Fresh Take

Send us Fan Mail Since COVID-19, farms across the nation have had to adapt to new and unpredictable circumstances. In Florida alone, more than $500 million dollars in crop losses were reported due to the pandemic.  In this episode, our guest speaker Logan Petrey discusses:  - how COVID-19 has affected her farm,  - steps that have been taken to increase food safety on the farm,   - and general food...

Send us Fan Mail We welcome Dr. Katie Sieving who is an expert in avian ecology and behavior and holds a PhD in Ecology, Ethology, & Evolution.   In this episode, Dr. Sieving discusses:  how to identify birds,  methods that can attract birds to your garden,  why birds are important for gardens,  and how to deter birds from feeding on crops.   Depending on where you live, you will encounter dif...

Send us Fan Mail Gardening provides several health benefits. Among them, our guest speaker explains how designing and nurturing your garden can contribute to your self-care.  Ms. Marewski first became interested in sacred gardens through active meditation, which is a style of meditation that advocates movement followed by silence.   She explains that what we are doing physically transcends to what...

Send us Fan Mail Do you know how perceptions about environmental issues in politics have changed over time in Florida? How can we achieve bipartisan support on these important issues? Dr. Ram Balasubramanian and Ryan Smart provide some background on these questions and suggest strategies moving forward.  Before 2010, environmental issues such as protecting Florida’s everglades and springs, conserv...

Send us Fan Mail Our guests answer questions such as: How are Florida’s springs being protected? How do large companies like Seven Springs receive permits to take water for bottling purposes? What can you do to help? We cover these topics and more.  With over 700 springs, Florida has the largest concentration of fresh water springs in the world. More than 90 percent of people in Northeast and Cent...

Send us Fan Mail Is the food we consume safe from COVID-19? How are farmers making sure it is safe to eat the fruits and vegetables they grow for all of us? Dr. Keith Schneider, food safety expert and a professor at the University of Florida’s Food Science and Human Nutrition Department answers these questions and provides more information about our food system during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Sc...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Fresh Take we welcome Dr. Taylor Clem, the Alachua County Environmental and Community Horticulture Agent.  Tune in to learn how you can attract hummingbirds to your garden!  Dr. Clem will help our listeners identify the ruby throated hummingbird,  give landscaping tips on how to attract the beautiful bird, and inform you of the benefits these pollinators provide...

Send us Fan Mail On this Fresh Take episode we welcome Dr. Ram Balasubramanian and Dr. Stephen Forbes. Tune in to listen to our experts share about genetically modified mosquitoes scheduled to be released in Florida and Texas. Dr. Forbes, an expert in microbiology and genetics, holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences (Immunology and Infectious diseases track), while Dr. Balasubramanian holds degrees in...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome Amy Vu and Dr. JC Rodriguez! We discuss the Asian Giant Hornet “murder hornet” with Amy, Extension coordinator for the Honey Bee Research and Extension Lab (HBREL) @ UF, and Dr. JC Rodriguez, appreciated member of our staff.  Amy and JC are both passionate about bees, both started their bee keeping journey during college. JC shares with us his experience handling Africaniz...

Send us Fan Mail Join us for a conversation with Tripp Pomeroy as he shares his journey from co-owning Café Campesino —a green coffee importer dedicated to fair and sustainable farmer-roaster relationships—to leading Sweetwater Organic Coffee . We’ll explore their commitment to Fair Trade, organic practices, and long-term partnerships that prioritize ethics and sustainability. He debunks the myth...

Send us Fan Mail Today, we welcome back Ram, CEO of Quality Certification Services (QCS) and an experienced Food Safety Auditor and trainer on various food safety topics. Join us to learn more about how to safely shop during unprecedented times! COVID-19 is not a foodborne illness! Sanitizers vs. Disinfectants:    - Sanitizer are substance that significantly reduces the germ population, but doesn&...

Send us Fan Mail Join Ram, CEO of Quality Certification Services, while he talks about the financial impact of COVID-19 on Florida's agriculture and the financial resources available to farmers.  1. Federal Assistance administered by SBA 1.1 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) 1.2 Economic Injury Disaster Loan - unable to accept new application  2. Assistance not administered by SBA  2.1 CARES...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode we welcome Quality Certification Services (QCS) staff to talk about Organic Certification during the COVID19 pandemic. Our panelists are Beth Rota, policy and quality assurance manager, Brian Rakita, inspection manager, and Ram, CEO of QCS. Ram shares with us that the agricultural sector is holding strong, with some operations even doubling sales since the lock-dow...

