The Urban Farm Podcast With Greg Peterson

Greg interviews Megan Baxter about her new book. Join us as we meet this delightful guest and learn about her journey to write a memoir about growing up on a farm.Megan has won numerous national awards, including a Pushcart Prize. Her work has been listed in The Best American Essays of 2019. She serves as a mentor to young writers and loves developing cross-genre and innovative creative writing pedagogy for her workshops and classes. She lives in New Hampshire where she loves walking her dogs, running and cooking with local foods from her permaculture homestead. She teaches writing at Colby-Sawyer College and Southern New Hampshire University, and is starting her own small farm where she will put to use more than 20 years of organic farming experience. Megan is the author of Farm Girl: A Memoir published by Green Writers Press

A chat with Michael Moore.  In This Garden Chat: Instead of starting a new crop in your gardens with tired old soil, consider boosting the potential yield and health of the crops by rejuvenating the soil each season. In this Garden Chat we talk with permaculture gardener and practitioner Michael Victoria Moore about how to boost the health of the ecosystem housing the roots of your plant babies. Michael, Greg and co-host Janice Norton also answer some soil questions sent in during the live chat.On the last Tuesday every month we host The Urban Farm Garden Chats where Greg Peterson has a relaxed conversation in a Zoom room with a special guest to cover useful gardening topics, and they answer questions from the live listening audience.To join us for the next event, go to www.GardenChat.org or Click HERE to register for the Monthly Garden Chat with Live Q&AOur Special Guest:Michael Victoria Moore is a Permaculture Consultant and Practitioner living in Alberta. After watching Geoff Lawton videos on You

678: Seed Saving Myths.A Chat with an Expert on Seeds.In This Podcast:This is the April 2022 Seed Saving Class with Bill McDorman discussing seed saving myths.  A myth is an idea or story that is believed by many people but that is not true, according to Webster’s Dictionary. Seed saving myths are plentiful and often are motivated by large corporations to increase seed sales and profits. You can’t save seeds to hybrids. You need lots of chemical inputs to grow successful seed crops. Seed saving is hard and should not be attempted by amateurs. You need a lot of space to save seeds. In this Seed Chat, Bill and guest host Janis Norton debunk these myths and others. They will help you understand the origins of these stories and how they have become part of our general narrative.  At least ten times a year we have a live Seed Saving Class. Join the class! Register anytime for the next event.Register Here for the Seed Saving Class with Live Q&ABill McDorman is Executive Director of Rocky Mou

Knowing a Thing or Two Dozen About Raising Hens and Collecting EggsIn This Podcast:Eggs are an important and readily available food source, and they are so very versatile.  Rediscover the humble egg with returning guest, Lisa Steele as she talks about her newest book, The Fresh Eggs Daily Cookbook.  She also tells us a bit about the process of writing the book, as well as what she feels has contributed to her success as a blogger, and her expansion into television.  Even if you don’t have chickens, you will love the tips Lisa shares in this episode!Don’t miss an episode! visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcastLisa Steele is a fifth-generation chicken keeper and founder of the popular blog, Fresh Eggs Daily. Referred to as Queen of the Coop, Lisa traded in her life on Wall Street for life on a farm in rural Maine, where she has kept chickens for more than a dozen years. Having written a number of books on raising and caring for chickens, Lisa is a trusted source for all things chicken and egg. Her

A chat with Kari Spencer.  In This Garden Chat: Did you know that keeping a garden journal can help you to grow bigger and better vegetables? Kari Spencer, author of City Farming and Vegetable Gardening Journal & Logbook, will discuss the kinds of records that are important to keep, how to plan, and what to log anecdotally in a garden journal. She will share her personal record-keeping style, as well as tips about various journaling methods and technologies. Discover how planning and journaling can make you a better gardener with less stress over time.On the last Tuesday every month we host The Urban Farm Garden Chats where Greg Peterson has a relaxed conversation in a Zoom room with a special guest to cover useful gardening topics, and they answer questions from the live listening audience.To join us for the next event, go to www.GardenChat.org or Click HERE to register for the Monthly Garden Chat with Live Q&AOur Special Guest:Kari Spencer is a popular local gardening & homesteading s

