The Urban Farm Podcast With Greg Peterson

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, h

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 l

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 K

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 fr

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 a

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 suppor

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 o

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 gro

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 ‘

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 Pub

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 infl

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-

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 informat

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 li

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 gro

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.