Shows
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food LoversFBC Christmas Special!The Ruminant lives!...mainly to cross-post episodes of Jordan's other show, Farming in British Columbia, when they're of a broader appeal. Herein: the Farming in British Columbia 2025 Christmas Special!
2025-12-2421 min
Farming in British ColumbiaExtension & Data & Tariffs, Oh MyThis episode started out as an effort to learn about a PhD thesis focused on how farmers feel about data-sharing, but discovered some sidebars that were also worth sharing with you.First up: former British Columbian and perennial soil nerd Clare Sullivan on a circuitous path to an Ag-focused PhD in Greece by way of Oregon State University's extension program. Clare compares extension services in the states to what we have in here in BC, with some help from a special friend of the podcast. You can help Clare with her PhD research on farmers...
2025-04-0249 minFarming in British ColumbiaChecking in on the BC Food Hub NetworkIn 2019 BC's Ministry of Agriculture & Food launched the BC Food Hub Network, a major component of which was significant funding for new food hubs in the province. This episode, a couple of conversations with people for whom Life Is Food Hubs; the rest being Just Details. Sarah-Patricia Breen is the BC Regional Innovation Chair in Rural Economic Development at Selkirk Innovates, the applied research department of Selkirk College.Lindsay Harris and Kent Fawcett work for the Kamloops Food Policy Council; Lindsay is their Food Policy Implementation Lead and Kent Manages a food hub...
2025-03-191h 02Farming in British ColumbiaA Tariff-Adjacent Conversation About BC's Veggie Marketing CommissionMy guest today is Lillian Posch, General Manager of Okanagan Grown Produce Ltd., a veggie marketing agency located in Vernon. Marketing agencies like OGP play an important role in the orderly marketing of BC Vegetables. For those unfamiliar with the term, Orderly Marketing is the weaker yet earnest cousin of Supply Management. And in BC, it's the term we use to describe a legislated regulatory scheme that organizes the production of a whole bunch of vegetable crops. All of which is overseen by the BC Vegetable Marketing Commission.You should listen to this because a lot of...
2025-03-0558 minFarming in British ColumbiaSetting the Peace on Fire on PurposeToday on the show, a tip from a listener takes me up to Northern BC, where some farmers and their co-conspirators are playing with fire! My guest is rangeland agrologist Nadia Mori, the coordinator of the Peace River Forage Association. She joined me to talk about her role as the coordinator of the Peace River Forage Association and a couple of its current projects. One explores the potential benefits of prescribed burning of pasture lands; the other gives farmers the tools and knowledge to fight wildfires on the farm. Nadia's media production company is called Fairfield Productions
2025-02-1948 minFarming in British ColumbiaA Minister's Mandate (Or: Lana's Letter)Today on the show, BC’s recently re-elected premier David Eby finally issued mandate letters for his new cabinet, so I asked a politically-minded farmer to join me to talk about what’s contained in the one for our brand new but also returning Minister of Agriculture and Food, Lana Popham. We reference the BC Ag Council's Strategic Priorities released during the last BC election. Here's that document.Other links:farminginbc.ca/submit if you'd like to contribute your thoughts for a future episode of the show. You're also welcome to send an audio...
2025-01-2240 minThe Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food LoversGAP Certification: A Barrier & an OpportunityHey everyone! This is Jordan with some bonus listening for you. As you may know, I’m the producer and host of The Organic BC Podcast, and over there, I’ve been busy producing a miniseries about whether GAP certification is a viable option for small-scale farmers who want to gain, preserve, or expand access to wholesale marketing channels. You’re about to hear episode one of that series, exactly as it dropped on The Organic BC podcast feed. If you like it, you can go find the organic BC podcast and listen to episode two right now, and episod...
2025-01-1736 minFarming in British ColumbiaBONUS: GAP Certification: A Barrier & an OpportunityHey everyone! This is Jordan with some bonus listening for you. As you may know, I’m the producer and host of The Organic BC Podcast, and over there, I’ve been busy producing a miniseries about whether GAP certification is a viable option for small-scale farmers who want to gain, preserve, or expand access to wholesale marketing channels. You’re about to hear episode one of that series, exactly as it dropped on The Organic BC podcast feed. If you like it, you can go find the organic BC podcast and listen to episode two right now, and episod...
2025-01-1736 minFarming in British ColumbiaThe Queen Bee (Breeder) of SpallumcheenThis episode, Emily Huxter of Wild Antho (and also episode one of this podcast) is back. The first time around, I had too much good tape to work with so I omitted this chunk of our conversation, which is about the practice and business of breeding & selling queen bees. I learned a lot about bee love-making, and now you will, too. Other links:farminginbc.ca/submit if you'd like to contribute your thoughts for a future episode of the show. You're also welcome to send an audio recording to Jordan via text/whatsapp/signal Jordan...
2025-01-0833 min
Shuswap Food ConversationsEpisode 102 - Jordan Marr - Unearthed OrganicsJoin Dr. Warren Bell for his conversation with Jordan Marr of Unearthed Organics in Kelowna, BC. Jordan produces corn, beans, chilis and other goodies for restaurants, and he sells seeds and dry goods across Canada. Jordan is also a podcaster and broadcaster ruminating on all things agriculture. We don't stop there because Jordan is also the Board President of Organic BC representing the North Okanagan Organic Association. A super busy guy, there is lots to talk about with Jordan Marr.
