Chews Wisely

The year after the Kramer’s went all in on walnut farming, the commodity market collapsed. And then it collapsed further. Today Kaben Kramer shares how walnuts are grown, why he doesn’t like to term ‘regenerative’ anymore, how the watershed works on his farm, the reason no one can afford to start a walnut farm today, and how he and his wife Jenn are forging a new path within an industry that is seemingly collapsing in real time around them. Kaben also shares how they’re conserving precious water in California, and the number one way consumers can improve our food system today. Find Tenderlyrooted Sprouted Walnuts: Website & shop Instagram Stay in touch with Chews Wisely: IG: @chewswiselypodcast Twitter: @chewswiselypod Patreon: Chews Wisely Email: chewswiselypodcast@gmail.com Chews Wisely is brought to you by G5 Insurance. For your farm, ranch, and small business insurance needs, check out g5agency.com! And let them know we sent you.

A jokey social media post gets deconstructed in today’s solo episode, a deep dive into the ideological pipeline so many of us who care about food and the environment tend to go down. If you’ve ever heard someone say “we just need to eat less meat,” or “Have you heard about Will Harris?” this episode is for you. The original post Stay in touch with Chews Wisely: IG: @chewswiselypodcast Patreon: Chews Wisely Email: chewswiselypodcast@gmail.com Chews Wisely is brought to you by G5 Insurance. For your farm, ranch, and small business insurance needs, check out g5agency.com! And let them know we sent you.

Wool may be the most eco-friendly textile there is, and Erin Martin Dorf is here to tell us why. Erin is wool royalty, or as she calls herself, a wool industry nepo-baby. She lives and breathes all things wool and sheep, and we mythbust shearing, lanolin, the wool supply chain, and discuss how fleece goes from sheep to sweater. We also cover the serious threats to the wool industry, and why it’s in danger of collapse. This episode might convince you to stop sleeping on wool. Or rather - to start sleeping under it.  Mentioned in this episode: Anodyne Wool Right Choice Shearing on Instagram Pendleton Duckworth Lan-o-lips Stay in touch with Chews Wisely: IG: @chewswiselypodcast Twitter: @chewswiselypod Patreon: Chews Wisely Email: chewswiselypodcast@gmail.com Chews Wisely is brought to you by Little Creek Lamb & Beef. Get regeneratively raised, pasture raised meats shipped directly to you from our Montana ranch. For a limited time we’re offering 10% off your first order over $100 with the code WISELY.

Registered dietitians who partner with Big Food on sponsored posts and their trustworthiness are questioned. The controversy surrounding their overseeing trade organization, The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, is discussed. The podcast explores ethical concerns, challenges of working with brands, and the undisclosed sponsorship of posts by nutritionists. It also delves into the unethical relationship between the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and leading producers of unhealthy foods.

Tales from the trenches of a food supply double agent. Kendall Ballantine wasn’t always a farmer. 10 years ago she was the Director of Operations for a multinational food supply chain corporation. On today’s episode (part 2) she shares why our “too big to fail” food system is tremendously fragile, and the hidden food waste in our current supply chain. She also talks about why she almost quit farming - to the point of announcing the closure of her business - and why she ultimately came back to it.  Follow Kendall Ballantine Instagram - Central Park Farms Instagram - Marketing for Farmers Central Park Farms Marketing for Farmers Stay in touch with Chews Wisely: IG: @chewswiselypodcast Twitter: @chewswiselypod Patreon: Chews Wisely Email: chewswiselypodcast@gmail.com Chews Wisely is brought to you by Little Creek Lamb & Beef. Get regeneratively raised, pasture raised meats shipped directly to you from our Montana ranch. For a limited time we’re offering 10% off your first order over $100 with the code WISELY.

