Surviving Hard Times

Joining us today to discuss sustainable agriculture and food systems is Andy Smith. Andy is the Farm Manager at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), where he works in collaboration with the Department of Sustainable Agriculture’s teaching faculty.

Andy and his colleagues are putting forth an effort to expand and enhance KPU’s 20-acre urban teaching and research farm – which includes acquiring organic certification for the farm. By allowing students to interact with hands-on agricultural methods, Andy is cultivating the next generation of sustainable farmers…

Join the conversation now to learn about:

• Challenges that farmers are facing in today’s age.
• The importance of providing students with hands-on farming experience.
• What peat moss is, where it grows, and how it affects seedling growth.

What does it take to grow plants efficiently and sustainably? Andy answers this question and others like it in this informative discussion on agriculture!

Want to find out more about Andy and his work with KPU? Click here now!

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

Enjoy wine with dinner? Many of us do! But few consider the challenges and delicate process behind producing wine grapes and other fruit crops.

Press play to learn from the experts and explore:

• The number one limiting factor in growing fruit crops
• Whether it’s better to grow grapes in greenhouses or nature (and why)
• How long it takes to grow wine grapes
• Strategies for reducing the risk of a dangerous, widespread infectious plant disease
• How one year’s perennial crop production impacts the following year’s
• The tradeoff between crop volume and crop quality

Jim Kamas is an assistant professor and extension fruit specialist in the AgriLife Extension Viticulture & Fruit Lab at Texas A&M; Jacy Lewis is the program manager at the same lab. Learn more about their work by visiting https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vitwine/.

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

Dr. Andre Luiz Biscaia Ribeiro da Silva joins the podcast today to discuss topics surrounding vegetable crops and organic agricultural systems. Dr. da Silva is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Horticulture at Auburn University, where he runs an extension program and conducts extensive horticultural research.

With an interest in addressing the needs of commercial agriculture in the southeastern U.S., Dr. da Silva “conducts on-farm trials, field days, county meetings, educational videos, web-based resource tools, and publishes extension bulletins” to fulfill his scientific vision.

In this episode, we explore:

• The importance of being aware of environmental conditions when farming vegetables.
• The nuances in irrigation systems across different climates.
• How to really water plants.
• What cover crops are, and when they should be planted.

Dr. da Silva has a clear goal for his extension program: to provide science-based information to members of the vegetable farming industry in order to encourage the sustainable intensification of vegetable production. Want to know how he accomplishes this? Join the conversation now to find out!

Click here to learn more about Dr. da Silva and his work, and email him with any questions at [email protected]!

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

In this episode, we connect with Kareen Erbe, the Founder of Broken Ground Permaculture. Kareen is a gardening expert that has helped thousands of individuals turn their spaces into delicious and sustainable edible landscapes.

As a permaculture educator, homesteader, food farmer, garden designer, and soil-builder, Kareen is committed to helping people cultivate their own food so that they can live sustainable and fulfilling lives…

Tune in now uncover:

• Fresh ideas on how to efficiently use indoor and outdoor spaces for gardening.
• Soil-building strategies that have proven results.
• How the climate influences the types of crops you can grow.

With the uncertainty that the future holds, having the resources you need to keep you and your loved ones safe is crucial – and gardening is a great place to start.

Get the lifestyle advice you’ve been looking for by engaging in this educative conversation!

To get gardening tips from Kareen for yourself, make sure you visit brokengroundpermaculture.com now!

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

Most people find growing mushrooms much harder than other food crops, but Jordan Jent discovered that they were one of the only crops he could grow successfully.

Starting from scratch, he learned everything he could about the science and techniques of mushroom growing. Through a lot of trial and error, he’s mastered the craft and now produces 700 to 800 pounds weekly, supplying 30+ restaurants.

Tune in to explore:

• The basic steps to grow mushrooms from start to finish
• Tips for preventing bacteria and mold from forming on mushroom crops
• Why mushrooms are more closely related to humans than plants
• How long it takes to grow different types of mushrooms
• How quickly mushrooms need to be picked from the substrate (and why)
• The shelf life of different mushrooms and how to ensure freshness
• How Jent’s background in the restaurant industry helped him build a successful full-time operation as a mushroom farmer
• Why chefs benefit from working with a local mushroom grower as opposed to a wholesale food distributor

Press play and learn more about Jent’s company, Texas Fungus, at https://texasfungus.com/.

