Farm To Table Talk

Changing what you eat is a journey that may lead to growing, preparing, and marketing before sharing and consuming your food focused dreams. When the destination of the journey is a plant based diet, it may be a challenging transition. When Heather and Reggie Donaldson were moving from LA back to Cincinnati, they knew delicious plant based cheeses would be key to the success of their own plant based journey. Heather shares how that journey led to producing their own plant based cheese, opening a "Mad Cheese" shop in Cincinnati and establishing a following of the cheese and of their journey. www.madcheese.com

Small and mid-sized  farms face a storm of economic pressures, worsening labor shortages, climate extremes, and relentless market disruptions (tariffs) With profit margins squeezed farmers are turning to precision agriculture, leveraging advanced, autonomous drone technology to optimize resources, reduce waste, overcome labor gaps, and maintain profitability. Arthur Erickson, CEO of Hylio, a US based ag drone manufacturer, shares how small to large-scale farmers are integrating drones into their regenerating operations.

www.hylio.com

In the U.S., 90% of the $4.5 trillion spent on healthcare goes toward managing chronic disease, yet Physicians receive an average of just 19.6 hours of nutrition education. It's time for a new approach to healthy living, from the ground up.. Prestigious agriculture research and education nonprofit, Rodale Institute is a global pioneer that integrates regenerative organic agriculture and healthcare, for a future where food is medicine. Nadine Clopton is Rodale's Program Manager of Regenerative Education. www.rodaleinstitute.org

Nutrition security alongside food security will ensure healthy and active lives. Achieving nutritional security is being achieved through nutrition-sensitive farming, diversified food production and community sensitization.  Nate Blum is an agricultural expert and the CEO of the Sorghum United Foundation, dedicated to advancing human and animal health, as well as climate-smart agriculture. www.sorghumunited.com

As egg prices reach record highs, more homeowners are turning to backyard chicken farming as a sustainable and cost-effective solution. This surge in prices has led to a growing trend of individuals raising their own chickens to ensure a steady supply of fresh eggs. Kim Pezza is an expert in sustainable living and the author of Backyard Farming: Raising Chickens as well as other books in the Backyard Farming series to help us achieve greater self-sufficiency in our own backyards.

Farms of all sizes and types, from conventional to organic, need  continually improving technologies if they are to meet their obligations to Mother Earth and their own bottom line. Gary Wickham. is the founder and CEO of Ireland based MagroTec. Farming utilizes applications of materials through spraying.  Whether those materials are organic or traditional the goal is to use as little as possible and avoid drift to non targeted areas. MagroTec uses permanent rare earth magnets to expose  fluid to static non-uniform magnetic fields under appropriate flow conditions. This affects the physical properties of the fluid that determine  spray droplet formation, droplet dynamics, and droplet adhesion.Large farms are early adapters but as the technology advances it will be better for smaller operations, for the climate and for eaters. www.magrowtec.com

Food is a universal language and the key to bridging our deepest divides can be as simple as sharing a meal. In her newbook, Table for 51: Lessons Learned from Sharing Meals Across America, Shari Leid embarks on a  journey to connect with people from all walks of life—demonstrating how food can serve as a powerful bridge  across political and cultural divides.Shari’s 50 States Project took her to all corners of the U.S., where she intentionally satdown to meals with individuals of diverse ages, races, political beliefs, and socioeconomicbackgrounds. By focusing on the shared humanity of breaking bread, Shari bypassedcontentious topics and created safe spaces for vulnerable, bias-free conversations. Her story is a timely and powerful reminder of how intentional acts of connection can bring people together, even in today’s polarized climate.

Can anyone farm? It doesn't take large acreage to grow food in your own back yard, next to your restaurant, in a community gardens, school yard, or a small space adding income to an existing small farming operation. Shiv Shakti is founder of Shakti Farm Design in Bend Oregon. He creates sustainable, energy-efficient greenhouses that integrate regenerative agriculture and permaculture principles. Utilizing soil and sun in small spaces with modest investments, almost anyone can farm. shaktifarmdesign.com

Tariffs are taxes that may increase food costs and decrease farm incomes. President Trump has signed executive orders imposing duties on imports from Canada, Mexico and China. The president has also threatened tariffs on imports from other countries, as well as across-the-board tariffs aimed at specific sectors.As the largest exporter of agricultural products in the world, the United States will face retaliatory tariffs and other barriers in retaliation for the recent actions, with a big impact on domestic farmers and ranchers, food manufacturers, restaurants, retailers and consumers.Former Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Ron Baumgarten.is now of counsel with law firm BakerHostetler, specializing in international trade law and negotiations,

You don't need to be in the country to farm. It can start on a vacant lot. Three Sisters Gardens’ in West Sacramento is giving back to the community by inspiring and empowering youth through urban farming. Like the Three Sisters legend of companionship planting, Three Sisters Gardens founder Alfred Melbourne believes that communities can heal and thrive when all components, the youth, adults, and elders, work together. The program fosters pride, cultural preservation, and also a deeper connection to Native American heritage. Young leaders become agents of change, promoting access to fresh produce, community well-being, sustainable urban environments and a brighter future. 3sistersgardens.com