Grounded by the Farm

Farm-to-counter may not be a thing for most of us, but it is a service that Bolyard's Meats delivers all the time. Bolyard's is a butcher shop that works directly with farmers on the beef, pork, lamb, poultry and more. And in a really unique spin, you not only buy fresh from the farm meats at the meat counter, but you can get a great meal too. And you can eat that while watching the butchers at work in the cutting room from a lunch counter! In this episode we talk with chef and butcher Chris Bolyard who shares his passion for whole-animal butchery, sustainable practices, and providing high-quality meats to his customers.  Here are some key points from the episode that will capture the interest of food and cooking enthusiasts: Chris emphasizes the importance of understanding where your food comes from and the impact it has on its quality and taste. He highlights the strong relationships his business has with local farmers, visiting their farms to learn about the animals' upbringing, diet, and living conditions. Seam butchery is a technique used by Bolyard's Meats, allowing them to offer a wide variety of meat cuts to their customers. They take pride in introducing customers to new and lesser-known cuts, encouraging them to step out of their comfort zones. Chris highlights the importance of minimizing waste and utilizing all parts of the animal to create value-added items like charcuterie, deli meats, sausages, and more.  The holiday season is already on the mind of folks in food service. We discuss the increased demand for their products during the holidays, including fresh turkeys for Thanksgiving and standing rib roasts and tenderloin roasts for Christmas.  Links Available: See videos of beef being broken down in the cutting room and an interview with the farmer who produces beef for Bolyard's Farm-to-Counter post on groundedbythefarm.com  Bolyard's Meats website Price Family Farms website (beef source we talked with) Buttonwood Farms (poultry source)

As we change seasons, we're talking seasonal foods with chef Zane Dearien at a unique restaurant in St. Louis' Central West End -- Bowood by Niche. The restaurant is paired with a garden center, providing a perfect patio environment to enjoy a relaxed meal with friends and family. Our conversation focuses on the importance of utilizing seasonal foods and the on-site herb garden at the restaurant, and ways home cooks can up their game too.  During the interview, several key topics are covered: Zane's background in food & the restaurant industry. The restaurant's unique concept of combining a restaurant and garden center, offering guests a garden atmosphere and relaxed dining experience. Zane emphasis on seasonality and freshness in his menu planning, focusing on using the freshest ingredients available each season. The on-site herb garden at Bowood, where they grow a variety of herbs used in their dishes, ensuring the utmost freshness and flavor. The growth of Niche from one restaurant to a network of great neighborhood chef-driven experiences throughout St. Louis under direction of chef Gerard Craft.  We also talk through the challenges and rewards of working in the restaurant world in a few different ways:  The misconception of the glamourous chef life portrayed online and in the media versus the hard work and dedication required in the industry. The importance of building relationships with local farmers and the need for flexbility at times due to complications of weather, etc.  Links Available: - Bowood by Niche website: https://www.bowoodbyniche.com/  - A video on the on-site herb garden at Bowood: https://youtu.be/gqA877w1kpw - Detailed show notes post & photos on additional info https://groundedbythefarm.com/seasonal-cooking-zane-dearien/   

Cheese farmer made be a made up term but when you make artisan cheddar cheese from the dairy cows you milk, it seems fitting! This episode we visit David Hemme, a Missouri dairy farmer who began making cheese seven years ago! The Hemmes are committed to "better from the beginning" and the result is incredibly tasty products with an eye on the future.  We cover all the topics from cheese curds -- did you know small batch cheesemakers as they make a 42-pound block of cheese are left with about 27 pounds of leftover curds? -- to regenerative farming techniques being used on the farm.  Topics in the interview: The process of making cheddar cheese and the production of cheese curds. The search for artisan pizza places and finding cheeses that may be best suited for the preferences of the Hispanic community. David's discovery of higher-quality cheeses and recommendations for some of the best farmstead cheeses.  The American Cheese Society event and the vast variety of artisan cheeses available. Key Links: The Hemme Brothers website hemmebrothers.com Hemme Brothers on Instagram Hemme Brother on Facebook

With Cahokia on our minds after our last episode, we turn to my backyard of St. Louis and are digging into more Native American food and farming history. Joined by guest expert Dr. Gayle Fritz, an anthropologist and professor emeritus from Washington University, we uncover the mysteries of this once-thriving metropolis and its food and farming footprint. Get ready to have your mind blown as Gayle delves into the incredible discoveries and hidden histories of Cahokia. It was major city and the largest metropolitan area long before Europeans arrived here. It was the largest city north of Mesoamerica between 1000-1400 CE. Did you know that the original residents of Cahokia cultivated crops we still grow like corn, squash and nuts? They also grew so-called "lost crops" as they are no longer in production?They even had their own version of quinoa! Plus, we'll explore the various purposes of the mounds found in Cahokia, from ceremonial rituals to burial grounds. Whether you're a foodie, history buff, or curious about native heritage, this episode will leave you hungry for more knowledge. So grab a snack and tune in to "Grounded by the Farm" as we dig deep into the culinary legacy of Cahokia!  Key topics and moments from the episode: The difficulty in fully understanding the Cahokia site due to limited archaeological search and human activities like farming, ranching, and construction. The ongoing discovery of history at Cahokia, including occasional finds due to erosion during bad storms. The cultural and historical significance of Cahokia as a major city and trading hub. The role of mounds in Cahokia and other Mississippian sites, serving various functions such as ceremonial sites and burials. The interconnectedness of St. Louis and Cahokia, with similar pottery and the presence of mounds in downtown St. Louis. Links Mentioned: The book on Cahokia's food Dr. Gayle Fritz has written is Feeding Cahokia: Early Agriculture in the North American Heartland (Archaeology of Food). It's available through this affiliate link on Amazon  Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site: https://cahokiamounds.org/ Interview with Dr. Natalie Mueller on the lost crop of erect knotweed https://news.stlpublicradio.org/show/st-louis-on-the-air/2023-05-15/what-americas-lost-crops-tell-us-about-food-in-the-age-of-climate-change 

Did you know that rice is grown in Southern Illinois where the Ohio River meets the Mississippi? And there's actually a rice that has been bred to deliver a higher protein content that makes it low glycemic too!  We talk with farmer Blake Gerard of River Bend Farms about the unique challenges of growing rice, how he came to grow and market an enhanced variety of rice, and some of the ways it's grown. His operation is very different from many farms as he's right along the river... so even in a year where many Midwestern farmers have had issues of drought, the water table on his farm kept everything growing.  We explore the intersection of food and farming and shed light on various environmental pieces that touch rice from filtering muddy river water into crystal clear water, thanks to the soils natural filtration powers.  See photos, a video farm tour and more:  https://groundedbythefarm.com/cahokia-rice-river/  A post that provides definitions of some of the rice farming terms we used: https://groundedbythefarm.com/rice-farming-terms/  Cahokia RIce online Website  https://www.cahokiarice.com on instagram at http://instagram.com/cahokiarice  Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cahokiarice and YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtpYayjbGdwYZXRibzMn_6A     

