Fresh Growth
33 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago -Fresh Growth: Approaches to a More Sustainable Future from Western Ag Practitioners introduces you to farmers and ranchers from around the western United States who are finding innovative sustainable practices that enrich the natural resources we all care about. These successful multi-generational operations experiment with new ideas and are making it pay. Listen in as they tell their story and provide advice for young or beginning farmers.Western SARE, funded by USDA NIFA, provides grants and education to advance innovations in sustainable agriculture. Intro music credit: Organic Energy by Kensington Studios used under license from Shutterstock. Learn more about Western SARE at western.sare.org
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Episodes
Las Vegas Livestock: Community-based Solution to Organic Waste
March 21, 2024 17:00 - 27 minutes - 18.9 MBSarah Stallard is a 7th generation farmer who came to work with her uncles on a new farm near Las Vegas Nevada raising hogs. The farm is in partnership with the local waste and recycling company Republic Services. They lease the land from Republic Services and use food waste to feed the hogs. She says the partnership was formed “to help find a solution to organic waste." The family had always fed food scraps as pigs “are not picky about what food scraps” they eat. Sarah describes the ...
Eckhart Farms: Increasing Soil Biology and How it Pays
February 21, 2024 19:00 - 32 minutes - 22.4 MBJoin us in this dynamic and wide-ranging conversation with Chris Eckhart about diversifying his farming operation, increasing organic matter, monitoring soil biology, and creating a work-family-life balance, all while remaining profitable. Eckhart Farms is a multi-generational family farm in the heart of Wild Rose Prairie in Washington that focuses on soil health and diversity. He is passionate about family farming and has experimented tirelessly with diversifying crops on what was primarily...
Westwind Farms and UC Davis: Using Almond Hulls and Shells to Build Organic Matter
June 22, 2023 15:00 - 43 minutes - 30.3 MBIn this episode, we talk with Kirk Pumphrey, owner of Westwind Farms in Woodland CA, and Sat Darshan Khalsa, Assistant Professional Researcher at the University of CA Davis about their work integrating almond shells and hulls as organic matter in orchards. As Kirk says, “it’s a learning experience for all of us.” It’s a learning curve, but they are finding great success and working toward finding the sweet spot of applying not too much or too little in all different conditions. They’ve fou...
Sweet Hollow Farm: Connecting People to Food and Farming
May 10, 2023 22:00 - 24 minutes - 16.6 MBIn today’s episode we speak with Jonah Sloven, from Sweet Hollow Farm, a diversified organic farm in Victor, Idaho. Sweet Hollow Farm serves the neighboring Teton Valley community through their CSA, farm stand, and farmer’s market. Jonah discusses how his travels from his environmental studies ultimately directed him to small-scale agriculture and its beneficial effect on communities. His ultimate goal is to connect people with their food. “For me, it’s a lot more than growing vegetables. ...
Wyoming Heritage Grains: Improving the Land, Community, and Health
April 11, 2023 22:00 - 41 minutes - 28.5 MBIn today’s episode, we talk with Sara Wood of Wyoming Heritage Grains and Wyoming High Desert Malt, near Ralston Wyoming. Sara is a fifth-generation regenerative farmer and the operator of the state’s only commercial flour mill. Located in the dry high mountain desert east of Yellowstone, Sara’s and her family’s operation has the distinction of being in one of the first large water projects in the country, started by Buffalo Bill Cody. Sara’s family began homesteading in the area around 1...
Blue Creek Livestock: Building Soils and Herds
April 26, 2022 22:00 - 33 minutes - 23.4 MBToday’s guests are Tangy and Matt Bates who operate Blue Creek Livestock in Delta Junction Alaska. They aim to provide their community with fresh, natural meat – beef, lamb, and pork. Since the beginning, Blue Creek Cattle has been building soils and herds. Tangy and Matt talk about the opportunities and challenges of farming in Alaska. The opportunities are plentiful, providing farmers and ranchers with room for creativity and profitability. The infrastructure, however, is not what it is...
Emigh Livestock & Flying Mule Farm: Opportunities for the Sheep Industry
April 12, 2022 16:00 - 44 minutes - 30.7 MBDan Macon is a University of California Farm Adviser and also the operator of Flying Mule Farm in Auburn California. Ryan Mahoney is a fifth-generation sheep and cattle rancher who operates Emigh Livestock, in Rio Vista California. Dan and Ryan are also participating in a Western SARE project demonstrating and evaluating how information from both electronic identification tags and better understanding of sheep genetics could be improve sheep production economic viability. Emigh Livestock pr...
Citizen Soil Health Project: Harnessing the Collective Knowledge of Local Growers
March 22, 2022 18:00 - 35 minutes - 24.4 MBIn Episode 4, we talk with Zach Thode and Elizabeth Black. Zach manages a large cattle ranch in Livermore Colorado. Elizabeth is an artist in Colorado and manages a Christmas tree farm. Elizabeth is also the project leader for The Citizen Science Soil Health Project, partially funded by a Western SARE grant and Zach is a producer participant in that project. The Citizen Science Soil Health Project is a grower-driven project which uses the collective knowledge of diverse participating grow...
Oceanside Farms: Small Plot Intensive Farming in Alaska
March 01, 2022 20:00 - 38 minutes - 26.3 MBIn this episode, we talk with Don McNamara and Donna Rae Faulkner from Oceanside Farms in Homer Alaska. They raise a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, berries, and chickens, ducks and turkeys. They grow all of their produce and nine varieties of Alaska Certified Seed Potatoes without the use of synthetically based chemicals, pesticides, fungicides, or fertilizers. The farm serves their local market. Don and Donna Rae practice Small Plot Intensive Farming (SPIN) and started out borrowing ...
Zoom Out Mycology: How Does Fungi Save the Planet?
February 15, 2022 20:00 - 24 minutes - 17.2 MBToday’s episode features Bashira Muhammad, founder of Zoom Out Mycology as she talks about “Driving Sustainability with Fungi!” Zoom Out Mycology is a fungi farm based in Southern Oregon. Their mission is to apply mycology towards a sustainable future. When asked “How does fungi save the planet,” Bashira lists “so many ways!” She and her team focus on medicinal mushroom teas for holistic health, small batch sawdust production so their local community can grow their own food, and communit...
Royal Dairy: Ruminants, Carbon Sequestration, and Soil Health
February 01, 2022 18:00 - 31 minutes - 21.4 MBAustin Allred, talking about his family's Royal Dairy in Washington, proudly states that rather than contributing to climate change, Royal Dairy shows that farms like his can be an impactful part of the solution — in part by preventing the formation of greenhouse gases and boosting the capacity of his soil to draw down and sequester atmospheric carbon. In this episode, Austin shares his passion and knowledge about the relationship ruminants have with the soil, which effortlessly leads to...
Jeremy Bunch: Shepherd's Grain
January 17, 2022 18:00 - 13 minutes - 9.34 MBWestern SARE completed our second season of Fresh Growth. Thank you for listening! As we are working toward Season 3, we are sharing some special podcasts created by Washington State University students. In this podcast, you'll hear from Shepherd's Grain COO and Director of R&D Jeremy Bunch. He discusses what makes Shepherd's Grain unique and how they work with no-till wheat farmers. The model links farmers with consumers. You'll learn more about the importance of traceability as well as...
Bar Star Farm: No-Till Wheat Farming
January 17, 2022 18:00 - 13 minutes - 9.04 MBWestern SARE completed our second season of Fresh Growth. Thank you for listening! As we are working toward Season 3, we are sharing some special podcasts by Washington State University students. In this episode, you'll hear from 5th generation farmer Allen Druffel, Bar Star Farm, as he talks about their use of no-till practices since the 1990s. Student team: Kayleigh Brown, Mathew Morse, Mackenzie Cunningham, Martha Lum ____________ Thanks for listening to Fresh Growth! To learn mor...
Diamond S Farms: Benefits of No-Till
March 06, 2021 16:00 - 10 minutes - 7.31 MBWestern SARE completed our second season of Fresh Growth. Thank you for listening! As we are working toward Season 3, we are sharing some special podcasts. These podcasts were created by students in the Washington State University’s Systems Skills for Agriculture and Food Systems class. The students interviewed producers on topics such as regenerative agriculture, permaculture, marketing, economics, technology and more. We hope you enjoy and learn from their work. In this episode, Palouse w...
WSU Impact Center: How Disruption Impacted Washington Ag
February 20, 2021 18:00 - 11 minutes - 8.27 MBWestern SARE completed our second season of Fresh Growth. Thank you for listening! As we are working toward Season 3, we are sharing some special podcasts. These podcasts were created by students in the Washington State University’s Systems Skills for Agriculture and Food Systems class. The students interviewed producers on topics such as regenerative agriculture, permaculture, marketing, economics, technology and more. We hope you enjoy and learn from their work. In this episode, Tim Nadre...
WSU Impact Center: How Disruption Impacted Washington Ag
February 20, 2021 18:00 - 11 minutes - 8.27 MBWestern SARE completed our second season of Fresh Growth. Thank you for listening! As we are working toward Season 3, we are sharing some special podcasts. These podcasts were created by students in the Washington State University’s Systems Skills for Agriculture and Food Systems class. The students interviewed producers on topics such as regenerative agriculture, permaculture, marketing, economics, technology and more. We hope you enjoy and learn from their work. In this episode, Tim Nadre...
The Hay King: Talking Spuds and Cows
February 19, 2021 21:00 - 16 minutes - 11.4 MBWestern SARE completed our second season of Fresh Growth. Thank you for listening! As we are working toward Season 3, we are sharing some special podcasts. These podcasts were created by students in the Washington State University’s Systems Skills for Agriculture and Food Systems class. The students interviewed producers on topics such as regenerative agriculture, permaculture, marketing, economics, technology and more. We hope you enjoy and learn from their work. In this episode, Jon Paul ...
Barn Owl Bakery: Growing Heritage Grains
February 05, 2021 22:00 - 48 minutes - 33.5 MBToday’s guest is Nathan Hodges, who along with his wife Sage Dilts, runs Barn Owl Bakery on Lopez Island, Washington. He discusses why they are farming and sourcing heritage grains and using them in their baked goods; how the grains are processed locally; how the community plays a big role in their success; the results of his Western SARE research project; and what “right livelihood” means to them. The bakery came first, and then the growing of the grains. Nathan searches for grains that gr...
Mountain Roots Produce: Feeding the Community in a Difficult Climate
January 01, 2021 22:00 - 40 minutes - 28.2 MBToday’s guest is Mike Nolan who, along with Mindy Perkovich, farms in the Mancos Valley in Southwest Colorado. Mountain Roots Produce provides the local and regional community high quality and reasonably priced vegetables. Mike discusses their commitment to building soil health, a strong local food system, and a profitable business, all while facing challenges brought on by COVID and limited water in the high desert climate. Prior to COVID, the farm typically received 60% of their gross in...
Chileno Valley Ranch: Passionate about Habitat, Land Restoration, and Community
December 11, 2020 19:00 - 41 minutes - 28.7 MBSally Gale, who along with husband Mike, operates Chileno Valley Ranch in Marin County California. She and Mike returned to the family ranch in 1993, restoring buildings, infrastructure, and the land. They planted hundreds of apple and pear trees and started a grass-fed beef business selling directly to the local community. Sally discusses how they learned by reaching out to family ranchers, NRCS, ag extension, and the Marin Resource Conservation District to make progress on restoring the d...
Chileno Valley Ranch: Passionate about Habitat, Land Restoration, and Community
December 11, 2020 19:00 - 41 minutes - 28.7 MBSally Gale, who along with husband Mike, operates Chileno Valley Ranch in Marin County California. She and Mike returned to the family ranch in 1993, restoring buildings, infrastructure, and the land. They planted hundreds of apple and pear trees and started a grass-fed beef business selling directly to the local community. Sally discusses how they learned by reaching out to family ranchers, NRCS, ag extension, and the Marin Resource Conservation District to make progress on restoring the d...
Petty Ranch: Finding Balance and Planning for the Future
November 20, 2020 20:00 - 46 minutes - 32.1 MBChris Sayer is a successful fifth generation farmer in Ventura County. He grows citrus and avocados, and experiments with other specialty crops such as figs, persimmons, apples, and apricots. Chris returned to the family farm in 2001 and has become passionate about soil health and regenerative agriculture. “I inherited well-maintained but old trees. So I’ve had to look down the road, replace trees, and get set up for the next 30-40 years.” He discusses his ever evolving soil health and...
Sol Ranch: Cattle Ranching in a Brittle Environment
October 28, 2020 17:00 - 36 minutes - 25 MBIn this episode, Emily Cornell and Sarah Bangert discuss prescriptive grazing effects on rangeland. Emily is a cow-calf rancher with Sol Ranch and Cornell Ranch in Northeastern New Mexico. She markets grass fed beef and also manages an apprenticeship program for beginning ranchers. She talks about the importance of soil health, especially in an area with limited water, as well as impacts on processing and marketing due to COVID-19. About soil health, Emily says, ““Paying attention to s...
My Brothers’ Farm: Creating a Regenerative Ag Vision with Family
October 01, 2020 20:00 - 45 minutes - 31.5 MBToday’s guest is Taylor Larson, who along with his two brothers and parents, operates My Brothers’ Farm in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. First generation farmers, they raise bison, pigs, and hazelnuts on the land on which they were raised. Taylor describes creating effective frameworks to determine a vision of regenerative agriculture with multiple partners and the importance of returning to the frameworks for decision-making. "We looking at what we are bringing into this world thro...