2024-12-1854 minFarming in British ColumbiaSisters-in-Laudable Farming Careers: Dairy & Veggies in MaraThis ep: A long-ranging coversation with four owners of two farms that sit side-by-side in Mara: Louise Bruns and her husband, Hermann, own Wild Flight Veggie Farm. Across the road is Hamberlin Holsteins, owned by Daniela Bruns and her husband, Quentin. Daniela, Louise, Quentin and Hermann sat down with me to talk about how each operation came to be, how their upbringings influenced the farms they would eventually run, intergenerational conflict over competing farming philosophies, and a lot more.Other links:farminginbc.ca/submit if you'd like to contribute your thoughts for a...
2024-09-2555 minFarming in British ColumbiaHow's Your Season Going?In which I cold-call a bunch of farmers to learn how everyone's doing this year.Other links:farminginbc.ca/submit if you'd like to contribute your thoughts for a future episode of the show. You're also welcome to send an audio recording to Jordan via text/whatsapp/signal Jordan at 250 767 6636 or via podcast@farminginbc.cafarminginbc.ca/sponsorship to learn more about buying ads on the podcast or other forms of sponsorship.
2024-09-041h 04Farming in British ColumbiaBCTF Closure...it's roughThe BC Tree Fruits Co-Op announced it's immediate closure on July 25th. This shocked the apple sector, and hit the co-op's 300+ members pretty hard. Herein: a summary of the story so far, and an interview with a co-op member who's super pissed about this. She explains why the closure is such a big deal in terms of the impact it will have on apple growers for this year's harvest. Other links:farminginbc.ca/submit if you'd like to contribute your thoughts for a future episode of the show. You're also welcome to send an audio...
2024-08-2146 minFarming in British ColumbiaThe Burkholders Bros: Sweet Corn in ChaseThis time on the podcast, a conversation with Vincent and Lewis Burkholder, a pair of brothers who worked summers for the local sweet corn baron as teenagers and ended up taking over his operation, sort of. I'm referring, of course, to The Burkholder Bros Corn Farm, a business that thwarted my effort to nab the URL I wanted in order to promote a new sport I invented where contestants race to try to catch an ear of corn dangled on a stick mounted to a 2009 Honda Fit.I was interested to talk to Vincent and Lewis because o...
2024-08-0758 minFarming in British ColumbiaYou should care about how BC defines 'agrology'This episode: Jane Kerner, interim CEO of the British Columbia Institute of Agrologists, joins me to discuss recent updates to how professional agrologists are regulated in BC, the definition of agrology contained in that regulation, and what the exclusivity granted to agrologists in BC to offer agricultural advice means for farmers and other farming professionals who want to provide advice without a professional agrologist designation. My contention is that the definition of agrology in the regulation is too broad. Jane disagrees! And we had a fulsome debate I think you'll enjoy. If you want to...
2024-07-2452 minFarming in British ColumbiaAndrew Vogler: Farming with Bookends in ChilliwackThis episode: Andrew Vogler on fifteen years as a mixed veggie grower in the Fraser Valley, and why he and his business partner decided to wind down a farm operation that was succeeding. Other links:farminginbc.ca/submit if you'd like to contribute your thoughts for a future episode of the show. You're also welcome to send an audio recording to Jordan via text/whatsapp/signal Jordan at 250 767 6636 or via podcast@farminginbc.cafarminginbc.ca/sponsorship to learn more about buying ads on the podcast or other forms of sponsorship.
2024-07-1253 minFarming in British ColumbiaA Familial Farmer Feud About The Weather ForecastThis episode: you'll hear from two brothers who farm next door to one another who fight about which weather forecast is better: Environment Canada or The Weather Network.Then: a meteorlogist from each agency joins me to explain how and why forecasts from different agencies come to different conclusions about whether it's going to rain on while you're haying.Thanks to Quentin Bruns for inspiring this episode; to Herman Bruns for hosting me for an interview; to Doug Gillham from The Weather Network and Armel Castellan from Environment Canada; and to my wife, Vanessa, who...
2024-06-261h 00Farming in British ColumbiaFormer ALC Chair Richard Bullock on the ALR & Sixty Years in FarmingThis episode, my conversation with Richard Bullock, a past Chair of the Agricultural Land Commission. Richard joined me to talk about a life in farming and why chairing the ALC was the hardest job he took on in sixty five years as a farmer. The ALC's Annual Report is a good way to learn the fundamentals about the ALC/ALR if you're into that sort of thing.Other links:farminginbc.ca/submit if you'd like to contribute your thoughts for a future episode of the show. You're also welcome to send an audio r...
2024-06-141h 03
Secrets To Scaling Your Ecommerce BrandEp 563: 2024 Organic Content Hacks From Ecommerce Brands with Natasha Chilcott, Marr Media GroupSend us a textIntegrating successful organic content into paid campaigns and aligning ads with organic content that performs well on social media. Using organic content to bring people into the brand's sphere of influence and position the brand attractively before using ads.In this episode, Jordan West and Natasha Chilcott, a seasoned marketing professional with a wealth of experience in social media marketing for direct-to-consumer product brands. Natasha shares the importance of organic content in driving revenue and supporting sales, emphasizing the need to position the brand attractively before using...
2024-06-1037 minFarming in British ColumbiaHeritage Pig Breeding Around BCThis episode we’re taking a look at small scale pork production in BC, and specifically, a few farrowing operations around the province.Other links:farminginbc.ca/submit if you'd like to contribute your thoughts for a future episode of the show. You're also welcome to send an audio recording to Jordan via text/whatsapp/signal Jordan at 250 767 6636 or via podcast@farminginbc.cafarminginbc.ca/sponsorship to learn more about buying ads on the podcast or other forms of sponsorship.
