Greg Hart farms 1500 acres in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. He works on the property with his wife and 3 young children, as well as 3 other workers and various WWOOFers from all around the world. The Harts practise regenerative agriculture and try to raise awareness about the urgent need to transition to a food production system based on nature that heals the earth and society.

Erika Rumbley is the Co-Founder and Director of The New Garden Society (TNGS). Each year The New Garden Society trains 100+ incarcerated students in the art and science of plants, building a bridge from Greater-Boston prisons and youth detention facilities to local careers in organic land care. Erika is also the Greenhouse Manager at Langwater Farm, a 50-acre, certified organic vegetable, fruit, flower and herb farm south of Boston. Her most formative experiences as an adult educator include her time with Southside Community Land Trust, The Trustees of Reservations, and growing food and flowers alongside students in prison gardens outside of Boston. A North Carolina native, Erika has farmed and found her home in southern New England for over a decade.

Jeff Conant directs Friends of the Earth's international forests program, which campaigns to protect forests and the rights of forest-dependent peoples by addressing the economic and political drivers of forest destruction. Prior to joining Friends of the Earth, Jeff ran communications and popular education efforts around climate and development justice with Global Justice Ecology Project, International Accountability Project, and other advocacy organizations, and co-authored A Community Guide to Environmental Health (Hesperian Health Guides, 2008), a comprehensive community education manual that covers issues from basic sanitation to big dams and from forestry to food sovereignty. The Community Guide has been translated into over a dozen languages.

This week’s featured farmer is Mike Sullivan:

Churchill Orchard Manager, picker, tour guide, weeder, legal counsel, bricoleur, grafter, security guard, fruit packer, and laborer, Mike Sullivan, loves his work. After doing less physically fulfilling, psychically rewarding, and mentally engaging work, he is at home caring for avocados, Ojai Pixie Tangerines, and Kishu mandarins in Ojai, California. Mike works with owners Jim Churchill and Lisa Brenneis, who continue to make the serious business of farming a fun and interesting venture for him. Today’s program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA.

“My tasks are wide and varied. I did all the pruning, which is crazy considering I don’t have a background in this.” [07:00]

–Mike Sullivan on Greenhorns Radio

Today’s featured farmers: Mary Bricker & Noah Jackson

Mary Bricker is an ecologist with a passion for natural history and and teaching. She has worked with students in the classroom, in school gardens and local natural areas, and on backpacking and sea kayaking wilderness trips. Her ecology research on species interactions has given her the perfect excuse to get her boots muddy in a wide range of locations and ecosystems: temperate rainforests in Oregon, tropical forests of Central America and East Africa, and western Montana prairies in all seasons.

Mary earned a B.A. in Biology from Lewis and Clark College and PhD in Ecology from the University of Montana. Before working with Forest Voices, she taught as an assistant professor of Biology at Pacific University in Oregon.

Noah Jackson is a conservation consultant and storyteller whose work combines photography, writing, and new media to document conservation and community issues. He has worked in Asia and Africa for over a decade, starting as a Peace Corps volunteer, and continuing through graduate work, a Fulbright fellowship, independent projects, and as an auditor and farmer trainer for the Rainforest Alliance. His storytelling work can be found in publications such as the National Geographic Traveler, the Rainforest Alliance Blog and Canopy newsletter.

Noah holds a BA in Anthropology and Environmental studies with a minor in Biology, from Bowdoin College, and a MS from the University of Montana School of Forestry.

Julia and Todd met in 2002 around a barbecue in the backyard of a Chicago apartment. Todd revealed his “not very ambitious” desire to become an organic vegetable farmer. They married in 2007 and started Peasants’ Plot. Seven years later, the couple is living in a trailer outside of Manteno with 20 acres, chickens, a machine shed/woodworking shop, three high tunnels, two “guest trailers,” two tractors, a corn crib, a skateboard ramp, a massage practice, and a dog named Merle. They have realized that their dream to grow vegetables sustainably is possibly one of the most ambitious career goals around. Funded by their own savings, a farm mortgage, an FSA Loan, USDA Specialty Crop Grants, the Frontera Farmer Foundation and a Kickstarter, they have built up their farm slowly and steadily from 60 CSA members in 2009 to 250 members. Todd’s background in house-building, carpentry, woodworking, basic mechanics and organic gardening compliments Julia’s inclination towards marketing, outreach and farm advocacy. In addition to building their own business, Julia has been a leader in the Chicago CSA community, organizing annual events that help spread awareness about Community Supported Agriculture. They are committed to proving the viability of sustainable farming with the help of an equally committed community! Thanks to our sponsor, Bonnie Plants.

“A lot of CSAs are going to be like us in that they will have to approach non-traditional forms of funding. Many banks won’t look at these kind of business plans because they haven’t seen them before.” [12:00]

— Julia McDonald on Greenhorns Radio

Nolan Thevenet is the owner of Stryker Farm in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. He is a first generation farmer, raising pigs and goats which he sells through grocery stores, restaurants, and off the farm at his brand new farm stand. His goal is to provide full transparency for those who want to learn more about their food and it’s origins. This program was sponsored by Heritage Foods USA.

“We’ll keep raising pigs until we use up the land we have here. We don’t want to overcrowd so the pigs don’t have land to forage.” 9:00

–Nolan Thevenet on Greenhorns Radio

This week’s guest on Greenhorns Radio is Peter Allen is an ecologist turned farmer focused on restoring functional and productive savanna ecosystems. He owns and manages Mastodon Valley Farm in Southwestern Wisconsin where he’s developing a farm and homestead, planting thousands of trees and grazing cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and poultry. He also runs Savanna Gardens, LLC, an education and consulting company focused on permaculture, restoration agriculture, holistic planning, and ecological design. Today’s program was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA

Jeffrey Ellis and Rebecca Beidler, Peace of Earth Farm Owners, Albany, VT

Jeffrey Ellis and Rebecca Beidler have owned and operated Peace of Earth Farm in Albany, Vermont since 2010. At Peace of Earth they have a sprouting operation year round. Jeffrey and Rebecca also grow a mix of vegetables, herbs and small fruits for their CSA and local wholesale accounts. Peace of Earth Farm is a no-till animal powered farm striving towards growing healthy soil, healthy plants and health in those that eat them. Today’s show was brought to you by Heritage Foods USA.

