Farm To Table Talk

The ultimate source for the freshest, most local produce and the natural anecdote for the high tech frenzy of modern life, may be staring back at you in your mirror. You? That's a realization that is leading thousands towards becoming small scale, part-time or "urban farmers".  Greg Peterson has an Urban Farm in the midst of over 4 million neighbors in metro Phoenix. He has created an environmental showcase that includes over 70 fruit trees, vegetables, chickens, rainwater and grey-water harvesting, solar applications and extensive use of recycled building materials. Meeting first poolside at a Podcast convention with other foodie/farming podcasters, our conversation led to Greg's journey as an Urban Farmer, the new food movement and the following that he's built for www.urbanfarm.org.

Does Minimalism and the Food Movement lead to similar journeys? Searching for the answer leads us to the famous disciples of Minimalism, "the Minimalisists" Ryan Nicodemus and Joshua Fields Millburn.  They have an outstanding documentary "Minimalism" on Netflix, have been featured on the Today Show, New York Times, and now "Farm To Table Talk".  We talk with Ryan Nicodemus about their minimalist journey, food waste, LA and importance of living life deliberately. 

 

We hear from farmers and people who want to be farmers, but we don't often get to hear from farmers who are 100 years old.  Jack Woolf is 100 years old and shares stories of a long lifetime of accumulating wisdom from hand milking cows as a boy in Arizona to creating a large scale, sustainable farming enterprise in Fresno County California.  His  journey transcends battles in World War II and to battles for water.  Hundreds of families have been touched by his journey, culminating in farming connections for Jack and Bernice's six children (Anne, Nancy, John, Mike, Stuart and Chris) and 24 grandchildren.  The third generation is already gathering agricultural experiences that include community garden, WOOFing (World-wide opportunities in organic farming), Fair Trade Coffee, Soil Science, specialty crop farming and water law. Listen to the wisdom accumulated by widely respected Jack Woolf over 100 years on this, the first podcast, featuring a 100 year old farmer, on Farm To Table Talk.

If you have ever heard a news story that you just can't get off your mind, you can relate to Tennessee based filmmaker, Marshall Burnette's experience.  He was driving home at 2 a.m., listening to NPR when he heard of a tragic accident where 2 of 3 boys died while working in a Southern Illinois corn bin. Thoughts of the tragedy led to thoughts about the effect on the farming community and farmers--"living on the edge of the real world". That inspiration, triggered from an NPR newscast in the middle of the night led to making a short film that was featured at a prestigious Film Festival in Manhattan and a full length movie in the works. He describes the story as a “meditation on life in a small Midwest town disrupted by a grain entrapment" and the feelings of a young farmer and a high school Senior on the risks and rewards of a corn farmer’s life. The filmmaker/director of Silo: Edge of the Real World, Marshall Burnette, tells us about the journey, filming in a small farming community, the future of farm movies, and what he likes about rural America.

The journey of delicious, fresh harvested produce from farm to table depends on key partners in the middle of the chain. Chefs and consumers alike can't find everything they need in their own gardens or their Farmer's Markets. How can we be sure that the highest quality produce is coming from sustainable farming operations to our tables for sensational nutrition and enjoyment? Earl Herrick, the founder of Earl's Organic in San Francisco has dedicated a career to providing those assurances. Earl started Earl's Organic long before it was popular.  On Farm To Table Talk Earl shares his vision, support for more new farmers, belief in the annual EcoFarm Conference and why he is optimistic about the future.

Whatever your view of GMO's you may have wondered what happened with GMO labeling.    Congress passed a law in 2017 to head off food marketing chaos that was expected to follow the implementation of mandatory GMO labeling in Vermont.  The ball is in the USDA's court now with more research, public comment yet to precede implementation sometime in 2018.  In addition to consumers the interested parties include food manufacturers (who may not wait) and NGO's including this episode's guest Greg Jaffee, Director of the Biotechnology Project for Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Over subsequent decades GMO became controversial for many reasons,  especially for mistrust of a few "big Ag" corporations.  There are now many books and movies proclaiming facts, myths, fears, suspicions, innuendos, contradictory research and images that would frighten the children. Google “GMO”  and you will get over 26 million listings, with no doubt thousands that would support whatever theory one prefers.

Although respected scientific bodies have concluded that GMO products were safe, grassroots campaigns surfaced across the country to “just label it” because regardless of safety, they believed it should be up to a consumer to decide whether or not they want to consume foods produced with genetic engineering. Why does it take so long to create a system for consumers to find everything they want to know about their food?

It's a sorry fact that some still see farmers as "the ignorant guy in the straw hat who doesn't understand anything beyond a 12th grade level at best...the ideal career for the simple minded." That's a harsh perspective and Ventura County farmer, Chris Sayer, aims to disprove those views. A veteran who left a career in Silicon Valley to return to the fig, lemon and avocado orchards of his famiiy's Petty Ranch, Chris believes that "farming is not nature. It is technology.. We are heirs to an ancient and yet dynamic body of Knowledge."

Our conversation with Chris is joined by the editor of the UC Food Observer, Rose Hayden-Smith. As we wander through the orchards we learn about figs, lemons, avocados, global trade, water stewardship and about soil that is far better today than it was when the land was Spain's.

www.ucfoodobserver.com

 

Farm to Table means different things to different people but many would agree that restaurants and their chefs have led the way on our Farm to Table journey. Chefs might say that they have been led by their own customers who have shown a preference for food with a story all the way back to the farm: the farmer, unique varieties or breeds, production practices and overall sustainability. In this episode of Farm To Table Talk we are joined at the table by Greg Drescher, the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Industry Leadership with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) to explore what Farm To Table means in the Culinary world and the trends that change menus.

All over the country there are pockets of struggling neighborhoods who are working to improve their situations. Increasingly food production is central to these community efforts to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. The Yisrael Family Urban Farms is in the middle of one of those underserved communities where 17% are food insecure, 46% receive food assistance, 34% are below the poverty rate and 18% are unemployed. Chanouk and Judith Yisrael started growing food for themselves before gaining approvals to establish a community garden in a closed elementary school. From this beginning they expanded into a an urban farm on a lot across the street and are helping their neighbors learn to grow and to cook food for their own families. Today their advice is sought from all over the US and as far away as Italy. They share their inspiring story to help their own family and their community on Farm To Table Talk.

The demand for Organic foods keeps growing, so the industry from farm through processors has to keep growing to keep up with that demand. That means that Organic rules and regulations have to be updated for necessary improvements. In the middle of all of this and a catalyst for these changes, is the Organic Trade Association. To explore Organic progress, pending issues and the future, we set down for a lunch conversation at the Assembly in Santa Cruz with the CEO of the Organic Trade Association, Laura Batcha. Before becoming the Association’s CEO, Laura has been involved with all segments of Organics, beginning on an Organic farm near Santa Cruz, California. It seems appropriate since we're talking about food, to start this conversation with the co-owner of the Assembly restaurant, Kendra Baker who share her passion for the food they serve and the farmers who supply them. @OrganicTrade