E232: Carolina Farm Trust creating healthy food system disruption

March 18, 2024

Today’s podcast is a story of one man’s personal journey to making a difference by building communities. Zach Wyatt grew up caretaking an old 300-acre farm in Virginia. He went to college and ended up working in mortgage lending. And then something changed for Zack, and that’s where the story gets interesting. He now leads the Carolina Farm Trust, working to strengthen local food systems in the Carolinas. The trust cultivates urban farm networks, farm apprenticeships, supports local farmers in purchasing equipment or land, making informed-decisions, and more.

Related podcasts: Agriculture & Tech | Community & Economic Development | Food Insecurity | North Carolina | Philanthropy & Food Systems | Urban Agriculture |

 

E227: Big wins through the North Carolina Farmers Market Network

January 31, 2024

In 2022, more than 6 million people visited farmers markets across North Carolina. Today, we’re talking with a team of people who are the driving force behind the North Carolina Farmers Market Network: Maggie Funkhouser, Catherine Elkins, and Nora Rodli. The goal of the North Carolina Farmers Market is to create and support a thriving network of marketplaces for the state’s local food and farm products. The nonprofit network, which was recently awarded a USDA Farmers Market Promotion Capacity-building grant, will provide education, programming, and partnership development assistance to farmers market managers, including resources to support historically underserved populations.

Related podcasts: Agriculture & Tech | Community & Economic Development | Urban Agriculture | Voice of Farming |

 

E211: Soil Wealth Areas: a Tool to Spur Investment in Regenerative and Organic Ag

August 1, 2023

There’s much excitement out there about regenerative and organic agriculture, but how can they be financed and how can capital providers support these important approaches to agriculture? A new report by the Croatan Institute addresses this issue by emphasizing soil wealth areas. So, what does this mean? Well, we’re going to learn about that from researcher Jamie Silverstein, an author of that report.

Related podcasts: Community & Economic Development | Philanthropy & Food Systems | Regenerative Agriculture |

 

E184: Carolina Farm Stewardship Association – Connecting Farmers & Communities

October 26, 2022

Today we’re speaking with Roland McReynolds, Executive Director of the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association which is a member-based farmer-driven, non-profit organization based in Pittsboro, North Carolina, that helps farmers and consumers in both North and South Carolina grow and eat local organic food.

Related podcasts: Agriculture & Tech | Community & Economic Development | COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts on Food | North Carolina | Voice of Farming |

 

E178: A Call to Invest in Agriculture’s Missing Middle

August 24, 2022

We’ve done many podcasts on the topic of regenerative agriculture, which is a conservation and rehabilitation approach to farming and ranching that enriches and restores the environment while also producing more nutrient dense food. Today, we are speaking with Anna Aspenson of the Croatan Institute about the need for financial investment in regional food production, and processing infrastructure, such as meat packing, grain milling and malting and produce canning, or even freezing facilities.

Related podcasts: Agriculture & Tech | Climate Change, Environment & Food | Community & Economic Development | Regenerative Agriculture |

 

E175: Striving for Black Food Sovereignty – Stewards for the Land

July 14, 2022

Today, we’re talking to Dr. Jasmine Ratliff, who goes by Dr. Jas, and is an applied food systems research and policy specialist, and co-executive director of the National Black Food and Justice Alliance. She believes that your zip code should not determine your life expectancy and that building relationships are essential to creating a sustainable and just food system.

Related podcasts: Advocacy & Food | Agriculture & Tech | Community & Economic Development | Equity, Race & Food Justice | Food System Narratives | Philanthropy & Food Systems |

 

E174: Down to Earth with NC Farm Bureau’s Shawn Harding

July 7, 2022

Today, we’re talking with the President of North Carolina Farm Bureau, Shawn Harding. Farm Bureau is the state’s largest farming organization and is often referred to as the voice of North Carolina agriculture. In this interview, we’ll explore the diverse ways this vital association supports North Carolina farmers and growers. I might also say that there are Farm Bureaus in all 50 states, and from what I understand, North Carolina is one of the largest. So it’s a special pleasure to have Shawn with us.

Related podcasts: Agriculture & Tech | Climate Change, Environment & Food | Community & Economic Development | Food Policy | North Carolina | Voice of Farming |

 

E173: Special Episode | Power & Benefit on the Plate: A History of Food in Durham, NC

June 29, 2022

So why is the food history of a community so important? And can Durham’s food history be applied to other places? Who owns land, who can grow food and make a living doing so, and who has access to food, any food, least of all healthy food? The answers are deeply influenced by historical policies and practices. These in retrospect, clearly exacerbated, supported, and even created food related calamities, the dual burden communities face of both food insecurity and diet related chronic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity. Understanding these practices is important in creating change. And in understanding that conditions imposed on neighborhoods rather than personal failings of residents explain what we see today.

Related podcasts: Community & Economic Development | Diet & Nutrition | Equity, Race & Food Justice | Food Insecurity | History & Food | North Carolina |

 

E172: The Power & Potential of Co-ops for Economic Development Through Food

June 22, 2022

Today, we’re talking to a change management leader, a person who is advancing social justice through food co-ops. Darnell Adams co-leads Firebrand Cooperative, a new consultancy helping nonprofits, cooperatives, and other socially responsible organizations throughout the US. In a recent article, she wrote for “Nonprofit Quarterly” that a food co-op isn’t a luxury item, but the lifeblood of their communities.

Related podcasts: Community & Economic Development | Equity, Race & Food Justice |

 

E160: Deep Community Connection at the San Diego Food System Alliance

March 24, 2022

Today, we’re speaking with leaders of the San Diego Food System Alliance about their far reaching 10 year vision for a healthier, more sustainable and more just food system in San Diego County. Our guests today are Elly Brown and Sona Desai, co-executive directors of the Alliance, who can speak about how this work is grounded in both community needs and evidence based research. It’s an inspiring story of relationships, the transformational potential of food sovereignty and the belief that people can create a better food system when they work together. Welcome to the leading voices and food podcast.

Related podcasts: Advocacy & Food | Community & Economic Development | Food Insecurity | Food Policy |