This week’s featured farmer: Linda McCullough Decker

Linda McCullough Decker is currently serving as a trustee and board member of the Steve Trigg Ranch in eastern New Mexico. She is one of twenty-three heirs who, rather than choosing to inherit a portion of the ranch, created a perpetual trust to own and operate the ranch. Now one of the challenges is learning to work with all the other heirs to operate the ranch. The other challenge is to keep the ranch prospering in a prolonged drought. Her preparation for these tasks was childhood summer visits to her grandmother on the ranch, a college major in Renaissance history, a master’s degree in divinity, and ordination at age 73 as an Episcopal priest.

This week’s featured farmer: Rory Beyer, Co-Owner of Beyercrest, LLC, Rollingstone, MN.

Rory Beyer is a recently married 35 year-old Organic Farmer from Rollingstone, MN. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in Animal Science (2000). Together with his parents they formed Beyercrest, LLC. in the spring of 2008. Beyercrest is a Dairy and Crop enterprise where they have a partnership between Rory and his parents Richard and Sharon. Beyercrest consists of a 135-cow Organic Dairy. Altogether the land base is 600+ acres of organic land certified since fall of 2009. Beyercrests’ main focus is to farm organically and to be as sustainable as possible – economically as well as ecologically. They have integrated the use of cover cropping for fertilizer and weed management as well as rotational grazing in the dairy enterprise to maximize their efficiency and lower feed costs. Recently the cropping enterprise switched to more efficient means of fertilizing crops by using liquid fertilizer and foliar feeding. They began selling their milk to Organic Valley in the fall of 2009 and sell crops (other than what the dairy uses) to a local feed mill (Premier co-op, Westby, WI). This program was sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons

“80/90% of what you get off of your farm when it comes from production out of the cows is going to come from your management practices and how you actually deal with your animals – it’s only 10% that comes from genetics. To get attached to genetics is a false hope.” [15:00]

“You have to show the math works – you have to prove what you’re doing makes sense. It’s not too hard to change somebody’s mind when you [show them numbers].” [13:00]

–Rory Beyer on Greenhorns Radio

Devin Shea, MSU Agriculture Grad Student, MI

Devin Shea is a 20-something that has dedicated his adult life to the exploration of Americana and its future. After a few years of in depth traveling by any means available, hitchhiking to air travel, Shea found himself with his original goal of traveling to all of the lower 48 states met. The thesis that Shea accrued from these years was that small town America and its agricultural roots were shifting drastically. He took a few jobs in the beef cattle industry to really see what it was all about and he fell in love, prompting him to seek higher education in beef production. Shea attended Michigan State University’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources to gain a formal education in forages and cattle health and management. He has been actively discussing alternative management programs with industry professionals as well as those in academia to hypothesize where the livestock industry needs to be headed to utilize natural resources efficiently with animal and ecosystem welfare being of most importance. He will begin working with a ranch in Southwest New Mexico to improve the farm to table food system infrastructure as well as natural grassland restoration with nature conservancies. This program was sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

“When it comes down to it – what’s good for cattle is good for business.” [12:00]

–Devin Shea on Greenhorns Radio

Jason Bradford’s journey to Farmland LP wound through college classrooms, South American forests, and California farm fields. A PhD in biology, Jason spent several years researching and teaching ecology at the university level. It was then that he became serious about sustainability and reversing the impacts of overconsumption and a global economy. Inspired to take action, he left academia and started a non-profit that championed local economies and an organic farm and CSA. At that time he experienced first-hand the enormous barriers to entry for farmers and the challenges individual farms face in attempting to scale a more diversified farming system. He and co-founder Craig Wichner formed Farmland LP to buy land and test the theory that, with the right management, sustainable agriculture can happen at scale. Jason oversees the management of its 6750 acres in Oregon and California. Jason received his Ph.D. in Evolution and Population Biology from Washington University in St. Louis and a B.S. in Biology from the University of California, Davis. He is a board member of the Post Carbon Institute and an Economic Development Commissioner for the City of Corvallis. This program was sponsored by Heritage Foods USA.

It’s a lot of work to get to know a farmer –what their interest are, their capacity.” [22:00]

–Jason Bradford on Greenhorns Radio

Berkshire native Maddie Elling and her partner Abe Hunrichs run Hosta Hill, a Berkshire-based business growing and making lacto-fermented vegetables. A lover of the outdoors, food, and dynamic work, Maddie spent four years after high school WWOOFing and wandering. After meeting Abe, they both settled in the Berkshires: dabbling in odd jobs and raising various animals and crops. Inspired by the Berkshire landscape and food scene they were eager to create a business of their own. They settled on growing vegetables and making fermented vegetables and tempeh. Maddie and Abe are in their 5th year of running Hosta Hill, distributing their products from the Berkshires to Boston and beyond. When not fermenting or doing office work, you can find Maddie staying busy outside, walking in the woods with her dog Oso, swimming, and scribbling on paper.