2024-05-2943 minFarming in British ColumbiaHow BC Drought Managers Make Tough Water Allocation DecisionsThis episode returns to the subject of drought and how the government manages water scarcity. This time: an interview with Nicole Pyett, a hydrogeologist and Water Resources Section Head, Authorizations for the Thompson Okanagan region with BC's Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. Scroll down to find a bunch of resources NIcole mentions in our conversation.I asked Nicole to join me to talk about some of the science and date behind how she and her colleagues make decisions about how to allocate water during drought. Last year, water levels in the Salmon River...
2024-05-0138 minFarming in British ColumbiaThe Current State of Farmers Markets in BCMy guest today is Wylie Bystedt, a farmer based in Quesnel and the current board chair of the British Columbia Association of Farmers Markets. Wylie joined me on the phone to trumpet a recent study conducted at the University of Northern British Columbia that confirms what Wylie already knew: that farmers markets in BC are growing in popularity and economic impact. We'll talk about that study, as well as the current state of farmers markets in BC, and Wylie will tell you what she thinks farmers markets need in order to be even better. Wylie's ranch is...
2024-04-1741 min
Dynasty Think TankDynasty Think Tank (Episode 8): 3 Big Things, Joe Mixon, Cam Akers, Did They Get Enough: Ja'Marr Chase EditionChad Parsons and Jordan McNamara react to Joe Mixon news, Sean McVay praising Cam Akers, Luke Schoonmaker's injury in three big things. We also play a game of did you get enough for Ja'Marr Chase and discuss the Kyler Murray bet. Don't forget to check out our Patreon content where we do two more premium podcasts each week for Star Patrons.Follow Chad on Twitter: @chadparsonsNFLFollow Jordan on Twitter: @mcnamaradynastyYou can find our premium Patreon content here: patreon.com/DynastyThinkTank
2023-06-2134 min
MARR Army Rock Show InterviewsMARR Army Rock Show - Them EvilsGreat to have California band Them Evils back on The MARR Army Rock Show. Jordan talks with Rocky about their new single "Burner" and tons more!
2022-05-2210 minThe Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food LoversThe Biggest Little DisappointmentThis episode: to mark the release of an update (sort of?) to Netflix's big, farmy 2018 hit The Biggest Little Farm, herein we review both the original documentary (Netflix) and an update, called The Return of the Biggest Little Farm, which dropped on Disney+ on Earth Day. Also: another installment of The Farmer Questionnaire!This episode was produced by Jordan Marr & Philippa Mennell.
2022-05-0542 minThe Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food LoversI Hope You Die: Livestock Farmers on the Threats They ReceiveThis episode, three farmers who slaughter animals reflect on the experience of encountering hate, vitriol and worse from animal rights activists. This episode was produced by Jordan Marr & Philippa Mennell.
2022-04-2147 minThe Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food LoversDrivecast No. 3I've had it with trying to produce a show during the farming season so I cut out a lot of production & administrative BS by just cold-calling people to see what they have to say. Episode 3.
2020-07-1633 minThe Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food LoversDrivecast No. 2Episode two of driving around and cold-calling people. Mainly farmers and extension specialists. A good mix of strangers and friends. Mostly to talk about the pandemic, but really to talk about anything food or farming related.
2020-06-2255 minThe Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food LoversDrivecast No. 1In which your host catches you up on things as quickly as possible, and then makes some calls.
2020-06-1229 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food LoversRotational Grazing Tips with Sarah Flack (e.111)Tristan Banwell, BC-based rancher and occasional co-host of the show, recorded this interview with Sarah Flack, author of The Art and Science of Grazing: How Grass Farmers Can Create Sustainable Systems for Healthy Animals and Farm Ecosystems. From Sarah’s website: Sarah Flack is an author and consultant specializing in providing practical information on grass based and organic livestock production to farmers, organizations, institutions and individuals. She has a diverse background in sustainable agriculture, which includes both on-farm and academic experience. She is nationally known for her public speaking, workshops, books and numerous articles on a range of...
2019-06-1951 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food LoversParticipatory Plant Breeding (e110)This ep: my interview with Alex Lyon, a UBC Postdoctoral Fellow focused on seed systems and plant breeding for diverse farm environments. Alex is involved in a number of projects that recruit commercial farmers to assist in the development of better seeds, and she joins me on the show to talk about them. Show sponsor: The Small-Scale Meat Producers Association of BC
2019-06-0344 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food LoversFarming is GayThis ep: a few perspectives from members of the LGBTQ community who farm This ep: a few perspectives from members of the LGBTQ community who farm Show sponsors: BCS America BC Small-Scale Meat Producers Association
2019-05-201h 15
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse108: Aliwawa?In which your host tells you all about his experiences sourcing certain farm equipment using Alibaba, the massive, China-based gathering place for buyers and manufacturers. He'll take you through all the steps, from confusion to suspicion to curiousity to impulsivity, before cruising through anxiety and ending up at ambivalent satisfaction. Plenty of tips in here! All the Alibaba tips! The specific supplier mentioned in this episode is Shijiazhuang Daoliangmou Trade Co., and my contact there is Ada Guo. Show sponsors: BCS America and Dubois Agrinovation
2019-02-2235 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse107: A Cynical Farmer RebuffedMy guest this ep is Stefan Morales, producer of the Working Together podcast. Stefan and I both care about food and farming. I brought my passions to farming; he took his into the non-profit and government sphere. We compare notes, things get mildly awkward, and a farmer's heart grows by a couple of sizes. Or: a guy with good insights about the workings of bureaucracy offers advice for reformers about how to engage with it. Episode Sponsor: Dubois Agrinovation
2019-02-2151 minThe Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse106: How to Gross 250K on 1/2 AcreThis ep: my conversation with urban farmer Kevin Sturdy, author of a book getting a lot of buzz: You're Welcome: How to Crush Your Dreams By Grossing More Money on Less Land Than You Ever Thought Possible. Kevin claims that by following his guide, you can gross 250K on a half-acre urban farm. Episode Sponsor: Dubois Agrinovation Many thanks to professional thespian Kirk Smith, who co-produced this episode with me.