The marbling of wagyu beef adds benefits to the tenderness and flavor that makes it stand out according to Jeff Swanson. We visit Jeff & his family in Adams, Tennessee -- just an hour or so from Nashville. We delve into the history and flavor profiles of this extraordinary beef in this episode. Find out what makes wagyu different -- on the plate as well as the  pasture -- as we hear the history of the cattle and how the Swansons settled on this breed and have been building their family operation from the ground up. Whether you're a steak aficionado or simply a fan of delicious food, this episode will have you salivating. From chuck eye roll roasts to sirloin tips or ribeyes, Jeff shares their expertise on utilizing different cuts of wagyu to create exceptional steaks.  For photos & video: https://groundedbythefarm.com/wagyu-beef/  Find the Swansons on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/southwindscattleco/ and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SouthwindSCattleCo 

So often, a podcast interview opens up whole new areas of discovery and here, food and farm books can help provide additional depth. In fact, the last few episodes opened that curiosity for host Janice Person who jumped on a friend's book recommendation. Now Janice shares recommendations for 10 books in the food and farm space!  The books Janice talks through here are: To Boldly Grow: Finding Joy, Adventure and Dinner in Your Own Backyard by Tamar Haspel Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food by Pamela Ronald & Raul Adamchak The Wizard & the Prophet: Two Remarkable Scientists and Their Dueling Visions to Shape Tomorrow's World by Charles C Mann The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson The Fate of Food: What We'll Eat in a Bigger, Hotter, Smarter World by Amanda Little  The Food Explorer: The True Adventures of the Globe-Trotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats by Dan Stone  Cuisine & Empire: Cooking in World History by Rachel Laudan Two books by Edna Lewis -- The Taste of Country Cooking and In Pursuit of Flavor The Complete Food & Nutrition Guide by Roberta Larson Duyff We Are Each Other's Harvest: Celebrating African American Farmers, Land, and Legacy by Natalie Baszile Access links to in-depth reviews, where to purchase, etc at https://groundedbythefarm.com/food-farm-books/

We continue discussions about food and farm on the Gila Indian Community in Arizona. In this episode we talk to Terry Button about the work he and his wife Ramona are doing at Ramona Farms.  Terry shares some of the foods the Pima people have eaten for generations, sharing the roles of corn and tepary beans and some of the foods that can be foraged in the desert. Sourcing heritage corns from friends with backgrounds from other tribes has allowed them to expand the native offerings.  Tepary beans were a key staple for the Pima and yet few in the US are familiar with the bean. Terry has developed a deep appreciation of them and explains the unique flavors of tepary beans, native to the Southwestern region and cultivated by indigenous communities. We share insights from their kitchens including recipes too.  We also explore the rich history behind American Pima cotton, a crop developed by the USDA and named after the Pima reservation because of the connections to traditional production and genetics. This episode is filled with fascinating stories and knowledge that food and farming enthusiasts won't want to miss. So tune in and get ready to be grounded by the farm! See our tour of the farm on Youtube at https://youtu.be/iu8DHM9Xcj0  Get more photos and video on the podcast's website at https://groundedbythefarm.com/native-foods-farming-ramona-farms/  

Let's go on a journey to the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona's Sonoran Desert, to travel locations and understand differences in time. We look at water use over time as host Janice Person interviews two expert archaeologists, Kyle Woodson and Wesley Miles. Together, they discuss the prehistoric use of irrigation in the Gila River region and the historical significance of the Akimel O'otham (Pima) and Pee Posh (Maricopa) people. Join us as we explore how farming practices have taken root in these fascinating cultures and learn how the past informs the present and future of agriculture in the area. Whether you're a foodie, farmer, or simply interested in learning more about the rich history of food cultivation in the US, this episode is a must-listen. The following resources are mentioned in this episode: Grounded by the Farm website https://groundedbythefarm.com/  Video of tour of Gila RIver https://youtu.be/U9n9OUZpwEc  GilaRiver.org: This is the Gila River Indian Community's website providing information about the tribes and their culture. Huhugam Heritage Center: This museum, located near the casinos on the northern boundary of the reservation near Phoenix and Chandler, presents the stories of the community and their peoples. An article the Smithsonian Magazine recently did on the community & the water issues.

I love veggies from a backyard garden but I have to admit, I am not the most committed gardener. And I definitely have never kept my backyard in event space shape. After visiting Mortimer Farms in Dewey, Arizona, I'm pretty sure I would leave the food production to them and enjoyment to me!  That would be fine to Ashlee Mortimer who's family started farming this property years ago on a lease and was later able to purchase it. And they are now growing 54 crops here, many open for u-pick customers as well as available harvested for sale in the farm's market. You won't want to miss some of the foods they make themselves in the market or the Windmill Kitchen. We talk about all of that as well as more in this episode. See our tour of Mortimer Farms on Youtube: https://youtu.be/jfcEWjKlAHA Read the blog post: https://groundedbythefarm.com/backyard-garden-event-space/ Mortimer Farms website: https://www.mortimerfarmsaz.com/ 

We offer a deep dive into the world of winemaking, sustainability, and the family-run business of St. James Winery in Missouri talking with Brandon Hofherr (marketing director) and Sam Cobb (vineyard manager). From the rich history of Missouri as the first AVA in the US, settled by German and Italian immigrants, to the challenges of overturning restrictive laws on winemaking, the story of St. James Winery is a testament to the power of persistence and passion. It's also a great stop along Interstate 44 with a tasting room & brew pub on the grounds. We get into the vineyards themselves, taking a closer look at the importance of sustainable practices in winemaking and the use of AI technology to develop better blends and optimize water use. As we learn, the decision to invest in technology is a balancing act in the quest for better quality while remaining eco-conscious. For those who love food and the environment, this episode is filled with interesting information on the vital role that grape growing and winemaking play in our ecosystem. It's a reminder that what we eat and drink encompasses not just the ingredients on our plates but also the people who grow them, the environment that nurtures them, and the history and innovation that drive them forward. So pour yourself a glass of wine, relax, and tune in to this fascinating story of a family and their winery, rooted in tradition and inspired by the future. See video of the vineyard tour on our YouTube Channel or on the website at https://groundedbythefarm.com/midwestern-vineyards/ Learn more about the winery at StJamesWinery.com 

Urban farming has so much potential but it can be hard to make a living doing it. With the economy today, every city and town seems to have more people experiencing homelessness. In Iowa, there is a unique approach connecting individuals utilizing services at Central Iowa Shelter & Services (CISS) to fresh local food in a win-win and a unique farm right downtown. The facility has been growing vegetables every summer for years but this winter, they opened a greenhouse. Now, some of the people looking for the next steps to housing and employment are spending time planting seeds and growing skills.  Urban farm manager Aaron Thormodsen and Josh Spain who connects the farm program to culinary efforts at the facility and to restaurants in town sit down with Janice to talk about what the program is seeing, how trainees and local chefs are finding more common ground and more.  See the greenhouse tour on either our YouTube channel or the Grounded by the Farm website Learn more about Central Iowa Shelter & Services through: The CISS shelter website and the site's Mulberry Farms page The Shelter's Facebook Page CISS on Instagram If you would like to support the Mulberry Farms program & planned agrihood, you can donate to the greenhouse program or purchase some things from the farm's Amazon wish list and have it shipped directly! There is also a wish list for the shelter if you'd like to provide some of the items needed there as well. 

