The Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson

Latest Episodes:

514: Brad Lancaster about Harvesting the Rain. Jan 28, 2020

Show notes

Maximizing the benefit of rainwater for both personal and community use.

In This Podcast: Have you ever considered capturing free water for your landscape? Brad Lancaster has pioneered rainwater harvesting in Tucson, AZ and around the world. He teaches how to reinvest rainwater into living systems that grow resources all for the cost of shoveling some dirt. Learn about rain gardens, zoning, benefits of rainwater, adjusting your mentality, developing your strategy, and integrating sun, shade, and gravity into your design. You'll never look at your yard the same way!

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/2020/01/28/514-brad-lancaster/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

514: Brad Lancaster about Harvesting the Rain.

513: April Bradham about Moving Produce through Food Banks. Jan 25, 2020

Show notes

Getting fruit and vegetables into and through a network of community support services.

In This Podcast: We know our food system is broken, however, the food bank system is surprisingly effective! April Bradham from the Arizona Food Bank Network explains how local, state and national food banks distribute huge amounts of fresh produce and food within days. Listen in to learn where the surplus food and food waste comes from, how they work to spread healthy food to people in need, and the new Arizona initiative that is helping both small and mid-size farms as well as the food banks.

April is Vice President for Programs, of the Arizona Food Bank Network and oversees the Member Services and Innovation programs. April holds a B.S. in Business Administration from The Sage Colleges in New York, and an M.B.A. from Arizona State University. She has worked in operations and supply chain for over 17 years in a variety of industries.  April and her team offer food banks - logistics and transportation support, plus they coordinate the “Southwest Produce Cooperative,” which was started to help with the sharing of produce between food banks in AZ, NM, and TX.

Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/01/25/513-april-bradham/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

513: April Bradham about Moving Produce through Food Banks.

512: Seed Saving Class December 2019. Jan 21, 2020

Show notes

A chat with an expert on Seeds.

In This Podcast: This is the December 2019 episode of a live Seed Saving Class discussing seed catalog season, the best seed catalogs, what the terminology in the catalogs mean, and so much more.

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/2020/01/21/seedchat19dec/ for the show notes on this bonus episode, and access to our full podcast library!

512: Seed Saving Class December 2019.

511: Angela Judd on Inspiring Gardeners to Grow. Jan 18, 2020

Show notes

Sharing good gardening information with others.

In This Podcast: Gardening in a new climate can pose challenges; however, Angela Judd did not let it stop her from becoming an inspirational gardener who regularly contributes to area publications. She reviews the classes and resources she used to take her from novice to knowledgable, and some of the things that make her hot climate garden successful in providing food for her family and friends. Planting times, soil, involving your kids, and trial and error are all part of her success story.

Angela is an avid vegetable, flower, and fruit tree gardener. As a mother of five, she enjoys growing and preparing food from the garden for her family. She shares inspiration and tips on her blog GrowingInTheGarden.com and other social channels to help home gardeners successfully grow their own garden.

As a certified Master Gardener, Angela has been featured in Phoenix Home & Garden, San Diego Home/Garden, Edible Phoenix, Family Fun, Burpee.com, and is a regular contributor to Master Gardener publications. Her articles and videos are can be found in several well-known online publications including Better Homes & Gardens, Gardeners.com, and GardeningKnowHow.com.

Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/01/18/512-angela-judd/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

511: Angela Judd on Inspiring Gardeners to Grow.

510: David Tyda about Food Festivals. Jan 14, 2020

Show notes

Promoting the local food scene and building the local food community in an accessible, affordable, and original way.

In This Podcast: Food brings people together, and David Tyda specializes in creating events and festivals that build relationships between local restaurants and the community. If you've ever wondered how food festivals become a reality or considered starting your own, listen in to learn how he creates affordable events for 10,000 people! David shares things he considers, ways to maximize the event space and infrastructure, and how he makes fun, original events that people attend year after year!

David is always busy, which is why he requires so many calories to pull off all the projects he has going on. 10 years ago, he co-created the Arizona Taco Festival - which was the first taco festival in the world. Now there are over 200 of them!

Over the years he’s created many food festivals, including the Annual Phoenix Pizza Festival and Downtown Donut Festival. If you are in Phoenix this spring, catch his 2nd FRIED, A French Fry & Music Festival.

David prides himself on two things: making sure every event is original - he despises copycats; and making sure the events are inclusive - he’s not a fan of high-ticket price events. Having moved on from the Taco Festival, he is opening an agave bar in Downtown Phoenix to help keep him connected to the “taco lifestyle” he so identifies with.

Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/01/14/510-david-tyda/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

510: David Tyda about Food Festivals.

509: Dr. Elise Gornish on Seed Balls. Jan 11, 2020

Show notes

Giving nature a helping hand by restoring vegetation.

In This Podcast: How can we revitalize arid areas in a logistically feasible way? Dr. Elise Gornish walks us through the process of working with land and stakeholders to restore their land using seed balls. Learn about seed balls: making them, how they work, and strategies for small or large scale production. She also gives tips on creating invasion resilience and deterring invasive weeds while encouraging native plants. Full of great info for teachers, parents, and environmental enthusiasts!

