The Urban Farm Podcast With Greg Peterson

Bringing awareness to the value of local food systems.In This Podcast: Picture buying salad greens at the grocery store that were just picked the day before. Paul Lightfoot from BrightFarms is making this happen in the stores around their farm. Passionate about getting fresh food to more people, Paul discusses the benefits of local vs organic food, how shortening the supply chain provides fresher, safer food, and the nutritional value decline. Listen in to hear about the setup and safety protocols at BrightFarms so they ensure healthy, safe food.Paul is BrightFarms’ founder and president and leads the company on its mission to provide consumers with the freshest, tastiest, and most responsibly grown produce.    Through his vision, BrightFarms is  creating the first national brand of locally grown produce.  In 2017, BrightFarms  was named  235th on the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies, ranking  10th among all food companies and the only produce company featured on the list.  Paul is a member

Bridging the gap between farmers and consumers.In This Podcast: Want more info on what it takes to be a farmer? Trevor Williams of the Farm Traveler Podcast interviews farmers about their day to day life and processes. Listen in to learn about becoming educated on where your food comes from, some of Trevor's epic guests, and some of the innovative things people are doing in the farming industry. He also shares what it's like to single-handedly produce a podcast and his goals and vision for the future of his show.Trevor is a former High School Agriscience teacher now software analyst and host of the podcast Farm Traveler. He graduated with a major in Agricultural Education and Communication and a minor in Environmental Horticulture from the University of Florida and is a former Florida Future Farmers of America State Officer. Trevor taught agriscience classes for two years in Daytona Beach, FL and helped direct a career academy focused on Horticulture and Aquaculture.  After two years he moved closer to home

Teaching about the personal and community benefits of harvesting rainwater.In This Podcast: Returning guest, Brad Lancaster, recently taught us about Harvesting the Rain and is back to teach about Planting the Rain. If you've ever considered capturing rainwater directly in your landscape, this episode will teach you about rainwater planting methods and strategies, how captured water impacts thermoregulation, and water as a lubricant for exchange. Get inspired by a village in India that changed their water planting culture and learn how to create healthier soil. Brad  runs a successful permaculture consulting, design, and education business in Tucson, Arizona. He is focused on integrated and sustainable approaches to landscape design, planning, and living. Growing up in a dryland environment, water harvesting has long been one of his specialties and a true passion. He is the author of the permaculture bible for water harvesting:  Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond Volumes I & II  and he has jus

Bringing green waste to your driveway.In This Podcast: Organic matter builds soil, and Bryan Kappa has a free service that allows nationwide users to quickly build the quality of their soil. Learn about ChipDrop, the program that connects gardeners with tree companies and benefits everyone. Not all mulch is created equal, and you'll learn the difference in mulch options, how to properly wood chip your yard and improve your soil Ph. There are some exciting improvements coming to ChipDrop, as well as creative ways to use it! Bryan is a Portland native who combined his love of trees and technology into the ChipDrop web service.  While hauling brush for a local tree company he realized the potential cost savings of delivering the freshly chipped trees to neighbors and homeowners, as opposed to driving long distances to the dump (and paying their fees).  He also knew that people loved free things. Bryan has a history of creating life hacks to combine urban living with environmental sustainability.  In 2014 he was

Supporting a teaching farm in Africa.In This Podcast: Some people know their mission from a young age. Others, like Erin Douglas, find their direction as they go. With a desire to travel as her guide, Erin left her corporate job and traveled through Africa. An epic moment in Ghana inspired this novice farmer to create a non-profit farm that feeds residents, provides jobs, funds education, and supports an orphanage. Erin shares how she created a sustainable community model that could benefit societies all over the world.Erin is the founder of US non-profit Learn Grow Lead and helped birth a sustainable farm project in Ghana, Africa to support the local community. The Helper’s Farm, is an organic, community teaching farm that works in partnership with local agriculture school programs to encourage farmers to farm naturally, without the use of pesticides, transitioning farms in the surrounding communities to a healthier environment and a healthier food system.Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/05/12/538-erin-d

