Ethical Agriculture: our wisest choice (Kristeva Dowling)

First generation farmers, who started with nothing.

When Brittney and Cole bought their ranch, it was nothing but plain dirt. Overgrown with trees and old fencing that needed to be  removed.
 
They are building their ranch from the ground up. One fencepost at a time. And, they live by the motto, "Make do, or do without."

They are the next generation of farmers in Canada. With an average aging population of farmers (58!), it is nice to hear from these young people and feel the passion they have for not only their animals but also the soil, the earth, and water-- it's all they've ever wanted to do and they continue to sacrifice for it. They breed heritage breed chickens, pigs, and a unique livestock guardian dogs. 

Show Notes: 

Burnt River Ranch: https://www.burntriverranch.com/about-us

Peas on Earth is a Certified Organic Garden and was officially founded by Eric and Ruby Chen in 2000. With their interest in sustainable and community-minded farming, Eric describes how he and Ruby combined their expertise in farming and business to create Peas on Earth. A legacy handed down to him from his Grandmother who was a farmer back in China where they immigrated from. 

He speaks of taking care of the land, the animals that have moved onto their farm and who make their homes in the hedge rows they planted with the help of many of their friends. And, how it is their passion to make sure people feel good about eating their vegetables. 

This is more than just a business to make a living with. The goal – “Growing For Our Children” – signifies their commitment to provide a source of health and nutrition in an environmentally conscious manner to their own children but also be stewards of the land, soil, trees, animals, and humans who have come to rely on their farm for sustencance. 

Show notes:

Peas On Earth Organic Farm: https://www.peasonearth.ca/

Today we speak to Eva Kralits, one of the founders of the Canadian Artisan Dairy Alliance. CADA is a collective of consumers who want to see Canada’s outdated ban on raw milk lifted so that conscious consumers can have safe, healthy access to raw milk through appropriate regulation and inspection. 

Today, Canada is the only G7 nation where raw milk cannot be sold legally despite consumer demand. 

We discuss how legalizing the sale of unadultered milk would support family farms, increase regional food security, and provide consumers the security of access to a safe product. 

Until such a time, unadultered milk is sentenced to be relegated to black market deals in box store parking lots under hushed tones. 

CADA wants to support small family run artisan dairys that nurture their land and livestock to produce top-quality milk.

If you support consumer choice and food sovereignty, this episode will make you smile, shake your head, and likely get darn angry. 

Show Notes:

Canadian Artisan Dairy Alliance (CADA): https://www.artisandairy.ca/

Part two of Robert Zimdal interview. We cover such topics as sustainability. Bob rasies interesting questions such as the ethics of who gets to decide what is and/or should be worth sustaining. We ponder facts like the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico that is directly created by unsustainable agriculture and consider what, if anything, could be done about it. 

With his fist pounding passion and the Grandfather clock chiming in every so often, I enjoyed speaking with him so much and I hope you do too.

Notes:

Click here to learn more about Robert L. Zimdahl and find his work and books. 

Sherry-Ann and her husband Kurt are rasing 8 children and grass-fed lamb, beef, and pastured pork, chicken, turkey, and eggs! 

Today she speaks about the joys of farm-life. But not everything is rosy. There are real difficulties and strugles to naviagting the ins and outs of running an econically viable sustainble ranch. Most noteably, the difficulties in finding a local butcher. An occupation, she laments, is no longer valued thanks to industrial food systems. Perhaps its time to do what Chef's Table has done for cooks, to butchers: make meat-cutting sexy again! 

Mead has inspired poets and warriors for centuries. And, Lilly Weichberger is one such poet. She not only owns a small batch Artisan Meadery located in Southern Oregon but also is the mead maker. And, like traditional poets of old, she is dedicated to hand crafting a delicious variety of meads inspired by ancient traditions.

She is committed to using local and varietal honeys and pairing them with local seasonal fruit, herbs, and spices.

Established in 2015, she recently achieved a personal milestone by having one of her meads win Internationally at the Mazer Cup. 