Tales from the trenches of a food supply double agent. Kendall Ballantine wasn’t always a farmer. 10 years ago she was the Director of Operations for a multinational food supply chain corporation. On today’s episode (part 1) she shares how food actually travels from farm to table in our modern day industrialized food system, and how consolidated our food system really is. After today’s episode you’ll never look at grocery store brands the same way. Follow Kendall Ballantine Instagram - Central Park Farms Instagram - Marketing for Farmers Central Park Farms Marketing for Farmers Stay in touch with Chews Wisely: IG: @chewswiselypodcast Twitter: @chewswiselypod Patreon: Chews Wisely Email: chewswiselypodcast@gmail.comChews Wisely is brought to you by Little Creek Lamb & Beef. Get regeneratively raised, pasture raised meats shipped directly to you from our Montana ranch. For a limited time we’re offering 10% off your first order over $100 with the code WISELY.

Avery Claire Wrigglesworth is a former ballerina and an administrator in international finance who gave it all up to come home and try to save the family farm. And it hasn’t been all roses. Several years in, they realized a traditional cow-calf model couldn’t pencil out for them. Out of necessity, Avery Claire and her husband Marc transitioned to a thriving modern direct-to-consumer business, Lily Hill Cattle, in Georgia. But the struggles didn’t end there. On this episode we hear about Avery Claire’s origins, the growth of Lily Hill Cattle, and the trials they face to stay on the land.   Follow Avery Claire Instagram Tiktok Lily Hill Cattle Stay in touch with Chews Wisely: IG: @chewswiselypodcast Twitter: @chewswiselypod Patreon: Chews Wisely Email: chewswiselypodcast@gmail.com Chews Wisely is brought to you by Little Creek Lamb & Beef. Get regeneratively raised, pasture raised meats shipped directly to you from our Montana ranch. For a limited time we’re offering 10% off your first order over $100 with the code WISELY.

A poll of 300 farmers brings illuminating - and concerning - results.  Stay in touch with Chews Wisely: Instagram Patreon Email: chewswiselypodcast@gmail.com Chews Wisely is brought to you by Little Creek Lamb & Beef. Get regeneratively raised, pasture raised meats shipped directly to you from our Montana ranch. For a limited time we’re offering 10% off your first order over $100 with the code WISELY. Sources: 2017 Census of Agriculture: New and Beginning Farmers USDA Economic Research Service: Food Dollar Application USDA Economic Research Service: The Number of US Farms Continues Slow Decline CDC: Suicide Rates By Major Occupational Group Depression, Anxiety & Stress Among Young Farmers and Ranchers: A Pilot Study

In this re-released episode, the host digs deep into the water usage of beef production, challenging the common belief that beef is a water hog. They explore the impact of cattle feed, grazing practices, and compare water usage between pasture-based and feedlot systems. The episode also dives into the environmental benefits of grass-based pasture-based systems and argues for a holistic approach in assessing water use in food production.

Caroline tells you all kinds of things you don’t want to hear about pesticides, including herbicides like Glypohsate and Paraquat. How widely are synthetic chemicals used on crops? How much of them is on our food? Is there a difference between conventional and organic? And, ultimately, does the scientific data convince Caroline to change her mind? Stay in touch with Chews Wisely: Instagram Patreon Email: chewswiselypodcast@gmail.com Chews Wisely is brought to you by Little Creek Lamb & Beef. Get regeneratively raised, pasture raised meats shipped directly to you from our Montana ranch. For a limited time we’re offering 10% off your first order over $100 with the code WISELY. Sources: Reviews on Environmental Health: Pesticide Use & Exposure, Extensive Worldwide The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences The Cato Institute: “Bring Back DDT” PennState: “A Short History of Pets Management” AG Daily: “Behind the Data, Trends in Pesticide Use in the US” FAO: Pesticides Use, Pesticides Trade, and Pesticides Indicators Forbes: “The Truth About Pesticide Residues on Foods” Genetic Literacy Project: “Pesticides and Food” New York Times: “This Pesticide is Prohibited in Britain” EPA: Colony Collapse Disorder New York Times: “RoundUp Weedkiller is Blamed for Cancers” New York Times: “RoundUp Maker to Pay $10 Billion” NBC: “A Potentially Cancer-Causing Chemical is Spray on Much of America’s Farmland”