Donna and Lonna celebrate spring and the Easter season. In this episode, they talk about chickens, eggs, hot cross buns, early ramps and asparagus.   We also look at some food news items and some give some advice for healthy vegetable purchases in the grocery store.

Donna and Lonna have a conversation with  farmer and founder of Niman Ranch Pork, Paul Willis.

Paul Willis created a pork raising, antibiotic-free protocol that works for farmers better than a confined pork operation. Paul talks about raising pigs on pasture, marketing with Niman Ranch, and cooking pork belly.

Niman Ranch has created a market for crate-free, humanely-raised pigs. In this system, more dollars go to farmers and stay in local economies.

Learn more about Niman Ranch: Website | Instagram | Facebook

John Wesselius from The Cornicopia farm near Sioux Center, Iowa joins us to talk about growing a garden into a farm, meeting customers at farmers markets, CSA deliveries, Berkshire Pigs, climate and weather challenges, and four season growing in his hoop houses.   Cornicopia farm provides fresh vegetables, pastured chickens, eggs and pork through farmers markets and their Community Supported Agriculture program.   Learn more about the Cornucopia Farm: Website | Facebook

We talk about pickled eggs, microplastics (in our soil, water, and food), the latest findings and possible legislation on neonicotinoids. Donna recaps an article she wrote for a cookbook called  "The Tyranny of the Recipe".....some wise advice for learning to cook.

 

 

Irish Soda Bread...Donna explores a favorite, Irish recipe book and talks about soda bread basics and variations. We have a poem for Saint Patrick's day.   Time for thoughts of spring with a look at seeds, soil, and suggestions for handy herbs to plant for the kitchen garden.   Lonna shares a Cocoa Brownie recipe....so we can all end on a sweet note.

We talk about how to catch and prepare many of the fish found in Iowa's ponds, lakes, rivers including commercial fishing on the Mississippi ...and...Lonna tells her 'ice fishing joke."

 

Learn more about Ben:

Website

We continue our 'cookbook travel 'adventures by visiting the Ukraine. Donna brings us two Ukrainian cookbooks by author/chef Olia Hercules  - 'Mamushka' and 'Summer Kitchens'. Food brings us together.   Borch, dumplings, kvas, a variety of ferments, rye bread, mushrooms, black currants, garlic .....Let's dive into some Ukrainian recipes.    Learn more about Olia Hercules: Website | Facebook | Instagram   Links to her cookbooks:

• Mamushka: Recipes from Ukraine and Eastern Europe
• Summer Kitchens

Chef Donna Prizgintas and farmer, artist Lonna Nachtigal explore their rural Midwestern food community with lively discussion and good humor.  On the DonnaLonna Kitchen show, their long-running and award-winning radio production turned podcast, the ladies talk about food, farming, recipes, and also offer listeners their advice and opinions. Local and nationally known guests join Donna and Lonna around the kitchen table to discuss how farmers grow our food, what is nourishing and healthy, and what tastes good in which season.  Chef Donna and Farmer Lonna are here to encourage simple home cooking. This podcast is produced in partnership with Practical Farmers of Iowa. Practical Farmers of Iowa equips farmers to build resilient farms and communities. Check them out at practicalfarmers.org

Let us consider the magic of the apple. Donna and Lonna talk to Paul Rasch, (he calls himself owner and head poobah) of Wilson's Orchard near Iowa City, Iowa.

Wilson's Orchard includes a large orchard, farm market, smokehouse, bakery and restaurants. We discuss their local cider - both hard and fresh. We do some on-air tasting and find out how cider gets from tree to table.

Learn more about Wilson’s Orchard:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

This podcast is produced in partnership with Practical Farmers of Iowa. Practical Farmers of Iowa equips farmers to build resilient farms and communities. Check them out at practicalfarmers.org

Joining us today on the Donna Lonna Kitchen Podcast is Jill Beebout. Jill and her husband Sean Skeehan farm and steward 40 acres of land near Chariton, Iowa in southern Marion County. In this episode, we'll find out how their hard work gets food from farm to table.

Jill, Donna and Lonna discuss the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model, Blue Gate Farm's VegEmail service, Jill's plethora of farm enterprises and more.

Learn more about Blue Gate Farm:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | CSA | Blog

This podcast is produced in partnership with Practical Farmers of Iowa. Practical Farmers of Iowa equips farmers to build resilient farms and communities. Check them out at practicalfarmers.org