Zion Farms & Market started in 2016 on a 20-acre farm in Apopka, Florida, with a mission to establish urban farms throughout Central Florida and be an affordable source of organic produce and education to the community at large. Registered as a 501(c)(3) organization, through collaboration with other urban farmers in the Central Florida area the alliance was able to break ground on Infinite Zion Farms in the Parramore neighborhood in 2019.

In this episode, hear about: 

- Infinite Zion Farms’ approach to supporting the local community and food system 

- Success stories from the farm 

- How the farm has overcome unique challenges  

- Recommendations and resources for farmers and consumers 

Learn more about Infinite Zion farms on their website: https://www.infinitezionfarms.org 

*Photo Credit: Special thank you to Infinite Zion Farms for allowing us to use a photo of their farm! 

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Programs like Fresh Take and this podcast are made possible by partners who believe in organic agriculture, community wellness, and lasting food systems change. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue providing farmer education, trusted resources, and impactful conversations that move our work forward.

By becoming a sponsor, you’re investing in meaningful, measurable impact—and helping ensure these programs remain accessible and sustainable.

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

Interest in local food systems has been steadily increasing as shown by the growing supply of and demand for local foods. Some evidence of this growth includes the number of farmers’ markets that have nearly tripled, and the initiation of thousands of farm-to-school programs across the U.S. Additionally, local foods have often topped consumer and food professional surveys of food trends. 

How do we define these local systems? How can we help to sustain them? In this episode, David Outerbridge, UF/IFAS Lee County Sustainable Food Systems Agent talks to us to answer these questions. 

Find out about: 

- How terms like “local” and “sustainable” food systems are often defined 

- Challenges to the local food movement 

- Solutions to local food systems challenges 

Learn more about food systems on the UF/IFAS Food Systems Institute website: https://foodsystems.ifas.ufl.edu 

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Programs like Fresh Take and this podcast are made possible by partners who believe in organic agriculture, community wellness, and lasting food systems change. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue providing farmer education, trusted resources, and impactful conversations that move our work forward.

By becoming a sponsor, you’re investing in meaningful, measurable impact—and helping ensure these programs remain accessible and sustainable.

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

On this episode, hear about two unique farms in South Florida that are providing support for their communities: Empower farms, a certified organic and eco-friendly farm for people of all abilities, and Aloha Redland, a female-led farm blending art and nutrition for a more vibrant local community. 

Learn about: 

- How their CSA programs were started and how they have evolved 

- The impact COVID-19 has had on the farms and their CSA programs 

- Special programs offered at these non-traditional farms 

- Recommendations for farmers and consumers interested in CSAs 

Learn more about Empower Farms on their website: www.empowerfarms.com

Find out more about Aloha Redland on their website: www.aloharedland.com

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Programs like Fresh Take and this podcast are made possible by partners who believe in organic agriculture, community wellness, and lasting food systems change. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue providing farmer education, trusted resources, and impactful conversations that move our work forward.

By becoming a sponsor, you’re investing in meaningful, measurable impact—and helping ensure these programs remain accessible and sustainable.

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

Frog Song Organics, located in Alachua County, started in 2011 with a mission to provide nutritious foods to the local community through sustainable farming. One way they do this is through their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.  

In this episode, hear about: 

- What led Frog Song to start their CSA 

- How their CSA model has evolved over time 

- Tips for farmers who are interested in starting a CSA 

- Recommendations for consumers thinking about joining a CSA 

Learn more about Frog Song Organics on their website: https://frogsongorganics.com  

*Photo Credit: Special thank you to Frog Song Organics for allowing us to use the photo from their farm!

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Programs like Fresh Take and this podcast are made possible by partners who believe in organic agriculture, community wellness, and lasting food systems change. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue providing farmer education, trusted resources, and impactful conversations that move our work forward.

By becoming a sponsor, you’re investing in meaningful, measurable impact—and helping ensure these programs remain accessible and sustainable.

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

Community supported agriculture is one model through which producers and consumers can be more connected. We sat down with Rick Martinez, Founder of Sweetwater Organic Farm, which is thought to be the first CSA in Florida, to talk about his experience with this food systems model. 

In this episode, hear about: 

- The history of the CSA model at Sweetwater Organic Farm 

- Challenges faced while running the CSA 

- Benefits to the community and producers 

- Tips for sustaining CSAs into the future 

Learn more about Sweetwater Organic Farm on their website: www.sweetwater-organic.org 

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Programs like Fresh Take and this podcast are made possible by partners who believe in organic agriculture, community wellness, and lasting food systems change. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue providing farmer education, trusted resources, and impactful conversations that move our work forward.

By becoming a sponsor, you’re investing in meaningful, measurable impact—and helping ensure these programs remain accessible and sustainable.

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

Every day, there are millions of children and adults who do not get the meals they need to thrive. According to Feeding America, Florida is 3rd in the nation with the highest number of people living in food-insecure households—over 2,500,000 people.  

