12/11/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including: the latest information on the food and farm bill, labor issues and how the farm bill will affect employment, how chemical and weed control is done for treatments on the farm and if technology is helping or if there are still dangers to farm employees and consumers. Plus, electronic fencing for cattle, probiotics for cattle, crop prices may be returning to ...
Dec 11, 2024•37 min
12/4/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including: New York State’s impact on solar taking over farm land, Brooke Rollins named Trump’s Secretary of Agriculture, what farm economists say about the future of land ownership, more and more farmers are forced to get off-farm jobs to sustain their farm, and a focus on raising a family while sustaining a farm. In the spotlight section of this episode, Doug introd...
Dec 04, 2024•35 min
11/27/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including: Who will lead Trump’s USDA? The Federal Trade Commission is continuing to probe the right to repair for farmers, farm groups urging the Biden administration to make sure renewable fuel tax credits prioritize American crops, most farmers are relying on off-farm jobs to rely on their primary source of income to keep their farms running, and barriers women fa...
Nov 27, 2024•35 min
11/20/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including: the vital role radio plays in the lives of farmers, what less IRA money for next year means for farmers, prospects for Secretary of Agriculture, and how the current agriculture policy is destroying Americans’ health. Then, Doug introduces us to Stephanie Tewes with Tewes Farm, a poultry farm in northern Kentucky ( TewesFarm.com ). Stephanie grew up a farm ...
Nov 20, 2024•37 min
11/13/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including: farm insurance and how those affected by the recent hurricanes are receiving assistance, a poultry farmer with 62,000 birds without feed, service members transitioning from military service to civilian life and how farming and ag helps, a grocery store merger, and what the election means for farmers. Then, Doug introduces us to Hannah Wuesthoff (WuesthoffF...
Nov 13, 2024•37 min
11/6/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including: the debt consolidation tool for farmers and producers, reporting requirements for foreign land-investors, and how the outcome of the election will affect farmers. Then, Doug introduces us to Ward Graham of Brighton Honey ( BrightonHoney.com ), an apiary in Rochester, NY, producing locally sourced wildflower honey without chemicals, antibiotics, or pesticide...
Nov 06, 2024•36 min
10/30/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including: the latest news from NASA how an autonomous robot is taking images from around the globe and how it can help farmers, how well politicians are delivering on their promises to small farmers, and the USDA announces initiatives to increase competition and lower food prices. Then, Doug introduces us to Gretel Adams of Sunny Meadows Flower Farm ( sunnymeadowsfl...
Oct 30, 2024•36 min
10/23/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including: courses for farmers sponsored by the Cornell Small Farms programs, family farmers affected by the recent hurricanes and how USDA is offering assistance, the continued “right-to-repair” fight, and how this election cycle could lower food prices. Then, Doug introduces us to Sara McGuire of Royal Farms: Farm Market & Winery ( royalfarmsinc.com ). As young...
Oct 23, 2024•35 min
10/16/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including: the farm bill and how farmers can get to politicians to urge more assistance and priority-making for American family farmers, a focus on the Dairy expo and how dairy farmers are faring. Then, Doug introduces us to Jazmin Albarran, Executive Director of Seed Your Future ( SeedYourFuture.org ) — a Washington DC-based nonprofit organization dedicated to encou...
Oct 16, 2024•36 min
10/9/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including: the bird flu and the USDA’s update of a vaccine for dairy cows. Then, Doug introduces us to Greg Burtt or Burtt’s Apple Orchard ( burttsappleorchard.com ), for a discussion on the 6-acre family farm. The farm had been a dairy and maple farm for many years, until Greg and his parents felt like trying something different - apples seemed like a good idea. They...
Oct 09, 2024•35 min
10/2/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com shares the news affecting small farmers in America, including: the farm bill, overall food security, an AI-created “perfect” farm bill, the deadline to pass a new budget for next year approaches, and the House sweeps aside objections to pass a bill to restrict the purchase of agricultural land by people from certain countries. Then, Doug introduces us to Bill MacCauley of MacCauley Suffolks ( maccauleysheep.com ), a sh...