2019-02-2116 minThe Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse105: Ramial Wood as Soil Amendment and More with Karl HammerThis episode I speak with Karl Hammer, founder of Vermont Compost and all-around soil fertility expert. We focus on the use of wood chips as a soil amendment, and Karl also shares his thoughts about managing soil fertility on bio-intensive market gardens. Show Sponsors: BCS America and Dubois Agrinovation In our conversation, Karl refers to research done by Laval University and Cornell University on this subject. Go google for it! But here's something to get you started.
2019-02-2138 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse104: Silvopasture with Steve GabrielThis ep: Ruminant co-host Tristan Banwell interviews Farmer and Author Steve Gabriel about his book Silvopasture: A Guide to Managing Grazing Animals, Forage Crops, and Trees in a Temperate Farm Ecosystem. Bonus content (more conversation) should show up in your podcast feed, otherwise: get it at theruminant.ca Tristan and Steve discuss what to do with tree biomass you remove from your silvopasture system, a good approach to pruning, and current gaps in the knowledge of this topic. Show sponsors: Dubois Agrinovation
2019-02-2159 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse102: Weed Management in the PastureThis episode my guest is Mark Renz, an extension weed specialist at the University of Wisconsin. He joins me to talk about weed management in the pasture.
2018-09-2040 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse101: Beneficial Insects on the FarmThis ep: I wanted to learn more about maintaining and increasing bug biodiversity on my farm so I contacted the Xerces Society, a non-profit that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. They connected me with Eric Mader, co-Director of their Pollinator Conservation and Agricultural Biodiversity program. Eric is my guest in this episode. I grabbed this episode's artwork from The Pacific Northwest Bumblebee Atlas
2018-08-0650 minThe Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food LoversFoliar Feeding w/ Steve SolomonSteve Solomon is back to talk about what's turning his crank in the garden these days: foliar feeding. Steve is the author of numerous gardening books including one of my faves, The Intelligent Gardener.
2018-04-2346 minThe Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.99: Incubating your own eggsMy guest today, Pascale Deffieux Pearce, is a vice-president with Brinsea, a producer of egg incubators for the farm and home. She joins me to talk about ins and outs and pros and cons of hatching your own eggs, or those of your hens'.
2018-04-0631 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.11: Adding seed production to your veggie operation (re-run)This episode: Part 1 of 2 of my conversation with Dan Brisebois, editor of the seed production blog Going to Seed and co-author of Crop Planning for Organic Vegetable Growers. In this part, Dan talks about the basics of vegetable seed production and suggests how to begin incorporating it into a small scale farm business. In part two, Dan discusses marketing strategies once you're ready to sell your seed.
2018-03-3027 minThe Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.98: Breeding for Better Flavour and Row 7 SeedsHave you read The Third Plate by chef Dan Barber? Great Book. This episode explores one of the legacies of that book: a brand new seed company, representing a collaboration between chefs and plant breeders, that aims to improve the flavour and performance of our plant varieties. My guest is Michael Mazourek, plant breeder at Cornell and a partner in Row 7 Seeds.
2018-03-2343 minThe Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse97: Jean Martin Fortier! Cocaine! Compost Tea!This ep: Jean-Martin Fortier returns for a quickie. We talk about fame, semi-fortune, cocaine, compost tea, the tool he's most obsessed with at the moment, and a few other tidbits. One of JM's recent projects is an online course. He's pretty amped about it. It's called The Market Gardener's Master Class. We discuss that too.
2018-03-1936 minThe Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.96: A Critique of Compost TeaLinda Chalker-Scott is an extension specialist at WSU with a penchant for horticultural myth-busting. One of her targets has been the use of compost tea as a disease-preventer/pest-abater/all-around garden panacea. Seeing as your podcast host is about to start a compost tea regimen on his own farm, this seemed like a good topic to ask her about.
2018-03-1648 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.95: The Farmers Aren't All Right pt IIEpisode 92, about farmer mental health, really resonated with lots of listeners. This episode features a follow-up conversation with Javan Bernakevitch, a farmer and permaculturalist who emerged from his own depression with insights that he now shares with others. Learn more about Javan at http://allpointsdesign.ca Also this episode: I talk about The Ruminant's brand new gift registry.
2018-03-0942 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.94: Better GH PracticesThis ep: First I speak with Andew Mefferd, author of The Greenhouse and Hoophouse Grower's Handbook (superb!), about making the most out of caterpillar tunnels. After that, Cornell Extension Specialist Judson Reid joins me to talk about avoiding and managing toxic levels of soil nutrients in greenhouses.
2018-03-0354 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Lovers2018 Season Launches Friday! But first: a teaser.Coming Friday, March 2: the first episode of the next season of The Ruminant Podcast. To tide you over, I've produced a microsode. I hope you enjoy it!
