Celebrating 50 Years of Seed Saving. In This Podcast: Greg interviews Mike Bollinger, the Executive Director of Seed Savers Exchange, discussing his journey and work there. Mike shares his path from running a certified organic vegetable farm, to being involved with Seed Savers Exchange in various capacities since 2003. They delve into the history and mission of the organization on its 50th anniversary, which started in 1975 by Diane and Kent Whaley. Seed Savers Exchange focuses on preserving hei...
Jun 27, 2025•34 min•Ep. 890
A Garden Chat with Don Titmus This month Greg from Urban Farm and Don Titmus from Bee Oasis discuss the principle of working with nature rather than against it. They cover various permaculture techniques, such as building soil organically, harvesting rainwater, using polyculture, and incorporating animals for land management. The conversation highlights the importance of seed saving, biological pest control, and the benefits of a permaculture design course. They also share personal experiences a...
Jun 20, 2025•49 min•Ep. 889
A Rosie On The House Replay In this reply episode of 'Rosie on the House', Romey Romero and Farmer Greg host special guest Cactus Kelly, a master gardener and foraging educator. We explore foraging native edibles in Arizona, highlighting various plants like Palo Verde beans, mesquite, and Ironwood. Cactus Kelly shares valuable insights on how to harvest, prepare, and consume these native plants, often found in urban environments. We also delve into the uses of weeds, cacti such as prickly pear a...
Jun 17, 2025•37 min•Ep. 888
Join our monthly Seed Chat at SeedChat.org In This Podcast: Greg and Bill navigate the evolution of seed ownership and its impact on biodiversity. They highlight how, historically, seeds were predominantly grown locally, fostering diversity. However, today, four major companies dominate the global seed market, resulting in a significant loss of agricultural diversity. This shift has made the food system vulnerable to diseases and climate change, which were traditionally mitigated by seed diversi...
Jun 13, 2025•31 min•Ep. 887
Exploring the importance of organic fertilizers. In This Podcast: Tony Sarah shares his background in the nursery business and the accidental discovery that led him to develop his organic fertilizer, Tony's Magic Mix. He discusses the ingredients and scientific principles behind the fertilizer, focusing on soil health and balanced plant nutrients. Tony recounts success stories, such as record avocado harvests and thriving gardens in harsh climates like Phoenix and emphasizes the importance of pr...
Jun 06, 2025•32 min•Ep. 886
Getting the Most Seed Diversity to the Most People Replay of Seed Up Saturday 2025 Hosted by Bill McDorman and Greg Peterson, focusing on increasing seed diversity and local seed stewardship. Sponsored by GreatAmericanSeedUp.org and SeedUpInABox.com , the event encourages community-based seed saving efforts. Guest speakers include Julia Dakin of Going to Seed, Rebecca Newburn from Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library, and Bevin Cohen of Small House Farm. Topics covered include the importance of s...
Jun 01, 2025•1 hr 41 min
In This Podcast: Greg interviews Michael Olson, a returning guest and influential figure in the food system. Michael shares his background as a Montana farm boy, Vietnam veteran, and author of Metro Farm. Then they jump into Michael’s 'Three Laws of the Food Chain,' which include: 1) Agriculture is the foundation upon which we build all our sandcastles, 2) The farther we go from the source of our food, the less control we have over what’s in our food, and 3) Cheap food isn't cheap. They discuss ...
May 30, 2025•39 min•Ep. 885
A Garden Chat with Don Titmus Join Farmer Greg and Don Titmus, a horticulturist and permaculturist as they reflect on their 20-year friendship and shared journey in permaculture. They outline the fundamental principles of permaculture then introduce the concepts from permaculture of elements, zones and stacking functions, where each element in a design performs multiple roles, using chickens as a primary example. They explore how zones and sectors work in permaculture design, emphasizing the imp...
May 23, 2025•47 min•Ep. 884
Growing Self-Sufficiency Through Seeds - A Seed Chat Our monthly Seed Chat at SeedChat.org In This Podcast: In this months Seed Chat Greg Peterson and Bill McDorman, explore how saving seeds fosters independence, self-sufficiency, and better food production. They delve into the conversation that by saving seeds, gardeners can create a diverse and resilient plant community adapted to their local conditions. The conversation includes personal anecdotes, such as Greg's successful basil seed saving,...
May 16, 2025•39 min•Ep. 883
A Rosie On The House Replay In this episode of 'Rosie on the House,' hosted by Romey Romero, Farmer Greg is joined by Erin Erickson and her mother Elise Pitterle, who run a small urban farm in South Tempe called Tempe Garden Girls. Motivated by food scarcity during the COVID era, they expanded their gardening efforts into a full-fledged urban farm, growing various vegetables, flowers, and maintaining fruit trees and poultry. Greg & Romey chat about their journey, the challenges faced, and th...