A Sovereign Plate: Indigenous Food Systems
July 16, 2020 17:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MBWestern SARE completed our first season of Fresh Growth. Thank you for listening! As we are working toward Season 2, we are sharing some special podcasts. These podcasts were created as a senior project in Montana State University's Sustainable Food & Bioenergy Systems class. In this podcast, Jill Falcon Mackin, doctoral candidate at Montana State University, discusses Food Sovereignty for indigenous people. From the Turtle Mountain Band of the Ojibwe Tribe, she focuses on Native American f...
Rocky Creek Farm: Diversity in Production
June 18, 2020 22:00 - 20 minutes - 14 MBWestern SARE completed our first season of Fresh Growth. Thank you for listening! As we are working toward Season 2, we are sharing some special podcasts. These podcasts were created as a senior project in Montana State University's Sustainable Food & Bioenergy Systems class. In this episode, student Nathaniel Bowman talks with Rocky Creek Farm's co-founder Matt Rothschiller about small scale vegetable production, integrating animals, successful marketing, and the importance of diversifyin...
Kern Family Farms: Cultivating Connections Between People and Land
May 28, 2020 18:00 - 45 minutes - 31.5 MBAaron and Hansel Kern are owners along with Sue and Rebecca Kern, of Kern Family Farm. The multi-generational farm is located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. In this episode,you’ll hear about their passion for community and conservation; trials with no-till and cover cropping; and the transition to the next generation. The farm is certified organic and they use regenerative farming practices. The Kerns are dedicated to re-cultivating connections between the...
Harmony Fields: Toward a Closed Loop System
May 09, 2020 17:00 - 33 minutes - 23.1 MBJessica Gigot and her family own Harmony Fields located in the Skagit Valley, Washington. They make artisan farmstead sheep cheese and also grow organic herbs. Their mission is to produce nutritious, high-quality food using organic and ecological farming techniques. In this fifth episode, recorded prior to the impacts of COVID-19, Jessica shares important lessons that seem even more critical today. She discusses Harmony Field’s relationships with a local wholesale food hub, the creation o...
Myllymaki Farms: Regenerative Agriculture in Montana
April 09, 2020 15:00 - 28 minutes - 19.7 MBIn our fourth episode, you'll hear from Kurt Myllymaki, manager and VP of Helmak and owner of Myllymaki Farm. Kurt is a third generation farmer in Stanford Montana. The farms grow a variety of crops, mainly winter wheat. He and his wife operate a cow-calf operation on land leased from the family farm operation. The family farm has been in operation since the 1930s and Kurt has been an integral part of the operation for over 15 years. Kurt and his family have found success - both in impr...
Vilicus Farms: Innovations that Impact Climate Change
February 18, 2020 16:00 - 43 minutes - 29.6 MBIn our third episode, you’ll listen to the folks at Vilicus Farms, a first-generation organic, dryland crop farm located in Havre, Montana. Anna Jones-Crabtree, Doug Crabtree, and Paul Neubauer discuss honestly their successes and challenges as they built the operation from scratch as young farmers and in the face of climate variability. They hold a vision of bringing in new farmers who see agriculture as a solution. They talk about how, in 10 years, the farm grew from 1,280 acres to 7,400...
Matchbook Winery: Biodiversity Co-Existing with Monoculture
February 06, 2020 21:00 - 41 minutes - 28.2 MBGreg Giguiere, Matchbook Wines in Yolo County California, discusses farming 2,000 acres of grapes and olives on this multi-generational farm while at the same time preserving wetlands and other natural habitat for wildlife. Greg describes working with IPM methods including using owl boxes and his participation in research on owls as control for rodents. He gives specific examples of sustainable practices the vineyard uses such as cover crops, double drip systems, and compost. You’ll hear abo...
Rockey Farms: Adding Bio-Diversity to Grow a Good Crop
January 28, 2020 19:00 - 36 minutes - 25.1 MBBrendon Rockey, co-owner of Rockey Farms in San Luis Valley of Colorado, tells us how the multi-generational family farm has experimented and implemented one new farming practice after another, steadily increasing their sustainability, profitability, soil health and crop quality. The family originally identified a desire to eliminate toxic chemicals; and then realized with their poor soil health and the lack of diversity, they didn’t have a system to reduce the chemicals. They made changes...
Rockey Farms: Adding Bio-Diversity to Grow a Good Crop
January 28, 2020 19:00 - 36 minutes - 25.1 MBBrendon Rockey, co-owner of Rockey Farms in San Luis Valley of Colorado, tells us how the multi-generational family farm has experimented and implemented one new farming practice after another, steadily increasing their sustainability, profitability, soil health and crop quality. The family originally identified a desire to eliminate toxic chemicals; and then realized with their poor soil health and the lack of diversity, they didn’t have a system to reduce the chemicals. They made changes...