The Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson

Latest Episodes:

544: Seed Saving Class May 2020 Jun 23, 2020

Show notes

544: Seed Saving Class May 2020.

A chat with an expert on Seeds.

In This Podcast: This is the May 2020 episode of a live Seed Saving Class discussing seed hoarding, providing seeds to a community in times of need, and so much more about growing and creating seed resilience.

There is always a bounty of information available in conversations with Bill McDorman.

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.

Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/06/23/544-seedchat/ for the show notes on this bonus episode, and access to our full podcast library!

543: Audrey Barron on Food and Herbs for Health. Jun 16, 2020

Show notes

Learning how to use food and herbs as medicine.

In This Podcast: From her clean food restaurant to her urban farm, Audrey Barron is helping people feel better. Listen in to learn about her journey as a holistic health chef, her philosophy on eating trends, various diets, and how to heal through food. On top of running her restaurant, she also farms her own urban farm using permaculture practices, composting, and involving the community. Audrey shares her knowledge of farming and cooking in her new Medicine Woman program on healing foods.

Audrey is the creator and owner of Ezra’s Enlightened Café, in Indianapolis, established in 2014 with a focus on plant-based and gluten-free fare made with non-GMO and organic ingredients. Chef Audrey began her journey toward healing in her early 20’s when she was experiencing some significant health issues and was inspired by a family member to try plant-based eating. Eventually opening Ezra’s Enlightenment Café, she is bringing her experience and training into every aspect -- from classes and programs to menu items and retail herbs. Audrey has been passionate about herbalism as well. Over the past decade, she trained with herbalists such as Susan Weed, Ron Teeguarden of Dragon Herbs, and Rosita Arvigo.  Audrey is excited to bring her past decade of personal healing, herbalism training, expertise in making healing food, and the love of growing food in a way that nourishes the land. This extends to her newest offering, the Medicine Woman Membership where women are learning to use plants to heal, thrive, and take care of themselves and their families.

Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/06/16/543-audrey-barron/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

543: Audrey Barron on Food and Herbs for Health.

542: Paul Lightfoot on Local is the New Organic. Jun 09, 2020

Show notes

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 of the board of United Fresh Produce Association. They believe Local, indoor produce is fresher because it’s grown closer to where it’s sold. It is cleaner because it can be grown without pesticides. And most importantly, it tastes better. BrightFarms is the No. 1 brand of locally grown packaged salads, serving the freshest, tastiest and most responsibly grown produce to consumers nationwide. BrightFarms operates hydroponic greenhouse  farms  in the communities it serves, enabling them to eliminate time, distance, and costs from the food supply chain.

Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/06/09/542-paul-lightfoot/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

542: Paul Lightfoot on Local is the New Organic.

541: Trevor Williams on Farming Podcasts. Jun 02, 2020

Show notes

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 and, in order to stay involved in agriculture while working as a software analyst, he started Farm Traveler in 2016 with the motivation and editorial expertise of his wife Allie. As host and producer of the Farm Traveler Podcast, he pretty much does it all to make it work.

Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/06/02/541-trevor-williams/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

541: Trevor Williams on Farming Podcasts.

540: Brad Lancaster on Planting the Rain. May 26, 2020

Show notes

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 just released new full color revised and expanded editions of both.

Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/05/26/540-brad-lancaster/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

540: Brad Lancaster on Planting the Rain.

539: Bryan Kappa on ChipDrop. May 19, 2020

Show notes

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 granted permission by the Portland Water Bureau to keep 2 goats and a pig on a small lot in North Portland to help clear brush and Ivy without the use of pesticides.  He and his roommates kept a composting toilet in his residential North Portland home, only a mile from downtown.  In his spare time, he serves on the board as a technical lead for Cascadia Wild, helping build and maintain their database of images of rare and threatened species in the Pacific Northwest wilderness.

Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/05/19/539-bryan-kappa/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

539: Bryan Kappa on ChipDrop.

538: Erin Douglas on Sustainable Farming in Ghana. May 12, 2020

Show notes

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-douglas/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

538: Erin Douglas on Sustainable Farming in Ghana.

537: Robert Pavlis on Garden Soil Myths. May 05, 2020

Show notes

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-pavlis/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

537: Robert Pavlis on Garden Soil Myths.

536: Chris McLaughlin on Raising Animals for Fiber. Apr 28, 2020

Show notes

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 their flower and fiber farm, Laughing Crow & Company.

Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/04/28/536-chris-mclaughlin/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

536: Chris McLaughlin on Raising Animals for Fiber.

535: John Moody on Weed Suppression. Apr 21, 2020

Show notes

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 the course of a year, he and his now wife Jessica completely changed their understanding of food, asking – what is food? How should it be raised? and How should it be prepared? This eventually led to moving out to a farm of their own, and writing several books including The Frugal Homesteader Handbook, The Elderberry Book, and Winning the War Against Weeds.

Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/04/21/535-john-moody/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

535: John Moody on Weed Suppression.

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