This week’s farmer: Wes Jones

Wes Jones got his first taste of organic farming in 2012 while traveling through South America with his girlfriend, Nitana. For two months he and Nitana worked and lived on an organic, shade grown coffee farm in the cloud forest of Ecuador. Upon returning stateside they set off on a mission to find a place to settle and grow roots. They landed in the valley of Ojai, CA. The Farmer and the Cook, a local restaurant, market, CSA and farm, extended the opportunity to volunteer in the fields and help harvest veggies. Volunteering led to a job in the market for Nitana. Wes worked for Patagonia’s retail store in Ventura. Together they befriended Steve Sprinkel and Olivia Chase, the owners of The Farmer and the Cook. Six months later, suffering from a bad case of restlessness, they planned a grand bike tour/rock climbing trip, riding bamboo bicycles from Canada to Mexico via the coastal route. Steve and Olivia supported their journey by hiring Wes at the store and allowing he and Nitana to pitch a tent at the farm while preparing for the tour. Upon completion of the 2,800 mile bike ride, Wes and Nitana slipped into an opening at the farm house for two new people to take over as the new farm hands in exchange for room and board. They now live at the farm and work alongside the green thumb tutelage of Steve Sprinkel. They also work in the market/restaurant performing various tasks ranging from hot sauce making, pepper grinding, serving at the weekend cafe, cooking on the line and learning the ins and outs of running a successful business from the ever- insightful Olivia Chase. When Wes isn’t farming or working in the restaurant he spends his time rock climbing, surfing, riding his bike and enjoying the outdoors.

This program was sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

Antonia Partridge is Director for the newly formed California State Grange School of Agricultural Arts. She began teaching agriculture at Mendocino College in 2001, and from 2008-2012 Antonia managed 4 acre Willits High School Farm and 1 acre Brookside School Farm. She led students in farm production of diverse crops and livestock as well as linking the farm to practical business and marketing experience. School garden curriculum also included nutrition education classes linking gardens and kitchens. Antonia Partridge’s education includes a BS in sustainable agriculture from the University of California at Davis. In 2001 she started a homestead scale farm of her own, Living Hills Homestead, where she hosted WWOOFers for 10 years. Antonia now lives in Willits, CA, with her husband, Josh, and daughter, Flora, in the 100 year old Craftsman Bungalow the family is restoring. This program has been sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

“I see what we’re doing as throwback to the way our grandparents farmed…creating the balance on the farm that it’s a self-sustaining organism.” [5:30]

–Antonia Partridge on Greenhorns Radio

This week’s featured young farmer: Dan Hobbs

Dan Hobbs is a cooperative development specialist with the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Cooperative and Economic Development Center. He has twenty years agricultural and rural development experience in the United States and South America and formerly served as executive director of Organic Seed Alliance, NewFarms and Nuestras Raices, all 501(c)(3) organizations. He is trained and skilled in the organizational aspects of setting up producer cooperatives and other member-driven organizations and businesses. He is a founding member of the Family Farmers Seed Cooperative, Colorado Farm and Art Market Cooperative, and the Arkansas Valley Organic Growers. Dan is a fifth generation Coloradan, holds a B.A. in Latin American Studies, and owns and operates a 30 acre organic seed and vegetable farm in Pueblo County Colorado.

“There’s a very vibrant effort now to take the seed back and produce it in a bio regional basis” [18:00]

–Dan Hobbs on Greenhorns Radio

This week’s young farmer is Tyler Henderson. As Farm Manager at Growing Places Indy, Tyler oversees all aspects of our farming operation as well as the educational components of our Summer Apprenticeship Program related to agricultural systems and food entrepreneurship. Tyler began his urban farming work in 2009 by creating micro-garden sites at restaurants in Indianapolis and then worked as a farmer for Big City Farms for two seasons. Like many farmers, Tyler has an off-farm job and is the Director of North American and North European Operations for the Bocconi University School of Management in Milan, Italy. In late fall and early spring, he travels extensively in North America, Asia and Europe to interview candidates for a Global MBA Program. Tyler has master’s degree in Education Policy from University of Oslo (Norway) and wrote his masters thesis in Tampere (Finland) and Aveiro (Portugal). This episode was sponsored by Edwards VA Ham.

Jean-Martin Fortier and his wife Maude-Hélène Desroches are the founders of Les Jardins de la Grelinette, a micro-farm located in Eastern Quebec, just north of the American border. Growing on just 1.5 acres, they are able to feed more than 200 families through their thriving CSA and seasonal market stands as well as supply vegetables to dozens of local establishments. Jean-Martin Fortier is a leading practitioner of biologically intensive cropping systems with more than a decade’s worth of experience in organic farming. He is a graduate of the McGill School of Environment and is a passionate advocate for strengthening local food systems, notably working with Montréal’s Équiterre to help create Canada’s most important network of CSA farms. He has also facilitated more than fifty workshops and conferences in Canada, France, Belgium and the United-States promoting the idea of micro-scale farming as an alternative lifestyle. He is also the author of The Market Gardener, where he shares his knowledge on low-tech, high-yield production methods. This program has been sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

“We’ve been managing by always focusing on little things and how to make things better.” [11:00]

–Jean-Martin Fortier on Greenhorns Radio

Josh Volk been farming in the Northwest, Southwest, Northeast and California for the past 15 years since branching out from his start in mechanical engineering and home gardening. He has been a regular contributor to Growing For Market, writing about farm tools, and also works to develop tools for small farms through his Farm Hand Carts project. Currently he is managing vegetable production at Our Table, a startup farm cooperative outside of Portland, OR. He also teaches workshops on vegetable production and consults around the US and in Canada under his old farm name, Slow Hand Farm. In his spare time maintains the informational website joshvolk.com and is an active participant in several NW farmer networks. This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA.

