Fresh Take

Send us Fan Mail Continue our conversation about food sovereignty with the University of South Florida’s Nicole Brand and Will Schanbacher.  Nicole Brand is the Director of the Environmental Conservation Outreach, Research, and Education (ECORE) System at USF, overseeing the USF Forest Preserve, the USF Botanical Gardens and a geological park. Will Schanbacher is an Assistant Professor of Religiou...

Send us Fan Mail Dell deChant joins us for a discussion about food sovereignty and its aim to challenge existing food structures and place power back into the people’s hands.   Dell deChant is an Instructor at the University of South Florida, specializing in religion and contemporary cultures. deChant's current research focuses on Agrarianism in American popular culture, with an emphasis on r...

Send us Fan Mail Join us today as Kabir Parker discusses everything you need to know about seaweed and its contribution to sustainable agriculture. Learn what makes seaweed, “The Secret Sauce”.   Kabir Parker is a passionate ocean entrepreneur. Born in Greenwich, Connecticut and raised in New Delhi, India, he developed a vast knowledge of global oceanic issues. Kabir studied marine science and mic...

Send us Fan Mail Join us today as Melissa Desa speaks with us about how the organization Working Food is involved in growing resilient local food systems.   With over a decade of experience, Melissa Desa is a seed steward, artist, educator, and ecologist living in Gainesville, Florida. She is a co-founder of the non-profit Working Food based in Gainesville, Florida which focuses on regional seed b...

Send us Fan Mail Monica Hampton, Ph. D, national and international agriculture consultant for TerraNutri, converses with Lana Chehabeddine on the topic of nutrient and weed management techniques.   Monica Hampton, Ph. D., brings 20 years of research on agriculture and crop production. She serves on the board of trustees at the Compost Research and Education Foundation at the US Compost Council and...

Send us Fan Mail We are thrilled to have Anne Yasalonis with us today, as she discusses Spring Gardening for residents in Florida.  Anne Yasalonis is the residential horticulture agent and master gardener volunteer coordinator at UF/IFAS in Polk County. The residential horticulture program focuses on providing research-based education to Polk County residents on topics of Florida-Friendly Landscap...

Send us Fan Mail Join us for a chat with one of FOG’s very own Board of Directors, Teresa Pemberton-Jouany, as she gives us a rundown of Earth Day and organics’ role in this celebratory day.   Teresa Pemberton-Jouany is a Florida native from generations of cattle ranchers and citrus growers. After leaving the farm and working around the globe through her career in fashion and advertising, she retu...

Send us Fan Mail Join us for a conversation with our Virtual Market Manager, Courtney Ward, to learn about the Backyard Market Initiative and the exciting updates for local consumers and vendors! Get ready to join a new wave of local food shopping, through the Backyard Market—a virtual farmers market platform developed by Florida Organic Growers that enables producers and consumers to sell and pur...

Send us Fan Mail Get the inside scoop with Ira Wallace, also known as “the Godmother of Southern Seeds,” as she sheds light on all things seeds and its importance in the food industry.  Ira Wallace is an organic grower, author, speaker, and one of the original pioneers behind organic seed saving. For the last 25 years, Ira has been a worker/owner of the cooperatively managed Southern Exposure Seed...

Send us Fan Mail Leslie Touzeau, Organic Policy Manager at QCS (Quality Certification Services), chats with Juan Carlos Rodriguez about how she came across this career path, experiences that contributed to her current role, and places to look further to launch oneself into the organic food industry.   Tune in to learn about:  - Leslie’s background and pathway to her current role  - Applicable skil...

Send us Fan Mail Anna Cesarotti, Associate Director of Organic Certification at QCS (Quality Certification Services), speaks with Juan Carlos Rodriguez about career opportunities in the growing industry of organics.  In this episode, learn about:  - How Anna came to work in organics  - Types of careers in the organic industry  - Why the organic industry is growing   - How to find careers in organi...

Send us Fan Mail Organic Materials Research Institute (OMRI) is an international 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that reviews and lists allowed materials that organic producers can use.  In this episode, learn about: How OMRI began   OMRI’s mission and role in the industry today  What it means to be "OMRI Listed®"    Technical support and training opportunities for professionals in the...

