In this episode of the Soil Sisters Podcast, recorded from the 2025 Southern Family Farmers and Food Systems conference, Michael Bell from Dallas Half Acre Farm shares his journey of starting an urban farm without electricity and water. Mike delves into the importance of community support and innovative solutions in maintaining a profitable market garden. The second part of the episode features Howard Vlieger, a regenerative farmer and researcher representing Contact BioSolutions. Howard discusses the adverse effects of glyphosate on soil health and livestock, and introduces an innovative organic herbicide designed to support the soil microbiome. Howard also shares insights from his extensive research on GMO crops and their impact on livestock and human health, underscoring the need for safer, regenerative agricultural practices.

TIME STAMPS:

00:00 Welcome to Soil Sisters Podcast

00:21 Introducing Michael Bell and Dallas Half Acre Farm

00:47 Challenges of Starting an Urban Farm

01:23 Navigating Bureaucracy and Red Tape

02:36 Innovative Solutions for Water and Electricity

03:51 Grant Money and Its Challenges

05:16 Community Fundraising and Self-Reliance

08:30 Water Catchment Systems

14:49 The Journey to Starting Dallas Half Acre Farm

19:18 Efficient Delivery Strategies for Fresh Produce

21:24 Meet Howard Vlieger, Regenerative Farmer and Researcher

22:55 The Impact of GMO Crops on Livestock

31:30 Developing Alternatives to Glyphosate

34:53 The Future of Organic Herbicides

37:54 The Far-Reaching Effects of Glyphosate

41:57 Connecting Soil Health to Human Health

44:28 Finding Firehawk Bioherbicide - Save 10% with promo code: SOILSISTERS10

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