“The creative part [of Farm Hand Carts] is really interesting and really exciting to me.” [24:10]

–Josh Volk on Greenhorns Radio

Cameron Molberg joined Coyote Creek as General Manager in April 2010, after several years in restaurant management including the founding of two organic restaurants in Austin. His educational background in institutional management, animal science, and food technology has proven to support his work in various ways at Coyote Creek Organic Feed Mill and Farm. He is frequently invited to give educational talks on a variety of topics including beginning and advance poultry-keeping, GMOs in our food system and in livestock feed, organic farming and gardening, and organic certification processes. Cameron has served as Treasurer of the Texas Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association since mid-2010. He is committed to the organic movement and to supporting others in their quest to support local organic agriculture and food systems. This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA.

“We really just try to produce the best product available – and that means no pesticides, no herbicides, no fillers, no byproducts…basically what it comes down to is impeccable and specific nutrition for each species.” [4:00]

Cameron Molberg on Greenhorns Radio

Sam started farming the family land in 2010 after working on several farms around the state of Maine. One of those farms grew grain for their dairy herd as well as for human consumption, and after a couple of seasons there Sam learned about the lack of regional organic grain production in the Northeast. The path was clear – Maine needed regionally produced certified organic cereals and beans! This year will be Sam’s third season growing grains and dry beans, continuing his focus on growing out and multiplying rare and heirloom varieties for seed stock as well as for stone ground flours and meals. In the coming years Sam wants to integrate livestock and fruit growing into his small-scale grain operation. His goal is to provide the local community with a diversity of regionally adapted grains and dry beans as well as to educate and inspire people to cook with these local products. This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA.

“That’s one of the hurdles – the first year I harvested grain I didn’t have any way to dry them.” [20:00]

“[The kneading conference] is really fantastic. I would try to go to the one here in Maine, or out on the west coast”. [25:45]

Sam Mudge on Greenhorns Radio.

Bob McFarland, is serving his 3rd term as President of the California State Grange. Formed in 1867, the Grange is the oldest agricultural organization in the nation, with 10,000 members serving 215 communities in California. Since taking office in 2009, Bob has shepherded a return to the Grange’s agrarian roots, spurring unprecedented membership growth and an increased awareness of the Grange as a driving force supporting California farmers and consumers, and championing such causes as sustainable agriculture, GMO labeling and awareness, legalization of industrial hemp, agritoruism, anti-fracking and farmers rights. This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA.

“It’s all about making healthier communities where our granges are located.” [8:45]

Industrial hemp is a sturdy useful plant, and it’s very easy to grow.” [9:30]

—Bob McFarland on Greenhorns Radio

Nathan McClintock is Assistant Professor of Urban Studies & Planning at Portland State University. A geographer focusing on urban agriculture (UA) and food systems and urban political ecology, he integrates qualitative and quantitative methods (from social theory to soil sampling and spatial analysis) to understand food systems, cities, and the environment. He is currently conducting research on UA in Portland (with some comparative work in Canada and the Pacific NW), and is particularly interested in the relationship between UA, sustainability policy, social movements, race and class. He draws on more than fifteen years of sustainable agri-food systems work in North America and the Global South wearing a number of different hats along the way: researcher, trainer, journalist, Peace Corps volunteer, food policy council member, and farmer. He received his PhD from UC Berkeley (Geography, 2011) where his dissertation focused on the rise of the UA in Oakland and opportunities for its expansion. He completed a MS at NCSU (Crop Science/Agroecology, 2004) where he conducted research on compost use and nutrient cycling at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems. This program has been sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery.

“It’s the era of big data now, and we can collect it with all this new technology.” [17:10]

Nathan McClintock on Greenhorns Radio

Ben Dobson grew up in Hillsdale, New York, on a small organic farm and started his first agricultural business in 2001. After two years on his own, he joined forces with his father Ted Dobson and managed the fields at his salad and tomato farm in Sheffield, MA, from 2003 through 2006. Since then Ben has started, managed, and overseen the sale of two agricultural businesses: One of which, Atlantic Organics, founded in 2007, was the largest organic vegetable farm in the state of Maine. The other, a company called Locally Known LLC, founded in 2008, was a salad processing company that sold pre-packaged ready to eat salads to Whole Foods Market, Hannaford Bros. and Trader Joe's supermarkets in the Northeast and Mid Atlantic regions. In 2013, Ben joined Stone House Farm as the Organic Transition Manager, and in 2016 he became their Farm Manager. He planned and oversaw the implementation of an organic transition on the 2,200-acre Stone House Farm property, and developed a non-GMO feed and grain business to sell their grain. The farm is now expanding its grain operation to include organic grain from other farms in the region. Ben also heads Hudson Carbon: a research project conducting long term research across several sites on Stone House Farm and two neighboring farms. Hudson Carbon monitors the economic impacts and ecological effects of organic farming systems regarding carbon sequestration. Collaborators in this project include the Rodale Institute, The Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, and Scenic Hudson. This winter Hudson Carbon will be launching a website with sections dedicated to farmers, science, and the public.

Charlie Johnson is the director of the Community Integration for Training and Employment (CITE) program at Toledo GROW’s Botanical Garden in Toledo, OH. He developed the program to employ adjudicated youth in urban agriculture, helping them to gain the skills they need to get jobs when they finish the program. For the past 10 years, Charlie has been involved in implementing an urban agriculture training center, introduced small chickens and small livestock to Toledo, and helped start dozens of community gardens. This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA.

“What better way to deal with vacant lots than to turn them into gardens and teach people how to grow? [9:10]

Charlie Johnson on Greenhorns Radio

Heather Retberg and her husband Phil first met as young children in Mexico, where their fathers were missionaries. Led through many twists and turns by their faith and values, they now have children of their own and live on a small, diversified, grass-based farm in Penobscot, ME. The farm is conserved under the Blue Hill Heritage Trust’s Farmland Forever program and is a Maine Farmland Trust ‘Forever Farm’. Heather home-schools their three children, Alexander, Benjamin, and Carolyn. When the state Department of Agriculture began re-defining small-scale farms according to federal rules for processing chickens and selling raw milk, threatening the family’s livelihood, a community farm and food rights advocate was born! She is now looked to by farmers across the state and country as a leader in the fight for local control of local food systems. This program has been sponsored by The International Culinary Center.

