The Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson

Candy is self-taught chef, instructor, writer and speaker, who has been inducted into Arizona's Culinary Hall of Fame and hosted and produced Food & Life Television for 3 years. She is now shifting her direction to helping others as a Culinary Wellness Coach; assisting those who have been diagnosed with health issues to transition into a healthier culinary lifestyle and make those changes both enjoyable and sustainable. She believes that growing (and cooking) their own food can be a big part of every "healthier lifestyle" success! For show notes and links visit - https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/06/09/candy-lesher/

Michael was morbidly obese, had severe sleep apnea, high blood pressure, and advanced gum disease. Not only did he lose 105 pounds, but he also reversed all of his lifestyle-related health conditions. This enabled him to transform the dysfunctional relationship he had with food, his lifestyle, and his true self. Michael’s health journey was intensified when he lost five family members in eighteen months. Because of the impact these losses had on his life, Michael was forced to have major breakthroughs with the things that were the most difficult to deal with. After experiencing all of these life transformations, he was highly inspired to become a certified health coach and also wrote an empowering book about healthy and balanced living. For show notes and links visit - https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/06/07/michael-tamez/

Katie Poirier is the project director of PHX Renews. PHX Renews finds temporary uses for vacant lots, an initiative envisioned by Phoenix Mayor Stanton in 2012 and managed by the non-profit, Keep Phoenix Beautiful. PHX Renews currently operates on a 15 acre parcel located in downtown Phoenix with 16 other non-profit partners and an emphasis on community agriculture. Katie graduated with a B.A. from the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University.  For show notes and links visit - https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/06/04/katie-poirier/

Brandi is the Founding Partner of Farm from a Box, an off-grid, modularly designed farm system that provides communities with the tools they need to grow their own food locally and earn an income. Previously, Brandi was the Managing Partner of Human.kind Philanthropic Advisory Company, a consulting firm that created custom giving strategies to foster a greater level of donor engagement, all built around collaboration, transparency, and impact. There she worked to develop cross-sector partnerships with nonprofits, private sector, governments, and philanthropic organizations to help elevate the effectiveness and impact of projects. A collaborator at heart, she specializes in strategic planning, design strategy, and business development.For show notes and links visit - https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/06/02/brandi-decarli/

Ben is a husband and father of two boys and two girls living in the Jerusalem Foothills. He attended the University of Montana where he received a BA in American Literature and a Minor in Wilderness Studies. He received his Master’s Degree in Social Work from Barry University in Miami, Florida. Ben learned how to farm by reading lots of books, watching and listening to lots of videos and podcasts, speaking to farmers, and then jumped in headfirst to start a one thousand container EarthBox farm. Now, he manages a small urban farm at a community center that uses raised beds, containers, and no-till gardening techniques using thick layers of straw mulch and a broadfork. Ben advocates for himself and encourages and consults other small-scale farmers, gardeners, and would-be farmers to carve out niches for themselves as municipal and educational farmers within their municipalities and education school boards.For show notes and links visit - https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/05/31/ben-klempner/

DaNelle is a former health care provider, mother of 2 children, and creator of the blog Weed 'em & Reap. DaNelle started to take an interest in a healthier lifestyle after suffering from two debilitating chronic diseases. On a mission to create a farm of her own, DaNelle forced, or rather 'lovingly persuaded' her husband to purchase a ranch home on an acre of land and transform it into their very own urban farm. DaNelle blogs at Weed 'em & Reap where she writes about sustainable backyard farming, traditional food, & natural remedies.For show notes and links visit - https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/05/28/danelle-wolford/

This is part 2 of a two-part series with singer-songwriter Jason Mraz. Jason Mraz is a two-time Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter and urban farming enthusiast. He has been backyard homesteading for the past 5 years and currently owns and operates a 10 acre subtropical fruit orchard where he grows avocado, coffee and 25 other fruit varieties. He believes a connection to farmers and/or the origin of food itself can empower a person to live a happier, healthier, more eco-friendly and more economical life. He also loves driving a tractor. Greg and Jason share a great conversation about what it is like to farm, what motivates him, and how Jason is managing his passions.  The conversation was so great that we had to divide it in two parts!For show notes and links visit - https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/05/26/jason-mraz-2/

This is Part 1 of a two-part series. In this episode, Jason Mraz shares his urban farming adventures with Urban Farm U. Jason is a two-time Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter and urban farming enthusiast. He has been backyard homesteading for the past 5 years and currently owns and operates a 10-acre subtropical fruit orchard where he grows avocado, coffee and 25 other fruit varieties. He believes a connection to farmers and/or the origin of food itself can empower a person to live a happier, healthier, eco-friendlier and more economical life. For show notes and links visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/05/24/jason-mraz-1/Greg and Jason share a great conversation about what it is like to farm, what motivates him, and how Jason is managing his passions.  The conversation was so great that we had to divide it in two parts!

Dr. Jay is a doctor focusing on a natural functional medicine approach. He is also a popular speaker, #1 international bestselling author, husband, father, church elder and former radio talk show host. Dr. Jay was the host of the Chronic Lyme Disease Summit with 31 experts that happened April of this year. Dr. Jay is admired for his ability to bridge the gap between the scientific health community and the layperson. For show notes and links visit - https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/05/21/jay-davidson/

Albert is a long time Pacific Northwest activist. He's worked on urban farming, forestry, quality of life issues and more since moving to the region in 1994. Albert is a huge proponent of helping people find their way to the garden. You can learn more about him at AlbertIdeation.com and FarmMyYard.org.For show notes and links visit -https://www.urbanfarm.org/2016/05/19/albert-kaufman/