Its hard to believe that Keeping Ag Real has hit its 50th episode. Thank you to all of our loyal listeners and guests! You make this show what it is today.
In celebration of the 50th episode, I interview my husband. We discuss the upcoming Keeping Ag Real Road Trip, hoggin' for catfish and what it was like to stop dairying.
We really keep it real with lots of laughing, a little spat and reminisce on the good 'ol days.
Thank you to our sponsors Farm Journal Media | Drover's, Farm Journal & AgDay!
Follow us on our roadtrip beginning July 21st!
Tonight I'm delighted to be heading over the Irish Sea to County Wicklow to talk to Dairy Farmer John Kelly @j0hn_k
We talk about the area where he's farming, before going on to talk about his childhood in Derry, Northern Ireland, and the tragic suicide of one of his brothers at age just 13. We then hear about what it was like growing up in the troubles, and dealing with bomb threats at school.
We discuss the family's move to Wicklow, and how he settled in as an awkward teenager, before hearing about his adventures as a shooting guide for trigger-happy Italians, and working on a farm in the South of France, before heading over to England to the greatest University on Earth - Harper Adams!
We hear about how he worked with horses after Uni, including a stint at Coolmore, one of the biggest studs in the world, and how he met his Wife, and how they haven't stopped having children since!
We then talk about children and bringing them up on farms in depth, swap Dad hacks, and especially go into farm safety and kids.
We also go into how he grew his sheep flock, became a national monitor farm, and wrote a sheep column in the Irish Farmers Journal, before making the change to dairy farming, and now milking 230 cows.
We then discuss the importance of finding a work-life balance, returning to sports, running, mental well-being, and social media.
All this and lots, lots more!
John's a great farmer and family man, and it was an absolute pleasure to talk to him tonight. Check it out folks..
Episode Sponsors:
AFTP - AgriFood Training Partnership - check out www.aftp.co.uk/podcast for a wide range of agriculture-related online courses. For 10% discount on selected courses use the word 'podcast' at checkout.
NFU Cymru - for more information please visit www.nfu-cymru.org.uk
Podcast Partners:
Farmer's Guardian. For the biggest range of news and features from across the Ag industry, please visit www.fginsight.com
Rock & Roll farming is proud to be a part of the Farm & Rural Ag Network. For more great podcasts and vlogs, please visit www.farmruralag.com
FoA109 Regenerative Agriculture with Del Ficke and Graham Christensen
Del Ficke and Graham Christensen own farms that advocate a practice called Regenerative Agriculture. This practice sequesters a massive portion of CO2 in the soil and even in forests. Del is the owner of Ficke Cattle Company, a family run farm and livestock operation with a history dating back to 1860. Graham is the Founder of GC Resolve, an environmental consulting company based in Nebraska that specializes in grassroots community development, education, and mobilization.
Del and Graham join me today to discuss the practice of Regenerative Agriculture and what they have done to implement it in their farms. They share how they learned about regenerative practices and their success stories and explain why this type of practice is based on what’s already been done before, but long forgotten due to mass production. They also share examples of how regenerative ag can benefit farmers financially.
“We don't need to get bigger; we just need to get smarter on this and work with nature.” - Del Ficke
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:
Resources Mentioned:
Del Ficke and Graham Christensen’s Key Takeaways:
Connect with Del Ficke:
Connect with Graham Christensen:
Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series
Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com
Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.
We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!
The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.
Share the Ag-Love!
Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!
Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:
AgGrad on Twitter
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AgGrad on Instagram
Plant Pathology Professor Dr. Bob Kemerait and John Schultz of BASF discuss the disease that can cause big trouble in a hurry, and what you can do about it.
Karen Braun went to an Ivy League school, and is now helping farmers by crunching nubers. Listen how this former tornado chaser had earned agriculture's respect
Anytime someone is making an effort to connect the general public with farmers, ranchers, processors and growers, it’s important to me that we lift them up and highlight them on Keeping Ag Real.
