Nate Sloan, executive chef and owner of Bloom Restaurant and Wine Bar in Roanoke, Virginia shares with Jeff, Mary, and Eric how restaurants can be a conduit of flavor, sustainability, health, and food security.  Nate grew up on his parents' farm in Franklin County, Virginia and these roots inspired his vision as a restaurateur and commitment to local farms and food entrepreneurs. Nate has worked in restaurants across the country and understands the importance of flavor and ingredient quality. Nate encourages everyone to have a conversation with farmers and explore their curiosity and what excites them about food and farming. Similarly, the importance of place, regionalism, and soil health comes through in flavor and taste so needs to be nurtured and celebrated.  

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. 

Nate Sloan has been named to the 40 under 40 list by Roanoker Magazine and has received multiple awards as an executive chef and restaurant owner. Nate is extremely grateful for the community's support of Bloom Restaurant & Wine Bar through the years. Learn more at bloomrke.com. 

To learn about the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and join the Coalition's quarterly meetings, please visit https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. Recent 4 The Soil blog posts resources can be accessed at https://www.4thesoil.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices, call or visit a USDA Service Center, or a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office. 

As always, we encourage you to join the 4 The Soil movement and do your part to build soil health on your farm, in your garden, or community. Yes, we can all be 4 The Soil.

4 the Soil: A Conversation is made possible with funding support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and The Agua Fund. Other partners include the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Virginia Cooperative Extension; Virginia State University; Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation; and partners of the Virginia Soil Health Coalition.

Disclaimer: Views expressed on this podcast are those of each individual guest.

To download a copy of this, or any other show, visit the website 4thesoil.org. Music used during today’s program is courtesy of the Flip Charts. All rights reserved. 4 the Soil: A Conversation is produced by On the Farm Radio in collaboration with Virginia Tech. The host and co-hosts are Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt.