American Family Farmer

Host Doug Stephan reviews the latest developments with egg production, and the recent Salmonella scares. Next, Doug spends some time with Chelsea Davis, Communications Director of Family Farm Action, http://www.farmaction.us a coalition of family-farmers and advocates building the "political muscle" to fight for farmers and rural communities. Existing political organizations have aligned themselves with industrial corporate agriculture. Family Farm Action is a progressive voice fighting to protect America’s family farms and rural communities from multinational agribusiness monopolies that are destroying rural economies and way of life. Finally, Doug shares his experiences as a former Raw Milk producer.

Host Doug Stephan talks about a farmer and his wife, who started a rural delivery service to deliver his products and products from other local farms to neighboring customers.  Next, Dairy Farmer Brian Smith, and Member of Americans For Farmers and Families http://www.americansforfarmers&families.com discuss this coalition of growers, producers, suppliers, transporters, retailers and consumers dedicated to preserving NAFTA and working with President Trump to negotiate a modernized agreement fit for the 21st Century. Finally, Doug opines on Carbon Emissions and Bio Fuels.

Meet Thomas Monteith, a 79-year-old retired Dairy Farmer, who owned Woodland Farms in Granville, MA. He is not optimistic about the future of the small family dairy farmer. Thomas is an advocate for independent dairy farms.There is a huge discrepancy between the price we pay for milk in the store, and the price the dairy farmer gets for it. You won't believe the influence that Walmart has on the industry! You'll want to see the movie "Forgotten Farms." http://www.forgottenfarms.org

Martha Boneta is a farmer at Liberty Farm in Paris, Virginia. A native Virginian, Martha grew up in Mt. Vernon on what she was told was a part of George Washington’s vast farmland. Growing up, her family always had kitchen gardens and it was Martha’s childhood dream to be a Virginia farmer and that dream became reality over 9 years ago.Immediately following law school, Martha worked in government relations and advocacy in Washington, DC that propelled her career as strategic account executive at Reed Elsevier for the Mid-Atlantic Region and Thomson Reuters in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area.Martha is the Founder of the Piedmont Agriculture Academy (PAA), Liberty Hall Livestock Rescue and has been on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Independent Consumer & Farmers Association (VICFA), Small Family Farm Foundation (SFFF) and has represented the Farm to Consumer Legal Foundation (FTCLF) advocating legislation and is a strong supporter of the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild and several other farm advo

Wendy Johnson is a farmer from Charles City, Iowa. She was born and raised on a farm a few miles from where she lives today.  She left the rural life when she was 18 for the big city thinking she'd never return, but 18 years later, she returned to her roots, living in her grandparents home and working the land that they once did. During those 18 years, she went to college, traveled the world, made Los Angeles her home, worked in the fashion industry, and most importantly discovered food.Wendy also works on her family farm with her dad, Erwin. Her dad is a 3rd generation farmer and grows conventional corn and soybeans.  She works with him, learning how to manage a commodity crop farm, while she discovers alternative ways to be more environmentally and economically sustainable.  She is using the small acreage that she rents from her family farm to incubate her ideas and try methods of production in hopes to expand.Wendy is on the cover of a book called "Women and the Land" by Barbara Hall and photographer Kathr

In this weeks American Family Farmer podcast, Host Doug Stephan speaks live from the Central US Hemp Growers Conference with Morris Beagle, the founder of We Are For Better Alternatives, a program providing education and information about Hemp to promote the industry and the benefits of the plant.  He also speaks with Samantha Walsh, a lobbyist for the Hemp industry  and CEO and co-founder of Tetra Public Affairs, a cannabis-centered consulting firm. You can find out more about her work at Samantha@tetrapublicaffairs.com.  

Doug Fine is a world-class adventure writer and investigative journalist, who, in 2011, turned his attention to America’s 40 Year-Old War on Drugs. Coming at it from a both an economic and a sustainability angle, he looked into the cannabis fields of Northern California, some of them third generation farms that are as old as the war itself.After researching the hemp industry worldwide for two years, his fourth book, Hemp Bound, was published one month after the US. Congress re-legalized hemp after 77 years. That book is being widely praised with Joel Salatin calling it “one of the most fun books you’ll ever read about the future of farming” and Willie Nelson declaring it “a blueprint for the future of America.”In 2015, Doug started bringing forth a hemp-printed monograph called First Legal Harvest, available at dougfine.com. It’s a must-read report from the world’s industrial cannabis fields and the digital age industries they are already supplying.In addition to participating in hemp farms on both U.S. coast