“When going back makes sense, you’re going forward!”

Severine von Tscharner Fleming on Greenhorns Radio

Neil Bertrando lives with his family in Reno, NV on the edge of the Great Basin and the Sierra Nevada mountains on a 1.3 acre homestead. He is passionate about promoting and developing the synergies between resource production and regenerative land management. He is trained in Keyline Design and Permaculture, recently became a registered teacher with the Permaculture Research Institute, and studied Biology (BS) and Environmental Science (MS) in University. His passions are people, water, soil, and plants. To engage these passions he runs RT Permaculture–a consulting, design, and education business–and partners with Loping Coyote Farms–a local micro nursery and farming enterprise. He also collaborates with Permaculture Northern Nevada (a local community group), Urban Roots to implement an agroecology and Permaculture education program and Nevada Bugs and Butterflies which opened Northern Nevada’s first public butterfly house last year. Neil is excited about collaboration and has been honored to work with several groups over the past year including Mindful Generations, Holzer AgroEcology, Dryland Solutions, The Quivira Coalition, ABC Acres, Locavore Farm, Perennial Solutions, Owen Hablutzel, Cosmic Goat Creamery, and PRI Tipuana Farm in a wide range of climates and settings. This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA.

“That’s my larger goal, to really just get to know people, building on those relationships, and being as honest and truthful and generous as possible. [21:30]

“We all really have the same goal, which is to create a positive impact on the land within our communities.” [26:30]

Neil Bertrando on Greenhorns Radio

Cari Rincker is the owner of Rincker Law, PLLC, a national general practice law firm concentrating in food and agriculture law. She is licensed to practice law in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Washington D.C. She is currently the Chair of the American Bar Association’s General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Division’s Agriculture Law Committee and serves on the New York State Bar Association’s Agriculture & Rural Issues Committee. She is a prolific writer and blogger on a myriad of food and agriculture law topics and has been recognized as an author of a Top 100 Blawg from the American Bar Association.
Cari’s passion for agriculture issues is deeply rooted. She grew up on a seedstock Simmental cattle operation in Shelbyville, Illinois where she spent significant time working on her family’s farm. Cari went on to receive her Associate in Agriculture Science from Lake Land College and Bachelors of Science from Texas A & M University, where she had a successful career livestock judging at the collegiate level. Afterwards, Cari went back home to the University of Illinois to complete her Masters of Science in Ruminant Nutrition. Due to her passion for agriculture law and policy, Cari decided to complete her Juris Doctor from Pace University, School of Law, in White Plains, New York. At Pace, Cari completed certificates in both Environmental Law and International Law.

Cari continues to have her boots planted firmly in agriculture -she enjoys judging livestock shows around the country and is the co-owner of Rincker Cattle Co., a SimAngus operation in Shelbyville, Illinois. She is the Past-President and Founding Member of New York Agri-Women, a Director for the New York Simmental Association, and Past-Secretary of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Young Producers’ Council. Cari is a recognized leader in the agriculture industry and the recipient of the Outstanding Early Career Award from Texas A & M University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the Distinguished Alumni Award from Lake Land College, the Vision Award from American Agri-Women and has been twice selected by the livestock industry as the “Best Agriculture Lawyer” in the Best of the Barns Competition. This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA.

Robin is the Coordinator and lead instructor for the Sustainable Agriculture Program at Central Carolina Community College. In this capacity, she has developed and taught an organic farmer education and training curriculum and worked directly with aspiring and beginning farmers since 1999. Thanks to our sponsor, Heritage Foods USA.

“The focus of the degree is to be an entrepreneurial program. The people who designed were first-time farmers, and they knew what they were lacking.” [7:00]

Owen Hablutzel is a consultant, educator, and group-facilitator performing international work with a range of clientele to radically amplify practical whole systems design, thinking, and management for increasing land health, at multiple scales. Living, working, and learning across multi-cultural contexts (North Africa, Australia, Mexico, Middle-East, Canada, Zimbabwe, and most of the western United States), Owen brings a diverse constellation of experiences and training to his work with broad-acre and regional systems. This work integrates bio-physical applications (Keyline, Permaculture, and Holistic Management) with Social technologies (participatory process facilitation), and with a wider spectrum of practical, flexible, leading-edge solutions (social-ecological systems science) beyond sustainability. Whether with farms, ranches, classrooms, non-profits, NGOs, government agencies/ministries, or other land-managing/policy groups, the core work remains empowering people and communities to enact transformations toward robust land health, adaptive capacity, and resilience through stewardship. Owen is a Certified Educator with Holistic Management International, holds a Masters in Eastern Philosophy (the original systems thinking & ‘science of the whole’) from St. John’s College in New Mexico, and serves passionately as a director of the Permaculture Research Institute, USA. This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA.

“You don’t really understand a system until you understand what’s going on at at least 3 different scales and how those things are interacting.” [20:00]

—Owen Hablutzel on Greenhorns Radio

Easy Bean Farm is owned and managed by Michael Jacobs, his wife Malena Arner Handeen, daughter Hazel (13), and son Arlo (10). He began managine the 120 acres of prairie, grove, pasture and cropland in the fall of 1996 after working as a furniture maker in St. Paul. In their first two seasons they sold produce mainly through farmers’ markets with the goal of learning enough about growing food to begin selling produce to restaurants, food co-ops, and through their (now) 280 member C.S.A. While Michael spends most of his time working in the fields, Minnesota’s cold winters also provide him with time away from the soil to explore other areas of interest. When not cutting firewood and restoring his old house, he can often be found in his woodshop designing and building custom made furniture and cabinets. Sometimes, if you’re sneaky, you can even catch him writing or baking bagels.

