GMO

Podcast Episode 77: Seed Salesman and Seminole Indian Reenactor

Matt Griffin and I met during our time at the University of Florida, pretty much everyone in the college of agriculture knew everyone. While we never shared any of the same classes, we both were active in various student organizations and share a love for all things Florida agriculture. Matt is a seed product development manager by day and a Seminole war reenactor by night. Our interview will cover a wide variety of topics, like how Matt develops certain plant varieties for his customers, some Florida agriculture history, as well as why he portrays a Black Seminole Indian for various war reenactments. This is a great one! Be sure to check out Matt at the links below as well as another podcast interview he was on, The Millennial Salesman.

Matt’s interview on the Millennial Salesman

Listen to the episode on the apps below:

Don’t forget to check out Matt at the links below:

Matt’s Instagram

OmniPresentBeauty – Matt’s photography page

Show Notes:

Matt’s Background
United Genetics Seed Company
Selling seeds
Marketing different varieties
Researching best growing varieties
Working with seed companies vs working with farmers
History of Florida Agriculture
Importance of remembering our history
Seminole Indian Reenactments

Call to Action:

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Podcast Episode 76: 4th Generation Michigan Farm

Imagine the pressure of carrying on your family business. Or better yet, imagine being the 4th generation to work on the family farm, which one day, will be yours. That’s the challenge and course taken by our guest today, Derek Thom from D & D Thom Farms in Michigan. Derek will cover the history of his family farm as well as what they grow including wheat, soybeans, cattle, and much more.

Listen to the episode on the apps below:

Don’t forget to check out D&D Thom Farms at the link below:

Thom Farms on Instagram

Show Notes:

Derek’s Background –
D&D Thom Farms – soybean, wheat, corn, sugar beets, hay, 120 cows, beef steers,
Pressures of a 4th generation
Michigan Agriculture
Crops production methods (organic or conventional)
Difference between cash crops and cover crops
Beef side of the farm, what type of cattle, daily care, etc.
Thoughts on the farmer/consumer relationships
What are some misconceptions you think consumers have of farmers.
Organic vs Conventional
Thoughts on farmer/consumer relationship

Call to Action:

Want to stay up to date on the show, consider following our newsletter. As a thank you for signing up, you’ll receive a FREE guide on 5 simple steps you can do to support farmers. Sign Up HERE!

Podcast Episode 74: What is A2 Milk?

Eileen Warburton is a dairy farmer at Sunset Ridge Warburton Farm in Pennsylvania. Her son has a health condition where he can’t drink regular milk without having severe side effects. Determined to find a solution for her son, Eileen found that some of her dairy cows can produce A2 milk, which her son can enjoy with no side effects. So what exactly is A2 milk? You’ll find out in this episode.

Listen to the episode on the apps below:

Don’t forget to check out sunset Ridge at the links below:

Sunset Ridge Farms

Show Notes:

Eileen’s background
Her sons need for A2milk
Difference between lactose free milk and A2 milk
What type of cows produce A2 milk?
Alternative forms of milk
Misconceptions consumers have of milk
Thoughts on farmer/consumer relationship

Call to Action:

Want to stay up to date on the show, consider following our newsletter. As a thank you for signing up, you’ll receive a FREE guide on 5 simple steps you can do to support farmers. Sign Up HERE!

Podcast Episode 73: What Makes Coffee “Fair Trade”?

Do you like coffee? I love coffee. Today, my guest is Ben Weiner of Gold Mountain Coffee Growers a specialty coffee farming group that is aimed to connect coffee roasters with coffee farmers. Ben is going to educate us on the coffee trade, why coffee has risen in popularity, and how Gold Mountain Coffee Growers is working to bring high quality coffee to coffee lovers everywhere.

Listen to the episode on the apps below:

Don’t forget to check out Gold Mountain Coffee Growers at the links below:

Gold Mountain Coffee Growers Website

Gold Mountain Coffee on Instagram

Show Notes:

Ben’s background
Why so many types of coffee
What is “Fair Trade” coffee?
Why has coffee gained in popularity?
COVID-19’s impact
Misconceptions of coffee
Best brewing methods

Call to Action:

Want to stay up to date on the show, consider following our newsletter. As a thank you for signing up, you’ll receive a FREE guide on 5 simple steps you can do to support farmers. Sign Up HERE!