Today we cover her mead making origin story, the trials and tribulations of being a woman in a male dominated industry, and some of the legal issues that pose great barriers to growth for small business in this industry. 

Show Notes:

Oran Mor Artisan Mead

OMG that's a whole other hour! So here it is. The second half of the passionate discussion between myself and Jeff Senger of the Sangudo Growers Association. 

Jeff is outspoken, knowledgeable, and the perfect combination between outrage and amused with respect to our industrial agriculture model. If you are remotely interested in learning about the realities of this model, you will enjoy this two part series. It's spectacular! 

In this episode we speak to Kreg Alde, Co-owner (with his wife Lee-Ann), of Broken TIne Orchard. The farm is situated southwest of Beaverlodge, Alberta, Canada, along the Rocky Mountain foothills. Currently cultivated land is approximately 2400 acres – with the main crops being canola, wheat, and barley. In 2011, they planted a Haskap orchard to start diversification and help in the succession of this proud farm. The Haskap orchard located on the original cleared land of the homestead. They supply the berries to restaurants, distilleries, breweries, creameries, and even make their own line-up of fruit wines. They have sustainability principles at the forefront of their farm management strategies. Implimenting no till farm practices and minimal pesticide application. 

Show notes:

Broken Tine Orchard: https://brokentineorchard.ca/ 

The Organic Box is committed to supporting local farmers and producers who provide you with fresh organic food, grown right here at home. Heidi discusses how she got into agriculture. Her trajectory starts in India where she learned about Permaculture and then spends time in Cuba learning to grow organically. And finally back to Canada where she spends several years in the fields raising vegetables. To her most recent landing place at the Organic Box in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. For Heidi, it is important to be supplying good food to good people, but fundamentally, it’s the story that goes into the box that matters most.

Show Notes:

The Organic Box: https://www.theorganicbox.ca/

Today we speak with independent jounralist and author JB Mackinnon. Who, together with his partner Alyssa Smith, authored the book that is credited with putting eating local on the map. When they learned that the average ingredient in a North American meal travels 1,500 miles from farm to plate, they decided to launch a simple experiment. For one year, they source all thier food from within a 100-mile radius of their Vancouver apartment. 

Today's discussion takes us through his experniences while doing this local eating initiative. And he reveals insights, struggles, and deeper revelations about the way we produce and consume our foods. 

His latest book, The Day the World Stops Shopping is a provocative, deeply researched thought experiment exploring what life beyond consumerism might look like—and she shares with us his insights into how we can get there. 

Notes: 

To view a list of the author's work, click the link below and head to his website. 

JB Mackinnon website: https://www.jbmackinnon.com/

Related Books: Chicken Poop for the Soul: in search of food sovereignty

Music by: Kevin Martin 

John describes his trajectory from farm boy to corporate worker and back again. And, why he and his wife are commited to organic grain growing.  They are passionate about quality local food and are proud to be part of the local food community and put lots of love and careful attention into growing these grains. 

It is a simpler life that they have chosen. Yet, he describes why it is more rewarding than being stuck to a 9-5 job for a salary. 

We also touch on economic development issue in the food industry and how policy change might be the answer for a better more robust food production system. 

This is part two of the interview with Kenton Zerbin where he speaks more about the nuts and bolts of behind the scenes of the tiny home build and also elaborates on a couple edible landscape projects he's completed in and around Edmonton. He also let's us know how to become a sponsor for the Tiny Home Master Plan. 

Show Notes:

Kenton Zerbin

Tiny House Master Plan - YouTube Channel

The Yak Ranch has been owned and operated solely by Jennifer Rath since 2015. Established at Caroline Alberta the ranch has relocated to just outside Wildwood, Alberta in the fall of 2021. The Yak Ranch is Canada’s largest breeder of registered Tibetan Yaks in Canada. The ranch prides itself on providing quiet, top quality breed stock across Canada as well as delicious grass fed yak products to consumers across Alberta. She is obviously passionate about these animals and it shows in how she not only speaks about them but also the care and handling she provides. 