Tyson Nekirch is an instructor at The Farm School's "Learn to Farm Program," located in rural, north-central Massachusetts. There are three main programs at The Farm School: Program for Visiting Schools, Learn to Farm Program, and the Chicken Coop School. One of the things that makes the farm school approach to both immersive education for school age children is that all of the program staff are farmers and/or chefs AND instructors. The visiting students are immediately and meaningfully integrated into the integral seasonal work of the farm, from milking small dairy herd to harvesting in the gardens the food that will be apart of their community meals, processing firewood, cooking meals for their peers in the kitchen, doing chores, etc. Tyson is a father, partner, son, brother, uncle, farmer, teacher, and student of life. Tyson grew up amidst the corn and soybean fields of Seward County, Nebraska and has taught at the the Learn to Farm Program at The Farm School in Athol, MA where he has worked since 2011. In

Host Doug Stephan meets  Brendan Davison, the Founder of Good Water Farms in Bridgehampton, NY, where he grows over 30 varieties of Microgreens. Microgreens have 4-6 times higher levels of vital nutrients than mature greens of the same plant and have really amazing nutritional benefits, such as....    •    They are the best possible source of the elevated biotics critical to your body’s production of vitamin B12 and hold thousands of phytochemicals to supercharge your body.    •    They are ultimate tools for renewing an exhausted reproductive system, for regenerating hormone production of the adrenal glands, thyroid and the rest of the endocrine system.    •    Microgreens are high in mineral salts that are involved with neurotransmitter chemical production which support the brain with amino acids and enzymes, pull toxic heavy metals from the brain and help rejuvenate and strengthen neurons – which ultimately helps the body in reversing Alzheimer’s, dementia, brain fog and memory loss.Good Water Farms took r

Mary Kimball is the Executive Director for the Center for Land-Based Learning, where they strive to inspire, educate, and cultivate future generations of farmers, agricultural leaders and natural resource stewards. She started working there in 1998, and has led its growth since that time; in 1998, there was one program and 30 high school students. Today, Land-Based Learning runs five different model programs that serve thousands of high school students and adults each year in 28 Counties. This includes the California Farm Academy, the only beginning farmer training, business incubator, and CA-approved apprenticeship program in beginning farm and ranch management in California.Raised on a small farm in Yolo County, Mary is very active in local, regional and statewide groups, including serving as Board member of the Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, a member of the California Community Colleges Agriculture & Natural Resources Statewide Advisory Committee, and the Agriculture, Water,

Eliza Maclean talks veterinary practices & raising livestock at Cane Creek Farm

Paul Haldeman, a retired military officer and life-long syrup-maker, and Deanna Nelson, a lawyer by trade, are rural neighbors in Rodman, New York, and partners in their business, Zoar Tapatree Co..  With a combined 250-acres of property and approximately 10,000 sugar maples, Haldeman and Nelson have set out to make the most amazing syrup possible--and convince consumers that there is a world of flavor they've been missing.  Focused on minimal processing and capturing the daily nuances of terroir, Zoar Tapatree Co. launched small batch, whole maple syrups, and are perhaps the only syrup-makers that have taken "small batch" to individual flows of the trees.  With the development of their own Simplified Syrup Assessment, Zoar Tapatree evaluates each batch of syrup and ascribes nuanced flavor descriptors to each bottle. Haldeman and Nelson have devoted themselves to exploring all aspects of maple syrup production to maximize flavor and put the art back in artisanal.  To get your own taste of their syrup and lear

Roger Johnson has been President of The National Farmers Union since 2009. Prior, he was a third-generation family farmer from Turtle Lake, ND, where he also served as North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner since 1996.NFU was founded by ten local farmers in 1902 as the Farmers Educational Cooperative Union of America in Point, Texas. After its founding, NFU advocated for increased co-operative rights, fair market access for farmers, direct election of senators and voting rights for women. These efforts also led to the enactment of the Federal Farm Loan Act, which established twelve Federal Land Banks. NFU has always worked to protect and enhance the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers, fishers, ranchers and rural communities through the advocacy of  policy positions developed by the grassroots membership and adopted as official policy at our national convention. National Farmers Union helps the family farmer address profitability issues and monopolistic practices.Roger and Doug sit down

Architect Javier Ponce is the founder of the Smart Floating Farms project (SFF) and currently a registered architect in Barcelona, SpainJavier graduated from Monterrey Institute of Technology in México and holds a Master's degree in Advanced Architecture from UPC University in Barcelona. Between 2007-2009 Javier worked for british architect Norman Foster in London, where he was exposed to different scales and types of projects worldwide.On his return to Barcelona, Javier founded his own design studio JAPA architects for the production of strategic projects which aim is to have a positive impact on people's daily life. He is both an architect and an entrepreneur, interested in exploring the symbiotic relations immersed in nature and on how to integrate them in a positive way into daily human life. The Smart Floating farms project is the result of this way of thinking, an initiative which aims to question other complementary ways of bringing healthy clean food production closer to our cities.Find out more at  h

