The Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson

169: Sarah Highlen on Farm MarketingOffering cost-effective marketing for small farms and food producersSarah spent 17 years in the marketing industry, working with clients across diverse industries. As her values evolved, her career in marketing became dispiriting — until she realized she could use her marketing skills for something she felt really good about: good food. Sarah founded Grapevine Local Food Marketing in 2016 to help small farms, local food producers, and other small food businesses.   In August, Katy Horst joined the Grapevine team, and together Sarah and Katy provide websites, logos, Facebook marketing, email newsletters, and other marketing services to clients in Indiana and beyond.When Sarah's not working on marketing projects, she's usually growing food, buying food, cooking food, photographing food, or eating food. Sarah also enjoys helping people develop an appreciation for real food through education and recipes, and she's a founding member and board president of her local food council (NWI Food Council).IN THIS PODCAST: Greg hears from a woman who got tired of marketing food “products” and figured out it was much more rewarding to market for small family farms and local food producers instead.  Sarah tells how her desire to eat better and be healthier led her to a farm that needed some help.  This led to a very satisfying career change and a chance to make a difference for local people who make real food and help regular people find the sources of the good food.Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/12/13/sarah-highlen/ for show notes and links.

168: Kerry Audisho on Locally Grown FoodsConnecting a community to a healthier diet and access to locally grown foods.Kerry is a wife, mother, certified Dr. Sears health coach, local food advocate, and lover of food growing. She spends her time visiting various farms and gardens in and around Phoenix, and connecting consumers directly to local growers.She organizes three Meetup groups, Your Farm Foods, Arizona Natural Food Group and Food as Medicine.She blogs at yourfarmfoods.com and has created an online open marketplace, friendingfarmers.com that allows users to buy, sell and share our locally grown foods.IN THIS PODCAST:  Greg talks with Kerry to find out why she is so committed to helping others improve their diets and connect with locally grown foods.  Kerry shares the story of her conversion to healthy foods and then how even that diet was improved after a trip to a restaurant with a friend.  Her experience giving up sugar is a startling one. She also explains how she started her meet-up group to help her community connect with locally grown foods.Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/12/10/kerry-audisho/ for show notes and links.

Kristin Nikodemski on the Grow it Yourself RevolutionEncouraging growth in the community of organic gardenersAs the Product Marketing Manager for Arborjet and The Dirt on Dirt, Kristin divides her time between marketing, supporting, and developing products for the horticulture industry. From her early days helping her father in the yard, working for garden centers, and professionally managing consumer garden brands since 2010, Kristin brings a wealth of experience.In her free time, Kristin is an avid indoor & outdoor gardener, artist, and foodie. She is a graduate of Salve Regina University.IN THIS PODCAST: Greg learns more about some organic gardening resources from Kristin who tells her story of how she joined a sustainability focused horticulture company. Kristin has found a way to blend her love of gardening with a care of community by helping create the Dirt on Dirt community. She also helps explain some of the Arborjet products and why they work.Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/12/08/kristin-nikodemski/ for show notes and links.

166: Susan Poizner on Fruit Tree CareNurturing relationships with community and nature through orchards and fruit trees.Susan is an urban orchardist in Toronto, Canada. She is the author of the award-winning fruit tree care book “Growing Urban Orchards” and the creator of an award-winning online fruit tree care training course. In her in-person and online workshops Susan has trained hundreds of students from across North America. Her students include Master Gardeners, arborists and people who are completely new to gardening and fruit tree care.  Susan is also the host and creator of The Urban Forestry Radio Show and Podcast on RealityRadio101.com.IN THIS PODCAST: Greg meets another lover of fruit trees with Susan who founded a community orchard in her home town and found her calling as well. Susan tells how she got the idea to start an orchard in her neighborhood park, and how learning everything she could about fruit trees has morphed into her popular education program.  Her down-to-earth nature is very apparent as she explains some highs and lows on this journey and how her love for her community of people and trees has grown beyond her expectations. Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/12/06/susan-poizner/ for show notes and links.

165: Penn Parmenter on High Altitude TomatoesGrowing and saving seeds for extreme or challenging climatesSince 1992 Penn and her husband Cord have been growing food just above the 8,000 feet level in the Wet Mountains of South Central Colorado.  With many years of research and development, they founded Smart Greenhouses LLC and Miss Penn’s Mountain Seeds in 2013,Miss Penn’s Mountain Seeds is a small, high-altitude, bio-regional seed company servicing the mountain people.  As a tomato specialist, she offers over 200 varieties of adapted tomatoes – the Holy Grail of the mountains; as well as around 50 native wildflowers along with a mix of garden flowers, herbs and wild foods.Penn and Cord have three famished sons, Maximilian, Beauregard and Wulfgar who help them in all aspects of their work.IN THIS PODCAST: we hear an enthusiastic and fun guest as Penn chats with Greg about her passion for growing and saving seeds.  Penn tells how she got started in the seed business and why she enjoys her job so much.  Besides making the act of saving seeds sound really fun, she also explains why it is so important.  Her upbeat and positive nature has a great effect, and with the way she describes her crops, it must be like adopting a loved one when you order seeds from her.  And if you have a garden, her explanation of how seeds adapt for the area they are grown might just be enough to encourage you to try seed saving on your own.Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/12/03/penn-parmenter/ for show notes and links.

