Farmerama

Regular contributor Joel Rodker is creating a market garden from scratch and recording a diary for Farmerama as he goes. Here's is his report from January 2018

The Savanna Institute are laying the groundwork for widespread agroforestry in the Midwest. Over 100 farmers and researchers gathered to share learnings from different agroforestry and silvopasture operations. Kathy Dice and her partner own Red Fern Farm in Iowa. They were some of the pioneers of the agroforestry movement in the Midwest and their farm is now a successful u-pick perennial polyculture operation, where customers pick their own produce.

This month we are at the 10th annual Oxford Real Farming Conference. First up we hear the inspirational story of 5000+ women who are now practising natural agriculture, or no-cost agriculture, on farms and smallholdings across Southern Zambia. Back in the UK we get the lowdown on biofertilisers that provide food for microbes, and we hear the ups and downs of a regenerative farming journey from a young farmer in Somerset. Thanks to our supporters Rebel Kitchen, for making this episode possible!

Regular contributor Joel Rodker is creating a market garden from scratch and recording a diary for Farmerama as he goes. Here's is his report from December 2018

This month we hear from the people of Turtle Island who have created a Slow Food Indigenous association that represents a collective of over 500 nations on one continent. We head to Java, to celebrate the fantastic diversity of Indonesian bananas. In North Dakota we learn about the ecological potential of regenerative farming, and how farms can (and should) boost their local economies. We end up in the UK, with an end-of-year update from our regular marketing garden reporter. Thanks to our supporters Rebel Kitchen, for making this episode possible!

Jonny Hansen of Jubilee Farm speaking to Tiziana O'Hara of Cooperative Alternatives, a the local cooperative enterprise agency supporting the farms share offer.

Jubilee Farm is Northern Ireland's first Community-Supported Agriculture scheme.

In this short we hear Jonny Hansen from Jubilee Farm in Northern Ireland with an introduction to political economy in relation to food and farming. He’s in discussion with Professor John Barry from Queens University Belfast.

Jubilee Farm is Northern Ireland's first Community-Supported Agriculture scheme.

This month we’ve gone a little grain mad at UK Grain Lab. We learn about grain populations and heritage grains, innovative projects that connect millers, bakers and farmers and we chat to bakers around the world experimenting with more diverse flours. Then we jump across the Pennines to hear from students embedding sustainable food into student life. Thanks to our supporters Rebel Kitchen for making this episode possible.

Leah Penniman is a farmer, author, activist and all-round inspiration who we were lucky enough to interview for this special show. Her book, ‘Farming While Black’, published by Chelsea Green Publishing, is a multi-layered journey with practical tips for beginner farmers, afro-indigenous recipes, leadership advice, the story of building a farm and serving a community. But at its heart, this is a call to action, empowering people of colour to reclaim traditions and cultures that have been suppressed by colonialism and slavery. Thanks to Chelsea Green Publishing for supporting this episode. Image: onion harvest at Soul Fire Farm, credit: Leah Penniman

This month, we’re full to the brim with small-scale farming heroines. We start with a super-inspiring farmer in New York State, who shares her top 3 tips for setting up a small-scale farm. We speak to female farmers on either side of the Atlantic about life and death, and what it means to raise and kill animals. And we end the show looking at the power of photography to share the stories of small-scale farmers around the world. Thanks to our supporters Rebel Kitchen for making this episode possible.