 

Episode Notes: 

The Yak Ranch 

Host Name: Jennifer Rath

Email: theyakranch@outlook.com

Phone: 403-741-4903

Wheelchair Accessible

Where's the poop Kenton? If you ever wanted to know the dirtiest little secret of tiny home building and the world's problem in general, it's dealing with our own biological outputs. 

Kenton is a trained educator who left the luxury of a salaried position in the high school system to persue his dream of teaching young people something not only more useful than the school cirriculum but also more meaningful. 

He is now self employed and happy building tiny homes and designing permaculture systems to help people live more meaningful lives and closer with the earth. And, importantly, teaching self reliance and resiliency. 

Show Notes:

Kenton Zerbin Tiny Home Workshops

Tiny House Master Plan 

YouTube Channel - Tiny House Master Plan

Today I speak about several themes that have arisen over the past 29 weeks. And, also advise that I am taking a break from the weekly schedule. I will return to taping the podcast in October and releasing episodes starting in November. 

When I return, I am going to add my own voice and cover topcis and issues in more depth. I hope you enjoy today's episode and will pick up again in the fall when I resume with regular episodes. 

 

Steve & Amber Kenyon own Greener Pasteurs Ranching. They have a unique business model given that they do not own the land, nor do they own the cattle! Their custom grazing business model has been very financially effective. They keep strict finanaical goals to ensure this happens. And, they also have a priority to improve their environment, including the riparian areas, and the biodiversity both above and below the ground. In short, they are stewards of the land and animals that they don't even own. 

Being regenerative agriculturalists, they have 5 grazing principals: 

1. Repairing the water cycle. This is a major environmental issue they address head on. In a nutshell, they 

2. Collecting sunlight. We have limited days where light can be harnessed and put to work for soil, crop, and animal health improvement. 

3. Recycling nutrients. They realize that a key to regenerative agriculture is to put an end to the exporting of nutrients off the pasture. 

4. Building boilogy and increasing biodiversity both above and below the ground. 

5. Creating a polyculture of plants. When they focus on developing a varied system, then they know they increase their boidiversity in the flora and fauna above the ground but also below the ground. 

And, as if this isn't enough, they also run a bi-weekly podcast with Gateway Research Organization. 

They have worked with the University of Alberta to scientifically track their improvements in soil. They work off farm also to help educate farmers on carbon sequestration and crop and animal health improvement. They also discuss how the ranchers who are participating in regenerative agriculture movement are way ahead of the ecucational institutions who are still teaching and preaching outdated models. So sadly, the policy makers who are learning at universities instead of on the ground through experience are lacking in up-to-date scientific realities with respect to animal agriculture and soil building practices.  

If you remotely like the idea of animal agriculture, this episode will make you want to become a rancher!

Note: 

Website: Greener Pasture Ranching

Youtube: Greener Pastures Ranching

Gateway Research Organization

Regenerative Agriculture

Vinegar Guys 

Joel Salatin

Music: Kevin Martin

The Hale Family has been ranching near Bassano, AB for over 100 years. Tayla explains  how their beef is raised with the best interests of the land and the animals in their care so the families who they supply can feel good about their food. Everyone in the family has a role on the farm. And, her husband chef's main gig is to be awkward on their YouTube channel making delicious meals while she does all the talking. 

Show Notes: 

Hale Beef Ranch: https://haleranchbeef.ca/

Today I speak with Robert Zimdahl, Professor Emeritus Colorado State University and author of several books. We cover several major ethical questions surrounding our industrial agriculture production and distribution system. If you care about agriculture animals who sacrifice their lives on a daily basis, or the over use of pesticides and the environmental consequences, or a host of other ethical issues, you will be sure to enjoy listening to this very thoughtful guest. 

Show notes:

Robert L. Zimdahl webpage 

 

Jared  was once a high school teacher but decided he wanted to be more self-determined in his own future. So, without land, without a tractor or any heavy equipment and against all odds, he began his own unique farm and fed not only his family but also a lot of people in the process. He also found himself answering a lot of questions of strangers passing by and wondering what he was up to. He discusses the policies and other obstacles to starting this business. And also why he ultimately left direct farming and marketing to start a new venture. Now he teaches online classes that give people the tools, methods, and resources to grow their own food. 

