In this episode we travel to Southern California to meet with Samuel Guitron of Gospel Swamp Farm in Santa Ana and Johnny Wilson from The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano to talk all about Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, in urban farms. You’ll also hear about how soil health is monitored using potatoes at Gospel Swamp Farm, how wheat and rice bran are being used to manage soil-borne pathogens at The Ecology Center, and so much more. Episode Resources: Gospel Swamp Farm website: https://heritagemuseumoc.org/gospel-swamp-farm/ Gospel Swamp Farm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gospelswampfarm/?hl=en The Heritage Museum of Orange County: https://heritagemuseumoc.org/ CAFF Cover Crop Decision Guide for Annual Cropping Systems: https://caff.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/CAFF-Cover-Crop-Guide-for-Annual-Systems-112222.pdf The Ecology Center website: https://theecologycenter.org/ The Ecology Center instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theecologycenter/?hl=en Regenerative Organic Alliance: https://regenorganic.org/ Joji Muramoto’s UCCE page: https://ucanr.edu/?facultyid=42875 Master Gardeners Handbook - 2nd Ed.: https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/Details.aspx?itemNo=3382 CAFF webpage: https://caff.org/ CAFF instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caff_famfarms/?hl=en CAFF Ecological Pest Management website: https://caff.org/epm/

The Goat Girls Cal Poly Sheep Unit SB 675 AB 297 Paso Robles- Salinas River Vegetation Management Project CEQA and grazing resources Prescribed Herbivory White paper from the Rangeland Management Advisory Committee Regional Water Quality Control Board and Grazing tips Upper Salinas- Las Tablas Resources Conservation District CAFF’s Wildfire Resilience Program California Climate and Action Network: Wildfire Policy Resources Resources Legacy Fund- Wildfire Strategies PRODUCTION TEAM: Podcast hosted by Amber Schat and supported by Grizzly Corps Fellow, Joshua Harjes Audio engineering and editing by Coby McDonald Music by Blue Dot Sessions Release Date: 12/08/202

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-coop.org/about CRECE Urban Farm Collective Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crece.coop Spreadwing Farm website: https://spreadwingfarm.com/ Spreadwing Farm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spreadwing_farm Tierra Negra (es) : https://tierranegramx.wixsite.com/website Assessing Compost Quality for Agriculture: https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8514.pdf Organic Materials Management from CalRecycle: https://calrecycle.ca.gov/organics/farming/ More on CAFF’s policy work: https://caff.org/policy/ On-Farm Composting video with Frog Hollow Farm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSUSUH04Bjw Audio engineering and editing by Coby McDonald Music by Blue Dot Sessions

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 pasture, rotational grazing, and food safety. Show Notes: * Eatwell Farms website: https://www.eatwell.com/ * Eatwell Farms Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatwellfarm/ * Pasture 42 website: https://pasture42.com/ * Pasture 42 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pasture_42/ * Match.Graze California Grazing Exchange https://matchgraze.com/ * California Wool Growers’ Association Targeted Grazing Directory: https://californiawoolgrowers.org/targeted-grazing/directory/ * More about Integrated Crop Livestock Systems from CAFF: https://caff.org/ecologicalfarming/integrated-crop-livestock-systems/  * CAFF’s Ecological Farming Program: https://caff.org/ecologicalfarming Production Team: Podcast hosted by Emily Ayala Audio engineering and editing by Coby McDonald  Music by Blue Dot Sessions