Shelby Smith never expected to be a farmer, so it may be fitting that she's a kind of farmer almost nobody thinks about. Shelby is a cricket farmer. Right in the heart of the Midwest.  She describes this space as one changing quickly and compares it to the reality there was a time most Americans probably thought avocados were odd and wondered why others ate them, while some of us now absolutely crave having guacamole now. We talk with Shelby about whether crickets may be the next big thing in foods and why she believes that. We also talk about: Shelby's background growing up on a farm and stumbling into cricket farming when doing research for her next career Trying new foods thanks to a diverse palate -- crickets, tongue tacos, etc. Some people may not like the visual aspect of certain foods What a cricket barn is like and why climate control is critical Buying and growing crickets Feeding practices for crickets New cricket barn excitement Biosecurity and pest control on the cricket farm Food safety considerations for crickets Age is not a barrier to trying cricket-based products. You can see a tour of the farm at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIaVPVUkYOw&t=7s  Where else you can find Grounded by the Farm GroundedbytheFarm.com is our hub for photos & videos, blog posts, show notes, podcasts are here and more. You can even get new content emailed once a week as we publish by subscribing. Find your favorite foods or fun food educational resource information on the website. Groundedbythefarm_ on Instagram TikTok @groundedbythefarm Grounded by the Farm on Youtube Grounded by the Farm Facebook Page  

Holidays bring together an amazing combination of foods & traditions, but how often do we step back and talk about how our families celebrated the holidays 25, 50, even 75 years ago? That's exactly the conversation we have with my mom (Ada Person) today. She shares her memories of holiday celebrations in the 1940s explaining what was on the table for meals, the gifts & decorations all. And we talk about some of the factors that have driven changes in the seventies as she raised kids and much more recently as grandchildren and great grands are a bigger part of the equation.  Recipes for several of the dishes are now on our website https://groundedbythefarm.com/family-holiday-recipes/  And you can find photos, detailed shownotes, etc at https://groundedbythefarm.com/family-holiday-food-traditions/

We're off the farm in this episode as listeners and friends share their holiday foods and traditions. As we listen to these five people tell us about the foods that must be a part of their festive season, it's impossible not to reflect more on our own traditions. It's also likely to make you want to visit someone else's holiday table to try at least one dish!  You'll hear from: Ari Mateos (Mexicali, MX) who shares tips on why pozole is different during the holidays and the best part of bacalao (a traditional dish made with cod) Josie Gordon (AL) who's family celebrates a traditional Southern Thanksgiving with turkey & dressing, but who's Cuban roots lead at Christmas Nikki Miller Ka (NC) who says holidays are fairly similar with proteins like turkey, ham or lamb enjoyed but Southern Mac & Cheese is critical!   Dana Zucker (MD) who welcomes guests at Sugar Water Manor shares about Hanukkah and the latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly-filled donuts) Rosemary Mark (CA) discusses the holiday cakes & noodles through her family's lens as immigrants from Germany and her husband's family immigration from China.  We share some more notes on groundedbythefarm.com and access our full series of episodes and posts on favorite holiday foods from the farm and kitchen! 

We first talked with cranberry farmer Amber Bristow more than two years ago. She did an amazing job helping us understand this uniquely American fruit grown on vines low to the ground with water added at harvest to float the berries to the top making them easy to collect!  We catch back up with her picking up on some of the things that have changed in the past two years. Cranberries went viral with a skateboarder, Amber dipped her toe in the TikTok world, we created a lesson plan to help elemntary students learn more about this great food and a cran-baby joined the family farm!  See videos, photos and get links to the products discussed at https://groundedbythefarm.com/cranberry-marsh/ 

Back in 2020, we talked with Shannon Latham who runs a pumpkin farm up in Northern Iowa. Well, now that 2022's pumpkin season has rolled around, we headed back to the pumpkin patch to find out what the latest news is for Shannon and Enchanted Acres. Shannon shared a range of favorite foods -- pumpkin pudding, Pumpkin pie and of course pumpkin muffins for breakfast (and throughout the day) She also shares some decisions to make when it comes to running a pumpkin farm. And while people tend to think about pumpkin patches for six weekends in the fall, farm families have something on the calendar most of the year with planting, pest management and there's all that time thinking about what to plant. The episode from 2020 was edited & remastered and has the update here too! 

Have you ever considered beekeeping as the path to teaching leadership skills and tap passions? Kamal Bell has been doing that on his first generation farm in Cedar Grove, NC. As we sat down to discuss the farm, we found chairs and sat down in a hot tunnel surrounded by seedlings to be planted soon for fall/winter harvests. We talk through getting the bee hives ready for winter. Kamal admits he wasn't a fan of bees before. Starting hives was actually a suggestion of one of the youth in the farm's agricultural leadership program. The lessons from the hives keep coming and they draw a lot of interest from young and old.  See photos, video & more at https://groundedbythefarm.com/bee-hives/ Follow Sankofa Farms on Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/sankofafarms/

Pawpaws are one of a handful of unique fruits and vegetables native to the United States, and yet they are not nearly as widely enjoyed as the holiday must have cranberries!  One of the reasons they aren't as well known is the primary way to get pawpaws is foraging for them. Jeff Hake sits down with us to talk about pawpaws and other fruits being grown at Funk's Grove Heritage Fruits and Grains and some of the products they are making too. Katie and Jonathan Funk grew up on the family farm & playing in Funk's Grove. Now, they are working with Katie's husband Jeff to try different practices and crops. They are creating unique food products using heritage grains and crops they grow as well as foods foraged from the grove. They have planted a combination of grains and offer some baking and bread mixes. And with the fruit trees they have planted they offer fruit leathers and other yummies. All of it is available just off the historic Route 66 in Illinois or online.  See photos, video & more at https://groundedbythefarm.com/foraging-pawpaws/  Video of our farm visit https://youtu.be/-pf5xtPADHw  Jeff shows how to make fruit leather https://youtu.be/5mCqo0gYtzc 