In this episode, Katie Delaney, Fresh Access Bucks (FAB) Co-Manager, and Andi Emrich, Florida Farmers Market Association Coordinator (FFMA), join us to discuss how the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Fresh Access Bucks Programs (FAB) are being used to respond to these needs. 

In this episode, learn about: 

- The history of the SNAP and FAB programs 

- Benefits these programs provide to the food system as a whole 

- Where these programs operate 

- Resources to learn more and get involved 

Learn more about the Fresh Access Bucks program on the Feeding Florida website: www.feedingflorida.org/food-access/fresh-access-bucks  

 For more resources on Farmers Markets., visit the Florida Farmers Market Association's website: https://foginfo.org/ffma/ and online toolkit: https://farmersmarkettoolkit.org/

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Programs like Fresh Take and this podcast are made possible by partners who believe in organic agriculture, community wellness, and lasting food systems change. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue providing farmer education, trusted resources, and impactful conversations that move our work forward.

By becoming a sponsor, you’re investing in meaningful, measurable impact—and helping ensure these programs remain accessible and sustainable.

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

In our 50th episode, hear from Elizabeth Whitlow and Dr. Juan Carlos Rodriguez as they discuss Regenerative Organic Certified™ (ROC™) and how this form of regenerative agriculture may be one solution to the climate crisis. 

Tune in to learn about: 

- Regenerative agriculture’s place in organic and sustainable agriculture systems 

- Ways that regenerative organic agriculture can help mitigate climate change effects 

- Long-term solutions that can come from this movement 

Visit the Regenerative Organic Alliance website at https://regenorganic.org/ to learn more about Regenerative Organic Certified™.  

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Programs like Fresh Take and this podcast are made possible by partners who believe in organic agriculture, community wellness, and lasting food systems change. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue providing farmer education, trusted resources, and impactful conversations that move our work forward.

By becoming a sponsor, you’re investing in meaningful, measurable impact—and helping ensure these programs remain accessible and sustainable.

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

Agriculture has an enormous impact on global ecosystems. As effects from climate change become more visible, it is important to address agriculture’s impact and the potential solutions that come from implementing organic and sustainable production methods. 

In this episode, Dr. Shade and Dr. Rodriguez discuss:  

 - How organic agriculture can mitigate climate change problems 

- Common myths and claims about organic agriculture and climate change from skeptics  

- How investing in research, education and resources can help

 Learn more about The Organic Center on their website: https://www.organic-center.org 

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Programs like Fresh Take and this podcast are made possible by partners who believe in organic agriculture, community wellness, and lasting food systems change. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue providing farmer education, trusted resources, and impactful conversations that move our work forward.

By becoming a sponsor, you’re investing in meaningful, measurable impact—and helping ensure these programs remain accessible and sustainable.

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

There is a lot of misinformation surrounding climate change. In this episode, Mary-Elizabeth Estrada and Dr. Ram Balasubramanian discuss three climate myths:  

Myth 1 - Beef consumption is bad for climate change.  

Meat and dairy specifically account for around 14.5% of global greenhouse emissions. By using sustainable practices when producing meat and dairy products, greenhouse emissions can be reduced. 

Myth 2 - Aquatic ecosystems can easily adapt to climate change. 

Increasing ocean acidification, sea level rise and the increase of red tide are alarming as they can directly harm Florida’s marine ecosystems, fisheries, and tourism. It is important to find and implement strategies to help protect these systems for environmental, human, and economic health. 

Myth 3 - Everyone switching to alternative energies will solve climate change problems. 

The manufacturing of alternative energy products must be sustainable to have the greatest impact. However, they are not a silver bullet solution to mitigating climate change problems.

Learn more about The CLEO Institute on their website: https://cleoinstitute.org

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Programs like Fresh Take and this podcast are made possible by partners who believe in organic agriculture, community wellness, and lasting food systems change. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue providing farmer education, trusted resources, and impactful conversations that move our work forward.

By becoming a sponsor, you’re investing in meaningful, measurable impact—and helping ensure these programs remain accessible and sustainable.

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

There are a lot of myths surrounding food safety. In this episode, our guest speaker Dr. Schneider breaks down the truth about these often-heard food safety suggestions: 

-  Always wash your fruits and vegetables, even when pre-washed.

- Wash raw chicken before cooking. 

- Freezing food kills harmful bacteria. 

- It’s okay to thaw meat on the counter. 

- Check if your meat is done with a thermometer. 

- You don’t need to deep clean a grill every time it is used. 

Listen in for some helpful tips for keeping food safe over the summer and especially in preparation for holidays, parties and get togethers.  

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Programs like Fresh Take and this podcast are made possible by partners who believe in organic agriculture, community wellness, and lasting food systems change. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue providing farmer education, trusted resources, and impactful conversations that move our work forward.

By becoming a sponsor, you’re investing in meaningful, measurable impact—and helping ensure these programs remain accessible and sustainable.

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.