In this episode we connect with Beth Reynolds of The Goat Girls, a woman owned and operated contract grazing operation located on California’s Central Coast to learn about her successes and challenges with long term viability of the targeted grazing industry, especially as it relates to fire preparedness and fuels management. Over the last decade, California has experienced the most dangerous, destructive, and environmentally hazardous wildfires in the history of the state. Prescribed grazing is a versatile and ecologically-based wildfire mitigation strategy with scientifically proven be ..read more

In this episode we visit Bai Thao at her farm in Sanger, CA. We learn about Bai’s family history in agriculture and her farming and food safety practices, including water testing and an inventive method for ensuring her tools stay sanitized. SHOW NOTES: Hmong history in California: http://www.hmongstory40.org/about-hmongstory-40/ History of Hmong Farming in Fresno: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0EEVlhvEH8 Fresno Asian Business Institute & Resource Center (ABIRC) – a nonprofit organization, whose mission is to support and promote strong networks of Asian business owners in the Central C ..read more

In the final episode of our pilot series, the CCOF Foundation will chat with Bertha Magaña of Magaña Farm and Tania Zuñiga of Kitchen Table Advisors to discover how selling directly to consumers strengthened Magaña Farm’s business and community. Send us your ideas via this feedback link (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/X5DVKKN). Many thanks to “The Farmers Beet” for helping us launch this pilot series. Funding for this podcast was made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service through grant AM180100XXXXG055. The post Strengthening Farms and Communiti ..read more

For our third episode, join the CCOF Foundation for a conversation with Patricia Rodriguez of Rodriguez Farms on how their farmers’ market customers urged them to go organic and stuck by then as their farm figured out on their own how to grow super-tasty organic strawberries. Have ideas for future podcasts? Send us your ideas via this feedback link (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/X5DVKKN). Many thanks to “The Farmers Beet” for helping us launch this pilot series. Funding for this podcast was made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service through gra ..read more

In this episode we delve into all things on-farm composting, from its production to its use and relevant agricultural policies. We hear from Abel Ruiz at CRECE Farming Collective in Santa Ana about their use of various composting methods at a small scale. Liz Schroeder of Spreadwing Farm in Rumsey shares about their use of compost on an organic farm, from considerations around sourcing compost to its application. Dave Runsten, CAFF’s Water Policy Director, also provides an update on the state of composting policy in California.  Show Notes CRECE Urban Farm Collective: https://www.crece-co ..read more

Photo: Ansel Klein In this episode, we learn about integrated crop livestock management from two Northern California Farms. First, we hear from Lorraine Walker of Eatwell Farm in Dixon, CA, where they incorporate laying hens into their diversified vegetable production, and also touch on soil health and fertility management. Ken Walker of Pasture 42 in Guinda, CA then walks us through how they incorporate sheep and poultry into their orchards, which were designed with animal integration in mind. Both expand on the benefits and challenges of integrating livestock, as well as considerations for p ..read more

During this episode we travel to Super Tuber Farm near Grass Valley, CA. We learn from Jeremy about their  farm focused on tuber crops and partnership they had with CAFF to complete an on-farm research trial during the 2019 growing season on a practice called occultation. Occultation is the use of tarps to minimize weeds in an organic system. Listen to learn more! The post Super Tuber Podcast Episode appeared first on Community Alliance with Family Farmers ..read more

In this episode, Sarah Keiser of Wild Oat Hollow in Penngrove, CA describes her entry into ranching and how her love of the land positioned her to become a leader in developing and supporting community grazing cooperatives. Join us as Sarah shares her experience with wildfires in Sonoma County and how grazing is making a difference for regional wildfire protection and preparedness, while also working to reconnect locals with the ecology of the region and each other. Show Notes: Wild Oat Hollow Website: https://www.wildoathollow.com/ Fibershed: https://fibershed.org/ Globetrotter Foundation ..read more

Photo from Red Shed Farm SHOW NOTES: Red Shed Farm website: http://www.redshedfarming.com/ Red Shed Farm instagram: @redshedfarm https://www.instagram.com/redshedfarm/ FDA FSMA pdf of law: https://www.fda.gov/food/guidanceregulation/fsma/ucm334114.htm SARE “Farmer’s Guide to Business Structures” – book is a great resource for farmers to read when starting a business and determining business structure, there’s also a chapter specifically on value added farm business entities: https://www.sare.org/Newsroom/Press-Releases/New-Improve-Resilience-and-Stability-With-F ..read more

Queridas oyentes, este es nuestro último episodio de la temporada. Esperamos que disfrute de este episodio especial en español presentado por el productor de nuestro podcast, Jaime Roque. En este episodio, visitamos Luna’s Farm, una granja familiar Latinx multigeneracional que cultiva vegetales orgánicos en Hollister, California. Antonio Luna comparte sobre la granja de su familia y su historia agrícola en los Estados Unidos, que se remonta a más de tres décadas. Aprendemos cómo la granja reduce los riesgos de inocuidad alimentaria a través del uso del agua, la capacitación de los empleados y ..read more