Common ground is a phrase that is said less frequently these days, and environmental common ground isn't what everyone expects happens when sustainability experts and farmers sit down together. But maybe we should. The health of our soils, shifting weather patterns and the role of greenhouse gases and more means there is a lot to talk about and work on too. In this episode of Grounded by the Farm, we talk with Missouri dairy farmer Alex Peterson and Alisha Staggs, a sustainability expert who leads the dairy program with The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) North American Agriculture program. TNC is one of the world's largest and most respected environmental organizations. This is the third and final episode in our series on dairy. We visited two dairy farms in Oklahoma, talked to a cheesemonger and now look at the environmental footprint. Shouts out to Midwest Dairy for sponsoring the series and helping us line up participants. Please let us know if you have questions remaining about dairy. See photos and a video on the site https://groundedbythefarm.com/environmental-common-ground-dairy/ 

Not many of us look at palm trees and immediately think of growing dates and yet, this episode may change that for you! And that's one of the things that visiting a date farmer brings out, but the process of working trees that reach the heights and ages of date palms also brings up more questions. Luckily, I found the right place in the Coachella Valley just outside of Palm Springs to get all my questions answered -- Hadley's Date Gardens where Albert Keck was ready to show me around. And some of the trees I saw have been in the valley for 80-100 years -- that's a lot of jam, cookies, energy bars, etc!  The push for taste and nutrition in our diets means dates are a popular item these days. And workers -- called palmeros -- go up and down the trees half a dozen times a year to deliver that sweet treat to us! We talk about the steps in growing them and Albert tells us about the ways dates can help us recover from that hot desert sun.  See photos and videos at https://groundedbythefarm.com/growing-dates/ 

There are titles that go almost unnoticed, but being a cheesemonger definitely stands out! It took a long time but eventually, I met a cheesemonger. That cheesemonger, Jessica Keahey (founder of Sweet Freedom Cheese in Bentonville, Arkansas), led a virtual meetup and cheese tasting & we later met in person as we toured two dairy farms! We certainly weren't short of topics to discuss and Jessica kept coming up with cheese puns to keep it light! We talk about how to choose cheeses for a cheese or charcuterie board, what to e pair with cheese, how much cheese to put on the board and more.  This post is sponsored by Midwest Dairy. Ashley Anderson who also in part of the episode, is the wellness director there. I was compensated for my time, but all wording and opinions are mine or the people sharing them. You can access a lot of photos and a video from the visit to Sweet Freedom Cheese Shop at https://groundedbythefarm.com/cheesemonger/ and a transcript is available at https://groundedbythefarm.com/episode-320/ 

I recently had the chance to tour two dairy farms in Northeastern Oklahoma. The differences between the two and some of the similarities among them were really striking. After the tours, I sat down with Anthony & Charlie Coblentz and Logan Courtney, a neighbor whose dairy is just 15 minutes or so away. Touring first helped me see some of the differences and similarities and you can watch the video... you will hear and see both farms. So intriguing hearing a bit of each farm's origin story, why they have the kinds of cows they have, the ways they take care of the animals, ways cows get milked, the reasons those are the pieces that work, favorite dairy foods and so much more!  You can access a lot of photos and videos of these farms at https://groundedbythefarm.com/two-dairy-farms-similarities-differences  This episode is sponsored by Midwest Dairy. I was compensated for my time, but all wording and opinions are mine or the farmers.

You hear the dream-like conversations regularly.... people shifting from a small backyard garden to something that will sustain them and their family. How often do you see people do it? For two decades I've had a front row to watch as my brother Ray Person, sister-in-law Elizabeth Kelly & a group of friends created a farm co-op that does just that. This week's episode is a conversation with Ray about the farm in northwest Ohio -- not exactly the geography that first comes to mind for most people. Although they are producing food the way many think is near dream-like, the reality of digging into how they have been able to make this work, not just what it looks like, leads to a great conversation and some discoveries. We sat down in late May to talk about how this co-op was formed, how it works and as always, we took a look around capturing video too! You can see the video, photos are more at https://groundedbythefarm.com/farm-co-op/ 

The unique taste of lamb draws me in everytime its on a menu and I think pasture to table lamb is something everyone should try. The Mediterranean flavors just aren't the same without lamb. That's what led me to head southeast from Columbus, Ohio, to the Root family farm.  Kristin Root Patterson shares the family's love of sheep, and how they combine animal care and a love of great food. The Roots raise dorsets, a breed that supplies meat and wool to people in the area. We talk about favorite ways to prepare lamb as well as take a look around the barn and pastures in the accompanying video.  See photos, video and get more information at https://groundedbythefarm.com/pasture-to-table-lamb/

There is nothing that will wake me up faster or better than the smell of hickory-smoked country ham and bacon. And when I want to buy country ham or the "good bacon" (a phrase our family started when several of us showed up for a weekend get together and I brought bacon from Broadbent's while others brought grocery store bacon), it means Broadbent. Owners Ronny & Beth Drennan talk to us about the traditional process of curing, smoking and aging pork turning it into the country ham and bacon dreams are made of and that win contests at the Kentucky State Fair!  See video from the smokehouse at: http://groundedbythefarm.com/hickory-smoked-country-ham-and-bacon Get an ai generated transcript at https://groundedbythefarm.com/broadbent-transcript-316/  

The smell of fresh lavender is something that will captivate your imagination for all sorts of things! Lavender farms may not be everywhere, but thanks to Long Row Lavender, just west of St. Louis, Missouri, it's an easy drive for much of middle America. Tracy Smith shares the lessons learned about growing lavender, cooking with it, and bringing the great look and scent into your homes!  See the video and get detailed show notes at https://groundedbythefarm.com/lavender-farm/   

In the midst of most family farms, is a house called the home place. When you layer that with the appreciation of food, family and hospitality that runs so deep in western Kentucky, you get the Peery House at Springhill Farms! And in this episode, we talk to three generations of the family about changes unfolding over the years at their home place. Growing up it was home for Jerry Peery. While growing 65 years of corn, soybeans, wheat and more, he also grew the farm's footprint adding acres as others moved away or stopped farming. Now he's working with his grandson Jonathan to take over the operation for future generations.  Kristia Peery Reynolds learned to bake in the house as her grandmom showed her the secrets of perfect mixtures and beautiful decorations.  As the house sat vacant, the family considered options for it. Ultimately, it got a renovation that would make it easy for the family and others to stay in touch with the heritage. The Peery House is now a bed and breakfast, with a commercial kitchen for Kristia's baking business.  We talk about the farm's history, the decision to make changes and what guests can expect when visiting a working farm in Western Kentucky!  See photos, video and more at https://groundedbythefarm.com/home-place/  The Peery House on Air BnB https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/20144994  

With a passion to build community and a love of agriculture, Will Kornegay has built a business that connects people, reduces food waste and provides access to fresh-from-the-farm produce. Based in rural North Carolina, Will saw a lot of produce was wasted on farms because there wasn't a market for it. Perhaps it was misshapen or got scratched up a bit during harvest. But it was still perfectly good. So Will started making a market for it while building means of access for those in rural food deserts and major cities too. Ripe Revival now does subscription boxes and is in the process of modifying buses to be part farmer's market & part cooking class.  