Send us Fan Mail Interest in growing and buying local flowers has grown immensely over the past few years, helping consumers embrace local agriculture, support local farmers, and access even more varieties of local grown flowers.  In this episode, learn about:  - Floriculture and why it’s becoming an increasingly popular industry today  - The Slow Flower Movement  - How consumers can support local...

Send us Fan Mail With the holiday season right around the corner, now is the time for recipe planning! By incorporating locally grown foods into your holiday recipes, you can make tasty dishes and feel good about supporting your local farmer.  In this episode, hear about:  - What crops are in season in Florida  - Unique recipes using local ingredients  - Where to purchase local foods  - How SNAP/E...

Send us Fan Mail Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) is a farmer-driven, membership-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that helps people in North and South Carolina grow and enjoy local, organic food. Founded in 1979, the organization advocates, educates, and builds connections to create sustainable food systems in the Carolinas centered on local and organic agriculture.  In this epi...

Send us Fan Mail Georgia Organics has been rooted in providing direct support to small and organic farmers across Georgia since the 1970s, before formally incorporating as a 501(c)(3) in 1997. Michael Wall, Director of Farmer Advocacy, highlights some of the organization’s programs and farmer advocacy initiatives.  Tune in to hear about:  - Georgia Organics’ new mission and vision  - Preliminary r...

Send us Fan Mail Florida Organic Growers and Santa Fe college have partnered in a three-year grant designed to increase access and promote consumption of Florida heritage foods in local farmer’s markets. The project, entitled “Florida Heritage Foods Initiative: Connecting Local Food with Local Culture in Florida Farmers Markets,” aims to highlight historical and cultural significance of 42 crops i...

Send us Fan Mail The mission of the Florida Wildflower Foundation is to protect, connect and expand native wildflower habitats through education, research, planting and conservation. With Florida being one of the fastest growing states in U.S., there has been an increase in urbanization and habitat loss due to development.   Stacey Matrazzo, Executive Director of the Foundation, shares with us the...

Send us Fan Mail The Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) is a USDA program which provides reimbursements to producers and handlers of organic agricultural products who are obtaining or renewing their certification under the National Organic Program (NOP).  In this episode, we speak with Emily Hetherington from Industry Communications in the Division of Marketing and Development at the...

Send us Fan Mail The Backyard Market is a new virtual farmers market platform launching in Homestead, Florida in fall of 2022. In this episode, we speak with Courtney Ward, FOG’s Virtual Farmers Market Manager, about updates on the market.  Tune in to hear about:  - Why FOG decided to create the online market  - How farmers and consumers can use the market   - What makes The Backyard Market unique...

Send us Fan Mail Yaupon Brothers American Tea Company was founded in 2015 by two brothers, Bryon and Kyle White and former mentor-turned-business-partner, Mark Steele. Bryon recently took time to speak with us about Yaupon tea, a native crop of the Southern United States.  Tune in to hear about:  - How the company was started  - What Yaupon is and why it is a beneficial crop to sell and consume  -...

Send us Fan Mail Veterans Florida is a non-profit created by the State of Florida in 2013 to help military veterans transition to civilian life and to promote Florida’s status as the nation’s most veteran-friendly state. One of its many programs is the Veterans Florida Agriculture Program, a six-month training fellowship that provides veterans and servicemembers a comprehensive, hands-on experienc...

Send us Fan Mail Farm Aid was founded in 1985 in the midst of the 1980’s farm crisis. As a response to farmers in dire need of assistance, Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp held the first concert which raised over $7 million for America’s family farmers. Since then, Farm Aid has continued to support farmers through a variety of programs. We speak with Caitlin Arnold Stephano, Farm Aid’...

Send us Fan Mail Founded in 1990, Rural Advancement for Farmers International (RAFI-USA) challenges the root causes of unjust food systems, supporting and advocating for economically, and ecologically just farm communities.   Lisa Misch, Director of Farmer Outreach and Technical Assistance at RAFI-USA, highlights some of the organization’s programs and funding resources for farmers.  Tune in to he...

Send us Fan Mail Jen Speedy is a farmer and Collective Member of Siembra Farm, a small-scale, sustainable farm in SE Gainesville, FL. With plans to open a new flower farm, Jen talks to us about things people should consider when setting up a new farm.  In this episode hear about:   - Challenges new farmers may face when starting a farm  - Avoiding farmer burnout   - Methods and tools for farming s...