May 13, 2025•36 min•Ep. 882
In This Podcast: Greg Peterson from Urban Farm Fruit Tree Program and Tom Spellman, a seasoned nursery expert with Dave Wilson Nursery, discuss the intricacies of managing fruit trees in a changing climate. They provide an educational overview of effective fruit tree planting and maintenance techniques. Key topics include the importance of proper planting mix, establishing adequate basins with woody mulch, painting trunks for heat protection, and using cover crops like cow peas and sweet potatoe...
May 09, 2025•48 min•Ep. 881
Little Lighthouse Farm's Big Impact In This Podcast: In this heartfelt interview, Rachel Opio shares her journey from a career in HR tech to becoming the founder of Little Lighthouse Farm, an urban farm in Phoenix. She discusses her background in data analytics, her mother's inspiring legacy as an educator and gardener, and how her mother's battle with cancer spurred her shift to farming. Rachel details the challenges of urban farming, the benefits of regenerative agriculture, and her commitment...
May 02, 2025•42 min•Ep. 880
Exploring Nature's Herbal Bounty. In This Podcast: Greg welcomes returning guest Bevin Cohen, an award-winning author and owner of Small House Farm, to discuss Bevin's new book, 'Herbs in Every Season.' The conversation delves into Bevin's holistic approach to herbs, focusing on their various uses throughout the year—from medicinal to culinary applications. Bevin shares behind-the-scenes stories about writing the book, choosing which herbs to feature, and the fun yet intense experience of photog...
Apr 29, 2025•30 min•Ep. 879
Let's change how far our food travels. In This Podcast: Host Greg Peterson interviews Matthew Geldin, head farmer at Farmscape in Southern California, about creating sustainable neighborhood food systems. Farmscape is the largest urban farming company in California, specializing in food-focused landscaping for various scales including backyard gardens, commercial campuses, and multi-family communities. Matthew shares his journey from landscape architecture to urban farming, explaining the challe...
Apr 25, 2025•30 min•Ep. 878
A Garden Chat with Don Titmus Join Farmer Greg Peterson and Don Titmus, a horticulturist and permaculturist dive into month 2 of their yearlong discussion of the principles of permaculture. They discuss foundational aspects of observation, protracted and thoughtful observation (PATO), and the importance of understanding local environments. They also highlight their 'Garden Chats' available at gardenchat.org and urbanfarmpodcast.com, where listeners can learn more about permaculture ethics and pr...
Apr 18, 2025•42 min•Ep. 877
A Rosie On The House Replay In this episode we explore the concept of wicking bed gardens, hosted by Romey Romero & Farmer Greg, our guest is Ray Jess, a Master Gardener and hard goods manager of the Urban Farm Fruit Tree Program Store. Ray explains his journey from traditional gardening, which he has practiced since childhood in Central California, to discovering wicking beds during his Master Gardener training. He details the construction and benefits of wicking beds, which water plants fr...
Apr 15, 2025•35 min•Ep. 876
A Seed Chat with Bill McDorman In this episode, the focus is on the importance of building resilient local seed and food economies. They elaborate on the six stages of the food economy — growing, harvesting, distribution, preparation, eating, and disposal — and stress the need for these processes to be circular, emphasizing composting and waste reuse. They identify seven components essential for a flourishing local food economy, including farming methods, education, harvesting and distribution, ...
Apr 11, 2025•42 min•Ep. 875
The Gardenerd strikes again. In This Podcast: Returning guest Christy Wilhelmi discusses her new book, 'High Yield Small Space Organic Gardening.' Christy, founder of Garden Nerd, shares her expertise on small space, biointensive, and organic gardening techniques that allow her to generate up to 70% of her family's produce from just 300 square feet. Our conversation includes plant placement strategies, the importance of soil health, pest control, and various garden DIY projects. Additionally, Ch...
Apr 08, 2025•34 min•Ep. 874
Diving into community design with Agrihoods In This Podcast: We dive into what AgriHoods are and their transformative impact on communities. Hosts Sarah Rosenberger and Matthew Geldin from Farmscape discuss their roles and experiences with AgriHood projects. Sarah explains her background in urban farming and her journey through various community-based agricultural programs, while Matthew shares his expertise in vegetable gardening and farm maintenance. We explore the concept of AgriHoods, which ...
Apr 04, 2025•43 min•Ep. 873
Sourdough Tools and Tricks for Bakers In This Podcast: Greg interviews Erik Fabian, co-founder of Sourhouse, about his journey and the innovations his company brings to sourdough baking. Sourhouse, based in Asheville, creates tools for home bakers, including a countertop device called Goldie. Erik shares his background as a home baker and marketer, his challenges and inspiration during the COVID-19 lockdown, and how Sourhouse successfully launched via Kickstarter. He talks about the importance o...
