Today we’ve got a bonus episode for you, a recording of a panel I led this past fall for the nonprofit Farm to Crag at Story Mill Park in Bozeman. 

The theme was “Food, Farming, Fairness and Finance: Building Equitable Food Systems.” 

Our guests were two longtime organic farmers, Jacy Rothschiller and Bob Quinn, as well as Caleb Williams, who at the time was finishing a Masters focused on improving access to locally-grown food in Tribal communities. 

Some background on Farm to Crag, the organization that hosted the panel. Founded by a friend of mine, Kate Rutherford, in 2019, it’s a national group that works to inspire the outdoor recreation community to invest in regenerative food systems. We interviewed its interim executive director, Esther Smith, in Episode 9 of Food, Montana, so check that out if you’re interested in the org and its connection to Montana. 

A heads up that since the panel was part of a live, outdoor event, the recording isn’t our usual studio quality. Also,I had completely lost my voice due to illness a week prior, and it was still really scratchy. - Emily

Welcome to Food, Montana. Population: 100.

Welcome to Food, Montana. Population: 35

Our guest today is Wyatt Nelson, founder of Montana Local Food Distribution, a wholesale food distributor. Sourcing animal proteins from farms and ranches around the state including in Fort Benton, Belt, Corvallis, Hardin, and Big Timber, Nelson provides products to grocery stores, restaurants, and institutions. Previously, he was the meat and seafood manager at the Community Food Co-op in Bozeman for over a decade, and has worked as a butcher, super model and film maker, in that order.

Food, Montana is hosted by Emily Stifler Wolfe and Jeremy Nadison.

Welcome to Food, Montana. Population: 100

Welcome to Food, Montana, after our one week break. Population: 75

Our guest today is Esther Smith. Esther is a physical therapist in Bozeman and part time executive director of the nonprofit Farm to Crag. In 1999, at age 17, she and her sister and brother taught themselves how to farm organically, tend to an orchard, and raise and process animals including goats, sheep, pigs, turkeys and chickens. Now, through Farm to Crag and her other volunteer efforts in the Gallatin Valley, Esther is looking to create connections between individual, community and planetary health. She is particularly interested in deepening our understanding of food as medicine.

Food, Montana is hosted by Emily Stifler Wolfe and Jeremy Nadison.

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Our guest today, Jill Holder, has been working to improve food security in Southwest Montana for the past 13 years. She is the Food & Nutrition Director for the Human Resource Development Council, which operates the Gallatin Valley Food Bank, Big Sky Community Food Bank, Headwaters Area Food Bank, the Fork & Spoon pay-what-you-can restaurant, KidsPack, summer lunch and a senior grocery program.

Jill believes in good food for everyone that doesn’t degrade the planet or community. For most of her life, she has worked for organizations that utilize volunteers, and she believes volunteers add compassion and enthusiasm, and that volunteering is one of the few things that makes a difference in this world. In Jill’s past professions, she has worked in therapeutic recreation, energy assistance and even as a guide for Llama trips.

Food, Montana is hosted by Emily Stifler Wolfe and Jeremy Nadison.

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Our guest today, Nate Powell-Palm, earned organic certification in 2008 at age 16, making him the youngest farmer in the country to do so. Fast forward, and Nate has grown his organic wheat, pulses, flax and cattle operations from 10 leased acres in Belgrade to 1,400 leased and 70 owned acres between the Gallatin Valley and Wyoming.

In 2020, US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue appointed Nate to the National Organic Standards Board, where his peers soon elected him chairman. Among many other things, Nate is now building value-added processing under the brand Springhill Feeds and helping grow the USDA’s transition to organic mentorship program.

Food, Montana is hosted by Emily Stifler Wolfe and Jeremy Nadison.

Welcome to Food, Montana. Population: 36

Our guest today is Megan Randall. Megan works with Farm to School of Park County as an educator and garden manager. She loves gardening with students of all ages and is passionate about connecting Park County schools and communities with healthy, local food. Prior to working with Farm to School, Megan spent seven years working on organic vegetable farms in western Massachusetts, Whitefish, and Bozeman.

Food, Montana is hosted by Emily Stifler Wolfe and Jeremy Nadison.

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Our guest today is Mary Stein. Mary has over 25 years of experience working in sustainable food systems. She helped lead the National Farm to School Network, and helped launch and lead the Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems degree program at Montana State University, one of the first of its kind in the nation. Now a program manager with the Buffalo Nations Food Systems Inititative, Mary believes in a food system that is just, equitable and balanced, where both human and planetary wellbeing are nurtured.

Food, Montana is hosted by Emily Stifler Wolfe and Jeremy Nadison.

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Our guest today is India Maxwell. India recently opened a cottage bakery in Bozeman, baking bread with 100% ancient whole grains grown in Montana. She has worked at three farms in the Gallatin Valley, as well as Blackbird Kitchen for five years. Prior to moving to Montana, she worked at Slow Money, a nonprofit org in Boulder, Colorado, that provides low-interest financing for small scale agricultural producers.

Food, Montana is hosted by Emily Stifler Wolfe and Jeremy Nadison.

Welcome to Food, Montana.

Join hosts Emily Stifler Wolfe and Jeremy Nadison as we explore what it takes to create more resilient local and regional food systems in Montana.