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

Dr. Laura Tiu joins the podcast today to discuss her work as an aquaculture specialist. Dr. Tiu is a Marine Science Extension Agent with the University of Florida Sea Grant where she plays a major role in developing sustainable offshore aquaculture and promoting environmental awareness. 

Dr. Tiu communicates aquaculture research to the public, and is serving as a Marine Science Extension Agent in the panhandle of Florida. Over the years, she has cultivated expertise in environmental education to make important aquatic information accessible to those who need it… 

Click play to learn more about:

• What an extension agent is, and how this role came about.
• The difference between aquaponics and aquaculture.
• The downsides of oyster farming in Florida.
• The importance of monitoring water quality in aquafarming.

Aquaculture is a fascinating way to farm – and ensuring that is done in an environmentally responsible way is critical. Wondering what experts like Dr. Tiu are doing to hold these practices accountable and provide essential data? Join us now to find out!

You can learn more about Dr. Tiu and her work by clicking here!

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

How are fishes and plants grown together in the same environment? How are plants grown without soil? How can both of these horticultural techniques be optimized and made profitable, even in a challenging environment?

For the answers to these questions and more, tune in and explore:

• The main tradeoffs between greenhouses and field-grown crops
• Different hydroponic systems and how to determine the best for different purposes
• Which four vegetables are grown in greenhouses worldwide
• The benefits of decoupled aquaponics (and how it works)

As an associate professor and researcher at Auburn University in Alabama, Daniel Wells’ work revolves primarily around controlled environment agriculture like hydroponics (greenhouses) and aquaponics in the Southeastern U.S., where the hot and humid climate poses unique challenges.

He discusses the ins and outs of his most recent research projects, leading to a discussion about the factors to control for in hydroponic systems, the biggest challenge in aquaponics, ways to develop sustainable and profitable aquaponics technology, why it’s essential to separate certain species in greenhouse operations (e.g., salmon separate from lettuce), the nutritional quality of local crops, and how to get a backyard aquaponics system up and running.

Press play and learn more at https://agriculture.auburn.edu/.

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

In this episode, we are joined by Desmond Layne, an expert in tree fruit horticulture extension. As the Department Head and Professor at Auburn University Horticulture, Desmond is currently fulfilling an administrative position directing research pertaining to sustainable orchard management practices.

Fruit orchards contribute much to our overall food production – but how are farmers ensuring that this can continue to happen? Desmond and his research team play a critical role in uncovering answers to this question and others like it… 

Tune in now to learn more about:

• The advancements being made in fruit harvesting techniques.
• The development of new types of fruit that are resistant to disease.
• How researchers are preventing fruit from getting sunburns.

Join this episode to discover the many components involved in fruit production!

To Learn more about Desmond Layne and his work visit agriculture.auburn.edu now.

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

In this episode, we connect with Sean M. Smukler, the Principal Investigator of the SAL lab, and Associate Professor and Chair of Agriculture and Environment in Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia.

Sean joins the podcast today to educate us on soil health and sustainable agriculture. In an “over farming” age, our soil is being threatened. Sean is committed to ensuring that we are stewards of the natural resources we have access to – so that we can continue to utilize them for generations to come… 

Tune in now to discover:

• What “cover crops” are, and how they can benefit soil health.
• The metrics that are agreed upon when it comes to healthy soil.
• How the nutrients in soil affect plant health and growth.

What will it take to consistently regenerate soil so that agriculture can be done sustainably and efficiently? Join us now to find out!

Want to learn more about Sean and his research? Click here now!

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

Joining us today is Rich Marini, a Professor of Horticulture at Pennsylvania State University. Rich has been studying horticulture for decades, and his current research interests are in tree fruit and berry crop physiology and management practices, as well as data analysis and interpretation.

Horticulture is a fascinating field that tells us so much about plants and their attributes. Rich has put in years of research in order to understand the intricate properties of fruit tree physiology, and more… 

• What rootstock is, and what it can be used for.
• How soil microbiome influences fruit tree health.
• The lab experiments on fruit trees that Rich has done at Penn State. 
• The difference between maturity and ripeness.

Fruit trees are more complex than meets the eye, and Rich is here to shed light on the many interesting characteristics that his research has revealed… 

You can find out more about Rich by clicking here!

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