Oct 02, 2024•37 min
9/25/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Bruce Surprenant of Surprenant’s Berry Farm ( surprenantsberryfarm.com ), specializing in turning his berries into value-added products of jams and jellies. Bruce’s farm makes more than 150 products using his own berries and other products from farms, made in the licensed food processing kitchen in the farmhouse that’s been in his wife’s family since 1904. Bruce started his farming journey in the summe...
Sep 25, 2024•17 min
9/18/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Paul Stecker from Maple Lane Farm ( MapleLaneFarmVT.com ). As a family-owned farm, they’re dedicated to providing nourishment while cultivating nutritious food and supporting strong food systems by promoting sustainable farming practices. The discussion covers hurdles of selling raw milk (which includes the continuous flow of misinformation), the pride of being a family farm, and the benefit of pure ma...
Sep 18, 2024•17 min
9/11/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Kyle Elliot; Director, Weather Information Center at Millersville University ( millersville.edu ). With a B.S. in Meteorology from Millersville University and an M.S. in Meteorology from Penn State University, Kyle previously worked at AccuWeathe as an operational forecaster before joining MIllersville Meteorology. His primary focus is on weather analysis, media meteorology and the development of inter...
Sep 11, 2024•18 min
9/4/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to a family farm inspired by a sunset. Ashley and Jesse Fields of Fields Fields Blueberries ( fieldsfieldsblueberries.com ) are successful second generation family farmers, growing organic wild blueberries, in Maine. They farm while keeping the berries and their surroundings in their most natural state. The farm was started by Eliot Field, a sunset chaser who timed his drive home from work to see the sun s...
Sep 04, 2024•18 min
8/28/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Rocky Goodnow with Forest Economic Advisors (FEA). As the Vice President of Timber, Rocky leads the development of FEA’s timber econometric models, which are used in the analysis of future demand on wood fiber resources, regional timber supplies and timber values. Headquartered in Littleton, MA (with offices globally), FEA was formed when it was recognized that there was a need in the industry for impa...
Aug 28, 2024•20 min
8/21/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Jackson Madnick, inventor and CEO of Pearl’s Premium Ultra Low Maintenance Lawn Seed, a company inspired and named after Jackson’s mom. What sets Pearl’s Premium apart from other lawn seeds is that, rather than mowing on a weekly basis, the grass doesn’t need mowed for 4-6 weeks. Chemical-free and a solution that’s eco-friendly, this is a sustainable, non-GMO option for family farmers, hobby farmers, a...
Aug 21, 2024•18 min
8/14/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com welcomes back Jennifer Fahy, Communications Director with Farm Aid, to discuss the annual event and ongoing efforts to assist family farmers in our beautiful country. Farm Aid was started in 1985 by Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp during the height of the farm crisis in an effort to bring people together and raise awareness for farmers and remind us all we’re not alone in the struggles and why it’s import...
Aug 14, 2024•18 min
8/7/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Shane Kanneberg of Vine and Virtue Farm ( vineandvirtuefarm.com ) in Wisconsin, a family farm expanding and trying new things with a focus on fresh veggie, chicken, and eggs the way nature intended to nourish your family and soul. Vine and Virtue Farm doesn’t use heavy tillage, herbicides or chemical fertilizers. They choose the natural approach to farming. Shane and his wife, Kenna, developed Vine and ...
Aug 07, 2024•16 min
7/31/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Mike DellaGalla, Co-Founder & CEO of Solar Collective ( solarcollective.energy ). The conversation includes: Agri-solar/Agrivoltaics, the idea of collocating solar equipment on active farmland that remains farmable. By using solar as an ag product, Solar Collective can help farmers generate long-term, reliable income. They focus on smaller projects on family farms across the US with a particular fo...
