The use of technology to solve challenges in organic agriculture is increasing. Jessica Shade, Director of Science Programs at The Organic Center, joins us for a conversation about agricultural technology in organic farming and the upcoming Hack@Organic event. 

In this episode, hear about: 

- Challenges that sustainable and organic farmers often face when growing crops 

- How Hack@Organic will provide a space to collaborate on solutions using technology 

- Updates on research being done at The Organic Center 

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

Learn more about the Hack@Organic event: https://www.organic-center.org/hackorganic 

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.

The Sustainable Living Project (SLP) is an urban farm and education center located in Tampa, Florida. Georgea Snyder, Director of SLP, speaks about her experience and how current programs at the farm are helping educate the community.  

In this episode, hear about: 

- Educational opportunities that the Sustainable Living Project offers 

- Implementing “learning by doing” strategies to generate better understanding of the food system 

- Strengths and challenges of urban farming systems 

- Suggestions for creating similar community garden projects 

Learn more about the Sustainable Living Project on their website: https://www.slptampa.com 

Learn more about the Coalition of Community Gardens on their website: https://coalitionofcommunitygardens.weebly.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.

Aaron and Derek, Founders and Owners of Handsome Harvest Farm, discuss their experience starting a farm and share thoughts on how to become more knowledgeable in organic and sustainable farming practices. 

In this episode, hear about: 

- How Derek and Aaron got into sustainable agriculture 

- Ways to get started and develop experience in organic farming 

- Considerations when scaling up from a home garden to a for-profit farm 

- Thoughts on managing farm operations and systems on the farm 

Learn more about Handsome Harvest Farm on their website: http://handsomeharvest.com/ 

Learn more about Red Hills Small Farm Alliance on their website:  https://www.redhillsfarmalliance.com/ 

Learn more about WWOOF USA on their website: https://wwoofusa.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.

Fresh Take welcomes Wendy Wesley, Registered Dietician and Nutritionist, for a conversation about how to be healthier with food in the New Year. 

In this episode, Wendy shares with us:  

- Reprioritizing time for healthier “shopping, chopping and eating” 

- Foods we should add to our diets 

- What to look for when shopping for groceries 

- The importance of connecting with our food and food system 

Learn more about Wendy Wesley on her website:  https://wendywesleynutrition.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.

The holidays are here! This season, more consumers are looking for sustainable, organic and local gifts. Jillian Childs, Founder of Florida Farm Finder, and Juan Carlos Rodriguez give us some ideas on how to find and support local growers and businesses through gift-giving this holiday season. 

In this episode, hear about: 

- How Florida Farm Finder is connecting farmers and local businesses with consumers 

- Sustainable gift ideas you may not have thought of  

- Resources for finding and supporting food-related businesses 

Learn more about Florida Farm Finder on their website: https://www.FloridaFarmFinder.com and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FLFarmFinder/ 

Join Florida Farm Finder’s Facebook Groups:
Kind of A Big Dill Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/floridafarmfinder/ and Brand Builder Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/389257258778481/ 

Learn more about the Florida Farmers Market Association: 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.

Quality Certification Services (QCS) is the certification program of Florida Organic Growers (FOG), which began certifying organic growers in 1989 and received its USDA accreditation in 2001. QCS has grown to provide a variety of quality certification and verification options that can help companies market their products as certified organic, promote sustainability as well as enhance global market access from seed to shelf through partnerships, innovations and technology to clients in 39 states and 12 countries. 

In this episode, hear about: 

- How QCS got started and how it has evolved 

- The types of certifications and services QCS offers   

- Resources for farmers interested in becoming certified and consumers looking to support organic growers and producers 

-  What’s in store going forward 

Learn more about QCS: https://qcsinfo.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.

The Florida Farmers’ Market Association (FFMA) was established in 2019 with the mission to connect the vast array of farmers markets in Florida into one membership-driven network and provide training and resources for vendors, market managers, and consumers. Since then, FFMA has grown its membership and offerings. 

In this episode, hear about: 

- The history of FFMA and its origins 

- FFMA’s Florida Farmers’ Market Toolkit   

- Membership benefits and how to join 

- Upcoming projects in 2022 

Learn more about FFMA: 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.

Florida Certified Organic Growers and Consumers Inc. (FOG) was established in 1987 with the mission to support and promote organic, regenerative, and sustainable agriculture. Since then, FOG’s staff and programs have grown greatly.  

In this episode, hear from FOG staff members Dr. Juan Carlos Rodriguez, Andi Emrich and Kyndra Love, as they discuss the history of FOG and some of its past, present and future projects. 

Learn about: 

- Education and outreach initiatives advancing knowledge and resources about organic and sustainable agriculture 

- Quality Certification Services (QCS), FOG’s certification branch 

- The Florida Farmers’ Market Association (FFMA) 

- Upcoming projects in 2022 

Learn more about FOG on our website: https://foginfo.org 

Learn more about QCS: https://qcsinfo.org 

Learn more about FFMA: 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.

Grow Next Door launched in April 2020 with a mission to create opportunities of access to farming and to support creating a sustainable planet through intentional agriculture. The Grow Next Door platform helps South Florida residents connect directly with local farmers to buy organic and sustainably grown produce. Jonathan Cox, Founder and CEO, talks with us about his journey and how the platform has expanded over the last year. 

Tune in to hear about: 

- How Grow Next Door got started  

- Adapting agricultural practices long-term to fit urban settings  

- Grow Next Door’s process for leveraging its network to connect 

- Next steps forward for Grow Next Door 

Learn more about Grow Next Door on their website: www.grownextdoor.com 

Listen to more episodes on urban farming on our website: https://foginfo.org/freshtake.php 

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.

Florida is historically and still currently an agricultural state. However, with rapid urbanization, the food systems landscape is changing. Currently, 44 of the 67 counties are classified as “urban” by the USDA, and over 87 percent of residents now live in urban areas. 

In this episode, learn about: 

- How urban agriculture is defined 

- What urban farming looks like in Florida 

- Barriers and opportunities for urban farms 

- And get a sneak peek of findings from Dr. Campbell’s research on “The Future of Urban Farming in Florida” 

Follow Dr. Campbell on Twitter at @FLFoodSystems for updates on research on urban farming in Florida. 

Listen to more episodes on urban farming on our website: https://foginfo.org/freshtake.php 

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.