life: arts for inspiration, agriculture for nourishment, health for wellbeing and education for awareness. Fresh food is one of Serenbe’s natural assets, with a 25-acre organic farm. It's a place you can enjoy for a meal, a weekend or call home for a lifetime. Finally, Doug opines about NAFTA; it's good provisions and its many bad ones.

Host and Family Farmer Doug Stephan wwww.eastleighfarm.com reports news that the average Thanksgiving dinner costs about $21-Dollars, but the Family Farmer only receives about $9-dollars of that. There's also news about how Family Farmers can make money with the NFU's Carbon Credit Program. Next, we meet Renee King-Sonnen, the Rowdy Girl of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary www.rowdygirlsanctuary.org. It all started with a little 2-month-old baby calf that her husband wanted her to care for, hoping that she would want to be a “good” rancher’s wife. She named all the cattle and loved them. She’d go out and spend time with them, dance around them – sing to them and talk to them. Eventually Renee realized that she could not stand to watch the babies leave their mamas to go to the sale barn FOR SLAUGHTER. In 2015, Renee initiated an online fundraiser that would eventually succeed in raising $36,000, enough money to buy her husband’s herd and donate them to the new nonprofit – the first beef cattle ranch vegan conversion in th

Host and American Family Farmer Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com offers news about how Family Farmers are reacting to the Midterm Election and how they are investigating alternative markets for their products. Next, Doug welcomes Paul Bissett, Chief Operating Officer of Harvest Croo Robotics www.harvestcroo.com . Paul is a Wall Street bond trader, PhD in Computational Science, Naval Oceanographer, who says: "This year a half-million dollars of crop was left on the ground at one farm because there wasn’t sufficient labor." Harvest Croo, a robotics company is tackling the problem of ag automation. U.S. strawberry farms spend nearly a third of their budget on harvest labor, and the cost is rising. Harvest Croo is building a strawberry picker that can take the place of 30 people in the field. By 2030, technology like this could be common place on fruit and veg operations. Finally, Doug Stephan opines about all kinds of Robotics in farming and his future plans to become a Hemp Farmer.

Host/American Family Farmer Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com takes a look ahead at the winter's weather forecast and the effect it will have on next year's crops. Also, a look back at the mid-term election and it's effects for the American Family Farmer. Next, Doug welcomes Lauren Palmer, owner and chief farmer at Bloombury Organic Farm. http://www.bloomsburyfarms.com/ Lauren, who holds a bachelor’s in social work and a master’s in management, couples her background in social work with a life-long desire to cultivate to provide the highest-quality organic produce and to educate her community about the land and the importance of the food we eat. She built Bloomsbury Farm from the ground up, and started by selling her organic vegetables and sprouts at area farmers markets. Since those early days in 2009, the farm has expanded, producing a wide array of fresh vegetables, fruits, sprouts, and herbs for the markets, local businesses, and wholesalers in and around Nashville and the greater region. Finally, Doug

Host/Family Farmer Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com has news about growing Hemp and Hemp Farming. Next, Doug welcomes Attila Agoston, who with his wife and young children operate Mountain View Farm, in Neersville, VA. http://mvf-organics.com/index.html . Mountain View Farm is located a few miles from the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers. They lease their farmland from the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship, a 900 acre nature preserve. They grow USDA Certified Organic produce that is available straight from the farm as well as at three weekly farmers markets in Washington DC. Their primary goal is to provide high quality, healthy food for our friends, neighbors and treasured customers. Finally, Doug opines about the use of Antibiotics on their farm animals. He reveals a list of Fast Food Restaurants that do and don't use them.

Host/Family Farmer Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com offers news about how the wet weather and the new trade deal are related. Then, news about how drug addiction is increasing on Family Farms. Next, Doug welcomes Baker/Family Farmer, Shana Amsterdam. https://www.facebook.com/pg/talkingbreads/about/?ref=page_internal She and her husband Joe are the Owners/Bakers at Talking Breads Bakery, in Shermansdale, Pennsylvania. They are dedicated to providing a wide variety of breads using only the highest quality, freshly milled, organic whole grain, whole wheat, rye and spelt flours. They strive to support local farms and mills for baking ingredients. They practice organic and sustainable agriculture, and believe in farming methods which will ensure soil fertility. Finally, Doug talks about the farm equipment that he owns and has owned.

Host Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com has good news for American Family Farmers about trade opportunities in England, Scotland and Ireland, due to The President's new trade deals. Next, Doug welcomes Lucille Benoit https://keepthecows.com/. Few have had the milk stool in the barn that she's been privileged to have for more than 30 years. She has known good cows, bad ones, clean ones and messy ones, the ones who are the best and brightest and the ones who have died from incurable diseases. In addition to working on dairy farms, Lucille has been an award-winning journalist working for New England newspapers telling the stories of the real struggles of farmers. She is author of a new book, "Come, Bos," that contains stories based on the people and animals she's met and loved in her more than 30 years working with Dairy cows. Finally Doug opines about the state of farming in China.

Host Doug Stephan https://eastleighfarm.wixsite.com/eastleighfarm has good news for Family Farmers coming from The White House. Next, Doug welcomes Gerit Quealy, https://www.botanicalshakespeare.com/ author/editor of Botanical Shakespeare from HarperDesign /HarperCollins. As a journalist, she has covered everything from lipstick to Shakespeare. The book is a one-of-a-kind color compendium of the ALL the named plants that appear in the entire canon attributed to William Shakespeare, accompanied by the all the quotes that contain them. Finally, Doug opines about the effects of bees on our lives and why so many are dying.