Jul 31, 2024•18 min
7/24/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Ben Brown, a Senior Research Associate with the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI). Ben’s love of farming and passion for teaching comes as no surprise when you realize he grew up in a family of teachers and farmers, and blending the two together paves new roads in farming’s future. A believer of healthy farming, Ben teaches farm management classes at Missouri University. His work ...
Jul 24, 2024•18 min
7/17/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Marshall Berg, a Hatch Chile expert and President and Founder of Best in the West. According to 2024 market research, consumers are increasingly seeking products that add overall flavor, cultural experience, and a little bit of heat to their meals. Until now, fresh Hatch chiles have been hard to ship, but Best in the West has found a way for everyone to enjoy these southwest flavors through a proprieta...
Jul 17, 2024•18 min
7/10/24 - Do you know how to protect your livestock when severe weather strikes? With NOAA predicting 17-25 named storms and 8-13 hurricanes, we have a conversation to help you better prepare. Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Dr. Sandra Faeh, chief veterinary officer for National Veterinary Associates and President of the American Veterinary Medical Association ( www.avma.org ). Serving more than 105,000 member veterinarians, the AVMA is the na...
Jul 10, 2024•18 min
7/3/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Kristen Worthington of Worthington Pecan Farms, located in New Mexico ( worthingtonpecanfarm.com ). Pecan oil is quickly becoming the go-to oil for health conscious consumers. Pecans are starting to play a big role in not only the food industry, but the beauty industry as well. They’re naturally high in fiber and low in carbohydrates, they have a high smoking point and can handle cooking with the hottes...
Jul 03, 2024•18 min
6/26/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Tom Hanson, from Hanson’s Farm in Framingham, MA, is a third generation farmer and longtime friend of Doug and joins the American Family Farmer program to discuss his family farm, the You-Pick strawberry season, and the hardships of getting started. Growing strawberries is more labor intensive that other crops and falls at the mercy of the weather year-after-year, which dwindles down more smaller opera...
Jun 26, 2024•17 min
6/19/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to horse handler Helena Peterson started off in her youth as an equestrian, when she realized how many horses need rescued and started her own equine sanctuary. Doug and Helena take us on an educational journey on horse nutrition, who are herbivores, and the additives and fillers in store-bought horse feed. Plus, the average longevity of horses in captivity, the maintenance included in having horses, why ...
Jun 19, 2024•17 min
6/12/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Stephanie Shepard Barnett and Steve Barnett of The Strawberry Patch at Shepard Farms, a family farm known for their delicious strawberries. Recently, The Strawberry Patch at Shepard Farms partnered with Robertson County Schools (near Nashville) to provide local produce to students. The Robertson County Schools Nutrition Department and the local family farm began a partnership with Shepard Farms supplyi...
Jun 12, 2024•19 min
6/5/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan ( www.eastleighfarm.com ) introduces us to Stephanie Shepler-Harren of Chosen Weeds Farm, maker of 100% Goat Milk Soaps (TheChosenWeeds.com). Chosen Weeds farm was born out of a desire to create a place of sustainability and service to the community. Stephanie wanted to fashion a place where people were free to see how animals and plants can be raised with love, where they could be assured that the products they buy are authentic, and they w...
Jun 05, 2024•18 min
5/22/24 - Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Alexandria Ward, Farm Aid’s Farmer Services Network Manager, for a focus on Farm Aid’s Mental Health Hotline, aiming to provide aid to Farmers nationwide. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and mental health issues are a major concern for all types of workers in the farming and agriculture industry. Farm Aid’s hotline operators are familiar with agriculture and with resources for farmers around the ...
May 22, 2024•17 min
Host and American Family Farmer, Doug Stephan www.eastleighfarm.com introduces us to Alexis Burnham, of Burnham Orchards. https://www.burnhamorchards.com The Burnham Family Farm dates back to the early 1800s when William and Eleanor Tillinghast received 160 acres of land in the Firelands of Ohio. From juicy apples to succulent peaches, they grow fruits that delight your taste buds directly to the public at their 200 year old farm. You can pick your own in season, visit Grandma Bea's Bakery, The ...
Apr 29, 2024•19 min