2018-02-2505 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse93: Stop Washing Your Children So Much!The microbes that colonize us when we're in the womb and as infants have lasting impacts on our health later on. My conversation with Claire Arrieta, author of Let Them Eat Dirt. Marie-Claire is the co-author with B. Brett Finlay of Let Them Eat Dirt: Saving Your Child from an Oversanitized World. After that, I talk about lego for farmers.
2017-03-1850 minThe Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.92: The Farmers Aren't All RightFarming is tough work. The unpredictability of the job and the pressure to present a curated, bucolic version of the work can easily lead to various kinds of mental health problems: despair, feeling overwhelmed or like a failure, or even depression. In this episode, co-produced with Jessica Gale of Sweet Gale Gardens, we discuss the prevalence of mental health problems among farmers, and how to address them. Mentioned: Professor Andria Jones-Bitton's work The Market Gardener (JM Fortier) The Urban Farmer (Curtis Stone) Sustainable Market Farming (Pam Dawling)
2017-03-0445 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.91: The Origins of Artisanal Food in AmericaPatric Kuh, James Beard award winner, Food Critic for LA Magazine, and author of Finding the Flavours We Lost: From Bread to Bourbon, How Artisans Reclaimed American Food, joins me to talk about his book. I ask Patric about the cynicism surrounding bearded Brooklyn craft pickle-makers, whether it's okay for food artisans to sacrifice a little bit of quality for efficiency, and how small-batch producers can remain competitive against their large-scale industrial competitors.
2017-02-1735 minThe Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.90: Our Agricultural Heritage is At RiskFirst, my conversation with Simran Sethi on her book Bread Wine Chocolate: The Slow Loss of Foods We Love, which describes the increasing threat to the biodiversity within our food system, and how a better appreciation for the diversity of flavour that's all around us could help reverse the problem. Then: I review two great tools for market gardeners made by Two Bad Cats
2017-02-0228 minThe Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.89: America Does Too Have a Food Culture! | Successful CSA PickupThis ep: a conversation with Sophie Egan, author of Devoured: From Chicken Wings to Kale Smoothies--How What We Eat Defines Who We Are Then, Robin Turner of Roots & Shoots Farm provides tips for setting up a good pick-up point for your CSA. Likes or shares from The Ruminant's Facebook Page are most appreciated, as are retweets Have you ever been to The Ruminant website?
2017-01-2038 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food LoversJust when you really need it: The ZoneA new season of The Ruminant Podcast begins in January 2017. For now, I hope you enjoy this ode to gettin'er done around the farm.
2016-12-1303 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse88: Cut Flower Maintenance, Farm Internship WorkshopThis ep: Jessica Gale of Sweet Gale Gardens is back with suggestions for taking good care of your cut flowers throughout the season: soil fertility management, pruning tips, deadheading, and harvesting. After that: Dr. Charles Levkoe joins me to talk about the politics and practice of farm internships as a source of labour on farms. Charles and colleagues are hosting a one day workshop on the topic as a precursor to Food Secure Canada's 9th National Assembly in Toronto in October. foodandlabour.ca is where you can find out more about the workshop, and register. Or...
2016-07-2539 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse87 Insights on Leasing FarmlandThis ep: I've spliced together the best clips from a couple of webinars about leasing farmland. One was given by me, your host; the other by Blake Hall of Prairie Gold Pastured Meats. The webinars were produced by Farmstart, and can be found here. Also: The Canadian Organic Grower Magazine co-Editor Amy Kremen returns to talk about the latest issue.
2016-07-1555 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse86: Antibiotic Use in Poultry Production & Antibiotic ResistanceMy guest today is Tom Philpott, Food and Agriculture Correspondant for Mother Jones. Tom joined me to talk about his recent piece on the use and abuse of antibiotics in US poultry production, and the efforts of one major poultry producer to wean itself from this practice.
2016-06-0538 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse85 Assembling a Herd| Mobile Hoophouse DesignThis ep, Susan Kerr of WSU extension returns to talk about the right way to build a healthy herd; Hermann Bruns returns to talk about a 30'x100' mobile hoophouse design that has worked really well for him. See the companion post about his design here.
2016-05-2937 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse84 Standing Orders with Restaurant CustomersThis ep is a shorty. Matt Coffay returns to talk about setting up standing orders with restaurants. Approximately 1/3 of Matt's sales are to restaurants, and the majority of those sales come from standing orders of just a few products--salad mix, tomatoes, pea shoots, etc. Which means: no fresh sheets! Predictable supply management! And a happier Matt.
2016-05-2225 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse83 Pasturing your Pork and Selling Flowers to FloristsThis ep, Lydia Carpenter of Luna Field Farm on Landscape Scale Hog Management. Then: flower grower Jessica Gale of Sweet Gale Gardens returns, this time to talk about selling flowers to florists and into the wedding industry. The image featured with this episode was grabbed from this greeting card website.
2016-05-1443 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse82: Media Training for FarmersThis ep: Jennifer Cockrall-King, author of Food and the City: Urban Ag and the New Food Revolution and the just-released Food Artisans of the Okanagan, joins me to talk about how farmers can get the right kind of media attention from journalists like her. I learned a lot. You will too.
2016-05-0647 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse81: Connected Apprentices=Happy ApprenticesThis ep: the Maritime Farm Apprentice and Worker Network is a great example of how to enrich the experiences of farm apprenties, incubator farmers, farm workers, etc. A conversation with Robin Johnston and Bernard Soubry.
