Farm to Table Talk

How long can a community last if there were no open roads or grocery stores? During the tragic California fire caused mudslides of 2018, the town of Summerland was cut off from the rest of the world and the food supply chain. The devastating effects of the tragedy and the consequences of no grocery stores in Summerland reached a turning point when customers started fighting over stale sandwiches or snacks left at Liquor stores or gas stations.  These experiences led to the establishment of Sweet Water Farms – a community asset to solve the absence of food, to expand farm education to the next generation on chemical-free farming, ecology and food as medicine, bio dynamics in both plants and soil, and eco-utilities. The Santa Barbara Agriculture & Farm Education Foundation established the farm to provide food security, increase awareness and educate how our food is grown and distributed. And to not be vulnerable to whatever disaster nature has in store for them in the future. President/Farmer Leslie Person Ryan shares the lessons learned and how local agriculture is vital.

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There is a growing rural urban divide and it is effecting our food system locally, globally and nationally, especially in this climate change era. Gilles Stockton is the owner and manager of a sheep and cattle ranch in Montana and an expert in livestock production, livestock marketing, and economic development of pastoral areas, with experience in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. He pursued a dual career, managing and working the family ranch since 1975, and accomplishing numerous assignments in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East for agencies and organizations such as USAID, FAO, European Commission, Save the Children Federation, and the British Red Cross Society. He  shares perspectives on problems and solutions in his book,  “Feeding A Divided America – Reflections of a Western Rancher in the Era of Climate Change.”

The MAHA Commission Report to President Trump, outlines the administration’s strategy to “Make Our Children Healthy Again”.  Professor Jerold Mande, CEO of Nourish Science and Rodger Wasson, host of Farm To Table Talk podcast, review the report and discuss what it is in it and what is missing. www.nourishscience.org

Farm to Table Talk is about good conversations and no one was better at facilitating conversation than Bill Moyers who has passed away at the age of 91. A journalist, minister, Peace Corps and Great Society leader, Bill Moyers also showed his interest and support of farmers, such as his thoughtful interview with the legendary Wendell Berry.  He told Rodger Wasson it was fine with him to have his Wendell Berry conversation shared on the Farm To Table Talk podcast so in his honor, at his passing is that conversation. Wendell told Bill , “We don’t have the right to ask whether we are going to succeed or not; the only question we have the right to ask is what’s the right thing to do? What does this Earth require of us if we want to continue to live on it?”  Bill Moyers is a legend himself for matchless, thoughtful interviews such as this interview in October 2013, that was a production of the Schumann Media Center, Inc. and Mannes Productions, Inc.© 2013

When vegan chef Mollie Englehart finally became a farmer, she had the big idea to create a farm where nothing had to die. Animals would live out their days munching grass, with no blood on her hands–straight out of her vegan chef playbook. Mollie built her successful LA Vegan restaurants on that ethical stance: compassionate food, no suffering, all love.  in LA, feeding people while saving the planet. . Farming would be the next step: acres of peace—a sanctuary where every goat, duck, and sheep got a happy ending,  like it was a mission from God. Mollie Englehart’s journey and lessons learned is a book, Debunked by Nature: One Woman’s Journey from Vegan Chef to Regenerative Farmer—and the Truths She Discovered Along the Way.

Climate change, population growth, demand for animal products, pest resistance to traditional treatments and misguided policies lead to food shortages and escalating food prices.  In 2023, 733 million people faced hunger and 2.3 billion were moderately or severely food insecure. Policies to support biofuels, organic agriculture, local foods, and small farms and to oppose genetically modified foods all reduce food production on existing land.–leading to higher food prices, increased carbon emissions, and less natural habitat as cropland expands. Richard Sexton is a professor of Agriculture and Resource Economics at UC Davis and author of FOOD FIGHT: Misguied Policies, Supply Challenges and the Impending Struggle to Feed a Hungry World.

Anna Jones is a farmer based in the Welsh uplands who brings a thoughtful and practical perspective on sustainable livestock farming. Although she came into agriculture later in life, Anna grew up on her family’s sheep and beef farm and returned in her mid-20s to help keep it in the family. She now works alongside her father and is gradually introducing more sustainable and data-informed practices to the farm. They supply Waitrose a high-end grocery store chain in the UK, known for its quality products, particularly fresh food and organic options. She’s also exploring mixed grazing, breed changes to reduce land strain, and improvements to soil and slurry management, supported in part by Welsh government initiatives. Next for Anna and her family will be farm to table experiences on their farm.

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Natural resources, rural communities and agriculture come together in Siskiyou County where California borders Oregon.  Wolves have been reintroduced, wildfires are a continuous concern, dams have been removed and efficient water sharing requires community engagement. Assisting with these needs is Grace Woodmansee University of California Cooperative Extension Service Livestock and Natural Resources Adviser. A key project is the Siskiyou Climate Collaborative (SCC) that is working to help a broad community network pursue planning and funding opportunities, that will better prepare for the wildfires, droughts, and extreme climate events. . https://www.siskiyoucounty.org/climatecollaborative

Farmers around the world are resisting industrial monoculture in favor of biodiversity and soil-first practices with practical land stewardship rooted in indigenous knowledge, community building and long-term economic resilience. Regenerating Earth: Farmers Working with Nature to Feed Our Future by Kelsey Timmerman (Patagonia Books) provides a global exploration of regenerative agriculture as told through the stories of farmers transforming the land—and their communities. Timmerman, who lives in rural Indiana and comes from a farming family, brings a neighbor’s eye and a journalist’s ear to the regenerative movement.