Podcast appearances and mentions of Forrest Pritchard

Forrest Pritchard is a regenerative and multi-generational farmer from the Shenandoah Valley of Northern Virginia.  His families roots on the farm go to the mid-1800's, and today he has transformed the look and production of the farm back to something that might resemble how farmsteads operated in that time. Forrest was not always interested in regenerative, direct to consumer farming.  However, after trying to make it as a commodity based farmer, he went looking for larger profit margins, and this is where he landed.  It helped that this was a manner of farming that offered him the ability to provide service and food to his surrounding community.  He has been at it since the mid 1990's. Forrest is co-author of the outstanding book, "Start Your Farm", that he wrote with Ellen Polishuk.  I first found out about this book after seeing a quote from it on a social media post discussing the fact that small farmers still choose the commodity based farming model even though their small acreages could never possibly produce a profit on those low margins due to lack of production capability.  This led me to want to know more.  The book is full of great advice, and it is the book I would write if I were ever to sit down to actually do it.  Thankfully, Ellen and Forrest have done it for me, and I can concentrate on podcasting!

Our December Book Of The Month Selection is a perfect winter read for those of us who may already run a farming business or for those who are considering this path. Start Your Farm by Forrest Pritchard and Ellen Polishuk is a fantastic book to help you launch your farm business, get organized, and think about some topics that you may not have considered prior to starting a farm. Get your copy this month with a 20% discount using code BOTM23 at checkout.  All purchases during December will also receive a free Meyer Hatchery calendar.Listen in while Jeff chats with Forrest to learn more about Start Your Farm!Purchase Start Your Farm by Forrest Pritchard and Ellen PolishukDecember's Book of the Month BlogShop all Meyer Hatchery Books of the Month

The Secret Life of Cows by Rosamund Young (2003) vs Gaining Ground: A Story Of Farmers' Markets, Local Food, And Saving The Family Farm by Forrest Pritchard (2013)

Today’s guest is a seventh-generation Virginia farmer whose inspiring journey to the heart of sustainable agriculture made him a New York Times best-selling author for his compelling book, “Gaining Ground: A Story of Farmers’ Markets, Local Food, and Saving the Family Farm.” Join us for a heart-warming, soul-touching, and humorous look at the wisdom Forrest Pritchard has gained directly from nature to guide his farming practices in a way that is steeped in listening to the land and its animals. Forrest reminds us that we have choices about what we eat and where we get our food — and those decisions have impacts far beyond our immediate gastronomic pleasures. Food is medicine. We explore what that means, while diving into a deeper understanding of the consciousness that is awakening more land stewards to the ancient system of regenerative farming.

Have you ever been sitting at your office desk and found yourself daydreaming about becoming a farmer?  My guest today has written a practical, all-encompassing handbook to help you turn that dream into a reality. His name is Forrest Pritchard. He's a farmer and the co-author of the book Start Your Own Farm: The Authoritative Guide to Becoming a Sustainable 21st Century Farmer. We begin our conversation discussing the state of the farming profession and the social and economic forces that have made it harder and harder to pursue. Despite the headwinds facing would-be farmers, Forrest makes the case for why farming can still be a fulfilling and financially sustainable profession. He then delves into the nitty gritty of starting and running a farm, including start-up costs, land acquisition, deciding on what to farm, creating multiple revenue streams, pricing product, and figuring out where to sell your goods. We then discuss the mental and emotional toll of farming and how to manage burnout.  If you've ever dreamed about becoming a farmer, this episode will provide a lot of useful information. Even if you don't want to become a farmer, you'll find this to be a surprisingly interesting look at a lesser known lifestyle, and gain insights that are applicable to any business and to life in general. Get the show notes at aom.is/startyourfarm.

For this week's episode we were joined by Forrest Pritchard of Smith Meadows Farm and author of Gaining Ground, A Story of Farmers' Markets, Local Food and Saving the Family Farm. Forrest is a sustainable farmer and New York Times bestselling author. Forrest told us the story of saving his family's farm, explained the impact of farmers' markets on farm profitability, and shared how he's able to manage his career as a farmer and an author. This episode is inspirational, yet down-to-earth - it may be the push you need to become a farmer, or to finally sit down and pound out that book you've always dreamed of writing!

