The Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson

Kristin is a native Texan, went to college in Kansas, and ended up in Arizona in 2004. She’s been gardening, raising chickens, planting fruit trees, and constructing buildings ever since! Kristin is an architect and an interior designer, and completed her Permaculture Design Course last fall. She lives on a half-an-acre property with her husband, 2 dogs, 10 chickens, a Jersey Cow, and over 75 fruit trees. She works part time at an architecture firm, and started MODIFY Concepts in 2015 to provide design consultation for architecture, interiors, and permaculture. For show notes and links visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/05/07/kristin-parsons/

Stella Otto got her first taste for fruit growing during annual family outings to the U-pick orchards of western Massachusetts. After receiving a B.S. in horticulture from Michigan State University, she worked at one of largest fruit tree nurseries in the U.S, a major tart cherry orchard near Traverse City, Michigan, as well as in her own diversified fruit farm in northern Michigan.  Stella has authored two books, the award-winning The Backyard Orchardist: A complete guide to growing fruit trees in the home garden and The Backyard Berry Book: A hands-on guide to growing berries, brambles, and vine fruit in the home garden. She has written freelance articles for numerous magazines, appeared on the Discovery Channel, and been interviewed on National Public Radio and other gardening radio programs. Stella presently cultivates a fruitful family garden and enjoys her horses and cats on a 10-acre homestead in northern Michigan.For show notes and links visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/05/05/stella-otto/

Dr.Z is ascientist who researches the environmental, ecological and economicbenefits of urban agriculture. He recently published a bookentitled "Just One Backyard: One Man's Search for FoodSustainability" that describes his journey from his family's Iowafarm to a major metropolitan area, and how that journey reflectssociety's transition from homegrown to industrialized foodproduction. In the book, he lays out indisputable facts thatdemonstrate just how beneficial urban food growing is to the localcommunity, the nation and the world's future foodsupply. Hisbook has been recognized as a Notable 100 Book for 2015 by ShelfUnbound Magazine and the e-book edition has beenawarded 1st Place in Self-Published Nonfiction by the prestigiousWriter's Digest Magazine. For shownotes and links visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/05/03/john-zahina-ramos/

Tonyehn is the owner of Eco-Arts Living. Eco-Arts Living is about interconectedness, living with wholeheartedness and meaning, and the lives we want versus the lives WE CREATE for ourselves.  We spend too much time focusing on what we don’t have the time, the skill or the money to do.  Life is about making the time, finding the space and doing your best. Tonyehn is an avid gardener, foodie and prior restaurant reviewer, and sits on the board of The Greenhouse Project.For show notes and links visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/04/30/tonyehn-verkitus/

Jake Mace will talk about why humanity's global future is local and 3 ways to ensure your fruit trees thrive. Jake is The Vegan Athlete, runs Longevity Gardens in Phoenix, AZ with his wife Pam, and is one of the most passionate food advocates that we know. This is his third visit to The Urban Farm Podcast. We love having him on the show because he is always working on some new project in his yard and has a lot of valuable expertise to share!For show notes and links visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/04/28/jake-mace-humanitys-future/

Don grew up in London and at age 16 spent 4 years being trained in horticulture through an apprenticeship and a college course. From there he continued landscaping in his hometown until he moved to Arizona in 1981, where he worked in landscaping and then starting his own business in garden maintenance. In 2003 he attended a Permaculture Design Course, which was life-changing for Don. He knew right away that this was the path he’d been waiting for, and later attended two Permaculture Teacher Trainings. He co-founded the Phoenix Permaculture Guild, started a Permaculture design company, redesigned his home site into a permaculture destination, and helped develop a thriving permaculture community in the Phoenix, Arizona area. He has presented in 5 cities, worked in several states, attended classes in 5 states, and pretty much lives and breathes permaculture.For more show notes and links visit -https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/04/26/don-titmus/

Matthew Hoffman on Saving Organic and Heirloom SeedsMatthew and his wife Astrid co-founded of The Living Seed Company, an organic and heirloom seed company, serving the greater Bay Area.  Dedicated to planting the seeds of World Peace through supporting the act of families, friends and communities growing food together. The Living Seed Company preserves the diversity in our food through the distribution and growing of open pollinated seeds and educating about the life-affirming art of seed saving.  Matthew and Astrid live and farm happily in Point Reyes Station, California.For more links, photos and resources from this podcast go to http://www.urbanfarm.org/blog/2016/04/23/matthew-hoffman/

Laura operates Indian Ladder Farmstead Brewery and Cidery in Altamont, New York with her husband, Dietrich. The two have been growing hops and brewing beer at home while working to restore local hop production in the northeast. Their orchard has been in Ten Eyck’s family for four generations, and she and Dietrich have lived there for more than twenty-five years, growing fruits and vegetables for sale to restaurants, gardening extensively, and raising animals, including sheep for meat and wool, dairy goats for milk, and chickens for eggs and meat. Laura is also the author of  The Hop Grower's Handbook:  The Essential Guide for Sustainable Small-Scale Production for Home and Market (published by Chelsea Green).Check out our show notes here - https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/04/21/laura-ten-eyck/

Stewart Jacobson is with the Agricultural Consultation and Training Program (ACT) of the Arizona Department of Agriculture.  A 37-year employee of the department, Stewart has spent over 33 of those years as enforcement with Meat and Poultry Inspection, as an inspector, trainer and the Program Manager.  Now with ACT, Stewart’s role is consultation in food safety programs for leafy greens and other vegetables leading to the GHP/GAP audit.  Whether traditional agriculture in a field, hydroponics or other systems, Stewart will assist in the development of your food safety program. Stewart understands Arizona agriculture and will discuss the food safety audit and program with everyone.Check out our show notes here https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/04/19/stewart-jacobson/

In this episode, we have Hassena Kassim of Vermi-Love Worm Farm & More LLC to talk about her experience with vermicomposting. Sena (AKA the Worm Whisperer) holds degrees and certificates in Herbalism, nutrition, landscaping, arboriculture and water harvesting. Edible gardens, vermicomposting and water harvesting are all part of her integrated landscape designs. Besides a love of worms, Sena enjoys playing imaginative games with her daughter and creating art. Living a more natural life daily and always learning more about plants helps to get her out of bed in the morning.Check out our shownotes here - https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/04/16/hassena-kassim/