Farm To Table Talk

Caroline and Jesse McDougall work everyday to build abundance, diversity, and resilience on their farm in rural southern Shaftbury Vermont. Studio Hill Farm transitioned from conventional chemical management to organic holistic management in 2012.  To rehabilitate 250+ acres of degraded land, they raise sheep, pigs and poultry on pasture and use regenerative management to foster healthy, biologically-active soils—something they’ve mastered to become a Savory Influencer Hub. In order to help pay the bills and ensure that their family farm thrives for generations to come, they have added partnership in a meat processing plant, including tanning capabilities and  agri-tourism as an auxiliary source of income.  They have accessed the capitol needed for expansion through a partnership with Steward—a private commercial lender offering business loans to regenerative farms and ranches. studiohill.farm

Almost 50 years ago the Agriculture Council of America started National Ag Day. Since then across America, agriculture has been recognized and celebrated on a day or all week in March of every year. It is based on the belief that everyone should:understand how food and fiber products are produced; appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products; value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy; and acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food and fiber industry.In this episode of Farm to Table Talk we’re at Farm Day on the steps of the Capitol building in Sacramento, California where government officials, FFA, Farm organizations and the public are gathering to listen and join in conversations about agriculture in California., where many are still surprised to learn that this state of 40 million people ranks # 1 in Agriculture. Most of the Fruits and Vegetables grown in the US come from California, including over 99 % of figs, almonds, garlic, artichoke, honeydew, sweet rice, plums, raisins, walnuts, peaches, olives, nectarines, pistachios, clover, kiwis, onions, flowers, apricots and pomegranates. However the story is more than the food produced, it’s also the \'culture\' in agriculture. As he stepped from the Capitol stage at Ag Day, CA Senator Jim Patterson explains to us and the live audience from around the world on Clubhouse why that matters.

Country music legends and livestock on a farm in East Tennessee surprisingly have something in common.  Aliceson and Barry Bales own a family farm in East Tennessee where they raise grass fed and finished beef, pastured pork and chicken and their CEO (Chief Egg Officer) son has a pastured egg operation.  Aliceson has published a cook book and Barry is a long time musician with Alison Krauss and Union Station (along with a few other folks) and a songwriter. How do you top winning 15 Grammies as well as other awards with CMAs, ACMs and IBMAs., including song of the year at the ACMs for “Nobody to Blame” (co-wrote with Chris Stapleton and Ronnie Bowman) By farming with your family in Greene County Tennessee.                                                www.balesfarmstn.com

Country music legends and livestock on a farm in East Tennessee surprisingly have something in common.  Aliceson and Barry Bales own a family farm in East Tennessee where they raise grass fed and finished beef, pastured pork and chicken and their CEO (Chief Egg Officer) son has a pastured egg operation.  Aliceson has published a cook book and Barry is a long time musician with Alison Krauss and Union Station (along with a few other folks) and a songwriter. How do you top winning 15 Grammies as well as other awards with CMAs, ACMs and IBMAs., including song of the year at the ACMs for “Nobody to Blame” (co-wrote with Chris Stapleton and Ronnie Bowman) By farming with your family in Greene County Tennessee.                                                www.balesfarmstn.com

Local Butcher Shops are coming back as more consumers want to experience the craft, knowledge and quality assurance of old.  The new version of an old tradition provides local, humanely treated, pasture raised beef, lamb, pork and poultry. Expert butchers not only know how to cut meat, they can answer questions on production practices, menu ideas and cooking instructions. One of the leaders in this butcher shop movement is Eric Veldman Miller and his Butcher Shop in East Sacramento, \"V Miller Meats.\" vmillermeats.com

Food insecurity is a reality for 16% of the public and 32% are waiting for their next pay check before they can buy food. Trends like this matter and are now being discovered by the Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability at Purdue University.  The Head of the Center and Head of the Purdue Ag Econ. Department, Dr. Jayson Lusk believes that to be successful in the food business you must understand your consumer segment and what it is that they are caring about. To fill that need Purdue has launched a monthly Sustainable Food Purchasing Index.  What matters in your segment?     www.purdue.ag/cfdas

The most hated chore on most farms is paperwork.  From her family farm in Nebraska Peggy Meyer thought there had to be a better way, so she created an app to help farmers manage their paperwork more efficiently.  She felt the pains of time management and record keeping and wanted to build something to help! Somehow between raising 6 kids and farming, she created \"Field Pocket\".  Peggy believed she could make it App \'N and farms across the MidWest are glad she did. The app is called Field Pocket.

When we think of pasture sounds, it\'s moo, baaa, or whinnies.  So why not quacks, clucks and honks.? Well poultry in the pasture is the gateway to farming since the aspiring farmers can start with just a few acres, as did Jeff Siewicki in South Carolina. He had to figure out how to start with low investment and no experience but with passion to spare. Ducks have become the poultry preference in his pasture . With a profitable pasture poultry base he now shares how to farm without buying land, without a tractor, without piling up debt and with getting Chefs to feature his duck.

www.instagram.com/farmerjeffs

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMbDQeaks1AGr6zZRpQ_fPQ

https://farmingtribe.com/tabletalk

Some are concerned about whether or not the foods they buy contain GMO, genetically modified organisms, or what USDA refers to as Bioengineered. As a result of a 2016 Bill passed by Congress and signed into Law by President Obama,  USDA regulations have just gone in to effect  that specifies that foods that are bioengineered or contain bioengineered ingredients must disclose that information to consumers with text, symbol, QR code or telephone. Greg Jaffe, the Project Director for Center for Science in the Public Interest shares the the history, major components of the requirement and first impressions of in-store implementation.

https://cspinet.org/news/blog/whos-labeling-what-examining-how-companies-are-disclosing-bioengineered-ingredients

Technology in smart phones and watches help people identify current and emerging issues that Doctors can address. Do animals deserve any less?  Rapidly improving technology helps ranchers, farmers and their veterinarians know everything they need to about an animal\'s current condition and anticipate problems that are likely to occur.  Beyond monitoring, DNA technology allows all of the information a chef or an end consumer may want to know about the history of their dinner. Dr. Paulo Loureiro, is Lead  for Global Marketing at Allflex Livestock Intelligence for Merck Animal Health.  He explains the ramifications of these developments including the implications of healthier animals to the Climate.