Notes:

The Vegetable Academy

At the Urban Farm School in Calgary, Alberta, Carmen Lamoureux is commited to giving people the education and skills  they need to live more sustainably, eat hyper-locally, and take more control over your own healthy food supply. Today we take a deep dive into the issues of eating locally, food sovereignty, and food security. And, hear about the school, front and backyard gardening, and how it can ignite relationships and build community. To say the least about beautifying spaces and arming you with a food secure skill-set. 

To reach the Urban Farm School: https://www.urbanfarmschool.ca/

 

John and Nichole Clayholt along with their three children, grain farm with John’s family, they have recently started raising laying hens, pasture raised poultry and outdoor/ free-run hogs. 

As a passionate food producer, Nichole will meticulously review customers cutting instructions with you and answer any questions you have about their new adventure. 

Nichole and John are not new to caring for animals as Nichole grew up on Flaghill Ranch learning the beef side of things and John grew up around pigs in their small farrowing barn.

Nichole and John hold strong values for animal welfare and are passionate about producing real food for real families. 

Show Notes: 

Suprise Hill Market

In this episode of Ethical Agriculture, Jasser Abu-Giemi (of Ophelia Ice Cream) interviews the host, Kristeva Dowling. He asks her about her background and what inspired her to start the podcast. She speaks about the illogic of food policies in Canada, and the difference between Food Sovereignty and Food Security. And the ethics (or lack of) trading food as a commodity. And, finally, what to expect each week from the podcast. 

Show notes & more about the host:

Stolen Harvest Meadery: stolenharvest.com

Chicken Poop for the Soul: in search of food sovereignty - https://www.amazon.ca/Chicken-Poop-Soul-Search-Sovereignty/dp/1894759605

Ethical Agriculture Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ethicalagpodcast

 

Jeff Senger, the self declared "murderer" of the community tells us what it's like to run a small town ethical slaughterhouse-butcher shop. While interviewing Jeff, I felt a little bit like a chuckwagon driver with a ten horse team out front. Together we covered a lot of ground. From how he and his wife Heather left big city jobs and ran away to the "third world country" of Sangudo, Alberta, Canada to raise a family and run a food cooperative. 

This is episode 1 of 2. 

Show Notes: 

Sangudo Growers Association: http://sangudogrowers.blogspot.com/

 

 

Today we speak with Rheannon Green from Alberta on the Plate, which is a dine around the proving festival that showcases the incredible bounty that is grown and produced across the  province of Alberta, Canada. Rheannon tells how this festival has grown over the past few years. Moving into something that is supportive of Agriculture producers year round. Throughout the year, they celebrate and share the Alberta food story by introducing the public to the people and businesses that grow, raise, create, and support the agri-food industry in Alberta. She describes how the festival is helping to establish meaningful connections between local chefs and producers to increase the volume of local ingredients used in restaurants while building the resiliency of our local food value chain.

Every August during Alberta Local Food Week, Alberta on the Plate hosts a ten-day, province-wide dine around festival. 

 

Show Notes: 

Alberta on the Plate: https://www.albertaontheplate.com/

Winter’s turkey farm is located approximately 30 km east of Calgary. If you have every wondered about turkey farming, this is the episode for you! 

The turkeys on their farm are raised humanely with high consideration for their comfort, health and well being. They have plenty of space to range in the sunshine and fresh air. They raise free range, certified organic and heirloom turkeys.

They farm so they have fresh turkeys available at Thanksgiving and Christmas and frozen turkeys and products are available year round from various retail outlets or direct from the farm.

Notes:

https://wintersturkeys.ca/

Brent Preston knows that finding solutions to climate change is urgent. He is the Director of Farmers for Climate Solutions. A Canadain coalition of farmers working towards reducing greenhouse gases as a result of farming practices. Canadian farmers are feeling the impacts of climate change, and are also at the forefront of efforts to develop climate-friendly farming techniques that can reduce emissions, make our food supply more resilient, and sequester carbon. Farmers are ready to help Canada achieve its climate targets. 

