Episodes
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Today I speak about several themes that have arisen over the past 29 weeks. And, also advise that I am taking a break from the weekly schedule. I will return to taping the podcast in October and releasing episodes starting in November.
When I return, I am going to add my own voice and cover topcis and issues in more depth. I hope you enjoy today's episode and will pick up again in the fall when I resume with regular episodes.
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This is part two of the interview with Kenton Zerbin where he speaks more about the nuts and bolts of behind the scenes of the tiny home build and also elaborates on a couple edible landscape projects he's completed in and around Edmonton. He also let's us know how to become a sponsor for the Tiny Home Master Plan.
Show Notes:
Kenton Zerbin
Tiny House Master Plan - YouTube Channel
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Episodes manquant?
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Tyler and his family run a grain farm on the border between Alberta and Saskatchewan. They are transitioning from a high input level of farming into regenerative farming practices. He speaks about the difficulties and reasons for making the shift. He also elaborates on the ways in which city-folks and those not involved in agriculture can help our farmers navigate the transition. One solution does not fit all!
Tyler is also known as The Crackpot Farmer. And, was one of the people who went to Ottawa to protest the restrictions the Canadian government placed on the country. It is interesting to the the first hand account of what was taking place and his experiences of being in the midst of the protest. He laments the fact that the mainstream media's misreporting of the events that took place. And also how heartening it was to be part of a movement that managed to avoid resorting to violence to make its point despite nearly a four week occupancy. He also elaborates on his best and worst moment in Ottawa.
Show Notes:
The Crackpot Farmer
The Crackpot Farmer - YouTube
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Mead has inspired poets and warriors for centuries. And, Lilly Weichberger is one such poet. She not only owns a small batch Artisan Meadery located in Southern Oregon but also is the mead maker. And, like traditional poets of old, she is dedicated to hand crafting a delicious variety of meads inspired by ancient traditions.
She is committed to using local and varietal honeys and pairing them with local seasonal fruit, herbs, and spices.
Established in 2015, she recently achieved a personal milestone by having one of her meads win Internationally at the Mazer Cup.
Today we cover her mead making origin story, the trials and tribulations of being a woman in a male dominated industry, and some of the legal issues that pose great barriers to growth for small business in this industry.
Show Notes:
Oran Mor Artisan Mead
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Harmony's Way Family Farm has been raising food for decades on their family farm. They used to be certified organic. But thanks to a loyal followying who not only know and trust them, are committed to supporthing them without requiring them to pay the extra money to be certified.
They raise animals and vegetable in a humane and ethical manner. Always putting the needs of the animals and the environment first. What began as a quest to raise healthy food for their own needs has grown into a community resource that is trusted by many.
They use minimal inputs. So much so they still use horses and do sone have massive tractors and combines to work their land.
Show notes:
Harmony's Way Family Farm
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The Yak Ranch has been owned and operated solely by Jennifer Rath since 2015. Established at Caroline Alberta the ranch has relocated to just outside Wildwood, Alberta in the fall of 2021. The Yak Ranch is Canada’s largest breeder of registered Tibetan Yaks in Canada. The ranch prides itself on providing quiet, top quality breed stock across Canada as well as delicious grass fed yak products to consumers across Alberta. She is obviously passionate about these animals and it shows in how she not only speaks about them but also the care and handling she provides.
Episode Notes:
The Yak Ranch
Host Name: Jennifer Rath
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 403-741-4903
Wheelchair Accessible
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Jared was once a high school teacher but decided he wanted to be more self-determined in his own future. So, without land, without a tractor or any heavy equipment and against all odds, he began his own unique farm and fed not only his family but also a lot of people in the process. He also found himself answering a lot of questions of strangers passing by and wondering what he was up to. He discusses the policies and other obstacles to starting this business. And also why he ultimately left direct farming and marketing to start a new venture. Now he teaches online classes that give people the tools, methods, and resources to grow their own food.
Notes:The Vegetable Academy
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Part two of Robert Zimdal interview. We cover such topics as sustainability. Bob rasies interesting questions such as the ethics of who gets to decide what is and/or should be worth sustaining. We ponder facts like the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico that is directly created by unsustainable agriculture and consider what, if anything, could be done about it.
