The Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson

Transforming waste into soil, jobs, and community.In This Podcast: Sarah Boltwala-Mesina, along with other parents, hoped to start a recycling program at their children’s school. This was the first step on her journey to creating Food2Soil, a business that collects food scraps from people and businesses in San Diego and turns those scraps into rich compost. Her company provides services helping homeowners become successful composting in their own backyard, provides hubs around the city for people to drop scraps off, and offers scrap pickup service to restaurants. There is even a wait-list of businesses and breweries hoping to participate.   Sarah is the executive director of  Inika Small Earth, a nonprofit that started Food2Soil where they train interns in good composting techniques. Food2Soil collects vegetative food scraps from local restaurants then composts the scraps at two urban farms in San Diego, selling the finished product to local gardeners looking for high-nutrient soil. Inika Small Earth is a charitable organization working to enhance the network of community composting hubs across San Diego.  Their aim is to build the collective capacity to transform food scraps into soil and jobs for the community.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2019/01/15/416-sarah-boltwala-mesina/ for more information and to find our other great guests.Sarah Boltwala-Mesina on Community Composting

From green lawns to green vegetables.In This Podcast: As his wife and youngest daughter began struggling with celiac disease, John Brubaker believed that the pesticides used on vegetables were perhaps weakening their immune systems. This was his entry into organic urban farming. He began small with 20 beds and has been expanding ever since. John is growing numerous crops in his small space, including artichokes and cantaloupe for home, and kale, spinach, beets, radishes and glass gem corn for the Farmers Market. He is finding great success with his natural farming. John has been working on golf courses for over 35 since the age of 16. He planted thousands of trees and just for fun, would typically have an organic vegetable garden on the golf course for the enjoyment of customers and staff.  Along the way he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Utah State University in Horticulture.   In 2013 his wife and daughters developed digestive issues. Because of this he started growing his own vegetables, built a compost pile, implemented no dig methods, planted for pollinators, introduced beneficial predator insects, and so on. Soon he was giving vegetables to his neighbors and he had become an urban farmer.  In 2018 he named his micro farm ‘Straw Hat’, rented a booth at a Farmers Market and started selling organic produce.  The success was beyond his expectations, incredibly rewarding and now he is planning on retiring from the golf course and going into urban farming full time.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2019/01/12/415-john-brubaker/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.John Brubaker on Micro Urban Farming.

Challenging the mono-CULTURE of farming. A passion for the soil, the earth and her community started when Leah Penniman began farming at the age of 16. Through the years she has continued to work towards ending racism and injustice in our food system, and also on land reparations for people of color. She and her family have built Soul Fire Farm where they raise culturally important food, delivering it to people in need. They give tours and help train future activists.  Leah channeled her passion into writing a book, Farming While Black. Leah is a Black Creole farmer who has been tending the soil for twenty years and organizing for an anti-racist food system for fifteen years. She currently serves as founding co-executive director of Soul Fire Farm in Grafton, New York—a people-of-color led project that works to dismantle racism in the food system.  Through Soul Fire Farm’s innovative programs such as the Black Latinx Farmers Immersion; a sliding-scale Farm Share CSA; and Youth Food Justice leadership trainings – she is part of a global network of farmers working to increase farmland stewardship by people of color, restore Afro-indigenous farming practices, and promote equity in food access.  Leah has been recognized by – the Soros Equality Fellowship; NYS Health Emerging Innovator Awards; and Fulbright Distinguished. IF that was not enough, she is the author of Farming While Black published by our friends at Chelsea Green Publishing. Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2019/01/08/414-leah-penniman/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.Leah Penniman on Liberating the Land.

Mixing up a health drink for soil organisms.In This Podcast:When Ben Klempner and his family moved from Jerusalem to the holy city of Tiberias, he researched how to make the soil healthy in order to grow his vegetables. Finding information that was beneficial wasn’t the only hurdle—he was so far away from the products he needed. He kept researching online and seemed to end up with the suggestion of Korean Natural Farming at the end of his searches.  He took it as a sign. As Ben began creating products that utilized the fermenting process he realized that perhaps creating these nutritious, sustainable soil amendments for others was what he should be doing instead of growing his own vegetables. Thus, the Galil Soil Farm was born. Ben lives in the Holy City of Tiberias with his wife and children where he owns and operates Galil Soil Farm. Believing that good soil grows good food, Ben is passionate about growing the best soil and helping others to do the same. When not at the farm he can be found spending time with his children in the woods, paddling a kayak on the Sea of Galilee, or immersed in Bible Studies. Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2019/01/05/413-ben-klempner/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.Ben Klempner on Fermented Soil Amendments

Growing an herbal antibiotic.In This Podcast:Bill Bruneau suffered from what eventually was diagnosed as a leaky gut caused by using pharmaceutical antibiotics. Knowing that plants had medicinal powers he searched out which ones were natural antibiotics and came upon limited but intriguing information on the genus Sida. He waited for someone to write a book about this super-weed and when no one did, Bill knew he had to do it. Listen as Bill lists just a few of the many illnesses he uses Sida to treat or prevent.  In 1982, Bill and his wife started Bountiful Gardens Seeds, which is part of the small non-profit Ecology Action of the Mid-peninsula. Ecology Action is an organization that has been diligently working to save the world’s soil for the last 45 years, refining and promoting a bio-intensive farming method that actually creates soil while being very productive.  While Bill is an herbal hobbyist, medicinal herbs and preventative medicine have been at the core of his family’s health for at least 50 years and when he discovers one that is as good as Sida appeared to be, he wanted to know everything about it. A scientist at heart, he did intensive research into the known benefits of Sida for over a year, seeking out peer-reviewed research on Sida, and in particular studies on Sida acuta. The results have exceeded his wildest expectations.  Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2019/01/01/412-william-bruneau/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.William Bruneau on the Genus Sida