Podcast Episode 72: The Humanity Behind Farming

Dillon Hancoop is the host of the Real People, Real Food podcast, aimed at discovering real stories of the people behind our food. Today, Dillon and I talk about his podcast, Washington state agriculture, and why animal rights groups are actually really nuts.

Listen to the episode on the apps below:

Don’t forget to check out Dillon and his podcast at the links below:

Real People, Real Food Podcast

Show Notes:

Real People, Real Food Podcast
Humanity behind farming
Radio backgrounds
Washington agriculture
False Narratives
Activist groups
How to support farmers
Building an interview
Podcast interviews

Call to Action:

Want to stay up to date on the show, consider following our newsletter. As a thank you for signing up, you’ll receive a FREE guide on 5 simple steps you can do to support farmers. Sign Up HERE!

Podcast Episode 71: The future of buying meat.

Home meal kits are on the rage, especially now during COVID-19. One company is making a dent in the meat delivery services and offers products like beef and lobster to even the most famous beef out there, wagyu. Joe Heitzeberg, co-founder of Crowdcow is our guest today on the podcast. Joe and I will talk about the history of Crowdcow, how they strive to be different by working with farmers to bring tasty and sustainably raised beef and other meat products straight to your door.

Listen to the episode on the apps below:

Don’t forget to check out crowdcow at the links below:

Crowd Cow Website

Show Notes:

Joe Heitzeberg’s background
Starting Crowdcow
At home food deliveries
Working with farmers
Improving quality of beef and quality of production
The story behind wagyu beef
No unnecessary antibiotics?
How COVID-19 has impacted sales

Interview on YouTube:

Call to Action:

Want to stay up to date on the show, consider following our newsletter. As a thank you for signing up, you’ll receive a FREE guide on 5 simple steps you can do to support farmers. Sign Up HERE!

Podcast Episode 70: Colorado Aquaponics and Supporting Student’s Mental Health

Ryan Smith and Sean Short are the co-founders of Blooming Health Farms, a Colorado-based business focused on educating students on STEM as well as supporting mental health. On today’s show, I talk with Ryan and Sean about the programs offered at Blooming Health Farms, what their aquaponic system is like, and how they are helping kids focus on positive mental health.

Listen to the episode on the apps below:

Don’t forget to check out Blooming Health Farms at the links below:

Blooming Health Farms Website

Show Notes:

Ryan and Sean’s backgrounds
Starting an Aquaponic business in Colorado
Aquaponic basics
Nonprofit
Training job skills while working with mental health
Getting at-risk students out of the streets and learning about STEM
Working with restaurants
Fitting a niche
COVID-19’s impacts on students mental health

Call to Action:

Want to stay up to date on the show, consider following our newsletter. As a thank you for signing up, you’ll receive a FREE guide on 5 simple steps you can do to support farmers. Sign Up HERE!

Podcast Episode 69: Why do cranberries grow in a pond?

I LOVE cranberry juice. Growing up, my dad always rationed his supply of cran-grape juice and would call us out anytime we drank more than we should have. Fast forward to my first day out on my own as a college student, I bought a gallon of cranberry juice. I called him bragged that I have a gallon all to myself. It really is all about the little things in life.

Today on the show, we have Amber Bristow, a 5th generation cranberry grower in Wisconsin. Amber will talk to us about the growing and harvesting behind cranberries, which is a lot more difficult that I originally thought, and what it’s like working with OceanSpray, the leading cranberry growers co-op. She’ll also answer a burning question, why do farmers flood cranberry fields and how do they prevent frost damage on their crops. Be sure to check out Amber over on Instagram as well as her new podcast, Forward Farming Podcast with co-host Becca.

Listen to the episode on the apps below:

Don’t forget to check out Amber at the links below:

Amber on Instagram

Forward Farming Podcast

Forward Farming Podcast Instagram

Show Notes:

5th generation cranberry farmer
Working in sports to working on the farm
Basics of cranberry production
Soil/Sand requirements for growing cranberries
Why they flood cranberry beds
Growing, Draining, and Dams
Harvest times in Septemer to November
Frezing crops to protect from frost
Adding sand and ice to protect the berries
Working with Oceanspray
Starting a podcast: Forward Farming

Call to Action:

Want to stay up to date on the show, consider following our newsletter. As a thank you for signing up, you’ll receive a FREE guide on 5 simple steps you can do to support farmers. Sign Up HERE!

