Surviving Hard Times

If you had the opportunity to innovate your farm, would you take it? The challenges that come with 21st-century agriculture are very unique, and inventive minds like Jonathan Dysinger are committed to innovating this process for both small and large farmers alike… 

Jonathan is the Owner and CEO of Farmers Friend, a company that develops tools and supplies to make small farms more efficient and profitable. With years of experience in the industry, he is intent on changing the world through regenerative agriculture. How? By equipping, educating, and inspiring fellow growers…

Click play now to uncover:

• The importance of being agriculturally creative.
• The benefits of working with high tunnel gardening structures.
• The biggest problems that farmers can face.
• Tips for getting your own garden going. 

You can learn more about Jonathan and his work with Farmers Friend by visiting www.farmersfriend.com! 

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

Where you live affects the quality of your food and water. A big reason for this has to do with watershed hydrology – the way water moves across agricultural landscapes.

Matthew Helmers’ work revolves around this topic, and he shares his knowledge today.

Tune in to explore:

• What tile drainage is, and how it improves crop health and production
• Why slowing water movement across the land is critical for crops and can decrease pollution in streams and rivers
• Drainage water recycling – how it works, where it should be used, and the significant benefits
• Sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorus – why too much in runoff water is a bad thing and how to lower the levels

Helmers is the Director of the Iowa Nutrient Research Center at Iowa State University of Science and Technology. Learn more about his work at Iowa Nutrient Research Center (iastate.edu) and visit Iowa Learning Farms for weekly webinars and info by more experts.

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

Nitrogen fertilizers are widely used in crop production around the world, but how does soil react to this treatment? Expert soil scientist Richard L. Mulvaney joins the podcast today to discuss his research looking into this question, and others like it…

As a Professor of Soil Fertility at the University of Illinois, Richard is deeply involved in Illinois’s agricultural field. With three degrees in soil science, he has focused his investigations on the fate and behavior of soil and fertilizer nitrogen – specifically seeking to increase profits while also reducing the negative environmental impacts of excessive nitrogen inputs. 

In this episode, we explore:

• What makes nitrogen useful for crop growth and plant nutrition. 
• The most common nitrogen fertilizer, and which crops it benefits most. 
• Why over-fertilization is detrimental to soil health. 
• Where corn crops derive the majority of their nitrogen from.

Do the benefits of nitrogen fertilizer outweigh the negative effects on soil health? Join the conversation now to find out!

To connect with Richard’s work for yourself, click here now!

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

Could aquaponics sustainably feed and fund the world? Josh Imhoff, the founder and director of Emerge Aquaponics is on a mission to find out. As someone who grew up traveling around the world, Josh was exposed to the immense “need” that many people have – and he has made it his goal to alleviate this.

Determined to help feed and fund people, Josh decided that aquaponics may be the answer that he and many other individuals have been looking for. With this at the forefront of his mind, he started building and designing aquaponics systems 12 years ago with Emerge in order to provide people in need with food and income… 

Tune in now to discover:

• How Emerge is developing systems to improve how food is grown.
• How temperature affects the fish species used in aquaponics.
• The importance of keeping the correct ratio of plants to fish in the system.
• How aquaponics can provide income for communities in need.

Want to learn more about Josh and his important work with Emerge? Click here now!

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

Today, we discuss all things sustainable agriculture with Joshua Earl Arnold. Joshua is a Professor of Sustainable Agriculture at Warren Wilson College where he educates his students on subjects such as entomology, agriculture, agroecology, and soil science. As someone that considers himself a “science, practice, and movement” agroecologist, Joshua is here to offer his unique perspective on urban agriculture as a whole.

Joshua discovered his fascination with food systems during his undergraduate studies at UC Berkeley – specifically the sociology of how people interact with these systems. This interest ultimately led him to study insects and their role in agricultural ecosystems…

In this episode, you will learn about:

• The challenges that urban farmers face.
• How the cost of water and insects can interfere with farming practices.
• How urban farmers can work together to create “an economy of scale”.
• Why soil-less systems may be a viable solution to urban farming issues.

Want to learn more about Joshua and his outlook on sustainable agriculture? Click here now!