2016-04-2233 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse80: Parasite Control for Small RuminantsThis time: Susan Kerr of Washington State University Extension Services joins me to talk about non-chemical forms of parasite control in small ruminants. I learned a lot. You will too.
Also: in which your hosts reads one of his essays.
Episode photo care of Lydia Carpenter of Luna Field Farm
2016-04-1631 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food LoversWhat our Ancestors Ate and Why it Matters TodayToday's guest: Stephen Le, author of 100 Million Years of Food. Stephen is an anthropologist who argues that if we want to understand the role of diet in influencing our health, we need to ease off of our obsession with nutrutional science and focus more on the role that evolution has played in defining the relationship between what we eat and how we feel.
Canadian listeners: the Canadian publisher will give away one copy of this book. Details within!
2016-04-0947 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse78: Affordable Farm Sensors | Layers v BroilersThis ep: Bob Siegfried of MidAtlantic Farm Sensors on wiring up your farm for better management, plus John McCauley of Chicken People returns to recommend the best bird to start with if you're new to pasturing livestock. Interested in entering the contest mentioned in the episode? Use this link to participate. It's April 1, 2016 at time of writing; the draw will be held in a couple of weeks.
2016-04-0236 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse77: Smart High Tunnel ManagementThis episode, veggie grower and high tunnel ninja Adam Montri of Ten Hens Farm in Bath, Michigan, joins me to talk about the finer points of incorporating high tunnels into your market gardening.
Discussed:
The limitations of 12' wide caterpillar tunnels compared to high tunnels
What you can expect to pay for a high tunnel, and the bells and/or whistles you should consider
Ideal tunnel layout
Why you should vent like crazy in the Winter
and more!
If you like what you hear, check o...
2016-03-2552 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse76: Winter bale-grazing, biodegradable mulch research, amending poor soilThis episode we're back to the practical aspects of farming. I speak with:
Blake Hall of Prairie Gold Meats about his Winter bale-grazing program.
PhD Candidate Shuresh Ghimire of Washington State University about his research on biodegradable mulches for field crops.
Market Gardener Matt Coffay of Second Spring Market Garden about the value of regular soil testing and how he dealt with some really, really poor soil he leased.
2016-03-1944 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse75: Organic Agriculture in the 21st CenturyCan organic agriculture feed the world? Well, no, probably not entirely. But a recent paper in Nature: Plants suggests that as a farming system, it scores better than conventional farming systems on many key indicators of sustainability. This, say the paper's authors, suggests organic systems should be playing a larger role in world food production than it currently is.
In this episode, I talk to Jonathan Wachtel, co-author of the study. We talk about sustainability metrics, current barriers to the expansion of organic systems, and why we shouldn't assume that organic farming alone can feed the world.
2016-03-1144 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse74: Green Garlic, Easy Cut-Flowers, Keeping Birds Dry When It's WetThis week: over-wintered crops like green garlic, some easy-peasy cut flowers to try out, and a tip for keeping pastured poultry dry and warm when it's wet and cold. Plus: TCOG co-editor Amy Kremen joins me to talk about updates to the Canadian Organic Standards. Every other episode (starting now!), The Ruminant zooms in on practical tips for the farm or garden. Guests today: Hermann Bruns of Wild Flight Farm Jessica Gale of Sweet Gale Gardens John McAuley of chickenpeople.com and Healthy Hens Farm Amy Kremen of The Canadian Organic Grower Magazine
2016-03-0345 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.73: The Microbial Roots of Life and HealthIn The Hidden Half of Nature, David R. Montgomery and Anne Biklé suggest we are in the midst of a scientific revolution of our understanding of the role that microbes play in the health of many other life forms on earth, including plants, as well as our own. I devoured this book, and for this episode, David, a geologist, and Anne, a biologist, are my guests.
Also: the winner of The Salatin Semester giveaway is announced. You'll also hear a couple of ideas for replacing expensive specialty farm parts with their hardware store equivalents.
The int...
2016-02-2654 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse72: The Salatin Semester/DIY Vacuum Seeder/Soil BlocksThe Salatin Semester, a comprehensive course featuring the teachings of you-know-who, is the latest educational offering from Verge Permaculture. I review the course. After that: a conversation with Eric Barnhorst about his take on a home-made vacuum seeder, and some of his approaches to working with soil blocks. Eric submitted some photos of his vacuum seeder and his soil block trays. Check them out at theruminant.ca
2016-02-2030 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.71: Farming with KidsThis episode: submissions from listeners about the joys and travails (mainly the latter) of farming with children. Four farmers share their tips for staying sane when you add kids to an already hectic lifestyle. Eric's Farm Heather's farm and book Jason's Farm Seth's Farm Cover photo for this episode was sourced here. I cropped it a bit.
2016-02-1344 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food LoversGrowing Epic Tomates part twoIn part two of my conversation with Craig Lehoullier, author or Epic Tomatoes, we focus on tomato variety selection. Craig explains how tomato colours are classified, recommends the best heirlooms for commercial gardeners to grow in each colour category, and explains why it's worth the extra effort to seek out specific varieties from trusted sources.
2016-01-2932 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.68: Epic TomatoesI stumbled across Craig LeHoullier's book, Epic tomatoes, by accident one day when I was trolling the internet looking for episode ideas. I bought his book on a whim, and am I ever glad I did. Many years ago, Craig fell in love with growing tomatoes, and then, specifically, heirloom tomatoes, and he eventually put everything he learned about tomato history, and the art and science of growing beautiful tomatoes, down on paper. I roared through the book. And then, impressed with what I read, I asked Craig to come on the show to talk about his passion. And...
