ATTRA - Voices from the Field

From cover crops to regenerative grazing and organic production to marketing, ATTRA - Voices from the Field is your weekly sustainable agriculture podcast. Voices from the Field is produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT). Since 1976, NCAT has provided relevant information, individualized technical assistance and in-depth resources to support sustainable agriculture and accessible energy solutions. Learn more at NCAT.ORG and ATTRA.NCAT.ORG.

Strategies for Selling to Schools

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Chris Lent has a conversation with Crystal Hampton-Davis, co-owner of Davis Grown, a Pennsylvania livestock and produce farm. They discuss how Crystal and her husband, Bradley, diversified the farm and made the move toward selling to local schools. Crystal is also passionate about educating children and others in the community about local foods.Related ATTRA Resources:Local Food SystemsBusiness and Marketing&nbs...

10-23
31:35

Understanding the Hawai'i Regional Food Business Center and Food Hub Hui with Dr. Saleh Azizi

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Agriculture Specialist Gabriella Soto-Velez sits down with Dr. Saleh Azizi, Director of the Hawai'i Food Hub Hui and the Islands & Remote Areas Regional Food Business Center. Together, they delve into the historical context of Hawaii's food system, exploring the impacts of colonialism and the resulting health challenges faced by the native population. Saleh explains the critical role of food hubs in supporting local agriculture and food secur...

10-09
39:33

Natural Dye Supply Chain: From Field to Fabric

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Tyler Jenkins takes listeners on a journey through the natural-dye supply chain with three industry experts. Max Holden is a grower based in Washington state with a passion for cultivating dye plants. Bradley Todd is a fellow NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist who resides in North Carolina and is a processor skilled in dye extraction. Courtney Lockemer is an organizer and market builder based in North Carol...

09-24
46:20

Teatime in Mississippi

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Audrey Kolde talks with Timothy Gipson, co-owner and co-founder of The Great Mississippi Tea Company in Brookhaven, Mississippi. Their conversation touches on the challenges and successes the company has had growing this popular specialty crop in the Magnolia State. Related ATTRA Resources:· Agroforestry· The Unsung Heroes of the Plants We Drink: Tea ·&...

09-16
28:31

Abundant Montana “Meet Up” Meets with Success

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Local Foods Specialist Molly Kirkham talks with Erin Austin of Abundant Montana. Abundant Montana is a nonprofit that helps create a more resilient and reliable food system by developing educational campaigns about local foods, providing digital marketing and promotion assistance, and fostering business-to-business connections for Montana food and farming businesses. Erin and Molly talk about Abundant Montana’s recent online producer-buyer “...

08-20
23:28

Soil-to-Skin: Laura Sansone of New York Textile Lab on the Intersection of Growers and Designers

This episode of Voices from the Field is part of our Soil-to-Skin podcast series, in which NCAT Carbon Farm Planners Allison Agee and Danielle Duni explore the relationships between soil health, fiber production, and market solutions. It is part of NCAT’s Climate Beneficial Fiber Partnership with Colorado State University, Carbon Cycle Institute, Fibershed, Seed2Shirt, and New York Textile Lab. The Climate Beneficial Fiber Partnership is funded by USDA’s Partnership for Climate Smart Com...

08-14
45:04

Soil-to-Skin: Tameka Peoples of Seed2Shirt Shares Her Journey

Episode 356. Soil-to-Skin: Tameka Peoples of Seed2ShirtThis episode of Voices from the Field continues our Soil-to-Skin podcast series, in which NCAT Carbon Farm Planners Allison Cooley-Agee and Danielle Duni explore the relationships between soil health, fiber production, and market solutions. It is part of NCAT’s Climate Beneficial Fiber Partnership with Colorado State University, Carbon Cycle Institute, Fibershed, Seed2Shirt, and New York Textile Lab. The Climate Beneficial Fiber Part...

08-07
40:29

Soil-to-Skin: Rebecca Burgess of Fibershed on Building Community

This episode of Voices from the Field begins our “Soil to Skin” podcast series, in which NCAT Carbon Farm Planners Allison Cooley-Agee and Danielle Duni explore the relationships between soil health, fiber production, and market solutions. The series is part of NCAT’s Climate Beneficial Fiber Partnership with Colorado State University, Carbon Cycle Institute, Fibershed, Seed2Shirt, and New York Textile Lab. The Climate Beneficial Fiber Partnership is funded by USDA’s Partnership for Clim...

08-01
40:15

The Rich Heritage of Chicken Breeds

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Tyler Jenkins talks with Richard Udale and Anne Fanatico in an enlightening conversation about the world of poultry breeding, genetics, and the rich history of the chicken. Richard and Anne, both renowned experts in the field, discuss the evolution of various chicken breeds and their unique traits, along with the intricate science behind selective breeding. Related ATTRA Resources:· &nbs...

