Real Food Real People

As an orphan from Mexico, Jesús Limón literally started with nothing, but through decades of hard work, he built his own orchard in Quincy, Washington. Despite all he's overcome, Jesús is now deeply troubled about the future of family farming in WA, and he shares why he fears for the future of our food system. The post Jesús Limón | #120 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

"I don't know what the future of this farm is." Nora Doelman is very up front when she talks about how hard it is to keep a family farm going in western Washington. See her and her family's dairy in beautiful Elma, WA on this all-new episode, and learn more about why it's an ongoing struggle to save family farming here in the Evergreen State. The post Nora Doelman | #119 appeared first on Real Foo...

Small Farmer Jess Jager of Your Friends Farm shares a story of getting judged—and dismissed—as a farmer, based on her appearance. She and host Dillon Honcoop tackle the thorny issues of sexism, stereotyping and judging by appearances that more farmers face than you might expect. The post Small Farmer Jessica Jager On Stereotypes & Appearances appeared first on Real Food Real People .

"There's just a massive disconnect." But Nicole Derting of Post 5 Cattle Co. wants to reconnect local communities with locally-grown food, and with how she runs her ranch and sells her beef, she's putting her money where her mouth is. In this episode, Nicole explains so miuch about how beef is raised here in WA, and shares so much wisdom about the state of the food system, and why she's so passion...

Despite having no background in dairy farming, Norma Ruiz had the courage to take over a Bow, Washington creamery and dairy, learning as she went. We visit the farm and learn how she raises cows, producing milk to make artisanal cheeses at Golden Glen Creamery, just a stone's throw from shores of Puget Sound. The post Norma Ruiz | #117 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Francisco Sarmiento is following in his father's footsteps, not only as a farm worker, but now as a fruit farming educator in the world's apple capital, Wenatchee, Washington. Join us as we visit his college fruit science lab, hear Francisco's personal story and passion for growing food, and check out an actual orchard! The post Francisco Sarmiento | #116 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Online farmer harassment… Yes, sadly it’s a real thing, and chef & farmer Ona Lee of Clara's Canning joins Dillon live from her farm to explain. Join us for our first-ever live episode as we tackle this troubling trend, and of course get an update on Ona Lee’s farm and business! The post Chef & Farmer Ona Lee on Online Harassment appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Season 4 kicks off with a visit to MyShan Dairy to hear Shannon Smith's amazing story, see the farm, and find out about the unique niche they've found in the dairy case! The post Shannon Smith | #115 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

A battle with stage 4 cancer and a dangerous flood could have ended their farm, but Shelli DeJager and her husband Pete have managed to keep their small family dairy near Everson, WA alive. Hear Shelli recount the dramatic details of survival, and find out why her children won't be able to keep the farm despite their desire to continue the family's farming legacy. The post Shelli DeJager | #114 ap...

Despite his passion from a young age for raising cattle, becoming a full-time rancher didn't seem to be in the cards for Pete Charriere. Hear what changed to make that dream a reality for Pete, and why he remains so passionate about raising top-quality beef in Pomeroy, Washington. The post Pete Charriere | #113 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

After a career as a fish biologist around the Pacific Northwest, Steve Seymour helped reinvigorate Drayton Harbor Oyster Company in Blaine, Washington. Steve shares the story of making the oyster farm a regional destination, as well as the challenges of growing oysters and the incredible benefits they offer. The post Steve Seymour | #112 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Although she always wanted to be a farmer, it was the pandemic that finally pushed Jessica Jager and her husband to start Your Friends Farm near Spokane. Hear about their amazing journey, and the care they put into every bit of food they produce. The post Jessica Jager | #111 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Growing up in one of Washington's oldest apple-growing families, 5th generation apple & cherry farmer Reba Guzman learned to appreciate hard work and honor the legacy she wants to help continue. She explains why she's so proud of the fruit her family produces, and just how much care and hard work goes into growing it and selling it all over the nation and around the world. The post Reba Guzman | #...

Growing over 300 kinds of fruits and vegetables near Eltopia, WA, Alan Schreiber shares the insider struggles with bringing real local food to market. The post Alan Schreiber | #109 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Second-generation dairy farmer Dwayne Faber is passionate about milk, and how it continues to play a role in the evolution of our society. The post Dwayne Faber | #108 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Growing up as a farmworker in Washington orchards, Faviola Barbosa experienced the hard work and uncertainty that comes with growing food. After working extensively in the world of education, she's come back to her farming roots to help guide the WA tree fruit community's generous funding through the Washington Apple Education Foundation to assist young people raised in tree fruit districts with t...

As a policy analyst, Pam Lewison not only writes about the affects of new laws on farming, but also continues to work on her family's farm near Moses Lake, WA. The post Pam Lewison | #106 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

She's a chef with Michelin-star training who now grows her own food. Meet Ona Lee Weatherford, whose amazing journey of loss and renewal has taken her to New York, Los Angeles and back home to Washington state. The post Ona Lee Weatherford | #105 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Ever heard of black garlic? Food entrepreneur Ivan Sultan has all the details on it, as well as the unique Columbia Bar energy bars he's created. He shares deep insights from a lifelong journey that's taken him to nearly every corner of the food system. The post Ivan Sultan | #104 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Sustainability is everything to Jack Mallonee's family's small organic dairy in Curtis, WA. Hear how they combine four generations' worth of farming knowledge with cutting-edge technology to steward the land while producing quality milk. The post Jack Mallonee | #103 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Gerrit Van Weerdhuizen has a passion for educating students about farming, and has mentored countless people interested in growing food and supporting the food system. Known to his students as "Mr. Van," he's also a beef farmer himself, and we visited his farm near Everson, WA to hear his insights into food, farming and education. The post Gerrit Van Weerdhuizen | #102 appeared first on Real Food...

Rex Ogden is the 4th generation to farm a hilly piece of land near Castle Rock, Washington. As he sees family farms disappearing from his part of the state, he shares his perspective on what it will take to protect them The post Rex Ogden | #101 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

An unbelievable farming accident nearly killed Ron Tebow when he was 19, and it changed his life forever, in more ways than one. Hear him tell his incredible story, and explain how he became a farmer poet later in life. The post Ron Tebow | #100 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Even though Kaitlyn Thornton is a social media influencer with over a quarter-million followers, she's still the real deal, helping run her family's apple and pear orchard in Tonasket, WA. She opens up about why she's a farmer, and how difficult times shaped her passion for growing food. The post Kaitlyn Thornton | #099 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

These first-generation wheat farmers took a big risk to start their farm near Harrington, WA. Meet Josh & Katie Steward, and hear why they were willing to put their family's future on the line to become farmers. The post Josh & Katie Steward | #098 appeared first on Real Food Real People .