The foundation from where the show “Chasing Down Madison Brown,” began is one based on years of traveling and seeing the pockets of the U.S. Today’s guest is the one and only Madison Brown. If you are in agriculture, she will inspire you to tell your story. Anyone with a curiosity about their food will be motivated to learn more. I’m excited to get the word out about the show.
This week we talk about the ins-and-outs of irrigation with Randy Uhrmacher
Del Ficke and Graham Christensen own farms that advocate a practice called Regenerative Agriculture. This practice sequesters a massive portion of CO2 in the soil and even in forests. Del is the owner of Ficke Cattle Company, a family run farm and livestock operation with a history dating back to 1860. Graham is the Founder of GC Resolve, an environmental consulting company based in Nebraska that specializes in grassroots community development, education, and mobilization.
Del and Graham join me today to discuss the practice of Regenerative Agriculture and what they have done to implement it in their farms. They share how they learned about regenerative practices and their success stories and explain why this type of practice is based on what’s already been done before, but long forgotten due to mass production. They also share examples of how regenerative ag can benefit farmers financially.
“We don't need to get bigger; we just need to get smarter on this and work with nature.” - Del Ficke
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:
Resources Mentioned:
Del Ficke and Graham Christensen’s Key Takeaways:
Connect with Del Ficke:
Connect with Graham Christensen:
Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series
Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com
Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.
We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!
The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.
Share the Ag-Love!
Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!
Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:
AgGrad on Twitter
AgGrad on Facebook
AgGrad on LinkedIn
AgGrad on Instagram
Tonight I'm delighted to be staying in Wales and heading down the border country to the Black Mountains near Hay on Wye to talk to farmer, Kevin Stephens.
We talk about the beautiful area of Wales where he lives, and his family farm there, before going on to hear about how he fell into computing at Aberystwyth University and eventually bought himself one and taught himself to wrote software.
We hear some of the different jobs he did after graduation, including working for the National Farmer's Union, where he designed and built their first management information system, which is still in use today.
We then hear the amazing story about how he got into growing daffodils on his farm at 1200ft. The stress of growing at altitude causes the plant to produce more galanthamine, which is extracted and used as a drug to slow down the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
We hear about the whole process, how it came about, how they're planted into permanent pasture, and how they're harvested, before going on to talk about his company Agroceutical, and some of the challenges they face in rolling the drug out on a large scale.
All this and much, much more.
Kevin's an incredible guy, and what he's doing there is amazing, and it was an absolute privilege to speak to him tonight, and share what they're doing down there.
Check it out folks..
Episode Sponsors:
AFTP - Agrifood Training Partnership. Please visit www.aftp.co.uk/podcast to check out a wide range of agriculture-related online courses. For 10% discount on selected courses us the word 'podcast' at check out!
NFU Cymru - for more information please visit www.nfu-cymru.org.uk
Podcast Partners:
Farmer's Guardian. For the biggest range of news and features from across the Ag industry, please visit www.fginsight.com
Rock & Roll Farming is proud to be a part of the Farm & Rural Ag Network. To find more great podcasts and vlogs, please visit www.farmruralag.com
Casey Cooksley is a multi-generational farmer from Nebraska... or maybe hes a rancher?
He talks about working with family and trying to find employees.
Please visit my overlords:
https://www.farmersedge.ca/
After posting a video of corn being blown over, Rob and Lesley decided to talk about everyone's favorite cobbed crop. Lesley asks questions and Rob tries to explain in layman's terms....
This week's episode is covering milk. Dr. Chris Cifelli joins us to bring the science behind milk and the new A2 milk. We discuss whether the science is there to support the claims of being nutritionally superior.
I then move into sharing my opinion on the labeling of milk alternatives and what I have found in my research pertaining to the FDA not enforcing the law signed by President Trump.