Embarking on extreme tasks to bring attention to important issues.In This Podcast:Rob Greenfield lived a fairly normal American life until 2011 when he began reading and watching documentaries that helped him realize he was contributing to the destruction of our planet. That was enough to set him on a course of performing extreme actions in order to motivate others to change as well. Having already taken three separate bicycle rides across America doing good deeds and showing ways to make less of an impact on the planet, he’s embarking on his biggest adventure yet—going an entire year eating only what he produces or forages himself.Rob Greenfield is an adventurer, environmental activist, humanitarian, and dude making a difference. He is dedicated to leading the way to a more sustainable and just world.Rob has visited 6 continents and 40 countries, lived off-grid in a tiny house, wore a trash-suit for a month, dove in more than two thousand dumpsters, cycled across the U.S. twice on a bamboo bicycle, traveled over 7000 miles from Brazil to Panama relying on the goodness of humanity, participated in a cross-country good deeds bike trek, and shared all this to inspire change in others.His next project is going an entire year without eating food from grocery stores, restaurants, or even eating or drinking at a party.  He will be growing and foraging 100% of his food for an entire year.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/12/29/411-rob-greenfield/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.Rob Greenfield on Food Freedom Project.

Building up a better buzz on bees.In This Podcast:Walking by Lloyds of London with his wife Ashley, Lloyd Hardrick was intrigued by the beehives in the windows of the famous bank that shared his name. Curiosity led to research and research led to the career path that Lloyd and Ashley ventured on—raising bees. Making an impact on their community is the primary goal for Lloyd as he works to educate people on bees and their importance in our lives. As Lloyd says, “We all depend on bees. It’s everybody’s business to want to save the bees.”  Lloyd served in the U.S. Army for 10 years. After the army, he became a certified beekeeper and in 2015 he and his wife Ashley founded their beekeeping company. Honey Bee Goode Apiaries, is not just about bees and honey, they specialize in developing relationships with urban farmers and teaching in the local communities about the relationship between bees, flowers, and food.Honey Bee Goode Apiaries was one of the Farmer Veteran Coalition’s 2018 Fellowship Fund Grant recipients. Honey Bee Good plants their hives on urban farms throughout their community.Lloyd was the recipient of a $1000 Tractor Supply donation, through the Veteran Coalition’s program that offers assistance to veterans in the early stages of their farming operations.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/12/25/410-lloyd-hardrick/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.Lloyd Hardrick on Keeping Urban Bees

Creating healthy, nutritious snacks.In This Podcast:Tanya Batche loved to bake but didn’t necessarily think of it as a career. Looking at the frightening trend of obesity and diabetes, she knew there must be a way to still enjoy, and allow others to enjoy her delicious endeavors. Tanya turned her love of baking into her life’s work, teaching us how to enjoy our treats but making them much healthier.  Now you can enjoy her Hunger Bomb cookies too. As well as making these healthy treats Tanya also helps private clients learn to become healthier too. Tanya is a Dietitian, certified in Adult Weight Management with over 25 years of experience helping patients and clients stay healthy.  She has traveled most of the country as a Corporate Dietitian overseeing senior living and wellness programs in healthcare.  She started baking as a little girl in Ohio, where she used to surprise her dad with treats (she hid) after he came from work.She decided to follow her passion by combining her love of baking and her knowledge of healthy nutritious foods and started her own company! She created Hunger-Bomb Cookies, healthy treats that are delicious and filling while satisfying your sweet tooth, without spiking your blood sugar!  In addition to baking and selling her treats at farmers’ markets and online, Tanya also provides nutrition consultation to clients who want to live delicious and healthy lives.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/12/22/409-tanya-batche/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.Tanya Batche on Delicious Low Sugar Treats

Preferring the taste of fresh pressed over store bought.In This Podcast:Curiosity on what to do with the fruit from the three large olive trees in his new yard led Ron Mantini on a quest to make his own olive oil. Over the course of several years, with trial and error and the power of the internet, Ron has discovered how to make an delicious olive oil. He has learned how to turn the olives on his and neighboring trees into a bright green, fresh and addictive pressed oil, a nice pairing for his homemade bread and pasta.Ron was born and raised in Lorain Ohio, 30 miles west of Cleveland on the shores of Lake Erie.  He moved to Chandler, Arizona in 2000 after graduating from the Ohio State University to work for Intel Corporation, which he still does until this day.  He is married with 4 children between the ages of 8-13.  With several olive trees at his home, Ron taught himself how to make olive oil from scratch.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/12/18/408-ron-mantini/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.Ron Mantini on Homemade Olive Oil

Becoming a steward of the soil.In This Podcast: As a contour farmer facing the problem of so much soil washing away in the rain, Steve Szudera found his solution when he borrowed a no-till drill in 1981. He never looked back as he learned how completing warm and cool crop cycles and protecting the soil from damage were keys to healthy, productive crops. Steve shares with us ways to rejuvenate our soil, and even shares how he reuses old potting soil, making it healthier than before. Steve is a third-generation farmer from western North Dakota with over 35 years of no-till farming experience building and maintaining soil health. After realizing that the standard farming practices done before he took over were the cause of the wind and water erosion, and that the soil was depleted of moisture and nutrients, he converted to no-till farming.  He learned very quickly that just one simple practice of not disturbing the soil would allow it to rebuild and recover.He now teaches others how to rebuild and protect the natural commodity of their own soil so that they too can become stewards.Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/12/15/407-steve-szudera/ for more information and links on this podcast, and to find our other great guests.407: Steve Szudera on Nutrient Rich Soil