Mar 28, 2025•45 min•Ep. 872
A Garden Chat with Don Titmus Join Farmer Greg Peterson and Don Titmus, a horticulturist and permaculturist as they reflect on their 20-year friendship and shared journey in permaculture. They outline the fundamental principles and ethics of permaculture focusing on Earth care, people care, and fair share. This episodes sets the stage for a series of eight more sessions focusing on the individual permaculture principles. They emphasize the organic and adaptable nature of permaculture, likening i...
Mar 21, 2025•40 min•Ep. 871
Our monthly Seed Chat at SeedChat.org In This Podcast: In this month's Seed Chat, Greg Peterson and Bill McDorman discuss seed planting, soil temperatures, and techniques for successful gardening. They talk about the Great American Seed Up initiative, which aims to provide communities with affordable seeds through bulk purchases and local events. Highlighting the importance of community involvement in seed resilience, Bill shares a story of a successful effort by a Mormon community in Idaho. The...
Mar 14, 2025•45 min•Ep. 870
A Rosie On The House Radio Show Replay In This Podcast: Rosie on the House replay features Romey Romero, Farmer Greg and Paige Mollen from the Mollen Foundation discussing the Garfield Farm to School initiative. They discuss the importance of connecting children to their food sources through local food procurement, school gardens, and food education. The initiative includes various activities such as student-led farm stands, composting, and soil health education, all aiming to integrate food int...
Mar 11, 2025•37 min•Ep. 869
Erin and Elise are out to change the local food economy. In This Podcast: Greg speaks with Erin Erickson and her mother, Elise Pitterly, who are part of a mother-daughter team aiming to transform the food economy in Phoenix. They own a small urban farm in South Tempe where they grow a variety of produce and raise poultry. Erin, with a background in vineyard farming from Oregon, and Elise, a certified master gardener, share their journey from initial challenges to developing a flourishing farm us...
Mar 07, 2025•59 min•Ep. 868
Join Beatrice, Laura and Bevelyn discussing permaculture. In This Podcast: Beatrice Nathan, Laura Ruby, and Bevelyn Okla, discuss their personal journeys and collective efforts in promoting permaculture. Beatrice, a permaculture educator, began her journey in home gardening and sustainability. Laura's experience includes studying permaculture design in Australia and teaching globally. Bevelyn combines her background in sociology, anthropology, and art with a focus on racial equity and storytelli...
Mar 04, 2025•45 min•Ep. 867
From farm to future! In This Podcast: Join Greg as he chats with Maureen Ballatori, founder and CEO of Agency29, an award-winning creative agency for food, beverage, and agricultural brands. Maureen shares her journey from growing up on a dairy farm in upstate New York to creating Agency29 in response to the 2008 economic downturn. The discussion covers her path to building the agency, her focus on brand strategies, and her specialization in food, beverage, and agriculture. Maureen explains the ...
Feb 28, 2025•42 min•Ep. 866
Transforming our communities through seeds In This Podcast: Kane Wilton, an organic farmer, garden designer, and seed enthusiast, co-founded the 1904 Project in Salem, Oregon, to connect and empower individuals toward regenerative and local food. His gardening journey began with growing flowers for his wife, eventually leading to a deep passion for food systems and permaculture. The 1904 Project started as a blog but evolved into a community-driven initiative highlighting regenerative projects a...
Feb 21, 2025•25 min•Ep. 865
How our food choices impact our health. In This Podcast: Greg interviews Ocean Robbins, co-founder and CEO of the Food Revolution Network, who discusses his lifelong activism and efforts in promoting healthy, ethical, and sustainable food choices. Robbins shares his journey that began with activism at a young age, including a successful nonprofit focused on environmental sustainability. He explains the global impact of unhealthy diets and stresses the importance of personal and systemic change t...
Feb 14, 2025•30 min•Ep. 864
A Rosie On The House Radio Show Replay In This Podcast: Farmer Greg and Romey discuss getting your garden started. They emphasize the importance of thoughtful garden placement to harness microclimates and proper sun exposure. Greg shares strategies for garden planning, utilizing different water sources like gray water and rainwater harvesting, and innovative solutions like raised beds and hydroponics. The episode also covers managing pests, chickens as a resource, and creating and maintaining he...
Feb 11, 2025•38 min•Ep. 863
Cultivating Soil: The Dirt Craft Story In This Podcast: We feature Adam Schwartz and Sarah Murphy, founders of Dirt Craft Living Soils, a company that creates high-quality, peat-free soil mixes for organic farmers and gardeners in the Southeast. Adam and Sarah discuss their backgrounds in farming and environmentalism, their move to North Carolina, and the establishment of their soil business in 2018. They emphasize the importance of local, sustainable agriculture and detail their innovative comp...
Feb 07, 2025•32 min•Ep. 862