As young people get more and more removed from where food comes from, Dennis Watson is doing his part to keep agriculture in the classroom. Despite rural school closures, the future for the Bluewater District School Board's - Agriculture Specialist High Skills Major program is bright. Hats off to dedicated teachers shaping young minds. @CDCSAg
Tonight I'm delighted to be heading down to London to talk to agronomist and programme support coordinator for the amazing charity Farm Africa, Emma Dennis @FarmAfrica
Firstly we here an explanation of what an agronomist actually is, and how she explains it to people at parties, before going on to talk about her family's farm in Cornwall.
We discuss her time studying Environmental Biology at UWE in Bristol, and how her interest in food production and development began at this time, before hearing about an amazing overland trip from Nairobi in Kenya, to Jo'burg in South Africa sparked a love for Africa which has never gone away.
We then hear about how she discovered agronomy whilst studying for an MSc in International Rural Development at the RAU, and how after a lot of hard work she eventually ended up working for Agrii, based in the Cotswolds.
We then talk about how she first got involved with Farm Africa, with a trip to Tanzania helping to build beehives to help Women in the Nou dorset area, and how this ultimately led to the job she does now.
We discuss FARM AFRICA in detail, and what this amazing charity does to help African farmers to increase their harvest, build their incomes and sustain natural resources, partnering with governments and the private sector to find effective ways to fight poverty. We also hear about Emma's role as a Programme support coordinator, and how she oversees projects across Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Uganda.
All this and lots, lots more.
It was fantastic to talk to Emma and learn more about what she does with Farm Africa. If anyone wants to find out more about this amazing charity, or help out in any way, please visit www.farmafrica.org
Michael Gilbert is the Founder and CEO of Semios, a Canadian company that helps farmers manage their pest problems using onsite sensing, big data, and predictive analytics solutions. He has over twenty years of experience in the field of biotech research and development. Before founding Semios, Michael held positions with federal research institutions, large multinationals, medium-sized public companies, and startups.
Today, Michael joins me to share the goal of Semios and how they plan to contribute to sustainability. He explains the driving idea behind Semios, the technologies they apply in their business, and the many problems they help farmers solve. He also explains why pesticides can eventually stop working and the different applications farmers can use based on the data gathered from sensors.
“You need to have more data to understand why things are occurring and how to best manage it.” - Michael Gilbert
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:
Michael Gilbert’s Words of Wisdom:
Connect with Michael Gilbert:
Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series
Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com
Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.
We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!
The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.
Share the Ag-Love!
Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!
Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:
AgGrad on Twitter
AgGrad on Facebook
AgGrad on LinkedIn
AgGrad on Instagram
Mike Plotner is a 21 year old farmer. He farms in and out of prison... just listen, it'll make sense.
Please visit my overlords:
https://www.farmersedge.ca/
The Canadian Dairy Industry is made up of hard working farm families and there is no better example than the Schuurmans who operate Milky Wave Inc. from Elmira, Ontario. Jim, Tom and Eric are holding down the fort at home this summer and you can find Henk and Bettina, along with Maple the Cow, somewhere between Elmira and BC.
Follow along on:
Twitter: @CdnMilkTour
Facebook: Milky Wave Inc
John McKeon is the Senior Manager of Organic Compliance, Commission, and Consolidation at Tanimura and Antle. Founded in 1982, Tanimura and Antle is a farm company that grows and sells both conventional and organic produce. John has almost two decades of experience working in the agricultural industry with skills in operations, management, quality assurance, and compliance.
Today, John joins me to share how he and his company are working to fulfill the world’s surging preference for organic produce. He shares the difference between managing a conventional farm and an organic farm, as well as what it’s like to have both. He also describes the business benefits of growing organic produce as well as the challenges many farmers face when transitioning to organic farming.
“There's a lot more going into organic farming than just the health claim.” - John McKeon
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:
John McKeon’s Words of Wisdom:
Connect with John McKeon:
Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series
Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com
Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.
We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!
The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.
Share the Ag-Love!
Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!
Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:
AgGrad on Twitter
AgGrad on Facebook
AgGrad on LinkedIn
AgGrad on Instagram
Dale Murden grows grapefruit on the Border of Mexico. He talks about how his crops are suffering from 16 inches of rain in just a few days. We also talk about farm groups and his thoughts on "the wall"
Please visit my overlords:
https://www.farmersedge.ca/
This episode is packed full. Jacquelyne Leffler is one of the most determined, focused and faithful people I've met. She shares her journey of being a champion Jr. Olympic athlete, competing without an ACL in her knee, meeting Pat Roberts, Kansas Farm Bureau, witnessing President Trump sign the rural broadband bill, tracking down where that money is being spent and details of the devastating drought.
What do you do when you find yourself on the wrong side of a power struggle at the farmers market? Well, if you’re Erin McLean @mcleanberryfarm you stick to your guns and trust that your customers support you. You couldn’t write this kind of drama – sometimes doing what you believe is right can test your nerve.
Tonight I'm delighted to be heading down to the heart of Somerset to talk to farmer, businessman, and entrepreneur, Nick Hiscox @mendipfarmer
We hear about his farm where they produce cattle, sheep and pigs and direct sell the meat to local customers. We then go into his latest project, a community food group, where customers pay a monthly fee in return for locally sourced meat and produce, with the premise that they spend some time on the farm learning about how the food is produced.
Nick talks passionately about the importance of UK agriculture, and also his frustrations wth how we're marketing our products and communicating to our customers as an industry, and his desire to make changes for the better.
We discuss his early career, which included stints milking cows for a neighbour, and bricklaying, before hitting on the idea of recycling tyres in the early 90's which eventually led to a trip to Sheffield and a Full Monty connection!
We hear how he bought the neighbouring farm after a tense auction, and built a home for his family, and also possibly the best story I've heard on the podcast so far, involving a Bedford Camper Van and the Berlin Wall!
We then move on to talk about family, and some of the highs and lows they've been through together. The main low being the 6 months they spent keeping their eldest son alive in 2016 after his struggle with clinical depression. It's a powerful message, and I urge everyone to listen.
Nick's a lovely guy, and a great farmer and family man, and it was an absolute privilege to talk to him tonight.
Check it out folks..
Rock and Roll Farming is proud to work alongside Farmer's Guardian. For more great stories and coverage of Ag issues from across the industry, please visit www.fginsight.com
This episode is kindly sponsored by NFU Cymru. For more information please visit www.nfu-cymru.org
Rock & Roll Farming is proud to be part of the Farm & Rural Ag network. For more great agriculture related podcasts and vlogs, please visit www.farmruralag.com
Rachel Laudan is a food historian and award-winning author of Cuisine and Empire: Cooking in World History, a book about the rise and fall of various culinary traditions and philosophies. She has over twenty years of dedicated research to the evolution of our food systems. She’s also an engaging speaker who helps industry professionals, students and professors, and public groups see food from a long-term and global perspective.
Today, Rachel joins me to share a brief overview of what food history is all about. She shares her thoughts on various food movements and diets, how traditional foods came to be considered traditional, and why people today have better food than most kings and queens in the past. She also explains the importance of separating processed food from what is “bad food” and what she believes we should consider to be “good food.”
“One should tell food history as a series of expansions, migrations, cuisines, or systems of eating.” - Rachel Laudan
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:
Rachel Laudan’s Words of Wisdom:
Connect with Rachel Laudan:
Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series
Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com
Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.
We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!
The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.
Share the Ag-Love!
Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!
Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:
AgGrad on Twitter
AgGrad on Facebook
AgGrad on LinkedIn
AgGrad on Instagram
MelindaBlue is a 4th generation female wrestling fan who is now an agent. When she saw an online cancer fundraiser that just didn't add up, she stepped in. Listen to her story and let me know if you would have done the same.
Please visit my Overlords' website
https://www.farmersedge.ca/