Bullock Farms is a family owned and operated 100 acre farm located in beautiful central New Jersey with gently rolling hills, green pastures and open farmland. Brett Bullock and his sister are the sixth generation of farmers at Bullock Farms in Cream Ridge, NJ, which was founded in 1860. Brett grew up on the farm and then went to college at University of Vermont, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Plant and Soil Sciences. He then spent some years as a self-professed ski bum before starting work at a nursery specializing in ornamental trees. In 2009 he moved back to NJ and back to his family farm where he works everyday and has overseen special projects like the creation of the Screamin’ Hill Brewery that opened on the farm in 2014.The generations have seen many changes. In the early days, alfalfa, corn and potatoes were the main crops grown on the farm. Cranberries were grown in bogs owned by the Bullocks in nearby Prospertown and processed on the farm in the Cranberry House. Potatoes and grain were grown

Jack Algiere is the farm director at Stone Barns Center. Jack graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in horticulture and has been actively farming since the early 1990s. His lifetime of experience in organic, biodynamic and ecological systems brings a broad diversity of experience in greenhouses, orchards, fields and pastures. Jack oversees the diverse farming operations, multispecies pastured livestock, grains, field crops, greenhouse, fruit, flowers and compost in a four-season agroecological system. In the Stone Barns Center's new book, Letters to a Young Farmer, some of the most influential farmers, writers and leaders of our time share their wisdom and insight in an anthology of 36 essays and letters. There are now more farmers over the age of 75 than between the ages of 35 and 44 and we are about to witness the largest retirement of farmers in U.S. history. The future hinges on the investments we make today in the next generation of farmers. If we invest in farming that is adaptable

Daniel De Carvalho is the Global Director of Corporate Communications of Zaluvida, the makers of Mootral, a new natural feed supplement for cows. Zaluvida, a biotech company that tackles health challenges ranging from antibiotic resistance to livestock emissions, claims to instantly reduce cow methane emissions by at least 30%. The powdery supplement, which is compressed into pellets and mixed into cattle feed streams, is made of two basic ingredients, garlic and citrus extracts.Zaluvida’s team of researchers have found that the two compounds combined improve cows’ ability to digest without emitting excess methane in the process. While cow farts are often blamed for the bulk of their methane emissions, it’s really their burps that are the culprits–and that is what Mootral is most effective in neutralizing.Mootral (a portmanteau of “moo” and “neutral”) can help farmers make more money, and help the environment at the same time. The actual amount of supplement needed to deliver the 30% methane-reduction is very

When he’s not networking with hemp researchers and growers, or briefing legislators like Senator Mitch McConnell about the multi-billion-dollar boost that federal legalization of hemp would give to the economy, hemp industry consultant Josh Hendrix of CV Sciences can usually be found conducting interviews with the media as part of his mission to educate young and old about the many benefits to be derived from one of Man’s oldest agricultural crops: hemp.Josh Hendrix is a member of the Technical Advisory Council for the National Hemp Association and founder of the Kentucky Hemp Industries Association. He currently serves as the Director of Business Development for CV Sciences, Inc. where he works with farmers, universities, businesses, industry associations, and government agencies to help create the infrastructure necessary to establish a modern domestic supply chain for hemp in the United States.  A few hemp factoids:Find out more at www.pluscbdoil.com. ***Listeners can also take advantage of a 15% discount

Pamela Rickenbach co-founded Blue Star Equiculture in 2009 with friends in Philadelphia wanting to create a permanent home for retired carriage horses. With many years experience working alongside first nations people in sharing their messages to the world with National Geographic senior editor and author Harvey Arden, Pamela wanted to include indigenous native people's wisdom in developing a holistic and culturally sensitive approach to restoring our connection to our "working" equine friends. From the beginning of operating our farm native peoples and traditional horse people from all over the world have contributed their thoughts about how to go about reconnecting a community whether local, national or global to their horses with pride, respect and compassion. Pamela has lived on the farm from the beginning in 2009 and will always be available to help build and share this amazing mission with whoever feels drawn to be involved and help care for it. Blue Star Equiculture™ is a 501c(3) non-profit organizatio

After attending the University of Massachusetts-Amherst with a B.A. in Political Science, John went back to his roots and spent time living in Italy where he worked at a variety of farms and homesteads.  While overseas, John realized agriculture was extremely important to him and he wanted to continue the lifestyle within the United States.  Upon his return John spent two years working at local farms within central New Jersey where he improved his skills and techniques for growing organically.  Having grown up in Titusville, New Jersey, his opportunity to farm in Lambertville was serendipitous.  In his spare time, John enjoys public radio, mushroom hunting, getting lost in record stores, playing guitar, and a competitive game of disc golf.Rolling Hills Farm was named in the 1980's when it was an ostrich farm and when residents of Lambertville would skate on the pond in the Winter. Today we raise vegetables, herb, fruits, and mushrooms on the land generations past lived on.