Horseradish isn't a food that is in the forefront of a lot of food conversations, but you can't deny the burst of flavor can really add to other foods. Whether prime rib, oysters or bloody marys, horseradish makes othr foods better. This week we talk to Matt McMillan who takes us to a horseradish farm and talks to us about some of the reasons this root is something that some people want with so many of their favorite foods.  https://groundedbythefarm.com/growing-horseradish/ 

This week is the time set aside to focus on agriculture. And while we do that routinely with our episodes, we thought a great way to mark the observance is by hearing about weather conditions, field work and general state of mind for farmers across the US (9 different states!) & a few from outside the country too! You'll hear from farmers who have previously been on the show as well as some we may need to have on in the future.  Get detailed show notes at https://groundedbythefarm.com/national-ag-week-2022/

Tony White was doing marketing work with the Yellow Pages and found himself starting a business that was stressful so a friend suggested he start gardening. Over the years the garden and connections to chefs have grown to the point that if you want great tomatoes in the Midwest, you should know Tony Tomato! We talk with Tony about some of his favorite ways to enjoy tomatoes, the way he keeps great tasting tomatoes in the kitchens of St. Louis's leading restaurants and more!  Detailed shownotes & links at https://groundedbythefarm.com/tomato-farm/ 

After doing the podcast for a few years, we thought listeners would enjoy hearing updates on three popular episodes of Grounded by the Farm. So in this week's episode, we touch base with three people we talked to some time ago about the latest happenings in their part of the world. Here's who we talked to and the background on each of them from previous episodes. Popcorn farmer Matt Helms about Ella & Ollie Popcorn the local, premium quality product the family is selling in online and in the St. Louis area as well. You may remember Matt from our first season, episode 102 Popcorn… family legacy and local future and we showed how they got high quality at Family-Owned Popcorn Farm Has Quality Focus. Community builder & urban farmer Natasha Nicholes tells us about how things are growing in Chicago with We Sow We Grow. Natasha talked with us about Building a Community Garden in Chicago and Online in episode 114. Tennessee Brew Works' Christian Spears tells us about the craft beer with a farmer connection that took a medal in the Great American Beer Festival and how they are trying to expand. We talked in episode 107 Crafting a Beer that Has a Depth of Local Flavor & Connecting to Farmers to accompany episode 106 when we interviewed Brandon Whitt in Ever met a beer farmer? That malted barley has to start somewhere!. We followed up with him in episode 121, What 2020 is Like for Local Microbreweries & Restaurants (Bonus Episode).

As someone who loves an abundance of Asian cuisines, tofu may be on my plate or in my soup more than some Americans. But I haven't had many chances to sit down and talk to someone about growing tofu soybeans. We can check that off the list as the conversation with Jennifer "Jennie" Schmidt about her family's Maryland farm allowed us a chance to talk about diversification, how they determine what to plant, and more. In 2021, they grew corn, soybeans, tofu soybeans, wine grapes and green beans for the fresh market. And a nephew is once again raising pigs on the farm. In the past they have grow several other crops including processing tomatoes (tomatoes that will be cooked down for sauces, etc). Understanding how farmers choose what to plant and how it has to be organized, is the central topic in this latest episode.

Family farm transitions are tough to discuss. A lot gets wrapped into it.... not only are you talking about things like retirement or potential death of an older generation, but it means changes in how things are done, recognizing the contributions of younger generations. And many times all of this is wrapped up with generations of family legacy and how best to honor that. It's a conversation that farmers acknowledge is tough and some farmers want to farm until they die. While Debbie Lyons-Blythe and her husband Duane are planning to be around for decades, they have also chosen to have this conversation openly with their five children, all of whom are now adults. Debbie was nice enough to discuss all of this with us. I think it provides those of us who's families don't farm a lot of insight into some of the generational family dynamics that it takes when planning for the future of a family farm. And for Debbie, having a good farm transition, where expertise and relationships are built among their children, is the only way she thinks they can secure the ranch's future.

The Arbogast family farms outside of Harrisonburg, VA. From the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, their chicken houses dot the farm as do cattle out on the pastures. Lauren talks with us about the chicken farm, explaining the way the chicken houses are managed and how chickens go from freshly hatched chicks to ready for the market.  Having a blend of generations, the Arbogasts have the benefit of both innovation and tradition. For instance, the family spent some of the time they were isolating due to the pandemic installing solar panels on their barns. The next generation, though teenagers are beginning to participate more and opened a meat market to sell beef direct.  She says they eat a lot of chicken too from my favorite -- chicken biscuits for breakfast to the cast iron skillet full of chicken, veggies, carbs and yumminess that Lauren served for dinner. Videos & photos are available at https://groundedbythefarm.com/chicken-farm-arbogast/

Growing up with cattle, Ryan Goodman got a good look first-hand at cattle care and feeding. But working cattle in half a dozen states and visiting ranches in the vast majority of the U.S., Ryan has had the chance to compare and contrast various environments and some of the things farmers and ranchers have to take into consideration. We talk with Ryan about the full spectrum of experiences he's had in working with cattle. It also isn't missed that Ryan is an endurance runner and anyone who is fit enough to run a 100 mile race, must be doing something right with his nutrition. 

Sitting down to talk with This Farm Wife Meredith Bernard was pretty much like sitting down with someone I had known forever. And my guess is thousands of people feel similarly since more than 100k have subscribed to her YouTube Channel.  Meredith & her husband Lawrence farm along the North Carolina - Virginia line. Although towns are close by, with fences, woods & hills, all their neighbors have four legs -- mostly cattle, a few farm dogs and a couple of sheep the kids wanted. They plant a range of crops that are mostly used for the livestock -- hay, barley, corn, corn for silage (harvest the whole plant, not just the grain), etc. Lots of folks spend hours watching YouTube, and some of those folks like the escape from their house to check in on a farm. That's where Meredith and her vlog come in. She gives subscribers a little slice of the "ordinarily extraordinary life" life lived in their family farm. A few links we mention: ThisFarmWife.com is her website and can help you find ALL THE THINGS! A transcript generated with AI technology can be accessed here Meredith Bernard Talks About Farming & Her “This Farm Wife” YouTube Channel

The Leonard family found themselves dealing with the challenges of urban sprawl and rising land prices. As they started diversifying to include agritainment, new challenges rose.  But there are lots of smiles now, photos with Santa, haunted mazes at Halloween and more!  Patty Leonard and her family have a long history of dairy farming. In fact, her grandparents were dairy farming in the area now consumed by Washington DC's Dulles Airport until plans to build Dulles came together. That led the family to relocate to Warrenton, a small farm town on Virginia's piedmont. But with the continued growth of the metro area, the Leonards faced rising land prices and looked for ways to diversify years ago.

