Farm To Table Talk

Agriculture, from farms to tables, have voices to be heard.  Farm To Table Talk host Rodger Wasson brings his own voice to the table with farmers, chefs, policy makers, innovators and dreamers with conversations that offer ideas and inspiration to the food system . The table turns in this conversation as Rodger is a guest on Capri Cafaro's Eat Your Heartland Out podcast on the Heritage Radio Network sharinghis journey from farm to work for and with large, small, local and community farmers raising livestock, grain, produce, nuts and hopes. Farmhand supports this podcast: farmhand.partners/farmtotabletalk

Farmers work too hard for what they earn. They need to earn more and work less for their way of life that should be profitable. Small farms are critical to local communities and food systems, but are especially outmatched by the resources available to larger farms — technology, equipment, sales and marketing teams, and back office staff. So in partnership with local farms in Sonoma County California, Ari Memar founded Farmhand to level the playing field by equipping farmers with the technology and services to win back local share of the food dollar and support a thriving local food system. www.farmhand.partners/farmtotabletalk      

The food system is extremely inefficient with  237 million tons going unsold or uneaten.--becomingfood waste, which goes t to landfill, incineration, or down the drain, or  simply left in the fields to rot.  That’s almost 120 billion meals’ worth of food that goes unsold or uneaten each year, roughly 1.4% of U.S. GDP. The impacts  on  climate and environment are also enormoussince food that is never eaten still requires resources to grow, harvest, transport, cool, cook or otherwise prepare—even when it ends up in land fills. Minnie Ringland is the Manager of Climate & Insights for www.reFed.org. Farm To Table Talk has been named one of the top farming podcasts:https://podcast.feedspot.com/farming_podcasts/

To be a good Doctor and to do good health  you really need to understand farming and agriculture, because good farming also equals good health and overall wellness, once said Wendell Berry. Dr. Camilla Petersen owns her own concierge medical practice in Missoula Montana where creating good health starts with what we are putting into our bodies. Camilla is a ND, MD, FAAFP who grew up in the Ukraine and has practiced in Africa, South America, New Zealand, all over the USA and now in Missoula Montana where she is also a wife, mother of two, member of the Montana Medical Board, and a business owner. www.petersenconciergemedical.com

Regenerative agriculture is the opposite of Degenerative agriculture. Research and innovative farmers are showing that no-till with cover crops increases net profit,  organic matter, water quality, air quality and builds soil while reducing runoff. Regenerating soil allows farmers to literally gain more land and grow more crops profitably without losing tons of soil per year from degenerative farming.  Mike Lessiter is president of Conservation Ag and the NoTill Magazine.  www.notillfarmer.com covercropstrategies.com 

Changing what you eat is a journey that may lead to growing, preparing, and marketing before sharing and consuming your food focused dreams. When the destination of the journey is a plant based diet, it may be a challenging transition. When Heather and Reggie Donaldson were moving from LA back to Cincinnati, they knew delicious plant based cheeses would be key to the success of their own plant based journey. Heather shares how that journey led to producing their own plant based cheese, opening a "Mad Cheese" shop in Cincinnati and establishing a following of the cheese and of their journey. www.madcheese.com            

Small and mid-sized  farms face a storm of economic pressures, worsening labor shortages, climate extremes, and relentless market disruptions (tariffs) With profit margins squeezed farmers are turning to precision agriculture, leveraging advanced, autonomous drone technology to optimize resources, reduce waste, overcome labor gaps, and maintain profitability. Arthur Erickson, CEO of Hylio, a US based ag drone manufacturer, shares how small to large-scale farmers are integrating drones into their regenerating operations. www.hylio.com

In the U.S., 90% of the $4.5 trillion spent on healthcare goes toward managing chronic disease, yet Physicians receive an average of just 19.6 hours of nutrition education. It's time for a new approach to healthy living, from the ground up.. Prestigious agriculture research and education nonprofit, Rodale Institute is a global pioneer that integrates regenerative organic agriculture and healthcare, for a future where food is medicine. Nadine Clopton is Rodale's Program Manager of Regenerative Education. www.rodaleinstitute.org

Nutrition security alongside food security will ensure healthy and active lives. Achieving nutritional security is being achieved through nutrition-sensitive farming, diversified food production and community sensitization.  Nate Blum is an agricultural expert and the CEO of the Sorghum United Foundation, dedicated to advancing human and animal health, as well as climate-smart agriculture. www.sorghumunited.com

As egg prices reach record highs, more homeowners are turning to backyard chicken farming as a sustainable and cost-effective solution. This surge in prices has led to a growing trend of individuals raising their own chickens to ensure a steady supply of fresh eggs. Kim Pezza is an expert in sustainable living and the author of Backyard Farming: Raising Chickens as well as other books in the Backyard Farming series to help us achieve greater self-sufficiency in our own backyards.