675: Seed Dehybridizing.A Chat with an Expert on Seeds.In This Podcast:This is the March 2022 Seed Saving Class with Bill McDorman discussing seed dehybridizing.  We love hybrid vigor and what hybridized seed can offer. The only downside to using hybridized seed is you can’t save it. Wait a minute. What if you found out that isn’t true? That you could capture the best traits hybrid seed offers and develop seed that would reproduce like its parents, in other words, true to type? Learn the tricks of the trade to dehybridize your favorite hybrid plants and have lasting seed stock you can save! At least ten times a year we have a live Seed Saving Class. Join the class! Register anytime for the next event. Register Here for the Seed Saving Class with Live Q&ABill McDorman is Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance, Ketchum, Idaho. He got his start in the bio-regional seed movement while in college in 1979 when he helped start Garden City Seeds. In 1984, Bill started Seeds Trust/High A

Bringing a 365-Days-a-Year Local Food Solution to Everyone.In This Podcast:In the last of five special daily episodes, we hear from Liz and Lem Tingley, whose passion for health and sustainability led them to Growing Spaces.  They fill us in on how they came to be the new owners of the business, the amazing impact their geodesic Growing Domes are having on the communities where they are installed, and the sense of personal fulfillment they have experienced in running the business.  Their excitement is contagious as they also describe their hopes and plans for the future of the Growing Domes and Growing Spaces.Don’t miss an episode! visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast Lem Tingley graduated from Colorado University Boulder in Mechanical Engineering and has been working for Colorado based manufacturing companies for the last 25 years focusing on his core values which revolve around efficiency, superior quality, exemplary customer experience, and conscious business practices. Liz Tingley gra

A Couple of Friends Who Are Transforming Their Disadvantaged Community.In This Podcast:In the fourth of five special daily episodes, we hear from Wallace Kirby and Boe Luther who have made it their mission to transform life and land.  Their non-profit community garden in Washington D.C. was awarded a Growing Spaces growing dome which they plan to use as both an educational classroom and a way to increase the amount of food they can give back to the community.  You will be inspired by their transformational stories, especially their own.Don’t miss an episode! visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast  Wallace Kirby is a product of public housing in Washington DC and claims to be a survivor, thriver and transformer of disadvantaged communities.  He is the senior co-founder of the Hustlaz 2 Harvesters Applied Research Garden.Boe Luther is the other co-founder of the Hustlaz 2 Harvesters. He was born and raised in Washington DC and is a returning citizen who is focusing on transforming lands and lives

Sharing the Passion of Gardening into the Community Starting at Home. In This Podcast: In the third of five special daily episodes, we hear from Andrew Trujillo whose seeds of inspiration were planted in him as a child.  When those seeds began to sprout as an adult, he watered and nourished them by connecting with and learning from lots of other gardeners.  Andrew now uses his Growing Spaces growing dome to pass those seeds of gardening inspiration on to others in his community by building more gardens and providing fresh vegetables to neighbors in need. Don’t miss an episode! visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast   Andrew Trujillo is a husband, daddy, veteran, friend, and neighbor with  a deep-rooted desire to grow, who thrives when working in the soil.  He has helped build gardens at all the schools in Bayfield, Colorado as well as the local food bank and his local church. Andrew uses a lot of permaculture techniques as well as hugelkultur in his garden designs.  His own personal garden has an 18-foot Growing Do

Engineering a Growing Community.In This Podcast:In the second of five daily special episodes, we hear from Eric Andrews, who is using a forty-two-foot Growing Spaces growing dome to educate and inspire the members of his Detroit community.  Eric’s excitement is contagious as he shares the incredible story behind the nonprofit he cofounded and tells us how the dome will contribute to its mission in a new way.  He describes the buzz created in the community as the dome was being built and talks about the challenges encountered along the way, both frustrating and amusing.Don’t miss an episode! visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast Eric Andrews was born and raised in Detroit, MI. He is the current Executive Director and co-founder of Peace Tree Parks a 501(c)3 Nonprofit Organization. Eric is a Ferris State University Alumnus that majored in Mechanical Engineering Technology. He is currently employed as a Sr. Product Engineer at American Axle Manufacturing, and he is a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fra

