Food Slain

Today, we’re back to talking about food, farming and history, and we’re talking about Henry Blair. If you’ve never heard his name before, chances are, especially if you are a farmer, you’ve used one of his inventions or some iteration of one of his inventions.

Anyway, I chose this man to do an episode on, not because he is a black inventor, not because he is hardly known by many, but because his patented inventions (plural) have changed the lives of farmers in the United States since 1834.

There isn't a lot of recorded history about Henry Blair. I have no idea whether he was married or had children. He was barely literate, but he was the 2nd man of color to be issued a patent in the United States. He was 27 years old.

His patents changed farming, food and fashion...forever. Truth is, most people have never heard of him and probably don't really care. That's why he is the topic of today's episode...because at the end of the day, all we are is dust in the wind.

In this episode, we're talking about stevia - not really the stevia derived from the plant. We're talking about a "stevia" product developed by Cargill and Royal DSM which is the synthetic biology and scientific fermentation of genes and yeast, and it is showing up in our food supply chain as a trademarked product called EverSweet™.

This zero-calorie, "non-artificial" sweetener is designed to “urgently advance sugar reduction around the world" and ”to support good health and well being in our societies”.

There is no scientific evidence to back up the claim that it supports good health and well being. They claim this product is "sustainable", but it seems more like greenwashing, and there is a lot of money invested into this venture.

It begs the question....cui bono? I think you know the answer...but I hope you listen in to find out. Share this episode with someone you love and I'll see you on the other side of the plate.

Chow.

In this episode we're talking about strawberries. Conventionally grown strawberries for the most part.

We consume 8 lbs per person of this popular summer fruit in the United States. It's a multi billion dollar industry and unfortunately, the way strawberries are grown, 20-30% of samples test positive for toxic chemicals that are not only killing bees, they are impacting our brains and reproductive health, especially in men.

Most importantly, huge conventional strawberry farmers use massive amounts of fumigants in the soil, every season before the season begins, so these chemicals are also killing EVERYTHING in the soil they are grown in too! (Not to mention the other environmental externalities at play here...)

Listen in and share this episode with someone you love - especially with someone who loves the other sweet treat byproducts of this fruit. Thank you for your support.

In this episode we're talking about rice, and we're talking to agronomist, researcher, farmer and my colleague, Che Axum. You might remember him from Season Three, but if not, he's back again this time to talk to us about rice and arsenic, specifically inorganic arsenic and other heavy metals found in rice and other food products.

Rice is THE most important human food crop in the world, feeding half the world's total population. Many cultures rely on rice for food multiple meals a day and we eat billions of pounds of it every year.

But why the heck is inorganic arsenic, a toxic heavy metal, in this culturally important staple food? Che helps us understand how rice is grown and why it's in there. Then we talk about what we can do to minimize our exposure to it. Listen in and share this episode with someone you love.

In this episode we're talking about fake, adulterated olive oil. So, what the heck is going on with olive oil, you ask?

Well, let me put it this way...it's expensive as all get out (as 2Chains would say, it's the "most expensivist"), it's cut with other seed oils that can cause health problems, it's an industry run (basically) by the "agro-mafia", it's labeling regulations don't exist, so producers can put whatever they want on the label, AND a few of the major sources of olive trees in Europe have a bug infestation so serious that it might bring an end to the olive oil import industry within a few years. Not to mention, we want the health benefits - namely, polyphenols.

Polyphenols are naturally occurring plant compounds that help manage blood pressure, reduce inflammation and regulate blood sugar, but when we're consuming adulterated olive oils cut with seed oils like safflower, sunflower, canola, soy or peanut oils, then we're dealing with a whole different barrel of monkeys.

Many of those seed oils are not only pressed from GMO crops (commonly sprayed with glyphosate, aka weed killer), but they are polyunsaturated fats that do not contain polyphenols at all. In fact, they have the exact opposite effect of olive oil (a monounsaturated fat). Not only that, polyunsaturated fats are the fats that can increase your risk of heart disease and cause inflammation.

 I'm not going to belabor the point here, but it's a pretty "greasy" issue and neither producers nor retailers have any incentive to do anything to stop this madness.

Luckily, you're going to listen to this episode, get some ideas about what we can do, and share it with someone you love so that we can all stay informed and healthy.

Time Stamp 

04:45 - The business of olive oil

07:33 - The most "expensivist" olive oil

09:48 - Industry standards are not being met

12:03 - Why it matters - polyphenols

14:49 - There's an "agro mafia" massive olive oil scandal

17:04 - America is the dumping ground for adulterated olive oil

21:26 - Xylella fastidiosa across Europe is destroying olive trees

23:36 - Things we can do to verify what we're buying

29:19 - Is the olive oil in your kitchen real?

