Sustainable Dish Podcast

In this episode, we talk to Jamie Ager of Hickory Nut Gap Farms outside of Asheville, North Carolina, about regenerative farming, connecting with the consumer, and scaling better meat.

In honor of Women’s History Month, our next podcast features Kate Estrade of Local Cooling Farms. In this episode, we discuss modern farming, the improvements on her soil’s and animal’s health as she’s adopted rotational grazing and regenerative agriculture, farming with her husband, and the fulfillment she feels as a 1st generation “Farm-Her.”

If you are interested in farming or starting your own homestead, listen to this episode! It may be just the inspiration you need to take the leap and become involved in your own food production!

Be sure to download this episode and let us know your favorite takeaways on social!

Know of a good resource for female farmers? Let us know by sending a note to [email protected]

In honor of Women’s History Month, our next podcast features Kate Estrade of Local Cooling Farms. In this episode, we discuss modern farming, the improvements on her soil's and animal's health as she's adopted rotational grazing and regenerative agriculture, farming with her husband, and the fulfillment she feels as a 1st generation "Farm-Her."

If you are interested in farming or starting your own homestead, listen to this episode! It may be just the inspiration you need to take the leap and become involved in your own food production!

Be sure to download this episode and let us know your favorite takeaways on social!

Know of a good resource for female farmers? Let us know by sending a note to [email protected]

In honor of Women’s History Month, our next podcast features Audra Mulkern, founder of The Female Farmer Project and forthcoming documentary film project Women’s Work: The Untold Story of America’s Female Farmers. Mulkern also hosts a podcast dedicated to featuring female farmers and providing a way for them to share their stories, struggles, and successes.

The project offers female farmers a platform for sharing their stories while also honoring the critical role that women have played in food production throughout history, which is a story often cast to the wayside. The reasons for the discrepancy between female and male food producers are many, from the antiquated assumption that male children will inherit the farm over female children to a tendency among women to be less outspoken about our achievements.

Although the average farmer in the US is a white male in his late fifties, the 2017 Census of Agriculture noted something unique about female farmers. Today, 29.13% of farms are women-led compared to only 13.6% percent in 2012. The overall number of female farmers has also increased during that period from 31.5% to 36%. This means that there are more than 500,000 women leading farming operations across the country and 250,000 new women farmers since 2012. Now, 56% of farms have at least one woman participating in the operation.

So what role are women playing when it comes to producing food? It’s hard to tell based on data from the Census of Agriculture. The document asks farmers to identify the principal producer of the farm, which is defined as the person who makes the day-to-day management decisions. As Mulkern notes in the podcast, the USDA made changes to the Census form that now allows for four names to be listed for each operation instead of only one.

Just because someone isn’t listed as the principal producer, however, doesn’t mean that he or she isn’t playing a critical role and making necessary contributions to the overall operation. Roughly 78% of female producers who responded to the survey reported that they are involved with making day-to-day decisions.

The area of agriculture where women appear to be making the most impact, however, is the beef industry. According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, beef cattle operations reported the highest number of female principal producers (229,000) and the most non-principal female producers (355,000). There is still progress to be made, however. The data also shows that farms with female principal producers tend to be smaller than average in both acres and value of production.

Through her work, Mulkern has had the opportunity to learn more about the many different women who are drawn to agriculture today. From women taking on multi-generational farming operations to women becoming first-generation farmers, there are countless opportunities throughout the food system for female voices to make a difference. Despite their varying backgrounds, they all face a similar set of challenges: poor access to land and credit, discrimination from private and public institutions, and a lack of childcare. Unfortunately, many women who work in the US agriculture industry are also subject to sexual harassment.

On top of these barriers, women are often treated differently by their male colleagues in agriculture. As eighth-generation Tennessee farmer Lorie Fleenor told

In honor of Women’s History Month, our next podcast features Audra Mulkern, founder of The Female Farmer Project and forthcoming documentary film project Women’s Work: The Untold Story of America’s Female Farmers. Mulkern also hosts a podcast dedicated to featuring female farmers and providing a way for them to share their stories, struggles, and successes.

 

Be sure to give it a listen and let us know your key takeaways!

Our next podcast guest shines a light on black farmers in celebration of black history month. Justin Butts may be young, but he’s already accomplished an impressive resume. He’s served in the armed forces, studied at the Culinary Institute of America, and launched his own soap business, Butts Brothers, sourcing lard from the Kune Kune pigs that he raises. 

 

In his newest gig as livestock coordinator for Soul Fire Farm, Justin is working diligently to help the community learn more about livestock production, eating meat, and the joys of nose-to-tail dining. This work constitutes the culmination of so many skills and interests that he’s touched on throughout his career including juggling multiple projects, a passion for delicious food, and reconnecting people with the food that they eat. He also shares his experiences as a black farmer and offers advice for other people of color who are interested in getting involved in food system work through farming or other avenues.

 

Soul Fire Farm is dedicated to ending racism and injustice in the food system through a variety of outreach efforts including working with youth through a restorative justice program that offers farm-based alternatives to incarceration. From blatant discrimination against people of color by the USDA to the abuse of legal loopholes that stripped millions of acres from black families, Soul Fire Farm is raising awareness about the challenges that farmers of color face and the opportunities that lie ahead.

 

It also maintains a lengthy list of publications regarding Soul Fire Farm’s work.

 

The New York-based operation recently released a new book called Farming While Black that offers the first comprehensive manual for African-heritage people who are “ready to reclaim their rightful place of dignified agency in the food system.” The guide provides a “how-to” for all aspects of small-scale farming interspersed with wisdom and encouragement to inspire more justice in the farming and food system.

 

Please enjoy this episode and check out Justin’s and Soul Fire Farm’s incredible work!

Our next podcast guest shines a light on black farmers in celebration of black history month. Justin Butts not only farms at Soul Fire Farm, but he’s served in the armed forces, studied at the Culinary Institute of America, and launched his own soap business, Butts Brothers, sourcing lard from the Kune Kune pigs that he raises.

The Sustainable Dish Podcast is BACK!

I’ve been hard at work with book and film edits and the podcast has been a bit silent lately.

Until now! In this new episode, I introduce my co-host, Lauren Stine, discuss why I chose to make Sacred Cow, and share my favorite parts of this film-making journey. We have an exciting lineup of future guests, so be sure to subscribe to your favorite podcast streaming platform to stay up-to-date on the latest and greatest.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard from Lauren. In my first interview, we discuss how one of her goats was stolen from her farm by vegan activists. Be sure to give it a listen for further context on Lauren’s background.

In this show, we talk about my introduction into film with the short documentary, Soft Slaughter, and my hopes and takeaways from my experience making Sacred Cow.

Lauren highlights her favorite blog post, Books for Meat-Curious Kids, and how we need more resources for children and young people to learn about better meat.

Lastly, we discuss our lineup of future guests, how you can submit requests, and stay up-to-date by signing up for my weekly newsletter.

As always, thanks for listening!

In this new episode, I introduce my co-host, Lauren Stine, discuss why I chose to make Sacred Cow, and share my favorite parts of this film-making journey. We have an exciting lineup of future guests, so be sure to subscribe to your favorite podcast streaming platform to stay up-to-date on the latest and greatest.

On this episode of the Sustainable Dish Podcast, I speak with Frank Mitloehner, a specialist in livestock air quality at UC Davis.