2016-01-2346 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food LoversNo episode this week.A brief summary of this episode
2016-01-1601 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.67: Things you may not know about organic certificationI recently had a chance to speak with Rochelle Eisen, who is an expert on all things organic in Canada. Rochelle has been an organic inspector, AKA organic verification officer, for years, and she's been involved in various levels of the oraganic farming certification bureaucracy throughout that time. Rochelle joined me to explain how the organic bureacratic machine works. Sounds boring, I know, but I think you'll really enjoy this if you've ever wondered how organic standards are formed or changed, or how you can influence them. If you're currently an organic farmer, or think you might be in...
2016-01-0940 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse66: The trouble with low paid farm apprenticeshipsGuts is a Canadian feminist magazine that recently published a piece by Natalie Childs called The Fruits of Unpaid Labour. Natalie's article is a thoughtful consideration of the reality of low- and no-pay farm apprenticeships on many small-scale farms in Canada, and the implications for both the farmers and the apprentices involved. Natalie, who completed a farm apprenticeship a few summers back and now works on a farm in Quebec, is my guest for this episode, along with Robin Johnston and Bernard Soubrey, two young farmers based in Atlantic Canada who also went through the apprenticeship system and share N...
2015-12-1930 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.65: Your weeds are trying to tell you something.Jay McCaman has spent many years observing and cataloguing the weeds on his and his clients' farms, and over this time, by also observing the soil types, conditions, and nutrient levels of the countless fields he's worked with, Jay has come up with, well, sort of a grand unifying theory of weeds, and what they're telling us about our soil. Jay has written a few versions of his book on the topic, but the only one currently availble for sale is called, simply, When Weeds Talk. I spoke with Jay in November of 2015. This is our conversation
2015-12-1226 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.64 We divorced flavour from nutrition, and it's making us fatterI recently read The Dorito Effect. It's one of the best I've read in the ag/food politics genre. It's about what happened when food scientists figured out how to manufacture thousands of flavours at the same time that the flavour and nutrition of real food began a steep decline. It turns out that the flavour and nutrition of food are intimately linked, and that when we figured out how to divorce the two, the consequences were, and continue to be, pretty negative.
In this episode I interview the author of The Dorito Effect, Mark Shatzker. It's a g...
2015-12-0536 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.63: Winter Work Ideas for The Idle FarmerThis episode features submissions that came in from listeners after I asked you all what you do in Winter to make ends meet, if not farming. Your answers? Snow removal. Substitute teacher or para-teacher. Organic inspector. Animal technologist. Plus more!
With thanks to Scott Humphries, who came up with the idea for this episode, I'm pretty sure.
2015-11-2845 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.62: The Rooftop Farm at Ryerson UniversityThis episode of the podcast features an interview with Arlene Throness, the coordinator of a rooftop farm operated by a Ryerson University Gardening club called Rye's Homegrown, out of Ryerson University in Toronto. The interview was recorded and edited by Ruminant Podcast collaborator Scott Humphries.
You need to see photos of this farm to believe it. This is no indoor hydroponic setup or series of pots and garden boxes. It's literally a quarter acre market garden on a roof. Arlene talks about the farm's history, as well as the challenges of growing CSA crops way, way up...
2015-11-2129 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.61 Extra: Jim Riddle on the crops he grows at Blue Fruit FarmA brief summary of this episode
2015-11-1414 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.61: Growing Perennial Fruits: Jim Riddle and Blue Fruit FarmAt Blue Fruit Farm in Minnesota, Jim Riddle and Joyce Ford grow a range of perrenial tree fruit and berries of the blue and nearly-blue kind. In our conversation, Jim Riddle talks about why he and Joyce switched to perennial crops from annual market veggies, considerations for establishing a farm like his, and how he and Joyce have approached their marketing. You can find out more at bluefruitfarm.com. More info about Jim's production practices can be found in the expanded show notes for this episode at http://theruminant.ca
2015-11-1434 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.11: Seed Production with Dan BriseboisThis episode: Part 1 of 2 of my conversation with Dan Brisebois, editor of the seed production blog Going to Seed and co-author of Crop Planning for Organic Vegetable Growers. In this part, Dan talks about the basics of vegetable seed production and suggests how to begin incorporating it into a small scale farm business. In part two, Dan discusses marketing strategies once you're ready to sell your seed.
2015-11-0726 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.09: Grafting Tomatoes with Carol MilesThis episode I have a really helpful conversation with WSU Veggie Extension Specialist Carol Miles about grafting tomatoes, eggplants, and other veggies. We cover definitions, the reasons for doing it, and a few techniques. Thanks to Carol for making the time, and for providing links to her very useful publications on the subject, which you'll find if you scroll down on the page the link sends you to.
2015-10-3034 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.60: We've Missed the Point on GMO FoodThis episode, I'm joined by farmer and writer Forrest Pritchard, whose September 22, 2015 column in the Huffington Post suggests that the battle to prevent the widespread use and human consumption of GMOs was lost a long time ago, and that GMO opponents' energy could be better put to focusing on the negative effects of, for example, the massive amounts of glyphosates used in conjunction with GMOs, and the scorched-earth effect they have had on our ecosystems.
Pritchard's latest book is called Growing Tomorrow: Behind the Scenes with 18 Extraordinary Sustainable Farmers Who Are Changing the Way We Eat.
2015-10-2334 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food LoversNo Episode this week. New Content Next Week.Go Jays!