Podcast Episode 68: Onions don’t grow on trees?!

Shay Myers, a 3rd generation farmer, is our guest today on Farm Traveler. Maybe you’ve seen Shay on Instagram or even on TikTok as her creates quick but super educational videos on farming, specifically on onion production. Today on the show, Shay will talk more about why he started his videos, why it’s important to get the message out there, and how the industry is battling COVID-19. Be sure to follow Shay at the link below to see his awesome videos!

Listen to the episode on the apps below:

Don’t forget to check out Shay at the links below:

Shay on TikTok

Shay on Instagram

Owyhee Produce

Show Notes:

Shay’s background
3rd generation farmer
Growing onions and potatoes
Working with buyers and distributors
Onions DO NOT grow on trees
COVID-19’s impact on onion production
Farmers adapting to COVID
Importance of farmers sharing their stories
The power of social media
Instagram and TikTok
Flying
Crop worth
Mexico cartels affecting US agriculture?
The importance of the American dollar
Thoughts on farmer consumer relationship

Call to Action:

Want to stay up to date on the show, consider following our newsletter. As a thank you for signing up, you’ll receive a FREE guide on 5 simple steps you can do to support farmers. Sign Up HERE!

Podcast Episode 67: Why a Second-Generation Family Farm Switched to Organic.

Sun Valley Farms is an organic farm located in California that grows a plethora of organic vegetables and fruits as well as conventional crops. In our interview today, Rogelio Ponce Jr joins us and explains the history of Sun Valley Farms, how his dad started and helped grow the business, their production methods, and much more!

Listen to the episode on the apps below:

Don’t forget to check out Sun Valley Farms at the links below:

Sun Valley Farms Website

Sun Valley Farms on Instagram

Show Notes:

Start of Sun Valley Farms
Rogelio’s background
Production methods at Sun Valley.
Switching from conventional to organic.
Why they chose to grow organic.
What consumers understand about food production.
How COVID-19 has impacted your farm and distribution.
Hoe Sun Valley Farm’s workers are more like family
Produce boxes
Labor issues
Thoughts on the farmer/consumer relationship.

Call to Action:

Want to stay up to date on the show, consider following our newsletter. As a thank you for signing up, you’ll receive a FREE guide on 5 simple steps you can do to support farmers. Sign Up HERE!

Podcast Episode 66: One to Grow On Podcast

Today we have another agriculture podcast aimed at educating consumers on how food is made. One to Grow On is produced by a father/daughter combo, Hallie and Chris Casey. Hallie has an agriculture background and is a wonderful science educator while her dad, Chris, learns alongside the audience about agriculture. They cover a wide range of topics such as the food supply chain, organic production, GMOs, plant propagation, and much, much more. In our interview, Hallie and Chris explain why they started the podcast, who their audience is, and fascinating topics they’ve learned about on the show. Be sure to check out their podcast at the links below!

Listen to the episode on the apps below:

Don’t forget to check out the One to Grow On podcast at the links below:

One to Grow On Website

One to Grow On iTunes

One to Grow On Spotify

Show Notes:

Start of One To Grow On
Hallie and Chris’s Backgrounds
Agriculture topics they’ve learned
Consumer perspective
Labor Issues
Future Topics

Call to Action:

Want to stay up to date on the show, consider following our newsletter. As a thank you for signing up, you’ll receive a FREE guide on 5 simple steps you can do to support farmers. Sign Up HERE!