Clearing up illusions about the substances we use to grow our food.In This Podcast: We've all bought plant-specific fertilizer or used leaves to diagnose what additives we need for our plants. But according to Robert Pavlis, building great soil needs a different approach. After all, how can you know what to add if you don't know what's already there? Listen in for common soil and fertilizer myths, the easy additive that fixes anything over time, your ideal soil ratios, and how to distinguish fact from urban legend. You'll never think the same about fertilizer!Robert is a well-known speaker and educator with over 40 years of gardening experience. He is the author of three books,  Building Natural Ponds, Garden Myths, and Soil Science for Gardeners  and publishes the popular gardening blogs;  GardenMyths.com  and  GardenFundamentals.com. As the owner and head gardener of Aspen Grove Gardens, a six-acre botanical garden, he grows 3,000 varieties of plants.Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/05/05/537-robert-pav

Farming for yarn and more.In This Podcast: Not all farmers produce food. Some farm flowers, plants, or seeds. Others use their animal herd to produce fiber crops for yarn and textiles. Chris McLaughlin is a fiber farmer and educator who shares all about the fascinating world of raising goats, sheep, rabbits, and alpacas for their fibrous coats. Listen in to learn about angora, cashmere, and all the products from animal fibers. Then, gain insight into the fiber farming business, breed conservation, and spinning yarn. Chris is the author of eight books written about her life passions: gardening, small livestock, and the family farm. Her work can be found in Fine Gardening Magazine, Hobby Farm Home Magazine, Urban Farm Magazine, and more. Online, she's been a staff blogger for vegetablegardener.com, About.com, and many more websites. Chris is currently secretary of The Colored Angora Goat Breeders Association. She and her family enjoy an entertaining, and exhausting life in the Northern California foothills on

Controlling unwanted volunteers in our farms and gardens.In This Podcast: Could weeds be friends? In some cases, John Moody thinks they are! John shares some of the knowledge from his book and experience on his homestead to help you determine what are beneficial weeds in the right area of your garden. Listen in to learn about using weeds as an understory to benefit plants, designing your growing space to minimize weeds, when to utilize their benefits, or how to safely remove them. If you've ever seen a weed in your yard, this is an episode for you!John does not consider himself a typical farmer. Farming and homesteading were not something he ever planned to do. Growing up, he enjoyed a varied diet of video games, cartoons, and processed foods. Dental decay, seasonal allergies, and constant sickness were the inevitable result – one that doctors denied was connected to food and lifestyle choices.In his early 20s, he was waylaid by duodenal ulcers, his body’s warning that some things were dreadfully awry. Over t

Growing most anything you want to in a Desert Garden.In This Podcast: Herbs are a wonderful way to begin gardening and get a lot of bang for your buck! Catherine Crowley, or "The Herb Lady" as many people know her, shares some of her favorite, unique plants to grow and how she uses them. This episode will help you plan your garden like an experienced gardener. Catherine highlights her experiences and thoughts about sun orientation, plant height, light needs, and other considerations so your plants and herbs will thrive!Catherine "The Herb Lady", is an expert in edible landscaping in the desert, an author, and a lecturer. She has been gardening for over 3 decades, initially focusing on just culinary herbs. Then her garden journey expanded to growing anything she ate or drank as a base for experimenting with new-to-her and common edible herbs, vegetables, fruits, and flowers.These days Catherine blogs and writes on gardening and cooking with the garden bounty she harvests from her garden and community.Visit htt

Building community and local food resilience through a Farmers Market.In This Podcast: Have you ever thought about selling at a Farmers Market, but the whole process seemed intimidating? We spoke with Amanda Fallis, assistant manager of the Vernon Farmers Market to understand what it takes to get started selling at a market. Learn about the certifications, insurance, how the vendors pay for their place in the market, and the community markets build. You'll quickly realize it's not as hard as it seems and after the initial set up all you have to do is have fun. Amanda grew up doing home renovation with her father. She did a quick stint as a mechanic right out of high school before returning to renovations. She moved to British Columbia from Toronto at age twenty-five and started embracing simpler living which included Market Life. One thing led to another and since May 2019, she has been the Assistant Manager to The Vernon Farmers Market in Vernon, BC.Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/04/07/533-amanda-falli

