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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/

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Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

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

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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™.  

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Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

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

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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 

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Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

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

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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

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Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

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

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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.  

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Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

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

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Gardening in summer can be a challenge, especially with the Florida heat. But if you have plan, growing a summer garden is possible. 

In this episode, our guest speaker Dr. Rodriguez discusses: 

- starting a garden in summer, 

- what to grow in your garden, 

- purchasing seeds and seedlings,  

- and methods for growing in different areas. 

When creating a plan for your garden, start by deciding what types of crops you want to grow.  UF/IFAS extension offices and agents provide great resources that help gardeners understand which plants grow well in each zone. Preparing your soil and understanding what kinds of soil to use in your raised beds or potted garden is also key.  

Some examples of the crops that grow well across the state in summer are beans, eggplant, okra, peppers, sweet potatoes, and watermelon. However, summer is also a great time to take a break from growing to prepare the soil for fall planting. 

With the summer heat, growing indoors is another option. Plants like herbs and tomatoes are a good choice. However, gardeners must keep in mind that plenty of light for many of these plants will be necessary. Consider growing plants that don’t require pollinators or learn about how to self-pollinate and the necessary requirements.  

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

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

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In this episode, we have a conversation with Dr. Tatiana Sanchez about strategies for keeping organic gardens healthy. 

Dr. Sanchez gives tips on:

- understanding and maintaining soil health,

- strategies for preventing disease,

- managing pests in your soil, 

- and how to correctly manage plant nutrients in your garden.

When starting your garden, it’s important to begin with a soil test. Once you know what is in your soil, you will be able to amend the soil so it is richer and healthier. This will also help you select plants that will grow well in your soil. 

For preventing disease in your garden, it’s best to start “clean.” Make sure that the soil, seeds and plants you are planning to add to your garden are healthy and free of disease or infestation. Growing diverse types of crops can also help prevent diseases by lessening the ability for spread and encouraging different ecological shelters for beneficial microorganisms and insects. 

Understanding your habitat and creating an appropriate nutrient management plan is another important component to keeping your garden healthy. 

For more resources or questions, visit the UF/IFAS Master Gardener Program website.

You can also submit photos from your garden to UF/IFAS Extension’s Distance Diagnostic and Identification System (DDIS) to receive assistance with diagnosis of diseases and plant management.

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

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

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Since COVID-19, farms across the nation have had to adapt to new and unpredictable circumstances. In Florida alone, more than $500 million dollars in crop losses were reported due to the pandemic. 

In this episode, our guest speaker Logan Petrey discusses: 

- how COVID-19 has affected her farm, 

- steps that have been taken to increase food safety on the farm,  

- and general food safety tips going forward. 

Although the supply chain was most greatly affected at the beginning of the pandemic, Ms. Petrey says that effects are still being felt today.  

COVID-19 caused a large shift in consumer behavior. The food service industry, which included restaurants and schools, took a big hit. However, there was an increased demand for product in other areas such as food pantries. Some products both in large- and small-scale farms saw record-breaking prices, yet the rise of cost in production because of added expense to safety for laborers offset profits.  

According to the CDC, COVID-19 is not a food-borne illness – it is a respiratory illness—and no evidence of food or food packing being associated with transmission of COVID-19 has been found. It does, however, affect farm workers so keeping workers healthy is a large concern. 

For Ms. Petrey’s farm, increased health testing as well as spacing in production facilities, shipping departments and worker housing were some of the procedures taken to protect workers.  

As for how to improve food safety on farms, Ms. Petrey recommends: 

- delegating a food safety point person on your farm, 

- creating simple standard operating procedures for any task on the farm that could compromise food safety, 

- educating and training all contracted employees, which may require language translation, 

- and attending trainings at universities to learn more about food safety. 

Learn more about Ms. Petrey’s farm (Grimmway Farms) by visiting their website. Find more information on the CDC website for recommendations on food safety during COVID-19. 

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

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

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We welcome Dr. Katie Sieving who is an expert in avian ecology and behavior and holds a PhD in Ecology, Ethology, & Evolution. 

 In this episode, Dr. Sieving discusses: 

• how to identify birds, 
• methods that can attract birds to your garden, 
• why birds are important for gardens, 
• and how to deter birds from feeding on crops.  

Depending on where you live, you will encounter different birds in your garden. To become better at identifying them, find a safe spot to visit on a repeated basis, so you can observe birds, take notes on their behaviors and other characteristics. Over time, you’ll learn about how they react to their environments, what’s important to them, what they’re afraid of and what they love to eat.  

To attract birds to your garden, it’s important to have cover to shade smaller birds from larger predators and to have diversity in your plants to satisfy the different functions the birds are looking for. 

Among the many benefits of having birds in your garden, pest management is one of the best, since they feed on many harmful crop pests. Another important role birds have is that they serve as indicators of a healthy environment. Organic producers know that the presence of birds means that there is biodiversity on the farm. This is because biodiversity is not as noticeable on farms where there has been high pesticide use. 

Although having birds in your garden can be beneficial, for people who grow certain fruits and vegetables, they can be a nuisance. Dr. Sieving explains some of the strategies for deterring birds from foraging such as using sounds or netting. 

For more information on Dr. Sieving, visit her website on UF/IFAS. Learn more about her research on using sunflowers to attract birds and research on farmers’ opinions about bird conservation and pest management on organic and conventional north Florida farms. 

To learn more about identifying birds, check out UF/IFAS bird and farm research leaflets or visit the Alachua Audubon Society website. 

Other great resources include the Audubon Birds App, National Audubon Society Field Guides and the eBook “What the Robin Knows” by Job Young.  

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

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

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Gardening provides several health benefits. Among them, our guest speaker explains how designing and nurturing your garden can contribute to your self-care. 

Ms. Marewski first became interested in sacred gardens through active meditation, which is a style of meditation that advocates movement followed by silence.  

She explains that what we are doing physically transcends to what we are doing mentally, and that active meditation translates to the garden in a way of being totally present. “That dialogue is about the dialogue with the plants and what’s at hand. What does my garden need? What are the plants saying?” 

Ms. Marewski explains her process for gardening and the meditation process that goes with each step of the nurturing process. Emphasizing that it’s not just feeding our bodies with good organic food but also about nurturing our soul.  

There are many types of gardens that bring joy. Gardens can be created using raised beds or tucked into landscaping and various types of plants can be grown. What is most important is to focus on what resonates most for you—whether that be an edible garden, a medicinal garden, or a pollinator garden with lots of colorful annual and perennial flowers.  

As flowers are the highest expression of a plant's energy, Ms. Marewski encourages letting plants go to flower and consuming edible flowers in your diet.  

She also explains some of the unique uses for edible flowers: 

• Begonia encourages letting go 
• Borage brings courage and optimism  
• Nasturtium brings balance from excess mental activity which is good for insomnia 
• Sunnhemp is the energy of the sun so it brightens our day  

For those who have issues with insomnia and sleep, she recommends Passionflower and St. Johns Wart which are both calming.  

When starting your garden, she also notes the importance of using Organic soil, and explains the differences between Organic, Hybrid and GMO seeds.  

Follow Gabriele’s adventures at StorySkyrts.com and learn more about Paradise Farms Organic, a showcase 5-acre certified organic farm specializing in micro-greens, baby greens, over 52 varieties of edible flowers, mushrooms, tropical fruits and vegetables located in Miami. 

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

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