Podcast Episode 65: Regenerative Farming in Australia

Today’s episode is a fun one as we discuss regenerative farming and cattle ranching in Australia with Ana from @meatyourbeef.
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I love learning about what agriculture looks like around the globe and Ana explains what farming looks like on a small island just north of Tasmania, Australia. They also follow regenerative farming principles for their land and their cattle. To help show consumers what goes on at their farm, @meatyourbeef uses agrotourism to show consumers how ranching is done. ⠀
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Also, Ana weighs in on the whole #Vegemite thing! Check out the episode on your favorite podcast app or at the link in our bio. And be sure to follow @meatyourbeef to see what they are up to!⠀

Listen to the episode on the apps below:

Don’t forget to check out Meat Your Beef at the link below:

Meat Your Beef on Instagram

Show Notes:

Ana’s background and the start of Meat Your Beef
What regenerative farming looks like
Cattle ranching on an island
Australian agriculture
Major exports and imports
Not relying on government subsidies
Vegemite
Thoughts on the farmer/consumer relationship

Call to Action:

Want to stay up to date on the show, consider following our newsletter. As a thank you for signing up, you’ll receive a FREE guide on 5 simple steps you can do to support farmers. Sign Up HERE!

Podcast Episode 64: How a Small Scale Farm Adapts to COVID-19 and WINS

Nicola Cogliati is the man behind Dean’s Greens, a North Carolina based small scale farm. The farm practices highly sustainable and regenerative growing methods, and if you’re curious about what that means, Nic will fill you in. He will also tell us how he has grown the business by adapting to COVID-19 and supplying customers with fresh produce.

Listen to the episode on the apps below:

Don’t forget to check out Dean’s Greens at links below:

Dean’s Greens Instagram

Dean’s Greens Website

Show Notes:

Nicolas’s background
Starting Dean’s Greens
Micogreens
Supplying resutrants
Produce Boxes
Impacts of COVID-19
Delievering straight to consumers
Organic production
Biology and soil health

Call to Action:

I hope you are enjoying these interviews as well as learning a thing or two about food production and the agriculture industry. If you think a friend or family member might enjoy the podcast, consider sharing it with them! Simply sharing the website, http://www.thefarmtraveler.com, or telling them to search “Farm Traveler” on their favorite podcasting app, are great ways they can listen and stay up to date on episodes.

Podcast Episode 63: Lessons Learned Podcasting with Jason Meadows

Let’s talk podcasting! Today on the show is a former guest and fellow podcaster Jason Meadows. You might remember Jason from a few short months ago, he was a guest and talked about his podcast, Ag State of Mind, which is aimed at addressing mental health in the agriculture industry. On today’s show, Jason and I talk about what we’ve learned podcasting, tools we use, and where we hope our shows go in the future. Also, curious if a podcaster likes listening to their own voice? You’ll find the answers to all those questions in this episode!

Listen to the episode on the apps below:

Don’t forget to check out Jason’s podcast at the links below:

Ag State of Mind Podcast

Ag State of Mind Website

Show Notes:

How Jason and I got started podcasting
Ag State of Mind Podcast
Farm Traveler Podcast
What has podcasting has taught us?
Crafting the perfect interview.
Tools of the trade.
Headliner, Notion, Audacity, Adobe Audition, and more great software for podcasting.
Why FREE podcasting tools are the best tools.
Do we like hearing our own voices? No. Not at all.
Future plans and goals for our podcasts.

Call to Action:

Podcast Episode 62: Florida’s Berry Best Berries

The berry best berries?! Get it?! Dad joke for the win.

Florida is home to the winter strawberry capital of the world, Plant City! Which is also home to our guest today. Nick is from Wish Farms which grows all the berries you know and love, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and much more! In our interview today, Nick will cover the background of Wish Farms, their production techniques, how they work with partner growers in California and Florida, as well as why they have both organic and conventional production techniques.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0QS6noGobTqCRCUw6WEq42

Listen to the episode on the apps below:

Check out Wish Farms at the links below:

Wish Farms Website

Facebook Page

Instagram

Show Notes:

History of Wish Farms.
Growing process of berries.
Plant City, winter Strawberry Captial of the World.
Working with partner growers.
Florida and California berries.
Why do berries mold so quickly?
Growing Organic and Conventional.
How organic production differs from conventional.
Covid-19s impact.
Floirida’s $12 billion dollar fruit and vegetable industry.
Do organic crops use pesticides?
Are organic and conventional crops just as healthy?
Thoughts on the farmer consumer relationship.

What I learned from this episode:

After doing some research, I didn’t know that Florida’s fruit and vegetable industry is over $12 billion dollars. That’s a lotta green.