Creating a sustainable greenhouse business in the 90’s.In This Podcast:In the first of five special daily episodes, we hear from Puja and Udgar Parsons, the founders of Growing Spaces.  They give us a peek inside their geodesic dome greenhouse kits, detailing how they work and describing the features that improve upon a traditional greenhouse.  Udgar explains how the dome’s shape is an extension of his permaculture principles and love of nature, and Puja inspires us with stories of their determination to share the joy of healthy, garden-fresh vegetables year-round with as many people as possible, despite the growing pains they experienced as entrepreneurs.Don’t miss an episode! visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast Udgar Parsons was born and bred in Yorkshire England in the early forties while Puja Parsons was raised in Burbank, California. Udgar left a career in dentistry and orthodontics to raise a family on a farm in the North of Scotland. There, he learned to live off the grid and lead a healthy

There’s More to Gardening Than Merely Keeping Pests at Bay.In This Podcast:Christy Wilhelmi returns to tell us about her latest book, Garden Variety, a novel set in a community garden.  She explains why she wrote the book and shares a little bit about the process, then she introduces us to the characters and even narrates a page or two.  As expected, Christy weaves some amazing gardening tips into her novel and our podcast.  Don’t miss her announcement about a new gardening course and her plans for future novels!Don’t miss an episode! visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast Christy Wilhelmi is the founder of Gardenerd, the ultimate resource for garden nerds, where she publishes her newsletters, her popular blog, top-ranked podcasts, and YouTube videos. She also specializes in small-space, organic vegetable garden design, consulting, and classes. Between 70-80 percent of her family's produce comes from her garden of less than 300 square feet. She is author of Gardening for Geeks, 400+ Tips for Org

Understanding the Importance of Keeping Grounded While Trying to Make a DifferenceIn This Podcast:We talk a lot about agricultural practices, climate change, and the global food supply, and the news is not always great.  Rebecca Ruda reflects on the anxiety this can cause and reminds us that just as the problems of the world deserve our attention, so does our mental health.  She provides tips for recognizing anxiety symptoms and openly shares her own experience.  Then Rebecca offers simple but useful strategies for continuing the work of advocating for nature without doing harm to ourselves.Don’t miss an episode! visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast Rebecca Ruda is a wife, mother, mental health therapist and urban farmer. When not endlessly pulling bindweed from her strawberry patch, she enjoys hiking in the nearby mountains with her family. She is currently at work on her first novel.  As an Urban Farm podcast listener, we have invited her to share her story.Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/Podca

Highlighting Entrepreneurs with Strong Moral Standings and an Understanding of Regenerative Practices.In This Podcast:When we think of permaculture, we immediately think of farms, gardens and homesteads, but Joshua Prieto broadens our perspective.  These principles are so universal, they can (and should!) be applied to more than just our gardens.  Joshua explains his unique programs that teach entrepreneurs how to grow regenerative businesses from the ground up, rather than creating businesses that simply apply regenerative practices. Don’t miss an episode! visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast Joshua Prieto is the Co-Founder and Director of the Seeds of Tao learning platform for regenerative entrepreneurs. He has over 10 years of experience creating, building, and operating startup solutions alongside entrepreneurs of all shapes and sizes. That experience has shown him that entrepreneurs have the biggest role to play in the Anthropocene as we either create the solutions for, or become the root

In Part 2 of this special 3 part series, Greg Peterson reflects on the upcoming move from the Urban Farm in Arizona, to a new, yet to be named farm in North Carolina.  He talks about the factors leading up to the move and the criteria for choosing the new location. "Well, the news is out and there are big changes in my life. Heidi and I are moving, and this is not a little move. We are transporting ourselves 1900 miles to our dream home in Asheville, North Carolina. Lots more to come about our landing place in the ‘future’ part of my writing. I want to assure you, however, with our team in place (Janis, Tayler, Theresa, Ray, Renee, Bill, Belle and Kari) all of our programs will continue into the future just like they have for over 20 years. And for those of you that expect to see me on the ground in Phoenix – you still will for the Fruit Tree Program events and the Seed Up. To begin my journey I thought I would review the Past of the Urban Farm, visit the Present and the biggest