Money and profitability are real components of running ANY business. And let me tell you first hand, being a small farmer isn't going to make you a millionaire - but it can be profitable. There are many small farmers making money on small plots of land, thanks in part to this guy.

Meet Booker T. Whatley.

In this episode of Food, Farm & History, we're talking about a farmer who believed that "smaller was smarter". He was a black farmer from Alabama who studied with Dr. George Washington Carver, and he wrote a book called How to make $100,000 dollars Farming 25 acres With Special Plans for Prospering on 10 to 200 Acres - published in 1987 by the Regenerative Agricultural Association of Rodale Institute.

Booker T. Whatley's ideas about how to be a profitable farming operation by focusing on what customers want, cutting out the middlemen/middlewomen, marketing directly to customers, and reducing labor costs by letting customers do the work for you, have been proven time and time again. Pure genius.

If you care about building community, reducing food insecurity, creating a thriving local economy and eating clean, healthy food - you'll enjoy learning about this guy!

I thank you for listening and sharing this episode with someone you love.

In this episode, we’re talking to Zach Menchini - a soil enthusiast and technical soil expert who digs down into the details. He talks about how soil sequesters carbon, what we can do to help our soil be healthier and more productive. For his "day job" he's a soil consultant at Concentrates (one of my favorite places to be), and at his "other job" he’s a farmer and the founder of Campfire Farms .

If you've ever wondered about how soil sequesters carbon, or what happens "down under" your soil, or how we can help change the behavior of the "big Ag players", then this is the episode to tune into. Thanks for listening in and please share this episode with someone you love.

Time Stamp

03:32 - Why does soil matter?

05:15 - How can big ag create better soil?

10:07 - What are the most important plant nutrients and micronutrients?

11:34 - How does the soil sequester carbon - what is the actual process?

14:24 - Wood chips? The Carbon:Nitrogen ratio misunderstood

18:30 - The economic impact of improving soil

21:42 - Changing behavior : stop the subsidizing of NOT growing food

30:48 - The Calcium connection : The basic building block

36:22 - Soil testing : Potting Soil vs Land Soil

40:32 - How to get a good soil sample

46:52 - It takes time on the land to figure out what works

47:19 - Zach’s top recommendation for building better soil

Welcome to Season Six. In this premiere episode, we’re talking about food activism, food sovereignty and food history and I’m excited to share the life and legacy of Fannie Lou Hamer with you.

Fannie Lou Hamer was a pioneer, a courageous and determined woman, farmer, chef, freedom fighter, singer, mother, wife, friend and survivor and I am honored to dedicate this episode to her.

In this episode, we’re also going to talk about how Fannie Lou Hamer’s legacy impacts us today, how her ideas and commitment to community, poor people and food are relevant today. Especially regarding the corporate takeover of our food systems, rising food prices, new proposed legislation and our food freedom.

Thanks for listening in and please share this episode with someone you love. And remember, "Nobody's free, until everybody's free."

Welcome to the Season 5 Finale with my guest, Stacy Malkan, one of the founders of the US Right to Know. In this episode, we're talking about cosmetics and body products, the massive influence of beauty industry on us (and especially our youth) and what we can do to help change the industry and more importantly, relay this important information to future generations.

Stacy is an author and investigative journalist who created the Safe Cosmetics campaign and has been at the forefront of this very important issue for decades.

This is an important conversation to have. Why? So that we can all understand the impact that corporations, manufacturers and politicians have over the many products that we use in our hair and on our skin everyday.

Let's listen in so we can begin to stand up together. Please share this episode with someone you love...because with steadily declining fertility rates, our grandchildren depend on it!

TIMESTAMP

02:47 - Intro

04:03 - Bioaccumulation of lead - we’re getting it from many things

07:26 - How can companies do better

10:22 - Big business - what can we do about the compounding problems?

17:09 - Beauty influencers aren’t our parents anymore - how can we educate the current beauty industry

27:20 - Does better cost more, and why? Healthy should be available to everyone

30:34 - Most expensive doesn’t mean better/cleaner

33:07 - Why it’s so hard for industry to change

34:30 - Health and fertility outcomes - connecting the dots

39:48 - What are health outcomes going to look like in 20 years

50:09 - Passing the baton, will a change in political systems work?

53:45 - Bringing the darkness into the light!

In this episode I'm talking with Gus from Naked Acres. She and her wife Margo, own and operate Naked Acres Farm in Beavercreek, OR. With their combined veterinary and science backgrounds, it's no wonder they are finding a successful groove in the local community.

What's great about this conversation is, the quality of the food we buy is reflective of the health of the soil it's grown in...even the grasses and hay that Gus' animals eat!

You'll hear some "farm noises" because this was an "on farm" interview in Gus' high tunnel greenhouse! And if you're into building soil, make sure to listen in because Gus shares some real "gems" and insight into the science of soil and soil nutrients!

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Chow.