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

In this episode, we sit down with horticulturist Dr. Eric Thomas Stafne to discuss fruit and nut crop production. As an Extension and Research Professor at Mississippi State University and the Coastal Research and Extension Center, Dr. Stafne is both an educator and researcher focused on understanding and optimizing crops such as blueberries, blackberries, grapes, and muscadines.

Dr. Stafne’s professional background began in urban forestry, which blossomed into a fascination with horticulture – specifically fruit crops. With over 17 years of experience in this field, his knowledge surrounding fruit and nut crops has led him to some fascinating discoveries… 

Join the conversation now to hear Dr. Stafne talk about:

• The fruit crops that he specifically deals with.
• The easiest fruit crop one can grow, and why.
• How climate conditions affect fruit and nut growth.

You can find out more about Dr. Stafne and his work by clicking here!

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

As fires continue to scorch the Western U.S., it can be hard to imagine a way to tame such extreme events. Wildfires have always been a natural environmental occurrence. Still, scientists are exploring management practices that may be able to mitigate these repercussions – while simultaneously helping the forests tolerate fire in general… 

Dr. Brandon M. Collins joins the podcast to discuss his work in fire dynamics and forest management. Brandon is an adjunct professor at UC Berkeley and the lead scientist at Berkeley Forests, where he is confronted with the daunting task of reducing increased susceptibility to wildfire and drought. He aims to do all this while also minimizing impacts on other forest ecological components. 

Join the conversation now to explore:

• The importance of managing forests so that they can withstand fires. 
• The benefits of fire and to what extent it should be controlled. 
• The importance of connecting analysis to real-life engagement.
• The two methods to help forests maintain a healthy tree density. 

You can find out more about Dr. Collins by clicking here now!

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

“All life begins in the soil, and it translates all the way to human life and human health,” said the soil agronomist whose nutrition advice helped Blaine Hitzfield’s mother find life-changing relief from crippling arthritis.

Farmers have a significant role to play in the health of society, and as the CEO of distributions at Seven Sons Farms (and one of the seven sons!), Hitzfield understands this well. He’s come to appreciate the value of healthy soil in growing healthy food, which has become his mission.

Tune in to explore:

• What’s produced by and offered at Seven Sons Farms
• What CAFO is and how it works
• How rotational and adaptive grazing reflect ecological principles
• Why feedlot animals have been bred to have small rumen capacity
• Challenges and lessons learned at Seven Sons Farms over the years

Interested in learning more?

Press play to hear the entire conversation, and check out Pasture-raised Meats & Organic Groceries - Seven Sons Farms for more info.

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

What does it take to successfully manage a large-scale dining operation? Glenn Loughridge joins us today to discuss how he accomplishes just that as Auburn University's Director of Campus Dining and Athletics Concessions. Since 2012, Glenn has been responsible for delivering local, fresh food to the campus community in a creative and collaborative manner. 

As a graduate of Auburn University himself, Glenn has a long history with creative food management practices. Now, he is on a mission to provide the most sustainable, nutritious, and enjoyable dining experiences possible for the students, faculty, and staff of his beloved alma mater… 

In this episode, we dive into:

• How to successfully facilitate a deep sea crabbing operation.
• Glenn’s work as an advocate between the university and its food service providers. 
• How students’ tastes can evolve as they grow older. 
• The importance of highlighting the nutritional value of sustainably-sourced food. 

To find out more about Glenn and his work, click here now!

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

Did you know that North America is a center of plant diversity?

Not many people do, but Dario Chavez has traveled all over the U.S. collecting and studying wild plant species, and learning about the relationships that exist between them.

His primary focus is on peach research and orchard management, including tree health and longevity, plant breeding and genetics, and more.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The importance of “chill” in the growth of peach trees and the production of peaches
• How climate variation can be mitigated to allow for consistent peach production
• The two main components of peach tree health and production
• How peach production changes from year to year

Chavez is an associate professor in the Department of Horticulture at the University of Georgia. Press play to hear the ins and outs of his work and the latest research.

Interested in learning more? Tune in and check out Chavez Lab (uga.edu).

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q