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PODCAST

4 The Soil: A Conversation

Soil. What is it, really? It’s more than the dirt under our feet and the ground we stand on.Soil is living and life-giving.Listen as we unlock the mysteries of soil by speaking with people at the forefront of the soil health movement.“4 The Soil: A Conversation” is part of the 4 The Soil Awareness Campaign led by Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Virginia Soil Health Coalition. The campaign’s purpose is to raise awareness of soil as an agricultural and natural resource critical to social,

science life sciences

All Episodes

17:18

S5 - E3: Defying Obstacles, Bringing Voices to...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2025/02/04

Defying obstacles, honoring the land, and giving voice to sustainability and business ethics requires commitment and dedication to a vision. Clarenda "Farmer Cee" Stanley is a visionary entrepreneur, farmer, herbalist, and advocate for ethical business and sustainable living. Known affectionately as "Farmer Cee," she is the founding CEO of Green Heffa Farms, a wellness brand and herb farm that celebrates the power of nature to heal and nourish. Beyond her work as an executive, farmer, and herbalist,

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19:08

S5 - E2: Understanding Context, Establishing...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2025/01/21

Understanding context and establishing baselines are critical for developing systematic approaches to change for the right reasons. Rick Clark of Clark Land & Cattle and Farm Green Consulting is a fifth-generation farmer who farms 6,000 plus acres of certified organic crops in Warren County, Indiana. In addition to cash, oilseed, and cover crops, Rick raises cattle and sheep using his system of regenerative organic stewardship with no tillage. Through the years, Rick has worked to reduce

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18:30

S5 - E1: Commitment and System Balance with Rick...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2025/01/07

Building soil health and finding system balance requires commitment, fortitude, adaptability, and working with Mother Nature. Rick Clark of Clark Land & Cattle and Farm Green Consulting is a fifth-generation farmer in Warren County, Indiana. Rick farms corn, soybeans, wheat, milo, cover crops, small grains, and other oilseed crops using regenerative organic no-till methods and systems thinking on all his acreage. Rick refers to his system as regenerative organic stewardship with no tillage. Rick

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19:14

S4 - E26: A Regional Food System Perspective with...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2024/12/17

Our conversation with Maureen McNamara Best and Maureen "Mo" McGonagle on regional food system development and networks continues this week with a specific focus on food as medicine. Maureen McNamara Best is the executive director of LEAP (Local Environmental Agriculture Project) and Maureen "Mo" McGonagle is the director of the Roanoke Foodshed Network. In this episode, Maureen and Mo discuss educational and community outreach programs that connect to soil health and medical approaches to healing

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18:21

S4 - E25: A Regional Food System Perspective with...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2024/12/03

What does a regional food system network look like? Maureen McNamara Best is the executive director of LEAP (Local Environmental Agriculture Project) and Maureen "Mo" McGonagle is the director of the Roanoke Foodshed Network. Maureen and Mo provide a perspective lens into food system relationships and community collaborations emerging and developing in the Roanoke region of Virginia. Maureen shares that stories and relationships are critical in coming together; community and farm connections must be

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17:04

Episode 24 - 24: Flavor and Sustainability with Nate...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2024/11/19

Nate Sloan, executive chef and owner of Bloom Restaurant and Wine Bar in Roanoke, Virginia shares with Jeff, Mary, and Eric how restaurants can be a conduit of flavor, sustainability, health, and food security. Nate grew up on his parents' farm in Franklin County, Virginia and these roots inspired his vision as a restaurateur and commitment to local farms and food entrepreneurs. Nate has worked in restaurants across the country and understands the importance of flavor and ingredient quality. Nate

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17:42

Episode 24-23: From Soil to Ingredient to Plate with...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2024/11/05

In this episode, we journey from soil to plate with Nate Sloan, the visionary owner and executive chef of Bloom Restaurant and Wine Bar in Roanoke, Virginia. Nate speaks with Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt about his journey from his roots in farming in Franklin County, Virginia to being a restaurateur committed to farm-to-table production. Nate has worked in restaurants across the country and understands the importance of flavor and ingredient quality. Nate sees the deep

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19:52

Episode 24 - 22: Finding Your Agroecological Voice...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2024/10/22

Are you interested in community collaboration and finding your agroecological voice and lens? Nicole Masters, founder of Integrity Soils and author of For the Love of Soil, discusses how an agroecological lens is used to view entire farm systems and value human dynamics with Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt. Nicole has a love and fascination with soil but understands the risks involved with farming and starting new approaches to regenerating landscapes. Nicole highlights how

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18:48

Episode 24 - 21: A Love and Fascination for the Soil...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2024/10/08

How do we create a love and fascination for the soil to better fit into the landscape? Nicole Masters, founder of Integrity Soils and author of For the Love of Soil, shares with Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt how central people are to agroecology. Nicole grew up in New Zealand and developed an early love and fascination with soil. As an agroecologist, educator, systems thinker, and author, Nicole has extensive practical expertise and experiences in regenerative soil and landscape

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16:41

Episode 24 - 20: The Promise and Potential of Biochar...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2024/09/24