Farm stays on Maryland's Easter Shore may not be the first thing to come to mind when you think of Maryland or a vacation, but maybe they should. There is a lot of curiosity to be tapped there and I certainly enjoyed my visit! Those farm stays at Sugar Water Manor give people a chance to go deeper in their interest to learn more about how food is produced according to Dana Zucker. She says this type of agritourism has a place on Maryland's Eastern Shore. For decades, Dana Zucker says she was absolutely out of touch with how our food is grown, but curiosity and a passion for food kept getting her to ask questions. Now she and her husband David have entered the world of agritourism by purchasing Sugar Water Manor on the Minokin River on the Eastern Shore. The farm of 70 acres struck Dana at first sight and she felt drawn to it and the idea of sharing what she's learned over the years. Dana has immersed herself in food and has found a range of experiences as she traveled to far away lands like China, Iceland and Spain learning about tea, sheep and wine. And found herself living in Omaha with the chance to really explore agriculture in Kansas where she learned about farmers and ranchers growing corn, soybeans, beef and pork too. Read more at https://groundedbythefarm.com/farm-stays-dana-zucker/ and sugarwatermanor.com.  Find Grounded by the Farm on social media at: Grounded by the Farm on Instagram Grounded by the Farm on Facebook Grounded by the Farm on Twitter Grounded by the Farm on LinkedIn

The joy of discovery paired with the growing interest in where our food comes from makes food and farming a perfect way to enjoy learning. That's the mindset we are trying to create with the new farm and food curriculum. These educational materials accompany some of our podcast episodes to share farmers stories. And thanks to working with an amazing teacher / educator (Whitney Choate), we think we have achieved something truly unique. This Grounded by the Farm curriculum has a great fit for teachers, parents, troop leaders and others who spend time trying to unlock the magic of science, the utility of math, the comprehension of our language…. even ideas for entrepreneurship! It's really limitless how many things the world of farming and food open up. For more info: A detailed blog post is available at https://groundedbythefarm.com/food-farm-lesson-plans/ The materials are available on Teachers Pay Teachers https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Dashboard#:~:text=Share-,Follow,-Link and Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/GroundedbytheFarm  A transcript of this episode is available at http://groundedbythefarm.com/talking-about-curriculum-that-pairs-food-farm-with-core-standards-with-whitney-choate-episode-301-podcast-transcript-grounded-by-the-farm 

We didn't realize when I interviewed Paula Hynes that we were about to get so busy on a project it means all hands on deck! We have been working on a curriculum to bring these farm-to-table discussions to teachers, parents and students. There's a lot to get done and we hope subscribers understand the temporary shift on our end. Maybe you can use this time to catch up on episodes you may have missed! What's a favorite food? Start here. https://groundedbythefarm.com/favorite-foods/   

There may not be many places in the world with more differences than the beautiful green rolling hills of Ireland  and the drought-ridden savannas of Kenya. Paula Hynes had the chance to leave Ireland for time with the Maasai people. It offered a whole new perspective on farming, but also on life more broadly.    In 2017 that Paula was fortunate enough to spend time with members of the Maasai people thanks to a TV production company who were planning to film a three-part documentary series called "The Hardest Harvest." And the crew definitely wanted women to participate.    Paula remains in regular contact with the Maasai people she met and shares some of the lessons she learned with us in this episode.    See videos, etc https://groundedbythefarm.com/new-perspective-on-farming-life/  transcript (AI generated) https://groundedbythefarm.com/irish-dairy-farmer-kenya-transcript/ 

If you have ever open the gold wrapped on Kerrygold Irish Butter, you may have noticed that it looks different from some of the other butters you buy. What is it that makes it different?  And who are the farmers connected to it? That's part of our conversation in this episode as we talk to dairy farmer Peter Hynes of Ireland's County Cork. Peter & his wife Paula have 150 cows they graze and milk year-round. And they are part of the coop that produces Kerrygold. We talk with him about the distinctive look and color of the product, his family's approach to farming and the cows they work with -- primarily pedigreed holsteins and pedigreed jersey cows. They also welcomed the two most-recent additions: two Fleckvieh heifers (they're amazing and you fan find out why). When it comes down to it, Peter is looking to focus on fertility, longevity and helping to raise the most-efficient cow possible during their lifespan and production years. Be sure to check out the many links to the family's farm, in his social media streams and be sure to check out his videos! They'll provide you with the same satisfaction that his Holsteins, Jerseys and Fleckviehs offer us as consumers! photos and videos available to accompany the post at Irish Butter.... Have you tried it? Wondered who has the dairy cows? 

Although rice is probably the biggest constant in Filipino food, there are a variety of foods that many Americans may not be familiar with. And Albert Santos has worked in several areas of The Phillipines studying agriculture and working with plants and people across the way. And he has made sure that I got lots of opportunities to enjoy Filipino food & farms. Albert is originally from the Philippines but has lived in the US for a long time, though he stays in touch with friends in agriculture there. And he's brought a lot of Filipino cuisine with him -- he even grows a vegetable called bitter gourd (or ampalaya) in his backyard! Photos & more at https://groundedbythefarm.com/growing-bitter-gourd-filipino-foods  Detailed transcript at https://groundedbythefarm.com/talking-about-bittergourd-other-filipino-foods-with-albert-santos-episode-210-podcast-transcript-grounded-by-the-farm/   

For most people, canola oil is something you buy as an oil or a spray to cook with, but it is a striking vision with beautiful blooms that are numerous and totally light up the prairies mid-season. And it is incredibly Canadian because plant breeders in the country worked to improve the health profile and taste!  Canola farmer Lesley Rae Kelly joins us to talk about how this plant, that is part of the same family of vegetables as broccoli, kale, and all those others! We also talk about farming with family, choosing a different path and knowing when stress and other factors are taking a toll on your mental health. 