In this episode, we travel to First Rain Farm in Nevada County, where Tim Van Wagner is integrating a number of effective wildfire preparation methods on his property, as well as those of his neighbors and surrounding community. By combining targeted ecological grazing and prescribed burns, Tim is able to rehabilitate overgrown forests in the foothills to productive foraging systems that support greater biodiversity, sequester more carbon, and improve soil health and water quality in the region- all while also reducing the threat of catastrophic wildfires.Show Notes:* First Rain Farm Website: https://www.firstrainfarm.com/* John Jeavons: https://johnjeavons.org/* Nourishing Traditions: https://nourishingtraditions.com/ * California Prescribed Burn Association: https://calpba.org/* UC ANR Fire Resources and Information: https://ucanr.edu/sites/fire/* Brittleness Scale: https://savoryinstitute.teachable.com/courses/896826/lectures/16507356* Land Management Regimes of Nevada County: https://www.ncrcd.org/resources-and-links/knowledge-base/agriculture-resources/  * Ruminant Digestive System: https://extension.umn.edu/dairy-nutrition/ruminant-digestive-system* Fuel Moisture: http://stream1.cmatc.cn/pub/comet/FireWeather/S290Unit10FuelMoisture/comet/fire/s290/unit10/print.htm#page_1.0.0* Smoke Exposure and Safety: https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/wildfire/worker-protection-from-wildfire-smoke.html* SB 926- Rx Burn Liability Fund: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB926* CAFF’s Wildfire Resilience Program: https://caff.org/wildfire-resilience-program/ Production Team:Podcast hosted by Amber Schat- Wildfire Resilience Specialist at CAFFAudio engineering and editing by Coby McDonald Music by Blue Dot Sessions Release Date: 12/14/2022  

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: https://globetrotterfoundation.org/* Indigenous Fire Ecologist, Peter Nelson: https://ourenvironment.berkeley.edu/users/754001* Soil Health and Grazing: https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/ag-hub/ag-topics/natural-resources-and-facilities/grazing-management/soil-health-relation-grazing* Grazing and Wildfire Risk Reduction: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190052822000177* CAFF’s Wildfire Resilience Program: https://caff.org/wildfire-resilience-program/Production Team:Podcast hosted by Amber SchatAudio engineering and editing by Coby McDonald Music by Blue Dot Sessions Release Date: 11/30/2022

In this episode we visit Cheetah Tchudi at his diversified operation in Yankee Hill, Butte County, CA. Cheetah shares his experience surviving the 2018 Paradise wildfire, and some methods for recovery; addressing toxic ash using fungi to capture and and treat persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals.  Show Notes: * Turkey Tail Farm Website: https://turkeytailfarm.net/v2/ * Butte Remediation: https://butteremediation.com/  * Mycoremediation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoremediation  * NRCS Disaster Assistance: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-by-state/california/post-fire-disaster-assistance  * Ag Pass Programs: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1g94z1qn  * OSU and OSHA Programs for Stay and Defend: https://ourimpact.oregonstate.edu/story/farmers-get-handle-wildfire-prevention-osu-extension-outreach  * Cal OES Wildfire Recovery: https://wildfirerecovery.caloes.ca.gov/  * CAFF’s Wildfire Resilience Program: https://caff.org/wildfire-resilience-program/  Production Team: Podcast hosted by Amber Schat- Wildfire Resilience Specialist at CAFF Audio engineering and editing by Coby McDonald  Music by Blue Dot Sessions Release Date: 11/16/2022

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 la evaluación previa a la cosecha para detectar la intrusión de animales. Antonio también comparte consejos para otros agricultores sobre el mantenimiento de registros de inocuidad alimentaria.

In this episode we visit Stone’s Throw Farm, an organic vegetable and flower farm located in Colfax, California. We sat down with Bryanna Eisenhut, co-owner and operator of Stone’s Throw, to learn about her path to farming full-time and what it’s like to farm in the foothills of the Sierra’s. Bryanna also shares about the challenges and opportunities her family experienced while navigating the coronavirus pandemic and farming with young kids. Lastly, we hear how a winter storm ruined the farm’s original packhouse and how they recovered. Bryanna tells us about her favorite packhouse equipment and changes they made to improve food safety in their post-harvest operations.

In this episode we visit Vitis and Ovis Farm, a multi-generational Swiss-American-Ethiopian family farm located in the Capay Valley and specializing in pastured duck eggs, fruit and medicinal herbs. We talk to Hans, Barbara and Giselle Herren about the 30+ years of stewarding their land, including the recent shift from producing only wine grapes to planning for a more diversified operation designed with permaculture principles. While they wait for their fruit trees to mature, the family shares how they plan to rotate ducks throughout their orchard while also maintaining food safety standards. They also describe some of the infrastructure changes they made recently to ensure their packing and storage areas are easy to clean and sanitize, and at lower risk of cross contamination.