“If you’re someone who likes to make change, the number of people in a rural community that you have to convince is very small.” [13:00]

“Our community can’t survive if we keep consolidating farmland.” [17:50]

—Michael Jacobs Greenhorns Radio

Mike Kwasniewski is in his third year of farming in his hometown of Beverly, West Virginia. Coming back home after studying philosophy at Gonzaga University and working at a couple of diary farms on the West Coast, he and his mother, Pam Kwasniewski, began The Charm Farm with an emphasis on pasture-based meat production. Headquartered on the forty acres he grew up on, the farm also includes 220 acres of river bottom farmland while another 200 is rented for cattle and hay production. Along with livestock, the farm also raises produce, fruit, field crops, potatoes and eggs. In November 2012, Mike began a whole diet CSA, with on-farm pickups every week. The farm also supplies restaurants and retail stores, as well as the local farmers market. This program is sponsored by Heritage Foods USA.

“Land is cheap and there’s plenty available!” [10:50]

— Mike Kwasniewski on Greenhorns Radio

Rio Grande Community Farm is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that farms in Albuquerque on public land (the Los Poblanos Fields Open Space in the North Valley) since 1997. The farm grows Certified Organic fruit and vegetable crops (primarily annuals), as well as grows 25% or more of our acreage in wildlife habitat/feed such as corn, sorghum, sunflowers, and an abundance of other flowers and grains. We have a 2-acre community garden which offers neighbors and school groups a place to learn about and grow their own food, and we offer education programs such as farm camps and farm tours. Our most popular program is the annual Albuquerque Maize Maze which is 7 acres of corn and other cover crops cut in a maze pattern with an educational theme, that thousands of Burquenos attend during the fall season. We value the property’s status as Open Space land and are proud to participate in wildlife habitat preservation as well as offering accessible hands-in-the-dirt opportunities. This program has been brought to you by Heritage Foods USA.

“The whole network of farmers around the whole Rio Grande corridor are really connected with donating to food banks.” [17:00]

— Jamie Phillips on Greenhorns Radio

Tammy Horn was born in Harlan County, KY, on March 21, 1968. Her parents taught history and English; both maternal and paternal grandparents kept bees on their properties in eastern KY. All of these interests coalesce in my research and vision for a world in which there is, to quote J.R.R. Tolkien, “hope without guarantees.”When she was ten, her parents moved to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The stark Badlands and their nuanced shadows continue to serve as her aesthetic ideal when writing. Tammy received a B.A. from Berea College, an M.A. from Ft. Hays State, and finished a Ph.D. in Modernism at the University of Alabama in 1997. This was the same year that her grandfather introduced me to his bees. The real education began. For three years, Tammy taught at the University of West Alabama, returning to KY to help her grandfather with his bees. In 2000, Tammy stayed in KY to teach at Eastern Kentucky University and in 2002, transferred to teach at Berea College. In 2005, Bees in America: How the Honey Bee Shaped A Nation was published by the University Press of Kentucky. In 2006, Tammy was named the NEH Chair of Appalachian Studies at Berea College. Tammy’s research from that year has resulted in a pilot project focusing on the relationship between coal mine reclamation sites and honey bees. Hear Tammy on KY Life! This program has been brought to you by Heritage Foods USA.

“We’re losing 1 in every 3 beehives every year across the nation…and that’s because we haven’t regulated pesticide use at all.” [16:30]

“2013 will go down in history as the year when honey production will be at its lowest.” [21:30]

— Tammy Horn on Greenhorns Radio

Dorn Cox, PhD, is an agriculturist, and farmer working his 250-acre diversified organic family farm in Lee, New Hampshire. He is a co-founder of the FarmOS software platform, a founding member of the Farm Hack community, and is active in the national soil health movement to develop systems that improve global agricultural knowledge exchange and local regenerative production capacity. He has a PhD from the University of New Hampshire.

Nolan Calisch is a farmer, photographer, artist, and educator, residing in Portland, OR. Nolan and his farming partner, Chris Seigel, own and operate Wealth Underground Farm, where they supply a CSA membership of 30 on their intensively cultivated plot of land. They also work with Portland State University to teach The Homesteader course, in which college students study agricultural practice and history at Wealth Underground. Nolan combines his interest in art, agriculture, and education with another course he teaches called The Farm School, where students “create site specific and participatory art projects in a wide variety of contexts from farms to schools to grocery stores to art museums.” Nolan runs a truly diversified farm – both food-wise and through the wide breadth of knowledge and experiences shared on his farm. Thanks to our sponsor, Heritage Foods USA.

“Our situation affords us the ability for other people to access our farm pretty easily, so we decided to set up some educational programs.” [7:20]

— Nolan Calisch on Greenhorns Radio

A Denton native who has been inspired by her family heritage in farming since early childhood, Amanda Austin earned her degree in Visual Arts from UNT. Between college semesters, Amanda completed a season as a farm educator at Hidden Villa, an organic farm and education center in Bay Area, CA. During her final semester, she worked as a farm hand at Cardo’s Sprout Farm, on the land where CFP was founded. In 2010, Amanda lived and worked as an apprentice on Common Ground Farm in Beacon, NY. She then moved home to establish Cardo’s Farm Project. Her work at CFP includes tending the fields, maintaining the farm business, and developing farm programming. Amanda believes in the significance of farming in our lives and works to use the farm to provide opportunities to learn about positive change. This program has been brought to you by Regional Access.