Elise is a Cooperative Extension Specialist in Ecological Restoration at the University of Arizona. Her research and outreach program largely focuses on identifying strategies for successful restoration in arid land systems and integration of restoration approaches into weed management. Originally from New York, she received her MS and PhD from Florida State University in 2013. She then completed two years of a post doc at the University of California, Davis before becoming a Cooperative Extension Specialist in Ecological Restoration at UC Davis. Then in 2017 she moved to Tucson AZ! Seed ball super hero Elise is an early career leader in the fields of arid land restoration and weed management, and has published over 40 papers and has presented over 150 times at various venues.

Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/01/11/509-elise-gornish/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

509: Dr. Elise Gornish on Seed Balls.

508: Danielle Leoni on Serving up Good Food. Jan 07, 2020

Show notes

Committing to sustainable resourcing and zero waste, while supporting local agriculture.

In This Podcast: How do you go from teaching yoga with no culinary experience to a culinary leader implementing sustainable change within our food system? When Danielle Leoni jumped into fine cuisine, her journey was shaped by her patrons inquiring where the food was sourced. She soon discovered the true cost of inexpensive food and is now actively engaged in the good food fight and influencing traceable sourcing. This episode will inspire everyone to follow their dreams and live their values!

Chef Danielle is the Executive Chef & Owner of The Breadfruit & Rum Bar in Phoenix, Arizona. Hailed as a champion of sustainability and green restaurant innovation, Chef Danielle has distinguished herself with an avant-garde approach to blending the best of the southwest with the tropical traditions of Jamaica. She has explored the islands of the Caribbean and immersed herself in seaside food cultures with a keen eye on responsible fishing practices. Under her stewardship, The Breadfruit and Rum Bar has introduced an entirely new cuisine to Arizona while redefining perceptions of tropical and green dining.

Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/01/07/508-danielle-leoni/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

508: Danielle Leoni on Serving up Good Food.

507: Pierre Nibart on Indoor Gardening Jan 04, 2020

Show notes

Bringing life into your home.

In This Podcast: The OGarden, a high tech way of bringing indoor gardening into a small space in your home, is Pierre Nibart's labor of love to improve people's well being. With his OGarden, you can grow 90 plants in a self-lit, 29" by 53" space with minimal involvement. Learn how to start seeds, use the plants in your daily meals, and teach kids about gardening. Plus, it's a great way to get your kids to eat more vegetables when they play a part in growing the plants!

Pierre has a life that, like his vision of the world, is largely out of the ordinary. At 11 years old, he left his parents' home, traveling and living in more than 20 countries, which allowed him to learn about many different cultures. He studied hotel management in a prestigious school in Belgium to finally discover his true passion, entrepreneurship. As president of Manufacture OGarden, Pierre delights in helping his customers bring all the benefits of growing food and plants into their home.

Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2020/01/04/507-pierre-nibart/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

507: Pierre Nibart on Indoor Gardening.

506: Melissa Canales on Urban Microgreens. Dec 31, 2019

Show notes

Providing convenience, variety, and deliciousness to the on-the-go conscientious eater.

In This Podcast: We've all heard about the benefits of eating microgreens, but what does it take to grow them? Melissa Canales of Quantum Microgreens did a career 180 after a health crisis and now makes it her business to grow and supply this amazing health food. Hear about her growing set up and which varieties are the best for beginners. For more advanced farmers, she shares how she made the leap into farming, the business side, and how to find your place in the farming community.

Melissa grows and sells microgreens in the heart of San Diego, California. Her company Quantum Microgreens was formed in early 2017, and she specializes in selling living trays of microgreens, grown outside year-round direct to customers at farmer’s markets. She does workshops in the community introducing people to the world of microgreens and helps busy people stay healthy with fresh greens. She also sells Grow Your Own Microgreens kits to share the microgreens love throughout the country.

Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2019/12/31/506-melissa-canales/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

506: Melissa Canales on Urban Microgreens.

505: Eugene Trufkin on Changing to Better Diets. Dec 28, 2019

Show notes

Transitioning from factory farmed foods to healthy organic.

In This Podcast: Many of us try to eat organic fruits and vegetables and pasture raised meats as often as possible. However due to marketing terms, we may not be eating what we think we bought. Eugene Trufkin explains what the gimmicky packaging terms really mean, how that impacts your diet and body, and how to source high quality meat and produce if you aren't growing your own. Nutrition minded, healthy food visionaries will love the information in this episode!

Eugene grew up on a Biodynamic farm in Ukraine and has dedicated his entire life to the understanding of mental and physical health. He currently operates Trufkin Athletics in Irvine, California – a fat loss training center that takes a holistic approach to fat loss and wellness. He’s a graduate from the University of California, Irvine and a CHECK Institute trained professional. He also holds a degree from the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2019/12/28/505-eugene-trufkin/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

505: Eugene Trufkin on Changing to Better Diets.

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