Yay chickens! Sustainable farmer and best-selling author Forrest Pritchard talks about cat-shaped vending machines that dispense cars, his insatiable need for sunshine and a good soundtrack, patronizing advice that turned out to be true, the joy of stonemasonry, and so much more.  Listen to the song he mentions here.

In some circles, it seems that sustainable farming is on the rise. Farmers markets are growing more and more popular, and young people are volunteering to work on organic farms. But sales at farmers market are down, overall, and less than 2% of the population is directly responsible for growing our food in the U.S. So what is the truth of the matter: is sustainable, soulful farming here to stay or a pipe dream? It’s critical to our future, so how can we make it work? How do farmers balance making a profit with still being true to their core values: establishing farms that properly care for the land, the animals, and the customers?  Today we converse with Forrest Pritchard, farmer and author of “Growing Tomorrow: Behind The Scenes With 18 Sustainable Farmers Who Are Changing The Way We Eat.” We discuss the advantages and problems facing farming today, and what can each do to make tomorrow’s farming landscape more promising. For the full show notes for today's episode, visit westonaprice.org. For more on Forrest and his farm, go to smithmeadows.com. And check out our sponsors beethewellness.com and defendershield.com!  

Farming is a back-breaking, weather-dependent, uncertain profession that often does not turn a profit. No wonder the average farmer in the United States is 58 years old. Not many are interested in farming as a career. Why farm, they might ask themselves, when they could have a nice comfortable job in some air-conditioned office downtown? Forrest Pritchard is a persuasive proponent of farming. He represents the soul of those who till the soil. He, and many others, are answering the call to farm. They have a heart for providing whole, healthy, nutrient-dense, organic foods for everyone and they want their farms to be places of harmony, peace, and beauty. Forrest is a best-selling author and the farmer of Smith Meadows in the Shenandoah Valley. Prepare to be captivated by his words and vision. He most definitely puts his heart and soul into the soil. For more on Forrest, visit his website: forrestpritchard.com. For show notes, visit westonaprice.org.  

We were in the studio today with Len Capelli, the Economic Development Coordinator for Clarke County. He brought with him Forrest Pritchard. He's a 2 time New York Times best selling author and owner of Smith Meadows Farm in Clarke County. They gave us the details on the Clarke County Farm Tour that's happening this Saturday, April 29th from 10 til 5. We talked about the tour and the importance of using local farmers not just for produce, livestock, etc. but to help grow the agricultural economic base of the county. For details about the farm tour, click here to visit their Facebook event page, or visit Clarke County's Tourism website: http://clarketourism.com/ For details about Forrest's farm, Smith Meadows, click here to like their Facebook or visit their website: http://smithmeadows.com/ You can also purchase his books on Amazon. Click here for details about Growing Tomorrow, and meet the local farmers who feed America—in stories, photos, and 50 recipes! Click here for details about Gaining Ground, A Story Of Farmers' Markets, Local Food, And Saving The Family Farm.

Episode 1: Farm to Table – Can you dig it? September in Howard County means the Annual Farm City Celebration. HCLS is proud to be a Farm City partner and help bring to the forefront the important role our agricultural heritage continues to play in our life. Hosts Dennis Wood and Victoria Goodman talk to Organic Farmer, and New York Times best-selling author Forrest Pritchard, John Dove, local farmer/owner of Love Dove Farms from our on-site farmer’s market and Joe and Mary Barbera, owners/operators of Aida Bistro who have built their restaurant around the farm to table concept. For Forrest's book and others at HCLS go to: http://bit.ly/HCLSFarmtoTable Register to see Forrest Pritchard, October 1, 3 pm -4:30 pm. http://goo.gl/6RiIAC Forrest Pritchard Website - http://forrestpritchard.com/ Love Dove Farms - http://www.lovedovefarms.com/ Aida Bistro - http://aidabistro.com/

Forrest Pritchard and I chat about farmers, food trends, and why what you eat matters. We recorded outside of a downtown York coffee shop. It's an urban, green episode.

Forrest Pritchard and I chat about farmers, food trends, and why what you eat matters. We recorded outside of a downtown York coffee shop. It's an urban, green episode.