“I think in our area of Denton, TX, the small farm and local food movement is behind, and so is the local government on regulating these institutions.” [16:15]

— Amanda Austin on Greenhorns Radio

Lee Rinehart has been Pennsylvania Certified Organic’s Director of Education and Outreach since the summer of 2011, where he is responsible for educational programs and project development. Prior to PCO he worked with ranchers on weed and rangeland management in Texas and Montana, then moved to Pennsylvania in 2007 as NCAT’s Northeast Regional Director and ATTRA Specialist. Lee is also a prior board member for PCO. Thanks to our sponsor, S. Wallace Edwards & Sons.

“Agricultural education is not just a learning experience for the farmers and people getting involved with farming, but also for myself.” [3:00]

“True agrarianism is about living according the natural and ecological cycles of the seasons.” [26:45]

— Lee Rinehart on Greenhorns Radio

Wesley Bascom grew up on a working dairy farm in the verdant valleys of the Connecticut River. He studied Ecological Design and Environmental Science at the University of Vermont – graduating in 2010. After pursuing interests in sustainable food and resilient landscape development in West Virginia and abroad, he returned to Vermont to continue these explorations and deepen his connection to the local community. To earn his daily bread, Wesley builds all kinds of wooden structures (farm to finish carpentry).
David Huck grew up in the teeming suburbs of the San Francisco Bay Area. Upon decamping to Vermont, by way of Oberlin College, David followed his love of mountains and rivers to a hillside farm in Cabot where he manages a farm to table catering business. His fascination with complex systems and years of experience living in the rural landscape of Vermont and Ohio nurtured an interest in Lean, grass-based protein production. This program has been sponsored by Consider Bardwell.

“Geese are quite strong poultry; they generally don’t have as many problems as chickens or other weaker forms of fowl.” [1:50]

— David Huck on Greenhorn Radio

Duke Phillips IV was born in Santa Fe New Mexico but has lived in Colorado for 23 years. Duke is a fourth generation cattle rancher and grew up immersed in ranching. He attended Fountain Valley School for grades 9-12 and graduated in 2010 with a degree in English from the University of Denver. He has traveled and worked all over the US and world, most recently a 13 month trip to Australia working on large scale cattle stations. Duke currently oversee the agricultural divisions of our family company, Ranchlands. Thanks to our sponsor, Fairway Market.

“We manage with the animals in mind, just not from a hunting perspective, but the whole ecosystem.” [4:00]

“We are a minority out here on the ranch; we want to share our experiences.” [15:10]

— Duke Phillips IV on Greenhorns Radio

Little Peace Farm is a 20 acre, intensive family farm offering chemical-free produce, cut flowers, fruit and herbs, and pastured chicken and eggs through our CSA memberships, at our market locations and to several local restaurants. We employ organic and sustainable growing, pest management, and fertilization methods and offer our food year round (see our website www.littlepeacefarm.com). Our main season CSA and Farmer’s Market is 20 weeks long (first week in June until late October) and our Fall CSA runs from October through December. We grow in our high tunnels to offer customers fresh winter vegetables during the winter and spring months as well. Our goal is to raise “honest food” for our family of 11 and share this food with as many people as we can while striving for a sustainable (financially and environmentally) lifestyle. Our farm is located outside of Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Thanks to our sponsor, White Oak Pastures.

“If farming is Kindergarten through PhD, I was held back in Kindergarten for 5 years and just graduated 1st grade.” [9:00]

— Michael Scheidel on Greenhorn Radio

Muriel Olivares was born in Cordoba Argentina and moved to South Florida as a child with her family. She grew up in Miami studying art and eventually went on to the San Francisco Art Institute on a full scholarship. To support herself during collage she took a part time job at a flower shop, where the world of plants began to peak her interest. Becoming more interested in the horticultural and botanical side of flower arranging she enrolled in horticulture classes at San Francisco City Collage. Her career in floral design lasted 5 more years, eventually landing her jobs at the top design studios in New York City. Upon moving back to Miami in 2005 she was concerned about the liberal use of pesticides in the commercial cut flower industry and in an attempt to educate herself about organic alternatives she did her first internship on an organic farm. Growing food and sustainable land stewardship soon became the focus of her life and she went on to finish three years of apprenticeships on organic farms in Homestead, FL and upstate New York. In the summer of 2010 Muriel acquired a small plot of land in Miami and opened the Little River Market Garden, an urban farm with a small CSA as well as vegetables, herbs and flowers for sale to restaurants, food trucks and farmers markets. Although the gardens are not certified yet, she uses only organic and sustainable practices of agriculture. She believes that the health of the soil is directly related to the quality of the harvest so she takes as much care of the soil as she does any of the crops with a focus on composting, cover-cropping and no-till to sustain the micro-organisms and organic matter in the fields. Since the first growing season the garden has expanded and the CSA has sold out every summer. Muriel’s first daughter was born on January 2nd, 2013 so this upcoming season brings new challenges as she gets ready to run the farm with a toddler.

“There seems to be a ball rolling with permaculture. We’re really embracing it and it feels like a good direction for South Florida and Miami. We could really easily have little mini food forests all over the city – they could fill in food gaps [in the area.]” 20:00

–Muriel Aolivares on Greenhorns Radio

Jennie Merkel has always been interested in food. While in high school Jennie would look forward to the new issue of Bon Appetite arriving in the mail the same way that other girls would anticipate Seventeen Magazine. When having sleepovers, Jennie’s guests would stay up late, not gossiping, but baking an apple pie from scratch. However, it was not until she and her husband moved into their first house that Jennie started thinking about growing her own food. In the backyard there was a small plot of strawberries the previous owners had planted. The plants had been neglected, but they produce the most delicious strawberries Jennie had ever tasted. Eating perfectly ripe, super sweet strawberries still warm from the sun was the best breakfast a girl could have (that is, until she got chickens and had farm fresh eggs with potatoes so fresh they made a crunching sound when she cut them).
Finally Jennie decided to take the plunge into farming, and completed an apprenticeship at the Seed Farm where she leared how to farm organically. She is currently in her second season farming. She has a mixed vegetable, egg and chicken CSA, and also sells at a local farmers market. In the future she hopes to expand into value added products made from her own produce. Thanks to our sponsor, White Oak Pastures.

