The Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson

Latest Episodes:

385: Chris McLaughlin on Heirloom Flowers in the Garden. Sep 22, 2018

Show notes

Appreciating the histories of flowers.

In This Podcast: A delightful interview with a Chris McLaughlin as she helps us understand more about flowers and what they offer to us as gardeners and more. She even shares some tips on some of her favorites to grow.

Chris is a Northern California writer and author who has had her hands in the soil for nearly 40 years. She's the author of seven books including, Growing Heirloom Flowers from our friends at Cool Springs Press, A Garden to Dye For and Vertical Vegetable Gardening.

Chris' work can also be found in several magazines including Urban Farm Magazine, and The Heirloom Gardener Magazine. Online, she's written for a variety of gardening sites including Vegetable Gardener.com, Fine Gardening.com, and About.com. Chris and her family live on a flower and fiber farm in the Northern California foothills, where they grow flowers, fruit, vegetables and Angora goats.

Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/09/22/385-chris-mclaughlin/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Bonus 20: Seed Saving Class August 2018 (384.5) Sep 18, 2018

Show notes

Bonus Episode 20: Seed Saving Class August 2018.

A chat with a seed expert about Sourcing Seeds

In This Bonus Podcast: Finding good sources for seeds can be challenging especially if you are particular about their story or their genetics. This is the August 2018 episode of a Seed Saving Class - Bill McDorman discusses the process of sourcing seeds and selecting seeds that can help you feel confident in your selections, and so much more.

Join the class! Register anytime for the next event.Register Here for the Seed Saving Class with Live Q&A

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.

Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/09/18/bonus20/ for show notes and links on this bonus podcast, and to find our other great guests.

384: Rachel Petitt on Military Veterans who Farm Sep 15, 2018

Show notes

Assisting our food-growing veterans who feed their communities.

In This Podcast:

Rachel Petitt is part of a group that has the mission to help veterans who want to be farmers. This has translated into several grant and resource projects that are empowering veterans to build their farms. She tells about how she started and what the organization is offering veterans all across the country.

Rachel worked on small-scale farms for six years after earning a degree from UC Santa Cruz in community studies with a focus on food systems. During her time in the field, she learned the intricacies of harvesting okra without getting itchy, collecting 600 eggs without cracking any, and bunching kale with one hand. Rachel currently manages the Fellowship Program at the Farmer Veteran Coalition.

The Fellowship Program enables veterans to invest in the infrastructure and tools they need to feed their community. Here, Rachel administers grants that support veteran farmers in their new careers.

Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/09/15/384-rachel-petitt/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

383: Josh Krenz on Fertilizer from Grocery Store Waste. Sep 11, 2018

Show notes

Reducing food waste and feeding plants at the same time.

In This Podcast: He grew up on a farm, and as a teenager he thought he needed to do something more than just take care of the cows. Josh Krenz went to college, found his way into marketing, and was learning the business end of farming and multi-national distribution. Eventually he decided to refocus his priorities a little closer to home that also made a difference. He tells us about creating an organic fertilizer using grocery store waste and optimized with a specialized metrics system.

Josh is the CEO and founder of Vivid Life Sciences, a plant physiology company offering LIFEFORCE as one of their brand products. He knows the business of farming from both sides — from large-scale sophistication and multi-national distribution with companies like Land O’ Lakes, to boot-strapping startups.

Farmer Josh follows his heart when tending to his Highland cattle, organizing trips to the farm for local schools and charity events, or helping with his wife’s veterinary clinic. At the same time, he calculates his path forward with a head for business and a vision to bring more sustainability and performance to plant nutrition. He has worked in the fertilizer business a long time and is focusing on trying to reduce food waste by re-purposing it into fertilizer.

Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/09/11/383-josh-krenz/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

382: Lynn McMahon on A Century Old Urban Farm Sep 08, 2018

Show notes

Building history with six generations on the same homestead.

In This Podcast:

She and her husband bought his parents’ home and she thought it was just going to be temporary until she could get a place out in the country. Now Lynn McMahon is able to share her gratitude to her grandchildren and with us for the special connection to family and history on this homestead. Even the plants and trees help connect multiple generations together in this EPIC story of multiple generations on the same homestead.

Lynn lives with her husband Mike and their Walker Coonhound on their family's 128-year-old urban farm homestead bought by her husband’s great grandfather in 1890 on the outskirts of town. They are the 4th generation living in the house and growing food on a small city lot. They’ve raised 4 children there and now with 8 grandchildren visiting, the 6th generation is connected to the very same land.

Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/09/08/382-lynn-mcmahon/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

381: Elias Martinez on Indoor Farming without Barriers Sep 04, 2018

Show notes

Witnessing the power of growing food for a community.

In This Podcast:

It was both a desire to share the gardening experience his grandfather gave him, and the lack of space in his home for anything that could produce enough food for his family that prompted Elias Martinez to start dreaming of a way to provide fresh greens to those who did not have easy access to garden space. His natural inclination to innovate solutions has helped him create a plan for an EPIC style of community garden – indoors! He shares that and more with us.

Elias grew up around urban farming & gardening in a rough part Miami called Opa-Lock-a. He is the son of immigrant parents who left Cuba & the Dominican Republic for political and opportunity reasons. As a child and teenager, he was introduced to urban farming and gardening by his grandfather, who fled Cuba during the Castro regime.

Elias witnessed the power that growing food for the community can have after his mother presented neighbors with fresh fruits and vegetables grown in their garden. He started Kubed Root to create an ecosystem in which people can grow their own food and make money from it with little to no barriers to entry.

Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/09/04/381-elias-martinez/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

379: Emily Rockey on Soil, Compost and Planting Mixes. Aug 28, 2018

Show notes

Stirring up a custom batch of planting mix.

In This Podcast: When asked what makes a healthy planting soil for trees and gardens in Arizona, Emily Rockey gets excited because this is truly a passion of hers. As her nickname implies, she loves getting her hands in the dirt and making a medium that others can rely on. She explains how she and Farmer Greg developed their soil mix, why building a healthy planting mix is different for the southwest desert, and why local mixes make a difference.

Emily is currently the Director of Sales and Marketing for Tank’s Green Stuff in Tucson, which specializes in “green” landscape debris recycling, construction debris recycling, and more. She brings her passion for both plants and recycling to the company’s composting operation where they convert landscape debris into organic compost which is then made available for gardens and green spaces.

Tank’s offers an entire line of organic garden and landscape materials which are “Good for People, Plants, and Planet”; and are available under the name ‘Tank’s Green Stuff’. Tank’s has also just begun offering a new planting mix called Farmer Greg’s Planting Mix, specially designed for planting in the southwest desert.

Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/08/28/379-emily-rockey/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

378: Lee Rhodey on Markets on the Move Aug 25, 2018

Show notes

Following rabbit holes to new adventures and new veggies.

In This Podcast: Sometimes it takes a person to reach a really low point in their life before they make the choice to change the way they think. Lee Rhodey had that realization and decided it was time to be look at life differently in order to find her life’s purpose. On that journey she found Market on the Move and discovered that it brings adventure to her life with every new box. Her goal to be an example and share the mindset changing journey is documented in her I'm So Her project.

Lee is not our typical guest, but her story is something that I can relate to. Lee reached a place in her life where things were at a turning point. She was unhappy and the grass looked greener in everyone else’s story. She realized she needed to change her outlook and she started the I’m so Her project to help her appreciate what she had.

Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/08/25/378-lee-rhodey/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

Bonus 19: Seed Saving Class June 2018 (377.5) Aug 21, 2018

Show notes

Bonus Episode 19: Seed Saving Class June 2018.

A chat with a seed expert about where our seeds come from

In This Bonus Podcast: Seeds are grown all over the world and we don't always know where our seeds come from when we buy. This is the June 2018 episode of a Seed Saving Class - Bill McDorman discusses seed origination, land race seeds, finding unique seed varieties, and so much more.

Join the class! Register anytime for the next event.Register Here for the Seed Saving Class with Live Q&A

Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/08/21/bonus19/ for show notes and links on this bonus podcast, and to find our other great guests.

377: Dale Spoonemore on Easier Home Gardening and Farming Aug 18, 2018

Show notes

Bringing gardening knowledge to your fingertips.

In This Podcast:

It was a need to become more mindful and eat the healthier foods he needed that led Dale Spoonemore to the garden. It did not take long for him to get hooked on the flavors of homegrown vegetables. But a conversation in line waiting to vote alerted him for a need to make it easier to garden. This inspired him to teach himself coding to write an app that is going to bring success to many more new gardeners. His passion and drive continue to build this mobile tool, and his family are big parts of the whole project.

Dale and his family converted their urban Oklahoma backyard into a food farm to feed their family and built the “From Seed to Spoon” mobile app that makes it easy for others to do the same. The app will guide you through planting, growing, harvesting, and cooking over 70 different foods with information customized for your location. Dale and his family live in OKC with their four children. You can learn more about them on their From Seed to Spoon social media pages and on their website at seedtospoon.net

Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/08/18/377-dale-spoonemore/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.

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