Bet The Farm Podcast

We sat down with Seth Gross of Bull City Burger and Brewery- a Durham staple and go-to destination for craft beers and pasture raised burgers. We spoke about the many ways BCBB supports local farmers and sustainable farming, Bull City’s B Corp status, and the positive impact the restaurant has on its employees, community, and the environment.

See more pictures from our visit here

• What’s a B corp?

• Bull City Burger & Brewery website

Photo by Tracey Ben Or

Photograph by Cole Gorman

Our tenth episode features the husband and wife owners of COPA restaurant in Durham, Roberto Copa Matos and Elizabeth Turnbull, along with the manager of their organic farm, Andrew Legge. We discuss with the team on how they cultivate relationships with farms, farmers, and guests at their restaurant from “Soil to Table,” and the beginnings of their own farm outside of Durham, North Carolina where they plan to grow various crops for their restaurant.

See more pictures from our visit here

• Learn more about “Soil to Table” and COPA’s mission on their website

• Rob really bought an art print of a rooster (and some pork fat) by Roberto several years ago!

Bean Crops

For our first stop in North Carolina we spent the day at Ozark Akerz, a sustainable farm and homestead that raises a herd of Pineywoods, a heritage breed of cattle originally brought to the south by the Spanish in the 16th century. After 400 years in the south, Pineywoods have adapted to the hot climate, are highly resistant to disease and eat many native weeds in the area like kudzu. In this episode we talk about how Farmer Mike and Farmer Sue went from their careers in IT to sustainable farming, why they chose Pineywoods, and their daily life around the homestead.

See more pictures from our visit here

• Learn more the Pineywood breed here

• Follow Ozark Akerz on their website and instagram @ozarkakerz

• Chef and The Farmer is Vivian Howard’s restaurant in Kinston, North Carolina. Vivian has a great TV show on PBS and we hear the restaurant is incredible (and is now serving Ozark Akerz beef!)

• The charity bike ride for children that Rob participates in is called ALYN. you can donate here

Photograph of Alex & Margot by Brent Harrewyn for Edible Magazine

One of our most cherished experiences from our Farmingmoon was our visit to Sugar House Creamery in Upper Jay, New York and meeting owners Margot and Alex, as well as their daughter Harriet, cheesemaker Casey, farm hand Kelsie and herd of Brown Swiss cows. We followed the team around during their afternoon chores of getting the herd in from pasture, milking and then sending them back out for more. The business, community and lifestyle that Margot and Alex have built over the past six years was really inspiring for us to see and experience as aspiring dairy farmers.

See more pictures from our visit here

• Learn more about Sugar House Creamery on their website and instagram @sugarhousecreamery

• If you’re in the area (or looking for a fun day trip) go visit SHC’s Snowy Grocery market on Sunday’s October 14- May 31 from 10am-1pm. More information is on their website

Photo of Thomas + Bailey by Brent Harrewyn

We spent the afternoon with Thomas McCurdy in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom at Ardelia Farm & Co. Ardelia is a sustainable cut flower farm and bakery that sells at the Burlington Farmer’s Market as well as wholesale accounts and distributors. We spoke with Thomas about he and his business partner/husband’s journey or trial and error to find the type of farming that was right for them, and the importance of building equity and being part of their local Vermont community.

• Learn more about Ardelia on their website

• Thomas and Bailey had a very cute video of their chickens go viral a few years back - view it here (it’s adorable)

• Follow Ardelia on Instagram @ardeliafarm

We stopped over in the Green Mountains of Vermont to visit Tina Hartell at Bobo's Mountain Sugar. Bobo’s is a wood fired maple syrup operation owned by Tina and her husband Skye on their family sugarbush. They tap 2500 maple trees, vacuum the sap into their reverse osmosis and burning system, and bottle every order by hand. 

• Learn about their whole process on the Bobo's Mountain Sugar website
• Follow Bobo's on Instagram @bobosmountainsugar
• Tina's last name is pronounced "Hartell" not Hartwell as Rob says. Sorry Tina!! 

Ironwood Farm in Ghent, NY joins us on the podcast to talk about their all-female ran organic vegetable farm and the startup phase in farming.