“Each tomato variety really does have a unique taste and flavor profile.” [12:00]

— Jennie Merkel on Greenhorn Radio

Severine von Tscharner Fleming is talking with Kyla Smith and Willa Paterson about farming in Central Pennsylvania and FarmFest! Be a part of it! August 2-3, Friday 4-10pm and Saturday 10am-10pm. FarmFest is a fun, FREE, community-building event that fosters knowledge of organic agriculture and sustainable living through educational opportunities, local foods, lively entertainment and interactive family activities. The event includes a 5K, Silent Auction, Book Nook, Live Auction and much, much more! Speakers include: Gary Zimmer and Jerry Burnetti. For more info click here. Thanks to our sponsor, White Oak Pastures.

“Organic certification is hopping in Pennsylvania! We’re especially certifying a lot of dairy, and we’re also certifying a lot of processed products, as well.” [9:15]

— Kyla Smith on Greenhorn Radio

Joel Salatin, 56, is a full-time farmer in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. A third generation alternative farmer, he returned to the farm full-time in 1982 and continued refining and adding to his parents’ ideas. The farm services more than 5,000 families, 10 retail outlets, and 50 restaurants through on-farm sales and metropolitan buying clubs with salad bar beef, pastured poultry, eggmobile eggs, pigaerator pork, forage-based rabbits, pastured turkey and forestry products using relationship marketing. He holds a BA degree in English and writes extensively in magazines such as Stockman Grass Farmer, Acres USA, and Foodshed.
The family’s farm, Polyface Inc. (“The Farm of Many Faces”) has been featured in Smithsonian Magazine, National Geographic, Gourmet and countless other radio,television and print media. Profiled on the Lives of the 21st Century series with Peter Jennings on ABC World News, his after-broadcast chat room fielded more hits than any other segment to date. It achieved iconic status as the grass farm featured in The New York Times bestseller Omnivore’s Dilemma by food writer guru Michael Pollan and the award-winning film documentary, Food Inc. Thanks to our sponsor, Hearst Ranch.

“I think that this young generation, people from ages 17-30, is realizing that they are going to have to be the re-generation generation… many young people are ready to embrace a farming vocation if they feel like they can make a living at it.” [2:30]

“If the young people can’t get into farming, then the old people can’t get out!” [5:30]

— Joel Salatin on Greenhorn Radio

Erica Frenay manages 35 acres of sheep, cattle, ducks, orchard, apiary, and high tunnels at Shelterbelt Farm near Ithaca, NY, with her husband and two young kids. She has also worked for the Cornell Small Farms Program for 11 years, co-founding the Northeast Beginning Farmer Project in 2006. She is a certified educator of Holistic Management and has completed permaculture design training, both of which have informed the design and management of her farm. She is passionate about connecting people to soil. And about playing the upright bass.

Chuck Ross was appointed as the Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets by Governor Peter Shumlin and took office in January of 2011. Prior to his current role as Secretary, he served as U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy’s State Director for 16 years. Before joining Leahy’s staff, Ross was a farmer and legislator from Hinesburg, Vermont. During his six years in the Vermont State Legislature, Ross served as Chair of the House Natural Resource and Energy Committee. He has served on the Board of Directors at Shelburne Farms; on the Advisory Board of the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont; as an advisory member of the Vermont Council on Rural Development; and as Vermont’s National Democratic Committeeman. Ross formerly served as a trustee at Fletcher Allen Health Care; a trustee at the University of Vermont; a member of the Hinesburg Planning Commission; and a member of the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission. Born in Burlington, Vermont, he graduated from the University of Vermont with a B.A. in Geography in 1978 and from the University of Washington with an M.A. in Geography in 1982. Thanks to our sponsor, Hearst Ranch.

“If the 98% percent of people who are not involved in food production are not literate in agriculture, it’s going to be difficult to address the problems of our state, our country, and our globe when it comes to food issues.” [3:15]

— Chuck Ross, Secretary of Agriculture (VT), Greenhorn Radio

Dr. Sasha Kramer is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods (SOIL). Sasha is an ecologist and human rights advocate who has been living and working in Haiti since 2004. She received her Ph.D. in Ecology from Stanford University in 2006 and co-founded SOIL that same year while completing a postdoctoral research position with the Collaboratory for Research on Global Projects at Stanford. Sasha is currently an Adjunct Professor of International Studies and a Visiting Scholar at the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Miami. She is also a National Geographic Emerging Explorer and an Architect of the Future with the Waldzell Institute and a member of the Clinton Global Initiative. This program has been sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

“The goal of our organization is to take things that are considered waste and turn them into resources.” [3:00]

“Often, the Caribbean is often left our of larger networks.” [12:00]

— Dr. Sasha Kramer on Greenhorn Radio

Clare Sullivan of Feedback Farms is currently the Environmental Coordinator of the Millennium Village project in the Tropical Agriculture and rural Environment Program of Columbia University. Before that she worked in a variety of capacities in the food service industry – running a collective bakery in St. Louis, working as a pastry chef in New York and doing agricultural research at the International Potato Center in Lima, Peru. Clare is also a serial crew leader for the Student Conservation Association and has served on it’s advisory board. She has M.A. in International Affairs with a focus on Environmental Policy from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a B.A. in Political Science from Washington University in St. Louis. Thanks to our sponsor, Heritage Foods USA.

“That’s the neat thing about urban gardens- there’s so many intersections with the communities that surround them.” [6:00]

— Clare Sullivan on Greenhorn Radio