164: Jeff Moyer on Organic Farmers AssociationGiving a larger voice to organic farmers in national policy discussions.Jeff is a world-renowned authority in organic agriculture. His expertise includes organic crop production systems with a focus on weed management, cover crops, crop rotations, equipment modification and use, and facilities design.Jeff is perhaps most well-known for conceptualizing and popularizing the No-Till Roller Crimper for use in organic agriculture. In 2011, he wrote Organic No-Till Farming, a publication that has become a resource for farmers throughout the world.In September 2015, Jeff was appointed as Executive Director of Rodale Institute after spending the last four decades there, helping countless farmers make the transition from conventional, chemical-based farming to organic methods.IN THIS PODCAST:  Author Jeff Moyer chats with Greg about the importance of organic farming, the role and purpose of the Rodale Institute, and the new Organic Famers Association.  Jeff has a great passion for a change in food production to a healthier method, and it is obvious as he explains the history of the Rodale Institute.  He explains why it is important to have organic agriculture and how consumers change affect the whole food system with just a simple act. Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/12/01/jeff-moyer/ for show notes and links.

163: Melinda Adkins on Learning Homesteading SkillsRekindling skills of past generations and sharing thrifty gardening tipsMelinda’s Urban Homesteader journey began as a child watching her mother and grandmother tend their gardens which instilled in her a love and appreciation for gardening.  After college she purchased a home in the city and secured employment with the local school district as well as a part-time Park Ranger.  The park had an 1880's working farm on the property which gave her the opportunity to visit and observe vintage skills. It was during her time as a Park Ranger that her love for the outdoors and living a simpler life really grew. She has a great love of nature, has earned a Wildlife Habitat Certification as a result.  Eventually, she began incorporating skills she learned from the farm staff into her own urban homestead. Somehow she finds time to watch documentaries in her spare time to continue her learning. Melinda is highly invested in helping her community and is the founder of HPC-Community.com IN THIS PODCAST: Greg talks to community homesteader Melinda who founded a community group to share tips and experiences while learning about homesteading. Melinda was a bit of a groundbreaker in her town with some unorthodox thinking, so in order to find others with similar preparedness and vintage skills interests she created an online group.  Her goal is to share gardening and preparedness information affordably.Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/11/29/melinda-adkins/ for show notes and links.

162: Jesse Sparks on Neighborhood HarvestingHarvesting fruits and friends from your neighborhood communityJesse is a sixth-generation Arizona native. His great-grandfather owned and operated a farm in Tempe, AZ, and Jesse’s mother’s side comes from farming heritage in Iowa, so he has been surrounded by gardens, fruit trees, and fresh produce his entire life. He and his wife had a townhouse where they started growing food by converting the lawn area in the back into a little 5ft square garden. Then, after moving and expanding to a larger area with more garden space, he noticed he physically felt better after eating home-grown produce. He travels a lot for work and is constantly on airplanes with recirculated air, but he credits having never come home with “travel crud” to his healthier, home-grown eating style.Jesse lives in the Northwest valley of Phoenix Arizona with his wife Heather, their 2 sons, and is expecting twin daughters due early 2017.IN THIS PODCAST: An inspiring young father Jesse shares his story with Greg about how he has started harvesting the unwanted fruit from his neighbor’s front yard and is developing a stronger community as well.  Jesse’s story is delightful, and uplifting as he and his young son collect fruit, make jellies, and bring the harvest back to share.  He shares how he started and it is not as hard as you might think. Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/11/26/jesse-sparks/ for show notes and links.

161: Vanessa Simkins on Juicing DeliciouslyConnecting healthy and flavorful juicing combinations for health and a good dietVanessa, is the founder of AllAboutJuicing.com: a website and newsletter serving up fresh, tested juicing advice for getting a hot body, glowing skin, and lifelong health through a straw. She is also the founder of Vanessa’s Juice Club and the author of the Juice Lover’s Big Book of Juices: 425 recipes for super nutritious and crazy delicious juices.Her newsletters, products and site reach over a quarter-million readers each month – a veritable army, inspired to juice for better health.  A juicing trendsetter known for her inventive and tasty juice recipes, Vanessa has an undying thirst for connecting people back to what makes them healthy, one drink at a time.IN THIS PODCAST: Greg finds many connections with Vanessa as she shares why she started juicing and why she runs her own business helping others learn about juicing. Vanessa tells about how she got started with her blog and her recipe book. She also tells about her love for mixing juices blends, and how she can serve up delicious drink combinations even from some normally challenging ingredient flavors.Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/11/24/vanessa-simkins/ for show notes and links.

160: Jim Loomis on Lifestyle MedicineConnecting a plant-based diet and lifestyle to positive health benefits Jim Loomis Jr., M.D., M.B.A., received his medical degree from the University of Arkansas, where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and graduated with honors.  He subsequently completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Barnes Hospital/ Washington University in St. Louis, MO. and received an M.B.A. from the Olin School of Business at Washington University.Jim is the medical director at the Barnard Medical Center in Washington DC.  He is board certified in internal medicine and has also completed the certification program in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University.  Before coming to the Barnard Medical Center in Washington, DC, Jim practiced internal medicine and was the director of prevention and wellness at St. Luke’s Hospital in St. Louis.  Jim is on the clinical faculty of the department of internal medicine at Washington University School of Medicine and also serves on the board of directors of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.When not practicing medicine, Jim enjoys reading history books, cooking, and teaching plant-based cooking classes. He also enjoys running, biking, and swimming, and has completed numerous half marathons, marathons, and triathlons.IN THIS PODCAST:  Greg talks to a Doctor that he met a few months back.  Dr. Jim is fabulous at bringing the complexities of healthy eating to simple and memorable analogies. Transitioning from a standard American diet to a plant based one to improve health and vitality is something that Dr. Jim can talk about because he did just that.  He was one of the worst kind of patients because he already knew the side effects of the meds he was prescribed, and his search for a healthier lifestyle is now what he shares with others.Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/11/22/james-loomis/ for show notes and links.