With his fist pounding passion and the Grandfather clock chiming in every so often, I enjoyed speaking with him so much and I hope you do too.
Notes:
Click here to learn more about Robert L. Zimdahl and find his work and books.
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Today I speak with Robert Zimdahl, Professor Emeritus Colorado State University and author of several books. We cover several major ethical questions surrounding our industrial agriculture production and distribution system. If you care about agriculture animals who sacrifice their lives on a daily basis, or the over use of pesticides and the environmental consequences, or a host of other ethical issues, you will be sure to enjoy listening to this very thoughtful guest.
Show notes:
Robert L. Zimdahl webpage
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Where's the poop Kenton? If you ever wanted to know the dirtiest little secret of tiny home building and the world's problem in general, it's dealing with our own biological outputs.
Kenton is a trained educator who left the luxury of a salaried position in the high school system to persue his dream of teaching young people something not only more useful than the school cirriculum but also more meaningful.
He is now self employed and happy building tiny homes and designing permaculture systems to help people live more meaningful lives and closer with the earth. And, importantly, teaching self reliance and resiliency.
Show Notes:
Kenton Zerbin Tiny Home Workshops
Tiny House Master Plan
YouTube Channel - Tiny House Master Plan
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John Schneider is the writer and host of the popular Food Afield Podcast. John has been hunting the woods and hills around his Alberta home and beyond since he was a young boy. He has what he would call the "Sophie's Choice" of hunting persuits. A favourite for every season. And sometimes those favourites overlap. John focuses primarily on traditional bowhunting and flyfishing but also we cover the topic of wing-shooting, and other ethical dilemmas in his outdoor pursuits.
As an adult, John spent more than a decade professionally outfitting and guiding big game bowhunters and fishers across both Alberta and the Northwest Territories of Canada. He has published numerous articles for international publications and has appeared in hunting and fishing-related television, video, and book productions throughout his hunting career. More recently, John has been a part of the main cast of the award-winning video series "From The Wild", produced by Kevin Kossowan.
John's goal when in the field has always revolved around his love of cooking and wild food. We speak about the joy of acquiring wild food ingredients but also the heartache and real tears that come from taking a life.
If you are at all interested in wild food aquisition, hunting, or ethics of eating, you will be sure to enjoy this episode.
Show Notes:
Food Afield Podcast Webpage
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John and Nichole Clayholt along with their three children, grain farm with John’s family, they have recently started raising laying hens, pasture raised poultry and outdoor/ free-run hogs.
As a passionate food producer, Nichole will meticulously review customers cutting instructions with you and answer any questions you have about their new adventure.
Nichole and John are not new to caring for animals as Nichole grew up on Flaghill Ranch learning the beef side of things and John grew up around pigs in their small farrowing barn.
Nichole and John hold strong values for animal welfare and are passionate about producing real food for real families.
Show Notes:
Suprise Hill Market
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Steve & Amber Kenyon own Greener Pasteurs Ranching. They have a unique business model given that they do not own the land, nor do they own the cattle! Their custom grazing business model has been very financially effective. They keep strict finanaical goals to ensure this happens. And, they also have a priority to improve their environment, including the riparian areas, and the biodiversity both above and below the ground. In short, they are stewards of the land and animals that they don't even own.
Being regenerative agriculturalists, they have 5 grazing principals:
1. Repairing the water cycle. This is a major environmental issue they address head on. In a nutshell, they
2. Collecting sunlight. We have limited days where light can be harnessed and put to work for soil, crop, and animal health improvement.
3. Recycling nutrients. They realize that a key to regenerative agriculture is to put an end to the exporting of nutrients off the pasture.
4. Building boilogy and increasing biodiversity both above and below the ground.
5. Creating a polyculture of plants. When they focus on developing a varied system, then they know they increase their boidiversity in the flora and fauna above the ground but also below the ground.
And, as if this isn't enough, they also run a bi-weekly podcast with Gateway Research Organization.
