Real Food Real People

Producing pastured pork, chicken, lamb and beef with her family on their small family farm Widnor Farms, Brianna Widen is living her dream. Hear her unique perspective on what's wrong with our food system, and get a personal look at the challenges of small farming in Washington state. The post Brianna Widen | #072 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

For the first time, prominent Seattle chef Kevin Davis is sharing the heartbreaking behind-the-scenes story of being forced to close his four celebrated, local food-focused restaurants as a result of COVID. Hear how the tragic end to his downtown restaurant empire brought him closer than ever to his passion for reconnecting our food system, at a hidden gem called Canyon River Grill. The post Kevin...

While he grows some of the best asparagus in the world, Scott Middleton and his brothers do so much more than that on their family farm near Pasco, WA. Hear how Scott's family came to Washington's Columbia Basin over a half-century ago and built a farm that not only produces incredible food, but also welcomes the public to visit every fall. The post Scott Middleton | #070 appeared first on Real Fo...

The science that keeps damaging bugs out of our food and out of the fields is pretty amazing! Meet entomologist, AKA 'bug scientist' Rebecca Schmidt who works for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's research facility in Wapato, WA, to learn about the creepy crawlies we don't want in our food, and how she's working to stop them in a sustainable way. The post Rebecca Schmidt | #069 appeared first o...

Jagwinder Singh Gill is passionate about growing blueberries and stewarding the environment on and around his new farm near Everson, WA. But he fears what could happen to his farm with lawsuits and government action on water management that doesn't take into account protecting local food production as well as streams and fish. The post Jagwinder Gill | #068 appeared first on Real Food Real People...

"It's almost like the Ninja Warrior, you know, you're trying to go through just to see if you can make it to the end," Madison McPherson says of the challenges family farmers in WA face right now. The Chelan-area cherry and apple orchardist shares why she's worried that more and more family farms will soon be gone for good if things don't change. The post Madison McPherson | #067 appeared first on...

Not only does she grow the grapes, but Kerry Shiels also makes Côte Bonneville's award-winning wines. She shares how important having a sense of place is to appreciating fine wine, and how that sense should be key to all local food. The post Kerry Shiels | #066 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Bringing his family full circle back to its farming roots from Palestine, Imad Ahmad is raising halal lamb and goat here in Washington state. He explains what halal really means, and how his farming practices are focused on sustainability and harmony with nature's rhythms. The post Imad Ahmad | #065 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Beating the odds and surviving huge setbacks, David Lukens and family have built a following across the Pacific Northwest with Grace Harbor Farms, providing small-scale, locally produced cultured goat and cow dairy products. Hear how their small family farm started "by accident" and overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to become what it is today. The post David Lukens | #064 appeared first...

Joining with her siblings to carry on her family's multigenerational farming legacy, Ellie Steensma is thinking outside the box and passionate about not just producing amazing local food, but also educating the next generation. The post Ellie Steensma | #063 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

A journey of self-discovery brought Alice VanderHaak full-circle after growing up in a small WA farming community. Hear her share how passionate she is about sustainability, and how that influences every aspect of her small farm in Snohomish, WA, Lowlands Farm. The post Alice VanderHaak | #062 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Even though Americans eat lots of onions, the tasty vegetable doesn't often get the spotlight. Hear from onion farmer Kevin Kudsk about how onions are grown, harvested and stored right here in Washington state, not to mention his personal journey to becoming an onion guru! The post Kevin Kudsk | #061 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Flor de Maria Maldonado's parents were farmworkers, and now the family owns their own small cherry, pear and apple orchard in Tonasket, WA. Coming back to the family orchard at the beginning of the pandemic, Flor de Maria and her brothers face an uphill battle to carry on their parents' legacy. The post Flor de Maria Maldonado | #060 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Traveling from the east coast with her home in tow, Lulu Redder settled in western Washington and started Feral Woman Farm, raising hogs, goats, sheep and chickens for meat. Lulu talks about the challenges and benefits of running a small farm off the grid, and ongoing barriers to change in the food system, particularly for locally-sourced meats. The post Lulu Redder | #059 appeared first on Real F...

Arriving in the US with virtually nothing, Manuel Imperial and his family began building Imperial's Garden from the ground up 37 years ago. He shares his incredible journey as an immigrant farmer, and the unique insight he's gained into the food system and its dysfunction. The post Manuel Imperial | #058 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Brady Karstetter and his family grow apples, cherries, pears, sweet corn, field corn, beef, hay and more in the Quincy, WA area. As you can imagine, it's a lot to manage, but Brady explains how it's not just the crops that make his life stressful. The post Brady Karstetter | #057 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Admitting she fears for her young son's future as a family farmer, apple and cherry orchardist Leah Eddie reveals the intense pressure that Washington's tree fruit farmers face, and how she hopes it changes. The post Leah Eddie | #056 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Despite carrying on the legacy of one of Washington state's oldest farming families, farmer Jay Gordon is as innovative and focused on the future of our food system as anyone. The post Jay Gordon | #055 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Ashton Beanblossom had a big decision to make when her parents recently decided to retire from dairy farming. Hear how she struggled with the sense of loss, but then chose to build her own dairy -- with an interesting twist. The post Ashton Beanblossom | #054 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

Living in the shadows is how Miguel Navarrete describes growing up as an undocumented person, explaining what it's like to feel invisible and isolated. Miguel opens up about coming to the US and earning legal status in this week's episode. He also shares how the technology he's responsible for maintaining as an IT Manager on an Eastern Washington dairy defies people's perceptions of farming. The p...

In the face of her father's struggle with a debilitating disease, Anna Nicholson wants to continue her family's small orchard and fruit stand near Leavenworth. Hear about the struggles making that future uncertain for Anna and her siblings as we visit her orchard. The post Anna Nicholson | #052 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

From farm worker to farm owner... through heartbreak, José Torres realized his dream of owning his own dairy farm. Hear his incredible story and get insight into the struggles his farm faces as he continues to produce high quality milk in Elma, WA. The post José Torres | #051 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

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She has seen the food system from the bottom to the top, and shares her wisdom as we launch Season 2!! Meet Elena Gonzalez, and hear about her incredible journey from humble beginnings on a farm in Mexico to earning culinary praise here in Washington state. The post Elena Gonzales | #049 appeared first on Real Food Real People .

An intense battle with mental illness took Duane Brandsma away from his family's farm and the work that he had cared so deeply about. Duane gives an inside look into the deeply personal details of what really happened when he says he "cracked," and why he's now speaking out about the mental health crisis among farmers. The post Duane Brandsma | #048 appeared first on Real Food Real People .