Growing food on top of a hospital.Lindsay is a farmer and educator, from Boston, Massachusetts. She has been farming for the past 10 years and managed farms in both rural and suburban locations around and outside the United States. She currently works with Higher Ground Farm as the Operations Director, and as the Farm Manager of the 7,000 square foot Rooftop Farm at Boston Medical Center. A strong ethic towards food justice, climate change mitigation and a passion for getting creative in how we grow and distribute food in our urban landscapes brought Lindsay to work with Higher Ground Farm. Outside of the direct farming working she is a certified Permaculture Designer and Educator and teaches courses a few times a year on the subject. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Agroforestry. When Lindsay is not teaching or growing food, she can be found happily experimenting with fermentations, communing with chickens, spending time outdoors, crafting, or sharing a good home-cooked meal with family and friends

Watching the world of yoga change from underground to mainstream.In This Podcast: Many of our listeners find inner peace in their gardens but after this interview with J. Brown, you may find yourself wanting to explore the therapeutic nature of yoga. Not all yoga involves the complicated pretzel twists that have become popular images in social media. In fact, simple movements can have a profound impact on feeling good. Here, we discuss yoga's evolution, benefits, finding the right teacher, and its deeper purpose that leads to enlightenment. J. is a yoga teacher, writer, and podcaster. He is at the forefront of a quiet yoga revolution based in healing, that seeks to change the dialogue and direction of yoga practice in the west. His writing has been featured in Yoga Therapy Today, The International Journal of Yoga Therapy, and across the yoga blogosphere. His podcast J Brown Yoga Talks is internationally renowned for raising the level of conversation.Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/03/24/531-j-brown/ 

Addressing the significant conversations happening in the world.In This Podcast: The world is changing almost daily around us. With change comes new needs, focuses, and learning. Urban Farm's Proprietor Greg Peterson and General Manager Janis Norton, discuss how The Urban Farm is adapting their programs to better support their listeners and community. This means changes to the podcast, but also new educational opportunities that will help everybody build their food resilience. Listen in to learn about past podcasts and our new daily classes that will help you start your food journey.Greg Peterson is the Proprietor of The Urban Farm and Host of The Urban Farm Podcast.  He is a green living and sustainability innovator who is well-known regionally. His mission is inspire people to embrace their own greenness, which he does daily by living what he speaks.Janis is the General Manager and Podcast Producer for The Urban Farm. Her passion to make The Urban Farm a truly valued resource for our listeners, re

529: Seed Saving Class February 2020.In This Podcast: You don't want to miss the February 2020 episode of a live Seed Saving Class discussing how to start plants from seed with special guest Kari Spencer. Listen in for methods of starting seeds, things to consider, and the number one reason seeds don't sprout. Greg, Bill, and Kari share some of their tips and tricks as well as answer listener questions about specific plant seeds.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.Kari Spencer 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, sh

Transforming the food systems of the world through good seeds and sustainable practices.In This Podcast: Did you know that seeds help communities rebuild after a crisis? Here, we speak with Jane Rabinowicz about her work with the Canadian organization SeedChange. Their support for grassroots projects, farmers across the world, and global seed policy impact everyone worldwide. Listen in for how the organization began, how they protect seed diversity and work with local agriculture to preserve endangered plant varieties through seed saving.Jane was appointed as an Executive Director of SeedChange in 2016, after joining the organization in 2011. Jane has dedicated her career to community-led change. She is co-founder of the Silver Dollar Foundation and serves on the Board of Directors of Tides Canada. Jane was named one of the 53 most influential people in Canada’s food system by The Globe and Mail, and one of Canada’s leading women changing the way we eat by Châtelaine Magazine.Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2

