Podcast

Linley Dixon discusses some of the challenges facing organic farming, particularly the issues of greenwashing and the need for maintaining organic standards in this week’s podcast interview. Linley is the Co-Director of the Real Organic Project (ROP), in addition to running her own Adobe House Farm in Durango, Colorado. She emphasizes the importance of transparency in agricultural practices and the impact of lobbying by agribusiness to weaken organic standards. These issues have an impact even on farmers who are not certified organic, because when standards are not maintained, it causes consumers to doubt standards in general.

Planning and siting have a lot to do with the success of a greenhouse project. Whether building your first or your fifth greenhouse, learn best practices for site prep, drainage, snow and wind management and more with Tomm Becker of Nifty Hoops. The company began as a community initiative to support local farmers in Michigan and now offers to build any of the greenhouses they fabricate entirely for growers, or they’ll help build along with friends and family as a “community build,” anywhere in the USA.

Whether you already grow mushrooms or are looking to diversify your market offerings, Erin Hamilton of The Mushroom Conservatory tells us about the varieties and methods we should consider for mushrooms that can be cultured and grown for market. Erin, an expert mushroom grower and agricultural educator, shares her passion for mushrooms and their ecological significance, including how spent mushroom spawn can improve your compost pile. She discusses the role of mycelium in plant growth, types of mushrooms you can cultivate, and the ongoing debate surrounding golden oyster mushrooms.

Dave Chapman tells us about the origins of the Real Organic Project, and why preserving organic standards is important for all growers whether certified organic or not in this week’s podcast. Dave is the co-director of the Real Organic Project (ROP) and owner of Long Wind Farm in Vermont. The ROP is active in preserving the standards of the National Organic Program (NOP) in the face of lobbying by agribusiness to relax them, particularly in the areas of allowing hydroponics to be certified organic and enforcing animal welfare standards in organic production.

Diane Szukovathy of Jello Mold Farm tells host Rebecca Kutzer-Rice how the need for standards for floral crops at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market (SWGM) led to the creation of the new book Floral Standards: A Practical Guide for Harvesting and Delivering Professional Quality Products. They also discuss Diane’s journey in flower farming, the establishment of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market, and the importance of quality standards in the floral industry.

Started in the late 1980s by Sandy and Paul Arnold, Pleasant Valley Farm in Argyle, New York, helped innovate and share winter growing techniques that lengthened local food season on many market farms. After decades of selling at farmers markets, during the pandemic they switched to online sales only out of necessity. Listen to this interview with their son Robert Arnold to find out how they made the transition on short notice, why they never went back to farmers markets, and tips from how they manage their 100% online sales.

Farm Action is a nonpartisan agricultural watchdog organization led by farmers, and Research and Policy Development Director Sarah Carden joins host April Parms Jones to discuss how they provide food-system accountability for farmers. Farm Action advocates for a fair and sustainable food system that empowers farmers and rural communities by focusing on holding large corporations and the government accountable for their actions in agriculture. Hear why specialty crop producers often receive less support compared to commodity crops, and the impact on food pricing and diversity, which is part of the reason why processed foods are often cheaper than vegetables.

In this interview Ana Ljubojević and Nikolina Kovačević tell us how they grew Mali Plac, an innovative food hub in Slovenia that connects farmers directly with consumers. They discuss the mission of Mali Plac, how it helps people “find their tribe,” their customer demographics, the logistics of operations, and the pickup model that allows farmers to interact directly with customers. The conversation highlights the importance of building relationships and respect within the community, showcasing how Mali Plac has evolved over the years to become a vital part of the local food system.

Have you ever thought of a project that would be perfect for your farm, except that it’s not profitable? It might be possible with a for-profit/nonprofit partnership! In this episode we explore these partnerships with Amber Lambke, cofounder and CEO of Maine Grains. We’ll hear how such a partnership helped her start a gristmill in a repurposed Victorian-era jailhouse, which has spurred the revival of grain production in Maine.

With a background in management and education, it wasn’t always obvious that Tyrean Lewis would become a farmer. But after taking stock of how few options there were for healthy food in his area, he decided to start a farm in the city of St. Louis, Missouri. Coming from a long line of farmers, Tyrean is the fifth generation of his family to farm.

Tomatoes are the biggest income generators on a lot of market farms, so this week we’re nerding out on how to get the most out of your greenhouse tomatoes. We talk with Guillaume Lambert, co-founder of Orisha greenhouse automation, about how to get more from your protected tomatoes, ranging from low-tech options that don’t require heat, to some more high-tech solutions that require heat and automation to achieve. Even if you don’t have heated greenhouses, this conversation can help you decide whether or not it’s worth heating and automating in the future.

Kelley Rajala of Clear Lake Gardens in Aitken, Minnesota, shares what it was like to start a farm in California and then relocate to Minnesota in this interview with host April Parms Jones. Hear about moving the farm, and the differences between market farming in the two areas, with the new Minnesota location being much more rural than where they started out in the Santa Rosa area of California (e.g. there’s one stop light in the new county). Listeners can learn a lot from the process of finding customers in the new location, including outreach, building relationships with local markets, and introducing customers to new crops with promotions and events to get the community involved.

Kristin Graves shares her journey as a fifth-generation farmer in Alberta, focusing on her passion for garlic and the importance of female representation in farming. She discusses her transition from a career in healthcare to farming, growing garlic and other crops in Alberta, and her new book, 'The Garlic Companion,' which combines growing advice with recipes. Kristin emphasizes the significance of embracing femininity in farming and the supportive environment she has experienced, while also addressing the pushback she faces as a female farmer.

Bevin Cohen of Small House Farm shares his unexpected journey into seed production, the importance of rare and unusual seeds, and some of the unusual value-added products they take to market, including seed oils and apothecary products. The discussion with host April Parms Jones highlights the connection between seeds and community, the significance of regionally adapted seeds, and the value of growing unusual varieties. He also talks about the significance of seed saving for his farm, the cultivation of local food, and the journey of producing sunflower oil.

Mark and Kristin Kimball pioneered the full-diet CSA model when they founded Essex Farm back in 2004. Now 20 years later, they reflect on where they’ve been and where they’re headed with host Katie Kulla. Katie is especially well positioned to ask them about the joys and challenges of a full-diet CSA, since she transitioned her farm from a more traditional CSA model to a full-diet CSA for a few years, inspired directly by the Essex Farm model. Mark and Kristin share their journey into farming, the challenges and successes of running a year-round farm, and the details of the full-diet CSA model they have developed.