Show Notes: 

Farmers for Climate Solutions: https://farmersforclimatesolutions.ca/

In this episode Kristeva speaks to Shaman Crowe, an ethical agricultural animal breeder whose focus is on heritage breeds. At Silver Prairie Stock & Poultry Farm Shaman specializes in the breed conservation of American Blackbelly Sheep, Kunekune Pigs, Rare & Endangered Poultry, Standard & Suri Llamas and Micro/Mini Speckle Park Cattle. Shaman describes how he not only admires the work of Joel Salatin but also how he uses several of his pasture raised animal methods,  including: deep litter bedding which helps keep the animals more comfortable over a cold prairie winters. We also cover related topics such as eating local and food security, and the importance of maintaining breed standards and being able to "eat" the animals who do not represent the best in the breed. 

Show notes:

https://www.silverprairie.farm/ 

 

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John Schneider is the writer and host of the popular Food Afield Podcast. John has been hunting the woods and hills around his Alberta home and beyond since he was a young boy. He has what he would call the "Sophie's Choice" of hunting persuits. A favourite for every season. And sometimes those favourites overlap. John focuses primarily on traditional bowhunting and flyfishing but also we cover the topic of wing-shooting, and other ethical dilemmas in his outdoor pursuits.

As an adult, John spent more than a decade professionally outfitting and guiding big game bowhunters and fishers across both Alberta and the Northwest Territories of Canada. He has published numerous articles for international publications and has appeared in hunting and fishing-related television, video, and book productions throughout his hunting career. More recently, John has been a part of the main cast of the award-winning video series "From The Wild", produced by Kevin Kossowan.

John's goal when in the field has always revolved around his love of cooking and wild food. We speak about the joy of acquiring wild food ingredients but also the heartache and real tears that come from taking a life. 

If you are at all interested in wild food aquisition, hunting, or ethics of eating, you will be sure to enjoy this episode. 

Show Notes:

Food Afield Podcast Webpage

Coryn is a leader in strategic change and transformation. Her holistic approach to business and leadership is inspiring a local shopping movement in her community. Today she speaks about how she launched a shop local Facebook page that has fired up the imagination of many people, not just comsumers. She has producers, ranchers, farmers, and business owners who manufacture value added products from regional producers. In short, she is leading the way as we learn to navigate the world moving forward; one thing at a time. 

Show Notes: 

Shop Local GP: https://www.facebook.com/ShopLocalGP

Coryn Briggs: https://www.corynbriggs.com/

 

Harmony's Way Family Farm has been raising food for decades on their family farm. They used to be certified organic. But thanks to a loyal followying who not only know and trust them, are committed to supporthing them without requiring them to pay the extra money to be certified. 

They raise animals and vegetable in a humane and ethical manner. Always putting the needs of the animals and the environment first. What began as a quest to raise healthy food for their own needs has grown into a community resource that is trusted by many. 

They use minimal inputs. So much so they still use horses and do sone have massive tractors and combines to work their land. 

Show notes: 

Harmony's Way Family Farm

Tyler and his family run a grain farm on the border between Alberta and Saskatchewan. They are transitioning from a high input level of farming into regenerative farming practices. He speaks about the difficulties and reasons for making the shift. He also elaborates on the ways in which city-folks and those not involved in agriculture can help our farmers navigate the transition. One solution does not fit all!

Tyler is also known as The Crackpot Farmer. And, was one of the people who went to Ottawa to protest the restrictions the Canadian government placed on the country. It is interesting to the the first hand account of what was taking place and his experiences of being in the midst of the protest. He laments the fact that the mainstream media's misreporting of the events that took place. And also how heartening it was to be part of a movement that managed to avoid resorting to violence to make its point despite nearly a four week occupancy. He also elaborates on his best and worst moment in Ottawa. 

Show Notes: 

The Crackpot Farmer

The Crackpot Farmer - YouTube