2015-10-1700 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.59 Spreading Straw Mulch Efficiently & Mentoring Your Way to Economies of ScaleThis episode features two segments on hard-won insights from farmers. My first conversation is with Delaney Zayac of Ice Cap Organics. His intensive growing practices and short season make it hard to maintain sufficient organic matter in his soil. His new approach? Delaney bought a tractor attachment that chops and spreads straw onto his beds and/or pathways. The resulting mulch is good for weed suppression, moisture retention, and. ultimately, for adding organic matter to the soil. Conversation two is with Andrea Gunner of Rosebank Farms. Government-imposed production limits made it hard for Andrea to ex...
2015-10-0941 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.58 Community Financed AgricultureThis episode, contributor Scott Humphries' interview with Sean Butler of Ferme et Foret. To finance part of their farm's growth, Sean and his wife Geneviève asked friends and family to invest in their vision by selling 'bonds' that paid a small rate of return on investment. They call it 'Community Financed Farming'. Sound familiar? The couple took some inspiration from Paul Slomp of Grazing Days Farm, who talked about his own success with this model on episode 20 of the podcast.
Also: I asked for some good ideas that you implemented on your farms this past season, and...
2015-10-0226 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.05: Irrigation Tips from Troy PetersThis episode: Troy Peters, an irrigation expert with the Washington State University Extension Service, talks about best practices in crop irrigation. We discuss a cool new smartphone app that helps farmers decide when and how much to irrigate, I learn techniques for deciding when it's time to water, and Troy explains how to approach irrigation of different soil types.
2015-09-2537 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.57 All About Rotary PlowsThis episode, I speak with a couple of market gardeners about the Berta Rotary Plow, a really handy soilworking attachment for market gardeners. One of my guests, David Mazur-Goulet of The BeetBox, has a great tip for building raised beds with the plow that are nice and even. My other guest, Scott Humphries, has shared a photo of a bed marker he rigged up for his rotary plow. You can find it at The Ruminant in the episode notes. Scott farms at Bent Plow Farm. After that, in another installment of Ruminant Do's and Don'ts, I...
2015-09-1844 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.56 Mostly About CookingI own a cookbook by Ian Knauer, called The Farm: Rustic Recipes for a Year of Incredible Food. I love it, so I invited Ian to come on the show to talk about his cooking, and the family farm that inspired the book.
2015-09-1129 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.55: Why Everyone Who is Sure About a Food Philosophy is WrongThis episode, I'm joined by Tamar Haspel, who writes a column for the Washington Post called Unearthed. Tamar recently wrote about the problem with embracing a given food philosophy too rigidly. It's a thought-provoking piece. Tamar talks about it in this episode.
2015-09-0438 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.13: Jess Dennis on BioCharThis episode: University of British Columbia grad student Jessica Dennis talks about her research on biochar and its potential as both a great soil amendment for agricultural soils and a carbon sink for climate change mitigation.
2015-08-2839 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.07 Pest Management with Entomologist Tamara RichardsonThis episode: I speak with entomologist Tamara Richardson about strategies for insect pest control in the garden. We discuss the merits of crop rotation, the importance of knowing your pests' overwintering habits, and what to do with plant debris that's infested with insect pests.
2015-08-1429 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.06: Better Nutrient Managment for your SoilThis episode, a rerun from 2013, when Soil Scientist Clare Sullivan joined me to talk about managing nutrient cycles on the farm.
After that, I talk about the results of my effort to attract more beneficial insects to my garden using lots of mulched annual flowers.
2015-07-2445 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Lovers0054 Stale Seed Bedding, Finding Buyers for your ProduceYoussef Darwich joins me for this episode. Youssef is the farm manager for the Grand Valley State University Sustainable Agriculture project in Michigan. He has been playing around with stale seed-bedding techniques. We talk about that, and about the challenge of finding new customers in a market that appears to be saturated.
2015-06-2634 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.53: A Non-Browning GMO Apple Hits the MarketThis week, organic farmer, advocate, and activist Linda Edwards joins me to talk about the recent approval of the Arctic Apple for production and consumption in North America. The Arctic Apple is a genetically modified crop that will not brown when cut open. There are naturally occurring apples that don't brown quickly, but in this case, a gene that causes browning has been silenced using genetic engineering.
Linda explains why many organic and conventional orchardists are opposed to the Arctic Apple. We also discuss the organic industry's opposition to genetically engineered crops in general.
2015-06-121h 01
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food LoversShifting the workload to your livestockMeg Grzeskiewicz is the owner of Rhinestone Cattle Company in NY State. A grass-fed animal producer who concentrates on breeding, Meg advocates a no-nonsense approach to breeding and managment that, over the long term, can produce a healthy, profitable, self-sufficient herd. In our conversation, we talk about the breeding and management rules she employs with her herd, and about the benefits of mob grazing. You can find out more about Meg's farming, speaking, writing, and consulting work at her website.
2015-06-0434 min
The Ruminant: Audio Candy for Farmers, Gardeners and Food Loverse.51: Building a Farm Cooperative to ThriveFriend of the show and past guest Dan Brisebois is back to share his insights about Tourne-Sol Co-Operative Farm in Quebec. Dan was a founding member and, with his colleagues, has built a thriving farm using careful planning, great communication, and lots of hard work. Dan explains how it all started, what the farm produces, and how the farm makes decisions. He also talks about some of the benefits he has enjoyed under this model, chief among them being a great work-life balance.
Dan blogs about seed production here.
The book he co-wrote on crop pl...
2015-05-2956 min