Are you interested in improving the water and nutrient-holding capacity of your soil? Have you heard about biochar as a soil amendment? Dr. Wayne Teel of James Madison University has studied and researched biochar for more than 15 years. Wayne discusses the promise and potential of biochar with Mary Sketch Bryant and Jeff Ishee as a follow-up to their conversation about agroforestry. Dr. Teel describes how biochar is formed through a combustion process with little or no oxygen present. Wayne

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17:20

Episode 24 - 19: Reconnecting through Stories and...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2024/09/10

We all could benefit from reconnecting to soil, land, trees, and where our food comes from and how food is produced. Dr. Wayne Teel is a professor of geography at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He shares with Mary Sketch Bryant and Jeff Ishee how he works with his students at JMU to connect them to a farmer or field experience so the connection is real and tangible. Dr. Teel shares stories of his own experience working on a farm in the Columbia River basin in eastern Washington

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16:37

Episode 24 - 18: Volunteering and Getting Your Hands...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2024/08/27

Do you like to volunteer, dig in the soil, and get your hands dirty? Planting and harvesting vegetables, experimenting with cover crops, and reducing tillage can be great fun as well. Virginia Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and the Fauquier Education Farm offer two tangible ways to volunteer, dig in the soil, get your hands dirty, and give back to the community. Tim Ohlwiler elaborates on how these volunteer-based programs serve as living laboratories where theory and hands-on

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18:16

Episode 24 - 17: Horticultural Realities and Soil...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2024/08/13

What are the realities for building soil health in orchards and vineyards? Tree fruit and grapes require different strategies for reducing competition from other woody perennials and weeds. Tension can exist between balancing crop needs and building soil health in orchards and vineyards. Tim Ohlwiler is an extension agent for horticulture with Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) in Fauquier County, Virginia. Tim works with nurseries, landscapers, orchards, vineyards, small fruit growers, and

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17:19

Episode 24 - 16: Managing Risks, Beginning a Movement...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2024/07/30

Farming and market gardening require continually learning and appropriately managing risks. Robert "Bob" Waring of Brandon Farms in Essex County, Virginia is a proponent of cover crops, soil health, and on-farm research. Bob states he sees the beginning of a movement, particularly as farmers learn from other farmers. He has embraced cover crops, and he consistently maps biomass yields and samples his fields' soil nutrient levels.In testing theories and making observations through the years, Bob has

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17:30

Episode 24 - 15: Growing Fertilizer and Farm...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2024/07/16

The economics of farming are always tenuous and subject to many market and climatic forces. Robert "Bob" Waring of Brandon Farms of Dunnsville, Virginia describes himself as a return-on-investment (ROI) kind of guy. With the tenuous, volatile nature of farming, Bob is constantly evaluating Brandon Farms' cropping system as a whole and looking for sound input reduction strategies. Over the past fifteen years, Bob has focused on growing his fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) and farm

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18:05

Episode 24 - 14: A Farmer's Approach to Artisanal...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2024/07/02

To know where our food comes from, we are encouraged to know the farmer who grew our food. Nicolas "Nico" Melas of Mill Song Bakery approaches his craft as a farmer-miller-baker in the tradition of the artisans he apprenticed to in France. Nico emphasizes that you should know your local baker to fully understand and appreciate the quality of wheat and other grains. Nico reflects on how the growing, sourcing, processing, milling, fermenting, and mixing of grain and flour all play a role in the

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17:11

Episode 24 - 13: Artful, Healthy Grains and Bread...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2024/06/25

Nicolas "Nico" Melas of Mill Song Bakery is a thought leader within Virginia's regional food systems and a catalyst with the expanding Common Grain Alliance. Nico and his family, along with a growing network of farmers, millers, bakers, and food businesses in Virginia and the greater Mid-Atlantic Region, are working through artful farming, milling, and baking to seed and feed a strong, resilient, diverse localized food grain economy. Jeff Ishee and Eric Bendfeldt talk with Nico about his journey in

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17:08

Episode 24 - Special: Soil Health and Music for...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2024/06/18

Ennis and Phil Carter of Flip Charts and Social Impact Studios bring together their expertise in social sciences and education to amplify a simple message that soil health and music are for everyone. We can all "literally" dig soil health and music in a multitude of ways. In part II, Ennis and Phil explain how memories and stories help us find common ground, connect dots, and stir our imaginations. Ennis spoke of the recent 4 The Soil coloring book developed by Social Impact Studios and the playful

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19:16

Episode 24 - National Soil Health Day Special: Music,...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2024/06/13

In anticipation of National Soil Health Day, Ennis and Phil Carter of Flip Charts and Social Impact Studios composed a fun 4 The Soil song to celebrate and emphasize how we can all take action for the soil and planet. Ennis and Phil bring together more than forty years of life and creative work. Their collaboration and creativity integrate music, culture, anthropology, graphic design, and community organizing. Ennis and Phil highlight how music and art translate our emotions and hearts into

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16:48

Episode 24 - 12: A Freshly Milled Perspective with...

4 The Soil: A Conversation ·

2024/06/04

The aroma of freshly milled and ground grain is distinct and inviting whether in preparing bread, pizza, or a vat of beer. Madelyn Smith of the Common Grain Alliance offers a freshly milled perspective on a range of topics needed to strengthen the regional food system and build the supply of regional grains to meet consumer demand. Madelyn says that bakers and chefs are often the best storytellers of why local grains are so important to their businesses, however, it is often the taste, flavor, and

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113 results

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