Forrest Pritchard and I chat about farmers, food trends, and why what you eat matters. We recorded outside of a downtown York coffee shop. It's an urban, green episode.

Forrest Pritchard is a seventh-generation farmer and New York Times bestselling memoirist. He is one of the nation’s foremost experts on and champions of organic and sustainable farming practices. Pritchard’s literary debut, Gaining Ground, chronicles his personal struggle to save his family farm in Virginia. His 2015 follow up, Growing Tomorrow: A Farm-to-Table Journey, showcases the remarkable stories of 18 […]

Forrest Pritchard is a seventh-generation farmer and New York Times bestselling memoirist. He is one of the nation’s foremost experts on and champions of organic and sustainable farming practices. Pritchard’s literary debut, Gaining Ground, chronicles his personal struggle to save his family farm in Virginia. His 2015 follow up, Growing Tomorrow: A Farm-to-Table Journey, showcases […]

Forrest Pritchard is a seventh-generation farmer and New York Times bestselling memoirist. He is one of the nation’s foremost experts on and champions of organic and sustainable farming practices. Pritchard’s […]

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.On this week's show:* James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Joan Nathan is in for her annual visit to provide news of this year's celebrity chefs/celebrity mixologists, Sips 'n Sups events are the weekend of January 22-23 at the Newseum and in private homes across the City. The even benefits DC Central Kitchen and Martha's Table, two organizations feeding thousands of hungry people in DC every day.* A seventh-generation farmer from Virginia, Forrest Pritchard wrote his first book, a surprise NY Times best seller called Gaining Ground as a crash course on the benefits of sustainable farming. His newest book, Growing Tomorrow, is a deeper drill into sustainable farming, reflecting conversations with and recipes from sustainable farmers.* Winemaker Ted Edwards from legendary, award-winning Freemark Abbey in Napa is stopping in during his easy coast swing to offer tastes and talk of some of his winery's latest and greatest vintages, including the official wine of Super Bowl 50!* Former engineer Anthony Arguin decided one day that locally-sourced and prepared foods and deliciously affordable wines were more of a passion than engineering. So, he opened the Wine-ing Butcher way up north in New Hampshire. There now are three, with Wine-ing Butchers the newest in Ashburn. Anthony is in talking about being a foodie entrepreneur and about his appearance at the Dulles Expo Center on January 22, where he'll appear on the cooking stage.* Brewmaster and mixologist Ben Matz is in from the new Wicked Bloom DC Social Club in NoMa. No surprise, he'll be mixing up samples of his signature cocktails and filling us with info about this cool, new watering hole.

Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.On this week's show:* James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Joan Nathan is in for her annual visit to provide news of this year's celebrity chefs/celebrity mixologists, Sips 'n Sups events are the weekend of January 22-23 at the Newseum and in private homes across the City. The even benefits DC Central Kitchen and Martha's Table, two organizations feeding thousands of hungry people in DC every day.* A seventh-generation farmer from Virginia, Forrest Pritchard wrote his first book, a surprise NY Times best seller called Gaining Ground as a crash course on the benefits of sustainable farming. His newest book, Growing Tomorrow, is a deeper drill into sustainable farming, reflecting conversations with and recipes from sustainable farmers.* Winemaker Ted Edwards from legendary, award-winning Freemark Abbey in Napa is stopping in during his easy coast swing to offer tastes and talk of some of his winery's latest and greatest vintages, including the official wine of Super Bowl 50!* Former engineer Anthony Arguin decided one day that locally-sourced and prepared foods and deliciously affordable wines were more of a passion than engineering. So, he opened the Wine-ing Butcher way up north in New Hampshire. There now are three, with Wine-ing Butchers the newest in Ashburn. Anthony is in talking about being a foodie entrepreneur and about his appearance at the Dulles Expo Center on January 22, where he'll appear on the cooking stage.* Brewmaster and mixologist Ben Matz is in from the new Wicked Bloom DC Social Club in NoMa. No surprise, he'll be mixing up samples of his signature cocktails and filling us with info about this cool, new watering hole.

Ralph talks to Forrest Pritchard about how he saved his family farm, and we also critique the corporate media with Jim Naureckas of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting.

