Grounded by the Farm

The joy of discovery paired with the growing interest in where our food comes from makes food and farming a perfect way to enjoy learning. That's the mindset we are trying to create with the new farm and food curriculum. These educational materials accompany some of our podcast episodes to share farmers stories. And thanks to working with an amazing teacher / educator (Whitney Choate), we think we have achieved something truly unique.

This Grounded by the Farm curriculum has a great fit for teachers, parents, troop leaders and others who spend time trying to unlock the magic of science, the utility of math, the comprehension of our language…. even ideas for entrepreneurship! It's really limitless how many things the world of farming and food open up.

For more info:

• A detailed blog post is available at https://groundedbythefarm.com/food-farm-lesson-plans/
• The materials are available on Teachers Pay Teachers https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Dashboard#:~:text=Share-,Follow,-Link and Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/GroundedbytheFarm
• A transcript of this episode is available at http://groundedbythefarm.com/talking-about-curriculum-that-pairs-food-farm-with-core-standards-with-whitney-choate-episode-301-podcast-transcript-grounded-by-the-farm

We didn't realize when I interviewed Paula Hynes that we were about to get so busy on a project it means all hands on deck! We have been working on a curriculum to bring these farm-to-table discussions to teachers, parents and students. There's a lot to get done and we hope subscribers understand the temporary shift on our end.

Maybe you can use this time to catch up on episodes you may have missed! What's a favorite food? Start here. https://groundedbythefarm.com/favorite-foods/

There may not be many places in the world with more differences than the beautiful green rolling hills of Ireland and the drought-ridden savannas of Kenya. Paula Hynes had the chance to leave Ireland for time with the Maasai people. It offered a whole new perspective on farming, but also on life more broadly. In 2017 that Paula was fortunate enough to spend time with members of the Maasai people thanks to a TV production company who were planning to film a three-part documentary series called "The Hardest Harvest." And the crew definitely wanted women to participate. Paula remains in regular contact with the Maasai people she met and shares some of the lessons she learned with us in this episode. See videos, etc https://groundedbythefarm.com/new-perspective-on-farming-life/ transcript (AI generated) https://groundedbythefarm.com/irish-dairy-farmer-kenya-transcript/

If you have ever open the gold wrapped on Kerrygold Irish Butter, you may have noticed that it looks different from some of the other butters you buy. What is it that makes it different? And who are the farmers connected to it? That's part of our conversation in this episode as we talk to dairy farmer Peter Hynes of Ireland's County Cork.

Peter & his wife Paula have 150 cows they graze and milk year-round. And they are part of the coop that produces Kerrygold. We talk with him about the distinctive look and color of the product, his family's approach to farming and the cows they work with -- primarily pedigreed holsteins and pedigreed jersey cows. They also welcomed the two most-recent additions: two Fleckvieh heifers (they're amazing and you fan find out why).

When it comes down to it, Peter is looking to focus on fertility, longevity and helping to raise the most-efficient cow possible during their lifespan and production years.

Be sure to check out the many links to the family's farm, in his social media streams and be sure to check out his videos! They'll provide you with the same satisfaction that his Holsteins, Jerseys and Fleckviehs offer us as consumers!

photos and videos available to accompany the post at Irish Butter.... Have you tried it? Wondered who has the dairy cows?

Although rice is probably the biggest constant in Filipino food, there are a variety of foods that many Americans may not be familiar with. And Albert Santos has worked in several areas of The Phillipines studying agriculture and working with plants and people across the way. And he has made sure that I got lots of opportunities to enjoy Filipino food & farms.

Albert is originally from the Philippines but has lived in the US for a long time, though he stays in touch with friends in agriculture there. And he's brought a lot of Filipino cuisine with him -- he even grows a vegetable called bitter gourd (or ampalaya) in his backyard!

Photos & more at https://groundedbythefarm.com/growing-bitter-gourd-filipino-foods

Detailed transcript at https://groundedbythefarm.com/talking-about-bittergourd-other-filipino-foods-with-albert-santos-episode-210-podcast-transcript-grounded-by-the-farm/

For most people, canola oil is something you buy as an oil or a spray to cook with, but it is a striking vision with beautiful blooms that are numerous and totally light up the prairies mid-season. And it is incredibly Canadian because plant breeders in the country worked to improve the health profile and taste!

Canola farmer Lesley Rae Kelly joins us to talk about how this plant, that is part of the same family of vegetables as broccoli, kale, and all those others! We also talk about farming with family, choosing a different path and knowing when stress and other factors are taking a toll on your mental health.

Read more and see photos at https://groundedbythefarm.com/canola-canada-lesley-rae-kelly/

In today's world, people talk about plant-based proteins as a dietary preference, or a way to deliver innovation. But when you think about that, how often does your mind turn to growing a plant-based protein in a desert? How often do you think about subsistence farmers, people who struggle to feed their family the most basic foods because weather strikes hard? That's both the challenge and the promise we turn to in our latest episode of Grounded by the Farm.

Recently, we talked about plant breeding and I mentioned we would be talking with another plant breeder -- Dr. Priyanka Gupta -- this summer. Although Priyanka is from India, plant breeding work has led her to work in several countries. She's currently focused on improving a plant called grasspea in Morocco. Ever heard of a grasspea? I hadn't either so no need to feel bad. It's part of the pulse family (like the lentils and purple hull peas we discussed with farmers in season 1). And it has the highest percentage of protein content!

Access detailed show notes https://groundedbythefarm.com/growing-plant-based-protein/

For a detailed transcript of this episode, see Talking about Grass Pea with Dr. Priyanka Gupta

Have you got a favorite plant breeder or maybe not even sure what plant breeding is about? This episode is for you either way! We talk with Dr. Lee Hickey who has a plant breeding lab at Australia's University of Queensland about some of the cool science that helps advance the seeds farmers plant and the foods on out plates.