Host/Family Farmer Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com has news about the Tester-Hagen Amendment http://farmandranchfreedom.org/analysis-of-the-tester-hagan-amendment/ and what it takes to qualify for assistance. Next, Doug welcomes Jennifer Fahy, Communications Director for Farm Aid https://www.farmaid.org/ . Jennifer has been with Farm Aid since 2002. She loves to spread the word about good food from family farms and the important work of Farm Aid. According to Jennifer, the best part of her job is the intersection of people she gets to work with, from fellow staff and the Farm Aid board of directors, to farmers, activists and members of the media. Farm Aid’s mission is to keep family farmers on the land. Finally, Doug answers the question that we are spending $-millions on to define: What is REAL MEAT?

Host Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarms.com has news about how the Family Farm is in trouble. Next, Doug welcomes Darla Tyler-McSherry who started "Ask In Earnest" www.askinernest.org after her father died of an apparent suicide. "I believe that my dad was born to be a farmer. He spent his entire life working the land, caring for the animals, providing for his family, and providing food for countless people over the course of his lifetime. Like all other farmers, he experienced numerous challenges—drought, crop disease, insect infestations, hailstorms, unpredictable markets, blizzards, breakdowns during harvest, and the long days with the hot prairie winds blowing on his neck. "I could never picture him doing anything else." The single most important concept that Darla wants to share with others is to listen carefully to farmers and to ask in earnest to help prevent suicide in farming. Resources are available to help. Finally, Doug opines about the big farms versus the small farms, and the breakdowns of net p

Host Doug Stephan begins with the latest Farm News from around the world. Next, Tobias Peggs, co-founder and CEO of Square Roots Urban Farming www.squarerootsgrow.com Joins Doug to explain how farmers are learning how to grow crops, yea-round in an urban environment. Finally, Doug talks about "Agri-Tourism."

Farmer/Host Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com has news about an illegal farm worker who killed an Iowa college student. Doug believes that there is no reason to hire illegals. Next, Doug discusses a new web site for sharing ideas for helping small dairy farms: www.dairyproposals2018.com . Next, Doug welcomes farmer Martha Boneta www.marthaboneta.com . Martha is a farmer at Liberty Farm in Paris, Virginia. Growing up, her family always had kitchen gardens and it was Martha’s childhood dream to be a Virginia farmer and that dream became reality over 9 years ago. She has been a victim of Government Harassment. Martha speaks all over the country on property rights, farming, environmental, and energy issues. She is a supporter President Trump's focus on helping the Family Farm. www.marthaboneta.com/media/ . Finally, Doug opines about The Department of Agriculture and how they seem to be hurting the family farm. Why have we allowed a Chinese company to purchase the largest pork producer in The United States? D

Host/Farmer Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com has news of the farmer who was recently awarded $289,000,000 in a lawsuit against Monsanto Chemical. After 30-years of using their product Round-Up, he is dying of Cancer. Another Farmer has been fined $2-million for having a Birthday Party on her farm. Next, Doug welcomes Cody Hopkins, General Manager of Grass Roots Farmers Cooperative www.grassrootscoop.com . Cody, an Arkansas native, brought ten years of experience developing and growing a vertically integrated, sustainable livestock farm—Falling Sky Farm before organizing the cooperative. He describes how it works and how the farmers benefit. Finally, Doug opines about why The Government is the farmer's Boogieman.

News of an Illinois fifth generation Family Farm, who's crop value has decreased 25%, because of the Chinese Tariff wars. Next, host Doug Stephan learns the secrets of running a successful Third Generation Family Dairy Farm, from Randy Sowers. South Mountain Creamery https://southmountaincreamery.com/ in Middletown, MD. Randy and his wife Karen started farming in 1981. They rented the land and took out a loan to buy 100 cows. Today the Sowers family owns and farms 2,200 acres. SMC milks 550 head, raises over 100 beef cattle each year and 16,000 laying chickens. They currently employ over 75 people. Finally, Doug opines about how The President plans to protect farmers from the Trade Wars.

Host Doug Stephan http://www.eastleighfarm.com has news about wild-caught seafood farmers. Next, Roger Johnson, President of The National Farmers Union http://www.nfu.org joins Doug to discuss the $12-Billion Dollars that's earmarked to help farmers, due to the Trade Wars. Where is the money going to go? Johnson was elected to lead the family farm organization at NFU’s 107th anniversary convention in 2009. He has since expanded the education department by providing more programs for beginning, college-aged and women farmers, increased the number of Farmers Union state divisions, and developed a strategic plan for the organization. Finally, Doug opines about Social Media and how important Farm Safety can be.

First, Host/Farmer Doug Stephan talks about his personal farm, Eastleigh Farm http://www.eastleighfarm.com . Next, the news from The White House, that President Trump wants more aide for needy farmers. Doug wonders who will decide who the "needy" farms are. Doug Welcomes Steve Nygren from Serenbe http://www.serenbe.com . Serenbe’s is an "AGRI-HOOD," consisting of a community of hamlets that have complementary commercial centers focused on the elements of a well-lived life: arts for inspiration, agriculture for nourishment, health for wellbeing and education for awareness. Fresh food is one of Serenbe’s natural assets, with a 25-acre organic farm. It's a place you can enjoy for a meal, a weekend or call home for a lifetime. Finally, Doug opines about NAFTA; it's good provisions and its many bad ones.