A chat with Lisa Ziegler.  In This Garden Chat: Every vegetable garden can benefit from having beautiful flowers in and around the area. Beautiful blooms can boost the aesthetics and add a wide pallet of colors. Some flowers can repel unwanted pests, and some flowers can bring in healthy pollinators. Some flowers are even edible. Let's get in the know with Lisa Ziegler of "Vegetables Love Flowers".On the last Tuesday every month we host The Urban Farm Garden Chats where Greg Peterson has a relaxed conversation in a Zoom room with a special guest to cover useful gardening topics, and they answer questions from the live listening audience.To join us for the next event, go to www.GardenChat.org or Click HERE to register for the Monthly Garden Chat with Live Q&AOur Special Guest:Lisa Ziegler is a cut-flower farmer, author, and online teacher on organic cut-flower gardening. She has been farming since 1998 in Southeastern Virginia on the Ziegler family homestead. In season this urban three-acre farm prod

In Part 1 of this special 3 part series about the Past, Present and Future of the Urban Farm, Greg Peterson reviews the history of the Urban Farm and gives a sneak peek into the future."Well, the news is out and there are big changes in my life. Heidi and I are moving, and this is not a little move. We are transporting ourselves 1900 miles to our dream home in Asheville, North Carolina. Lots more to come about our landing place in the ‘future’ part of my writing. I want to assure you, however, with our team in place (Janis, Tayler, Theresa, Ray, Renee, Bill, Belle and Kari) all of our programs will continue into the future just like they have for over 20 years. And for those of you that expect to see me on the ground in Phoenix – you still will for the Fruit Tree Program events and the Seed Up.To begin my journey I thought I would review the Past of the Urban Farm, visit the Present and the biggest question I get…why are you moving?, and speculate on the Future of our new space. Here

662: Starting Your Seeds Indoors in Trays.A Chat with an Expert on Seeds.In This Podcast:This is the February 2022 Seed Saving Class with special guest Kari Spencer discussing starting your seeds indoors. Kari shares insights on how to get a head start on your spring gardens by starting your seeds indoors in trays. We will talk about germination temps, timing, and nutrition as well as how to avoid common problems.  Then we discuss how to transplant your seed starts into your garden successfully.  At least ten times a year we have a live Seed Saving Class. Join the class! Register anytime for the next event. Register Here for the Seed Saving Class with Live Q&AKari Spencer is the founder of the Microfarm Project in Phoenix, Arizona and the author of two books, Vegetable Gardening Journal; A Weekly Tracker and Logbook, and City Farming. In addition to teaching classes all over the city of Phoenix, she is the creator of Urban Farm U’s Growing Food the Basics & Backyard Livestock cours

Reducing Agricultural Nitrogen Runoff into Rivers and OceansIn This Podcast:Abby Schaefer didn’t know what she wanted to do when she started college, but she went with the flow and turned her love of chemistry into a career studying water as a bio-systems engineer.  Abby studies woodchip bioreactors, a relatively new technology which harnesses the power of microbes to remove excess nitrogen from agricultural waste water.  She explains what they are and how they work to prevent dangerous dead zones downstream.Don’t miss an episode! visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast Abby Schaefer is a research scientist and engineer in Michelle Soupir’s Water Quality Research Lab in the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering department at Iowa State University. Abby solves water quantity and quality problems, and loves microbes, data analysis, and programming.  She is the 2020 American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Pre-Professional Engineer of the Year, and her research was recently publis

A chat with Bill McDorman.  In This Garden Chat: Your tastiest vegetables can be grown again and again from your own garden! Future harvests are just a few steps away from what you are growing now and Bill McDorman can help you see the path to the future you want.  Explore the benefits of seed saving, learn how to take those first steps, and keep your journey on course with a free class recommendation. On the last Tuesday every month we host The Urban Farm Garden Chats where Greg Peterson has a relaxed conversation in a Zoom room with a special guest to cover useful gardening topics, and they answer questions from the live listening audience.To join us for the next event, go to www.GardenChat.org or Click HERE to register for the Monthly Garden Chat with Live Q&AOur Special Guest:Bill McDorman got his start in the bio-regional seed movement while in college in 1979 when he helped start Garden City Seeds. In 1984, Bill started Seeds Trust/High Altitude Gardens, a mail order seed company he