They have worked with the University of Alberta to scientifically track their improvements in soil. They work off farm also to help educate farmers on carbon sequestration and crop and animal health improvement. They also discuss how the ranchers who are participating in regenerative agriculture movement are way ahead of the ecucational institutions who are still teaching and preaching outdated models. So sadly, the policy makers who are learning at universities instead of on the ground through experience are lacking in up-to-date scientific realities with respect to animal agriculture and soil building practices.
If you remotely like the idea of animal agriculture, this episode will make you want to become a rancher!
Note:
Website: Greener Pasture Ranching
Youtube: Greener Pastures Ranching
Gateway Research Organization
Regenerative Agriculture
Vinegar Guys
Joel Salatin
Music: Kevin Martin
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Today we speak with independent jounralist and author JB Mackinnon. Who, together with his partner Alyssa Smith, authored the book that is credited with putting eating local on the map. When they learned that the average ingredient in a North American meal travels 1,500 miles from farm to plate, they decided to launch a simple experiment. For one year, they source all thier food from within a 100-mile radius of their Vancouver apartment.
Today's discussion takes us through his experniences while doing this local eating initiative. And he reveals insights, struggles, and deeper revelations about the way we produce and consume our foods.
His latest book, The Day the World Stops Shopping is a provocative, deeply researched thought experiment exploring what life beyond consumerism might look like—and she shares with us his insights into how we can get there.
Notes:
To view a list of the author's work, click the link below and head to his website.
JB Mackinnon website: https://www.jbmackinnon.com/
Related Books: Chicken Poop for the Soul: in search of food sovereignty
Music by: Kevin Martin
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Winter’s turkey farm is located approximately 30 km east of Calgary. If you have every wondered about turkey farming, this is the episode for you!
The turkeys on their farm are raised humanely with high consideration for their comfort, health and well being. They have plenty of space to range in the sunshine and fresh air. They raise free range, certified organic and heirloom turkeys.
They farm so they have fresh turkeys available at Thanksgiving and Christmas and frozen turkeys and products are available year round from various retail outlets or direct from the farm.
Notes:
https://wintersturkeys.ca/
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John describes his trajectory from farm boy to corporate worker and back again. And, why he and his wife are commited to organic grain growing. They are passionate about quality local food and are proud to be part of the local food community and put lots of love and careful attention into growing these grains.
It is a simpler life that they have chosen. Yet, he describes why it is more rewarding than being stuck to a 9-5 job for a salary.
We also touch on economic development issue in the food industry and how policy change might be the answer for a better more robust food production system.
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Sherry-Ann and her husband Kurt are rasing 8 children and grass-fed lamb, beef, and pastured pork, chicken, turkey, and eggs!
Today she speaks about the joys of farm-life. But not everything is rosy. There are real difficulties and strugles to naviagting the ins and outs of running an econically viable sustainble ranch. Most noteably, the difficulties in finding a local butcher. An occupation, she laments, is no longer valued thanks to industrial food systems. Perhaps its time to do what Chef's Table has done for cooks, to butchers: make meat-cutting sexy again!
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OMG that's a whole other hour! So here it is. The second half of the passionate discussion between myself and Jeff Senger of the Sangudo Growers Association.
Jeff is outspoken, knowledgeable, and the perfect combination between outrage and amused with respect to our industrial agriculture model. If you are remotely interested in learning about the realities of this model, you will enjoy this two part series. It's spectacular!
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Jeff Senger, the self declared "murderer" of the community tells us what it's like to run a small town ethical slaughterhouse-butcher shop. While interviewing Jeff, I felt a little bit like a chuckwagon driver with a ten horse team out front. Together we covered a lot of ground. From how he and his wife Heather left big city jobs and ran away to the "third world country" of Sangudo, Alberta, Canada to raise a family and run a food cooperative.
This is episode 1 of 2.
Show Notes:
Sangudo Growers Association: http://sangudogrowers.blogspot.com/
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The Hale Family has been ranching near Bassano, AB for over 100 years. Tayla explains how their beef is raised with the best interests of the land and the animals in their care so the families who they supply can feel good about their food. Everyone in the family has a role on the farm. And, her husband chef's main gig is to be awkward on their YouTube channel making delicious meals while she does all the talking.
Show Notes:
Hale Beef Ranch: https://haleranchbeef.ca/
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