I met Lee in the friendly confines of the vast wheat fields just outside Obregón where Norman Borlaug started his Noble Peace Prize winning work to enable developing countries to produce more food for themselves. We were at the CIMMYT (an international plant breeding effort for corn and wheat) with plant breeders from around the world to trade the latest in research tips and to celebrate what would have been Bourlaug's 100th birthday.

Lee's story starts strangely - in the city - in Australia called, Brisbane - a city on the East Coast of Australia just a short ways away from the Great Barrier Reef. Every state in Australia has an interest in agriculture, but in Queensland, where Lee now resides and does his research, it's a tropical to sub-tropical environment. In contrast, the plants that grow in Queensland, are much different than what grows in the Southern states of Australia that have a much cooler climate. While wheat and barley are grown there - mostly because of their drought-hearty properties, a lot of the work that Lee is focusing on is to foster on the speed at which the plants grow and evolve.

Read a full article with accompanying photos & videos at https://groundedbythefarm.com/plant-breeding-science-food/

Get the detailed ai transcript https://groundedbythefarm.com/talking-with-a-plant-breeder-transcript/

Connect with Lee Hickey on Twitter https://twitter.com/DrHikov

The episode includes:

• What is plant breeding?
• Building In-Plant Resistance
• Finding The Right Path in Agriculture
• Cool Technology in Plant Breeding

Fish is a growing part of many diets as a good protein source, and people like Ugandan fish farmer Jean Kaahwa are growing fish for us! He farms tilapia in Africa's Lake Victoria.

In this episode, we talk with Jean about Uganda and the role agriculture plays in the country as well as a wealth of projects he has started as he teaches fellow African farmers how to farm fish.

See video & photos at http://groundedbythefarm.com/ugandan-fish-farmer-producing-fresh-tilapia

Topics in the interview include:

• the Ugandan landscape
• Smallholder farms
• Crops produced for export
• Producing tilapia
• Helping youth engage in farming

Connecting to Jean & Grounded

You can connect with Africa Agri-Business Services via aagribusiness.com and the company's social media too.

Look for Kaahwa Jean on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaahwa-jean-97b40737/

Follow him on Twitter and tell him that Grounded By The Farm sencha'! https://twitter.com/kaahwajean1

You can also find Grounded by the Farm on social media at:

• GroundedbytheFarm.com for photos, blog posts, show notes and more
• Find your favorite Foods https://groundedbythefarm.com/favorite-foods/
• Grounded by the Farm Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/GroundedbytheFarm/
• Groundedbythefarm_ on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/groundedbythefarm_/
• Grounded by the Farm on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1RgGoXaVDcFTZ9EcWJDzfw
• @groundedbythef on Twitter http://twitter.com/groundedbythef

Usually Grounded by the Farm episodes include us interviewing a farmer, talking about the food they produce. And in this second season, we are interviewing farmers in various parts of the world. But this week, we hit several obstacles for interviews and listeners were nice enough to ask the questions. That put our host Janice Person in the interviewee seat! She talks all about visiting farms while traveling in various countries.

Topics covered & questions asked in this episode include:

• Enjoying dried fruit -- There is a tremendous dried fruit business coming out of Turkey. Have you ever been there?
• Tea production -- We enjoy tea very much in the US. Have you been to tea plantations in Japan China or India (whether assam or ceylon which we know as Sri Lanka)? Teas from those regions are very popular.
• Terraced rice -- There's real Beauty in seeing rice grown in tropical areas, have you seen the terraced rice patties in the Philippines or Bali?
• Surprising things you've seen & farming methods -- I was just wondering what is the most surprising farming that you've seen in your travels and whether it be something in the United States or somewhere else that you've been to. You know a lot of the traditional ways of farming that were used before there was a lot of machinery or one of the coolest machines?
• Comparing practices -- In visiting farms, have you been to a farm that produces the same product or produce or whatever as farms you've seen in the US? If so, what was like a major difference that stands out to you? Do you also think that there are there's a lot of sharing of we do it this way versus we do offer that way and that would imagine in certain parts of the world?
• Produce & enjoy their crops -- I'm curious of the places that you've traveled what kind of crops people growing that they then turn around and eat and do you have any recipes?
• Ease of entry to farming -- In the US. It can be kind of hard for young farmers or people who want to get into a culture to get the land and the equipment and and kind of get into farming. Is it easier in other countries? Is there a an easier point of entry and what's that process like off for ew farmers outside of the US?
• Different locations -- Is it that former will run two farms in different locations?
• Ever been to Spain -- One of my favorite drives agricultural area was one late January in Spain. The oranges were still on the tree and the almonds were in bloom. It was amazing. You ever been to that part of the world Janice?

You'll need to listen to the podcast episode to hear all of Janice's thoughts on these questions. However, for those of you who wondered about a bit more of the story, we do have a few photos and links to share.

• Lots of travel talk on Janice's blog JPlovesLIFE, including points on her big trips abroad and completing visits to all 50 states.
• Who's been to a raisin farm? (Hand raised here.)
• A few posts from a trip to The Phillipines. Overview of agnerd highlights, learning about rice, seeing a vegetable field day & eating sweet corn and seeing how public plant breeding works there.
• Meeting a female farmer in Turkey
• Janice also has a site focused on cotton -- HundredPercentCotton.com -- so she gives a few examples from the natural fiber.

Other episodes of Grounded by the Farm we mention:

• Talking rice with Matthew Sligar of RiceFarmingTV
• German pig farmer Marcus has done some exchange trips (the photo below is from a group of American farmers Janice traveled with in Germany visiting farms like this pork operation -- that red coat doesn't exactly blend)