05-22
01:08:18

A Closer Look at Draft Horses

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Tracy Mumma talks with her husband, David Sturman, and daughter, Lina Sturman, about using draft horses on the farm. They discuss some of the jobs horses can do, including logging and agritourism, and some of the different hitches that can help make effective use of horsepower. They also cover some important considerations for anyone considering using draft horses on the farm, based on decades of shared experien...

05-08
36:16

Principles Before Practices with Jenny Pluhar

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Darron Gaus joins Peggy Sechrist, a pioneer in the organic beef industry in Texas and a long-time Holistic Management International educator. Darron, who is based in Victoria, Texas, co-leads a working group with Peggy in Texas as part of NCAT’s Soil for Water Southern SARE project. That project includes some great conversations with members of the working group – a four-state team of producers, scien...

05-01
39:20

The Home-Scale Forest Garden with Dani Baker

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Gabriella Soto-Velez talks with author and farmer Dani Baker. Since her retirement from another career and subsequent inspiration from an Extension class on permaculture, Dani has become well known for her takes on creating “resilient edible landscapes.” She and Gabriella discuss the benefits that come from realizing that nature knows what it is doing.Related ATTRA Resources:· Permacul...

04-24
36:16

Mid-Scale Biodigester with Matt Steiman of Dickinson College Organic Farm

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Northeast Coordinator and Agriculture Specialist Chris Lent talks to Matt Steiman, the Farm Energy and Livestock Manager at Dickinson College Organic Farm in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, about the farm’s new biodigester. A farm-based biodigester can turn cow manure and food waste into natural gas to produce electricity for the farm to use and to sell to the utility grid. Matt and Chris discuss Matt’s research over the past 14 years on ...

04-17
48:32

Farm to School with Ridge to Reef Farm on St. Croix, US Virgin Islands

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Gabriella Soto-Velez talks with Nate Olive, the owner of Ridge to Reef Farm on St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Nate talks about the innovative market- diversification strategies that have contributed to his farming success and the challenges and opportunities of the St. Croix market. Related ATTRA Resources: · ATTRA Internship Hub · Subtropi...

04-10
48:32

Poke Salad, Mullein, and Other Crop Alternatives in Southern Arkansas

In this episode of Voices from the Field, Kandi Williams of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s Small Farms Program talks with Arkansas farmer Michael Henegan about his farming heritage and some of his methods to reach markets that others don't by wildcrafting local herbs and plants, including mullein and poke salad. Kandi also works with the Silas H. Hunt Community Development Corporation, which partnered in producing this podcast. This podcast was also produced by the...

04-03
44:15

Southern Small-Scale Grains with Iriel Edwards

In this episode of Voices from the Field, Audrey Kolde, an NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist, talks with Iriel Edwards, the farmer and owner of The Dancing Radicle Farm in Alexandria, Louisiana. Iriel is also a Certifier and Regional Organizer with the Real Organic Project. Prior to starting her own farm, Iriel managed Jubilee Justice's 5-acre organic farm in Alexandria and worked with Black farming communities in the Southeast. Iriel and Audrey discuss the challenges and pote...

03-27
44:15

Managing Risk in the Ark-La-Tex Region

In this episode of Voices from the Field, Kandi Williams of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s Small Farms Program talks with Hope, Arkansas, farmer Ernestine Maxfield about ways for limited-resource producers to manage risk in the Ark-La-Tex region. The Ark-La-Tex region is a socio-economic, tri-state region where Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas meet.Kandi also works with the Silas H. Hunt Community Development Corporation, which partnered in producing this podcast.This podcast was al...

03-20
25:25

NCAT/SARE: Chestnuts in Southeastern Ohio. A Cooperative Small Farm Effort

This episode of Voices from the Field was produced in partnership with ATTRA and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. To learn more about SARE’s library of practical information and available grants to fund projects that advance sustainable agriculture, visit sare.org. In this episode, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Tyler Jenkins dives into the world of chestnuts with Michelle Ajamian, who works with Rural Action as a network developer for Appalachian Stap...

03-13
25:25

Meet NCAT: Tammy Barnes Shares Her Journey

In this episode of Voices from the Field,NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Tyler Jenkins introduces us to new NCAT staff member Tammy Barnes. Tammy, who is also a sustainable agriculture specialist, will be focusing on carbon planning from Kentucky. Tammy shares her wealth of experience and the insights garnered from an extensive career dedicated to sustainable agriculture, from equestrian and other livestockmanagement, to cropping systems and holistic farm management. She also sha...

03-06
27:52

Crop Resilience Through Diversification and Schedule Modification in Northeast Texas. Part 2

In this episode of Voices from the Field, Milton and Diann Woods of Milliesbarn Veggie Farm in Eagle Lake, Texas, talk with NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist Justin Duncan about how they overcame various risks on their farm by choosing the right crops – both for their environment and in accordance with the needs of their clientele. This podcast is produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative agree...

02-28
47:52

Recommend Channels