In today's world, people talk about plant-based proteins as a dietary preference, or a way to deliver innovation. But when you think about that, how often does your mind turn to growing a plant-based protein in s desert? How often do you think about subsistence farmers, people who struggle to feed their family the most basic foods because weather strikes hard? That's both the challenge and the promise we turn to in our latest episode of Grounded by the Farm. Recently, we talked about plant breeding and I mentioned we would be talking with another plant breeder -- Dr. Priyanka Gupta -- this summer. Although Priyanka is from India, plant breeding work has led her to work in several countries. She's currently focused on improving a plant called grass pea in Morocco. Ever heard of a grass pea? I hadn't either so no need to feel bad. It's part of the pulse family (like the lentils and  purple hull peas we discussed with farmers in season 1). And it has the highest percentage of protein content! Access detailed show notes https://groundedbythefarm.com/growing-plant-based-protein/  For a detailed transcript of this episode, see Talking about Grass Pea with Dr. Priyanka Gupta

Have you got a favorite plant breeder or maybe not even sure what plant breeding is about? This episode is for you either way! We talk with Dr. Lee Hickey who has a plant breeding lab at Australia's University of Queensland about some of the cool science that helps advance the seeds farmers plant and the foods on out plates. I met Lee in the friendly confines of the vast wheat fields just outside Obregón where Norman Borlaug started his Noble Peace Prize winning work to enable developing countries to produce more food for themselves. We were at the CIMMYT (an international plant breeding effort for corn and wheat) with plant breeders from around the world to trade the latest in research tips and to celebrate what would have been Bourlaug's 100th birthday. Lee's story starts strangely - in the city - in Australia called, Brisbane - a city on the East Coast of Australia just a short ways away from the Great Barrier Reef. Every state in Australia has an interest in agriculture, but in Queensland, where Lee now resides and does his research, it's a tropical to sub-tropical environment. In contrast, the plants that grow in Queensland, are much different than what grows in the Southern states of Australia that have a much cooler climate. While wheat and barley are grown there - mostly because of their drought-hearty properties, a lot of the work that Lee is focusing on is to foster on the speed at which the plants grow and evolve. Read a full article with accompanying photos & videos at https://groundedbythefarm.com/plant-breeding-science-food/  Get the detailed ai transcript https://groundedbythefarm.com/talking-with-a-plant-breeder-transcript/  Connect with Lee Hickey on Twitter https://twitter.com/DrHikov  The episode includes: What is plant breeding? Building In-Plant Resistance Finding The Right Path in Agriculture Cool Technology in Plant Breeding

Fish is a growing part of many diets as a good protein source, and people like Ugandan fish farmer Jean Kaahwa are growing fish for us! He farms tilapia in Africa's Lake Victoria. In this episode, we talk with Jean about Uganda and the role agriculture plays in the country as well as a wealth of projects he has started as he teaches fellow African farmers how to farm fish.  See video & photos at http://groundedbythefarm.com/ugandan-fish-farmer-producing-fresh-tilapia  Topics in the interview include: the Ugandan landscape Smallholder farms  Crops produced for export Producing tilapia  Helping youth engage in farming Connecting to Jean & Grounded You can connect with Africa Agri-Business Services via aagribusiness.com and the company's social media too. Look for Kaahwa Jean on LinkedIn.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaahwa-jean-97b40737/ Follow him on Twitter and tell him that Grounded By The Farm sencha'! https://twitter.com/kaahwajean1 You can also find Grounded by the Farm on social media at: GroundedbytheFarm.com for photos, blog posts, show notes and more Find your favorite Foods https://groundedbythefarm.com/favorite-foods/ Grounded by the Farm Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/GroundedbytheFarm/ Groundedbythefarm_ on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/groundedbythefarm_/ Grounded by the Farm on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1RgGoXaVDcFTZ9EcWJDzfw @groundedbythef on Twitter http://twitter.com/groundedbythef

Usually Grounded by the Farm episodes include us interviewing a farmer, talking about the food they produce. And in this second season, we are interviewing farmers in various parts of the world. But this week, we hit several obstacles for interviews and listeners were nice enough to ask the questions. That put our host Janice Person in the interviewee seat! She talks all about visiting farms while traveling in various countries. Topics covered & questions asked in this episode include: Enjoying dried fruit -- There is a tremendous dried fruit business coming out of Turkey. Have you ever been there? Tea production -- We enjoy tea very much in the US. Have you been to tea plantations in Japan China or India (whether assam or ceylon which we know as Sri Lanka)? Teas from those regions are very popular. Terraced rice -- There's real Beauty in seeing rice grown in tropical areas, have you seen the terraced rice patties in the Philippines or Bali? Surprising things you've seen & farming methods -- I was just wondering what is the most surprising farming that you've seen in your travels and whether it be something in the United States or somewhere else that you've been to. You know a lot of the traditional ways of farming that were used before there was a lot of machinery or one of the coolest machines? Comparing practices -- In visiting farms, have you been to a farm that produces the same product or produce or whatever as farms you've seen in the US? If so, what was like a major difference that stands out to you? Do you also think that there are there's a lot of sharing of we do it this way versus we do offer that way and that would imagine in certain parts of the world? Produce & enjoy their crops -- I'm curious of the places that you've traveled what kind of crops people growing that they then turn around and eat and do you have any recipes? Ease of entry to farming -- In the US. It can be kind of hard for young farmers or people who want to get into a culture to get the land and the equipment and and kind of get into farming. Is it easier in other countries? Is there a an easier point of entry and what's that process like off for ew farmers outside of the US? Different locations -- Is it that former will run two farms in different locations? Ever been to Spain -- One of my favorite drives agricultural area was one late January in Spain. The oranges were still on the tree and the almonds were in bloom. It was amazing. You ever been to that part of the world Janice? You'll need to listen to the podcast episode to hear all of Janice's thoughts on these questions. However, for those of you who wondered about a bit more of the story, we do have a few photos and links to share. Lots of travel talk on Janice's blog JPlovesLIFE, including points on her big trips abroad and completing visits to all 50 states. Who's been to a raisin farm? (Hand raised here.) A few posts from a trip to The Phillipines. Overview of agnerd highlights, learning about rice, seeing a vegetable field day & eating sweet corn and seeing how public plant breeding works there. Meeting a female farmer in Turkey Janice also has a site focused on cotton -- HundredPercentCotton.com -- so she gives a few examples from the natural fiber. Other episodes of Grounded by the Farm we mention: Talking rice with Matthew Sligar of RiceFarmingTV German pig farmer Marcus has done some exchange trips (the photo below is from a group of American farmers Janice traveled with in Germany visiting farms like this pork operation -- that red coat doesn't exactly blend)  