Farms of all sizes and types, from conventional to organic, need  continually improving technologies if they are to meet their obligations to Mother Earth and their own bottom line. Gary Wickham. is the founder and CEO of Ireland based MagroTec. Farming utilizes applications of materials through spraying.  Whether those materials are organic or traditional the goal is to use as little as possible and avoid drift to non targeted areas. MagroTec uses permanent rare earth magnets to expose  fluid to static non-uniform magnetic fields under appropriate flow conditions. This affects the physical properties of the fluid that determine  spray droplet formation, droplet dynamics, and droplet adhesion.Large farms are early adapters but as the technology advances it will be better for smaller operations, for the climate and for eaters. www.magrowtec.com

Food is a universal language and the key to bridging our deepest divides can be as simple as sharing a meal. In her newbook, Table for 51: Lessons Learned from Sharing Meals Across America, Shari Leid embarks on a  journey to connect with people from all walks of life—demonstrating how food can serve as a powerful bridge  across political and cultural divides.Shari’s 50 States Project took her to all corners of the U.S., where she intentionally satdown to meals with individuals of diverse ages, races, political beliefs, and socioeconomicbackgrounds. By focusing on the shared humanity of breaking bread, Shari bypassedcontentious topics and created safe spaces for vulnerable, bias-free conversations. Her story is a timely and powerful reminder of how intentional acts of connection can bring people together, even in today’s polarized climate.

Can anyone farm? It doesn't take large acreage to grow food in your own back yard, next to your restaurant, in a community gardens, school yard, or a small space adding income to an existing small farming operation. Shiv Shakti is founder of Shakti Farm Design in Bend Oregon. He creates sustainable, energy-efficient greenhouses that integrate regenerative agriculture and permaculture principles. Utilizing soil and sun in small spaces with modest investments, almost anyone can farm. shaktifarmdesign.com

Tariffs are taxes that may increase food costs and decrease farm incomes. President Trump has signed executive orders imposing duties on imports from Canada, Mexico and China. The president has also threatened tariffs on imports from other countries, as well as across-the-board tariffs aimed at specific sectors.As the largest exporter of agricultural products in the world, the United States will face retaliatory tariffs and other barriers in retaliation for the recent actions, with a big impact on domestic farmers and ranchers, food manufacturers, restaurants, retailers and consumers.Former Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Ron Baumgarten.is now of counsel with law firm BakerHostetler, specializing in international trade law and negotiations,

You don't need to be in the country to farm. It can start on a vacant lot. Three Sisters Gardens’ in West Sacramento is giving back to the community by inspiring and empowering youth through urban farming. Like the Three Sisters legend of companionship planting, Three Sisters Gardens founder Alfred Melbourne believes that communities can heal and thrive when all components, the youth, adults, and elders, work together. The program fosters pride, cultural preservation, and also a deeper connection to Native American heritage. Young leaders become agents of change, promoting access to fresh produce, community well-being, sustainable urban environments and a brighter future. 3sistersgardens.com

Grazing is getting attention for a natural mitigation of fire hazards. Herbicides can run off, are dangerous to handle, and lead to genetically resistant weeds.  Power equipment burns fossil fuel and produces CO2.  Goats go where people can't, eat what most animals won't, and leave behind nothing but fertilizer. Today goats offer an added enterprise to farms and beginning farmers to capitalize the demand for both targeted grazing and goat meat from the growing population of people from parts of the world where goat meat is preferred.Aaron Steele is the found or of Goats On the Go and the author of the new audio book Goats for Good that is available at www.goatsonthe go.com and available through podcast apps.

McDonald’s operators in Michigan supply their Happy Meal  customers and support Michigan farmers  by purchasing 14 million pounds of state grown apples annually.There are are over 500 locally-owned McDonald’s restaurants with over 80 Owner/Operators in 90% of Michigan counties. They support Michigan by purchasing 135.9 million pounds of corn, 54.9 million dozen eggs, 22.2 million gallons of milk, 14 million pounds of apples, 5.6 million pounds of butter, 3.4 million pounds of pork, , 3 million pounds of beef, 1.2 million pounds of cheese, and 625,000 pounds of blueberries. Mike Maynard is a 2nd generation owner/operator from southern central Michigan (Coldwater, Battle Creek area) with 12 stores owned between his mom and dad, Jim and Laura Maynard, and Mike and his wife Jessica.

Many dream of  moving to the country and some take the steps to make that dream a reality. Paula Whyman had a "crazy" idea to cultivate a small native meadow  where wildlife could thrive. Then she set foot on 200 acres of old farmland atop a Virginia mountain  and her dream became a reality. In BAD NATURALIST: One Woman’s Ecological Education on a Wild Virginia Mountaintop, Paula Whyman explains how she cares for her mountain-sized ecological restoration challenge and discovered that it’s impossible to be a “good” naturalist.

The biggest issue threatening the food system now is not climate change. It is the emerging policies to deport undocumented workers that make the wheels turn from fields to processing plants and retail. Gary Nabham is an Agricultural Ecologist, Ethnobotanist, Ecumenical Franciscan Brother, and author whose work has focused primarily on the interaction of biodiversity and cultural diversity of the arid binational Southwest. He also is a keynote speaker at Eco Farm where he brings a different message.  It's time for people in the country to come together, regardless of their politics to support the immigrants we need to  grow, process, deliver and prepare our food from farm to table.  garynabhan.com    eco-farm.org

Regenerative is a 'thing'.  More than just a farm to table buzz word there is real rebuilding and restoration taking place that ultimately improves the soil and improves nutrition. As the word gets out and consumer demand increases for rest0red soil and more nutritious  foods, how can the consumer know whether they're getting the "real thing"? Regenified certification is stepping up to this job says Chief Marketing Officer Kristine Roots.  Diestel Famiily Ranch turkeys are on that track explains Heidi Diestel. An analysis conducted by the Center for Human Nutrition Studies at Utah State University on behalf of Regenified and Diestel Family Ranch showed that Diestel turkeys grown with regenerative farming practices are not only better for the land, but also have improved nutritional profiles over conventionally raised turkeys. www.diestelturkey.com      www.regenified.com