Send us Fan Mail Our guest today is Alane Humrich from Gainesville based Community Weatherization Coalition! Tune in to learn about their work and to find out how you can save water and electricity. Fresh Take is your weekly dose of all things related to organic and sustainable living. Join Florida Organic Growers staff and guest experts as we discuss everything you need to know about sustainable...

Send us Fan Mail Second part is here! We continue our conversation with Dan and Adam regarding organic certification. On this episode, we touch on common misconceptions surrounding organic certification, transitional organic, and a final rundown on the certification process! Fresh Take is your weekly dose of all things related to organic and sustainable living. Join Florida Organic Growers staff a...

Send us Fan Mail On today's episode, Dan Zaman and Adam Maxwell chat with us regarding what it takes to get certified organic, what the label means, and the level of scrutiny they follow. Get your questions answered HERE!  Dan and Adam have the appropriate background and extensive training on the certification process, they understand what is behind the label and have complete knowledge on th...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Fresh Take we chat with Michael Purvis. He serves as a Waste Alternative Specialist for Alachua County Solid Waste & Resource Recovery . Michel grew up in Georgia and after attending UGA he moved to Gainesville, FL to start his journey as a public servant in Alachua County. Tune in to learn about Recycling and the benefits!!  Fresh Take is your weekly dose of all...

Send us Fan Mail It is our pleasure to present our very special guest for today's episode! Anna Prizzia – Director of UF IFAS Field & Fork and Board Member of Working Foods Karissa Raskin – City of Gainesville Civic Collaboration Specialist Yvette Thomas–  Planner for the City of Gainesville   Different stakeholder groups, UF IFAS Field & Fork, Working Foods, Levin College of Law Cons...

Send us Fan Mail Do you want to start a farmers market business, but you don’t know how or where to start? The Farmers Market Promotion Program is here to help you! Today, we talked with Dr. Sarah Cervone and Andi Emrich and learned about the amazing work they do managing the Farmers Market Promotion Program!  This USDA grant funds the creation and dissemination of resources useful for food entrep...

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Taylor Clem from UF IFAS Alachua county extension services joins us to talk about the Florida Yard and Neighborhood program . Tune in to find out about the 9 principles of Florida Friendly Yards, and other best practices you can implement at home! How to introduce this practices to your HOA ... and more! Check here The Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Handbook! What is the Flor...

Send us Fan Mail Join Sarah, JC, Isabel, and Jessica while they tackle #7 common myths and misconceptions that surround Eco-friendly living.  Fresh Take is your weekly dose of all things related to organic and sustainable living. Join Florida Organic Growers staff and guest experts as we discuss everything you need to know about sustainable living, organic agriculture, and how to make the best lif...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever wonderer who protects the integrity of the certified organic label? Join us in our chat with NOP Deputy Administrator, Dr. Jenny Tucker. We talk about organic standards, organic label integrity, NOP's actions against fraud, barriers and challenges organic producers face, NOP's support for the organic program, and resources for consumer protection.   Fresh T...

Send us Fan Mail We talk with Grace Ebner from Gainesville based environmental non-profit, We are Neutral. Tune in to learn about carbon footprint, biggest print contributors, and tips to identify and reduce your mark. Grace shares tips and suggestions for a cleaner, more neutral life! Let's be mindful on carbon footprint and our environmental impact!   Fresh Take is your weekly roundup of al...

Send us Fan Mail Tune in to listen our host, Jessica, and our guest Sarah share their sustainable resolutions for 2020! We share tips on how you can create a healthier, cleaner, and greener new year. We touch on the single use plastic issue, the problems associated with over fertilizing, the vital role of pollinators in agriculture, the importance of eating local, and advice on how to advocate for...

Send us Fan Mail The FOG family wants to share our best tips to be and keep being sustainable this holiday season! In this episode, Jane, Sarah, and Isabel from FOG/QCS share their bests ideas for an environmentally friendly December's celebrations. Let's reduce, reuse, and recycle together this holidays. Ideas and tips regarding gifts, decorations, wrapping paper, meal prepping, Christm...