Whether you pick up a bouquet of flowers at a florist or a supermarket, you may well find alstroemeria in the bouquet How cool would it be to know a local farmer who grows those flowers? I have to confess, I'd never met an alstroemeria farmer til I came across British farmer Ben Cross through Clubhouse. In this episode, we talk about growing alstroemeria, about how to keep it looking fresh as long as possible and what is happening in the flower market.  Read more and see photos/video at https://groundedbythefarm.com/local-flowers/   While there are many types of flowers, there is one that not only fosters ongoing warm feelings - its name actually fosters that same thought: The Alstroemeria. And it isn't just one of the most-beautiful flowers - its the one that we're going to focus on as we talk to Ben Cross, a fourth generation flower farmer, from Crosslands Flower Nursery! He's definitely not local for me, but he got me thinking a lot about local flowers. Growing Flowers in Southern England Nestled near the English Channel, and hour and a half from downtown London, in the Southern parts of the UK, Ben and his family have created a haven for crafting a flourishing fountain of flowery fun. With an area that features the best atmosphere, the best sunlight conditions, The Cross family's flower farm is the centerpiece for commerce, outstanding scents and visuals that have to be seen to believe. Ben's says the farm feature massive greenhouses that specializes and provides the alstroemeria or the "Lily of The Inca" which is a flower that originated in the Andes Mountains of Peru and Chile. The flower is actually named after Darwin's cousin who was named "Meria." Ben's farm was founded back in the 1960s and is based on the bounty that the alstroemeria convey thanks to the surrounding atmospheric conditions that make growing them very straightforward. In all, Ben's farm provides 79 different varieties that feature every color you can think of and then some. Their flowers are grown and harvested year-round, and provide some of the largest markets in the UK with fresh new offerings regularly. Looking for blue and black flowers for your arrangement? Those are the only two colors you won't find inside the resource listings and flowerbeds of Ben's flower farm! Local Flowers & Sustainability Did you also know that alstroemeria's utilize remarkably LITTLE water? It's what makes them so sustainable, and with a little care, you can make them last even longer! While it might sound like heat is the enemy of flowers, Ben and his staff are able to keep their flowers growing and viable all year thanks to the biomass heat that is generated inside their hundreds of greenhouse-based flower beds. While they've just finished a Spring time packing run of 13,000 stems in a week, (and another akin to this one in the Autumn/Fall), they actually provide millions of stems annually. From mid-April, they will be continually harvesting stems until Christmastime in December. Even during their "quietest" time, they are still harvesting stems 3 days a week during the months of January and February annually. Water is the next piece of the flower power foundation in Ben's operation. Keeping the flowers appropriately hydrated helps to enhance every step of the process. The water is provided to the flowers based on what time of year it is. It can be delivered directly to the stems via their underground irrigation supply feeds during the winter (where the stems can grow to a mind-boggling 7 feet tall!) and then provided from hanging irrigation systems in the summer when the stems are much shorter (usually 2 feet tall). Tips to Keep Fresh Flowers Beautiful A few tips to remember to allow your flowers to beatify for longer periods of time include: 1.) Be sure to snip off the leaves on the stem of the flower 2.) Remember to change out the water every 2-3 days to foster longevity 3.) Each time you change out the water, snip a small piece of the step to help prevent the collection of destructive bacteria when showing your flowers 4.) Don't put your flowers in direct sunlight! 5.) Keep your flowers away from warm electronics - it will kill them quick! With a little care and attention, you can have an even "longer lasting friendship" (what the actual name of Alstroemeria means in Latin) because you'll have longer lasting flowers - often up to 2 or 3 weeks! About Growing Alstroemeria Can you believe that Ben's operation only replants about 5% of their crop each year? That's a tremendous number and fosters the amazing feat of fostering plants that are now between 20 and 30 years old! If only we could have flowers last a fraction of that time, right? It's an amazing and crafty way to maintain control and costs inside of a business that is literally "always growing!" Speaking of control - what about BUGS! There are NO PESTICIDES or chemicals of any kind used inside of Crosslands Flower Nursery - Specialists of British Alstroemeria! Instead they are using biocontrols - a way of utilizing biology to kill the unwanted biologies. To learn more about that - you're going to have to listen to this episode of Grounded By The Farm, to learn what fate awaits those unfortunate White Flies that make their way into the hundreds of flowerbeds in Ben's massive greenhouses! It's amazing, it's biocontrol and it's SCIENCE at work! British Flowers Rock! Ben talks about the benefit of buying local, the reduction in the packaging, and carbon footprint of flowers globally through a campaign he calls "British Flowers Rock." During the year, Ben is often provided with free samples of flower types, to see if he'd like to see about including them in the next season's harvest. This allows him to have a good look at the varying types, and then "cherry pick" the best that will not only provide for the best yield and look - but also help to flesh out his already robust supply of fragrant flowery fantasticalness. Inside this episode, Ben shares his grand family legacy that starts with his great granddad and the throughline stories that provide how Ben has become now a 4th generation flower farmer! Growing flowers in the UK is something that continues to be a rare effort but the 4 acres that Ben continues to foster (since it's inception in 1936) continue to have grand impact on the eyes, the nose and the hearts of people worldwide. For More Information Are you wanting to be satisfied by flowers, fragrances and the farming of it all? Get satisfied INSTANTLY on Instagram by connecting with Ben Cross and Crosslands Flower Nursery now! Ben is big on the gram, so check out @AlstroemeriaBen on Instagram. He posts lots of video stories, etc. Have you seen what a British Alstroemeria looks like? Check out the flowery photos in flowerbeds a' plenty over at the official Facebook presence for Crosslands Flower Nursery specialist of British Alstroemeria! https://www.facebook.com/CrosslandsFlowerNursery Be sure to connect with Ben on Twitter, where you'll see photos, flowers, and fantasticly fragrant things - in 280 characters or less!  Twitter. twitter.com/AlstroemeriaBen Where to find Grounded by the Farm on social media: GroundedbytheFarm.com for photos, blog posts, show notes and more Find your favorite Foods https://groundedbythefarm.com/favorite-foods/ Ask the Farmers Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/GroundedbytheFarm/ Groundedbythefarm_ on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/groundedbythefarm_/ Grounded by the Farm on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1RgGoXaVDcFTZ9EcWJDzfw @groundedbythef on Twitter http://twitter.com/groundedbythef Tharawat Magazine article on entrepreneurial pull of the Cross family http://tharawat-magazine.com/stories/crosslands-flower-nursery/ You've heard a little bit of what Ben sound like - Listen (AND WATCH!) to more inside a great episode of The Passion podcast youtu.be/ClDhnPLOUls Unlike most of the guests I have had on, we met on Clubhouse! @AlstroemeriaBen - Be sure to connect with him today and don't forget that Grounded By The Farm is ALSO on Clubhouse! Did you know that 90% of flowers in the UK are IMPORTED? Thats' a mind-boggling number until you realize that the climate for growing flowers, especially those that need an ongoing, warmer climate - well - The UK isn't known for it's long summers and killer beaches but there are some great Do you know how often Ben and his crew water his flowers in the Summer and then again in the Winter? You've going to have to listen to this episode of Grounded By The Farm to find out! When you do, be sure to tell us what you think over at our Facebook presence now! https://www.facebook.com/GroundedbytheFarm