Starting an urban farm to keep young the later years.In This Podcast: Have you ever wished for more gardening space? So did Ray Speakman when he took early retirement. But instead of just wishing, he recruited neighbors for their land and made his farming dreams a reality! Listen in to learn how he went from 1 garden bed to a half-acre of productive land and started a neighborhood CSA and weekend produce stand. Ray shares what it was like becoming a farmer in retirement, abundant food production in smaller spaces, and making it happen. Ray has always been an entrepreneur at heart with a drive to affect the lives of others for the better. He grew up on a chicken farm in Cottonwood, Arizona with 5000 chickens, as well as cows, horses, and large gardens. After moving to Mesa with his parents in the mid 1960’s, he married his wonderful wife. After a series of different businesses and 8 children, he ended up working for an international plant nutrition manufacturing company as their VP of Marketing. It was there

Moving mountains by changing one mind and one attitude at a time.In This Podcast: Sustaining a community garden that is successful for over 10 years is not an easy endeavor. In this update from repeat podcast guest, Darren Chapman, we gain insight into the organizational growth of a community garden, how they stay relevant, and continue to serve the needs of the community. Listen in for some of the challenges in the neighborhoods surrounding the community garden and how TigerMountain addresses and heals some of those disparities. Darren is a community pro-activist who has committed his life to helping people. He is Founder and CEO of TigerMountain Foundation, which has implemented Empowerment Initiatives to uplift communities and eliminate blight. TigerMountain’s initiatives include community gardens; edible landscape development; audio, visual and performance art; plus community service and volunteerism. The gardens promote healthy living and active lifestyles by feeding, engaging and enfranchising the

Seeking climate change solutions through sustainable farming investments.In This Podcast: Want a way to combat climate change and make a good financial investment? David Chan explains the social and financial benefits of agricultural real estate investing. The FarmTogether system brings farm families together with investors for a stronger countrywide self-sufficient food system. He also explains the organic agriculture value chain, how regenerative agriculture processes builds soil health, the Patagonia competition, and the TerraTone Challenge. David is the Co-Founder and COO of FarmTogether, and he has spent several years working in the organic agriculture value chain. Before forming FarmTogether, David was a senior private equity associate at AMERRA Capital Management, where he worked closely with one of the fund's portfolio companies having a focus on supply chains in sustainable agriculture and serving the US organic grains market. David also worked with SLM Partners, PGIM Ag Equity Investments, and was

Breaking the mold on traditional canine snacks.In This Podcast: As gardeners, we think of our health and the food we put in our bodies but have you thought much about what you feed your pets? Treats should benefit your dog's health as well as taste good. We talked canine healthy treats with Neil Werde and got the inside scoop on the best ingredients and processing method for a quality dog treat.  Neil dove into some of the findings around Raw and Mediterranean diets for your furry friends as well as pet toys that keep your children safe too. Neil has over 40 years of experience creating and marketing consumer products including children’s toys at Tyco and Mattel, pop culture & music at Rhino Records, and for the past 18 years durable toy products in the pet industry. He has delighted parents, children, and our four-legged friends with thoughtful and innovative products and solutions. Neil co-founded the Quaker Pet Group, and in 2015 they merged into pet industry innovator Worldwise, Inc, where his p

Maximizing farm production with a little help from some four-legged friends.In This Podcast: Even if you live in a city, this podcast with DaNelle Wolford will have you checking your zoning regulations on backyard goats and pigs! Listen in to learn why she loves raising Nigerian Dwarf goats, all about their milk, and why it digests better than cow's milk. She shares all about animal care, breeding goats, milk production, and how they maximize all the functions of their farm animals. You'll be searching her videos for more about her cool setup before the podcast is over!DaNelle is an urban farmer & goat enthusiast located in Phoenix, Arizona. She runs a popular blog & YouTube channel called Weed 'em & Reap that boasts over 100 million views. She started to take an interest in a healthier lifestyle after being diagnosed with two debilitating chronic diseases. On a mission to create a farm of her own, she & her husband purchased an acre of land in the city and transformed it into their very own