This episode, I'm joined by farmer and writer Forrest Pritchard, whose September 22, 2015 column in the Huffington Post suggests that the battle to prevent the widespread use and human consumption of GMOs was lost a long time ago, and that GMO opponents' energy could be better put to focusing on the negative effects of, for example, the massive amounts of glyphosates used in conjunction with GMOs, and the scorched-earth effect they have had on our ecosystems. Pritchard's latest book is called Growing Tomorrow: Behind the Scenes with 18 Extraordinary Sustainable Farmers Who Are Changing the Way We Eat.

It takes a long time to figure out what your farm is and what it is going to be. Even if you think you have an idea of exactly what you want to do on your farm that vision is bound to change. Today's podcast talks to this theme with Forrest Prit. Just like Forrest I am trying, experimenting, documenting, and learning different ways to enjoy my farm while making it profitable. With such an unconventional start-up story it's a little hard to say when it actually started, but for me it really started just about a year ago. I took over management of Camps Road Farm and integrated my farm FoodCyclist Farm. With one business it was time to settle on one vision. But what exactly is that vision?chard, a guy who has tried just about everything to make his farm succeed and is still evolving his vision. With the help of Alan Savory's book Holistic Management I am making strides in finding out exactly what we're doing here at Camps Road Farm. Sure I know what we're doing now, and I have a good idea of where I want to be in 10 years, it is the getting there safely and securely that is the trick. It is a weird position to be in to know where you want to future to go, but not really knowing where it is going to take you. There is a lot of excitement, even more anxiety, and a whole lot of wishing for a crystal ball. I take solace in knowing that I am not alone. The smartest farmers that I know never stop experimenting and trying new things. Not every experiment is a success as your goals in life are evolving with your business. As you start your or continue you journey in agriculture always keep your eyes and ears open, never assume you know it all, and be modest. Right click here to download the MP3 In this farm podcast you will learn: How to better your customer retention Ways to find what farming operation is right for you The benefit of celebrating the little triumphs Remain connected to your customers Tell your story Interview with Forrest Pritchard of Smith Meadows Forrest Pritchard is a professional farmer and writer, holding degrees in English and Geology from the College of William and Mary. His farm Smith Meadows was one of the first “grass finished” farms in the country, and has sold at leading farmers’ markets in Washington DC for more than fifteen years. His book Gaining Ground, A Story of Farmers’ Markets, Local Food and Saving the Family Farm was named a Top Read by Publishers Weekly, The Washington Post and NPR’s The Splendid Table. Forrest’s new book is slated for release Fall 2015, from the award-winning press The Experiment. Items mentioned in this farm podcast include: Smith Meadows Gaining Ground: A Story Of Farmers' Markets, Local Food, And Saving The Family Farm NY Times: Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Be Farmers Joel Slezak from Episode 58 The Start Up Podcast Take aways: What will be your biggest influences when choosing your farm business? 5 years ago did you think you would be where you are today? (Listening to the Growing Farm Podcast, haha!) Farm quote of the episode: "Taking time to do nothing often brings everything into perspective." - Zoe Zantamata -- Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscrible to iTunes Support the podcast with $1 a month Past Episodes

Mark Campen expresses the importance of farmer's markets in discussing the book Gaining Ground: A Story Of Farmers' Markets, Local Food, And Saving The Family Farm by Forrest Pritchard. Pritchard grew up on a farm but didn’t know much about farming. Fresh out of college with a degree in English and geology, he decided he could save the family farm from financial ruin, a farm his parents have been barely keeping up by using all expendable income from their full time jobs in the city. Beginning with his initial attempt to raise money selling firewood, he tells an engaging story of his career as a nonconventional farmer. Mr. Campen explains, "This book is about family, community and a will to successfully carry on the farming lifestyle, albeit in a different way. Knowing where our food comes from and our potential role in the food system is ‘gaining ground’ here in Knoxville." Mr. Campen serves on Knoxville's City Council representing the 5th district and is Executive Director of the Tennessee Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America.

In today's podcast we talk to Forrest Pritchard, farmer at Smith Meadows Farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. He's recently published a book entitled Gaining Ground: A Story of Farmer's Markets, Local Food, and Saving the Family Farm. Forrest and I discuss his story of how he saved a farm that's been in his family for eight generations using sustainable farming practices.