Rodrigo Cala and MOSES hosted a field day on August 18, 2021 at Cala Farm Origenes in Turtle Lake, WI. MOSES Organic Specialist Rodrigo Cala shared the systems approach he uses on his organic farm, focusing on sheep production with rotational grazing, a perennial system for raising chickens, and much more. Rodrigo realized in the last couple years that his vegetable production system wasn't working as well as he’d like, and he turned to livestock to build soil and strengthen his business. You can contact Rodrigo through the Organic Answer Line at 888-906-6737 x 717 or by visiting https://mosesorganic.org/ask/ Watch this field day on the MOSES YouTube page! English: https://youtu.be/gLReqVQP4rk Hmong: https://youtu.be/Toak5Y-a2yQ Spanish: https://youtu.be/Ek9cjSeOARg In Her Boots podcast: https://mosesorganic.org/in-her-boots-podcast/ New Farmer U: http://mosesorganic.org/newfarmeru Organic Valley FAFO grant program: https://www.organicvalley.coop/why-organic-valley/power-of-we/farmers-advocating-organics/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

Jim Goodman (National Family Farm Coalition), Erin Schneider (Hilltop Community Farm, Wisconsin), and Lea Zeise (Intertribal Agriculture Council) share their unique perspectives on farming and climate in a conversation that explores some of the solutions to one of the greatest challenges we face as a species: climate change. In this conversation, we’ll learn about the connections and contributions we can make across farming systems, as communities and individuals in relationship to other species and the limited resources of our Earth. Moderated by Lori Stern, MOSES Executive Director. This episode is part of an ongoing series of climate conversations from MOSES Conference workshops and the 2021 Growing Stronger Collaborative Conference. Lori Stern's article in The Hill: To fight the climate crisis, support smart farming Also available on YouTube: Farming in the Time of Climate Change MOSES Organic Field Days: http://mosesorganic.org/events/organic-field-days/ MOSES YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/mosesorganic New Farmer U: https://mosesorganic.org/newfarmeru/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

Continuing our climate change series, this episode is a workshop from the 2020 MOSES Conference with Dr. Lauren Snyder and Dr. Jessica Gutknecht. According to the NOAA, "the Midwest set a record for the wettest year in history (1895-2019) for the second straight year" in 2019. The need to build healthy soils that can withstand weather extremes is clear. In this episode, Dr. Jessica Gutknecht and Dr. Lauren Snyder share research-based guidance on practices that can improve overall soil structure and water-holding capacity—characteristics critical to dealing with extreme precipitation events. And we'll also hear from farmers as they share their reflections after a small group discussion on the topic. Lauren Snyder is a science advisor at the Organic Farming Research Foundation and a freelance science contractor. She has a doctorate in ecology and evolutionary biology from Cornell University. Jessica Gutknecht is a soil ecologist at the University of Minnesota in the Department of Soil, Water, and Climate. Dr. Jessica Gutknecht’s slides: https://mosesorganic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/R-Fri-2_Gutknecht_2.pdf Dr. Lauren Snyder’s slides: https://mosesorganic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/R-Fri-2-Snyder.pdf Reducing Risk through Best Soil Health Management Practices in Organic Crop Production  Video: Soils Provide Hope for Severe Weather MOSES Organic Field Days: http://mosesorganic.org/events/organic-field-days/ MOSES YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/mosesorganic New Farmer U: https://mosesorganic.org/newfarmeru/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

This is episode one of a series on climate change. Whether you have drought or flooding this year, your weather is probably strange. This series of recordings of MOSES conference from the last few years share some strategies in adapting to climate change. The first in the series is a talk from the 2017 MOSES Conference called Build Resilience with Soil Biology with Dr. Kris Nichols. At the time, Dr. Nichols was the chief scientist at the Rodale Institute. She is now an educator, consultant, and researcher with KRIS Systems and MyLand Company. She talks about how soil biology can help buffer your farm from weather extremes. KRIS Systems: http://kris-systems.com/ MOSES Organic Field Days: http://mosesorganic.org/events/organic-field-days/ MOSES YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/mosesorganic New Farmer U: https://mosesorganic.org/newfarmeru/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

In this episode, host Chuck Anderas talks to Ken Meter about his new book, Building Community Food Webs. Ken shares some of the best examples of how communities have built relationship-based food systems, and shares his thoughts on why the current food system is extractive, how communities can use co-learning to find creative solutions, how democracy works in food systems, and much more. Listen in! Discount code METER gets you 20% off Ken's book at Island Press via https://islandpress.org/books/building-community-food-webs. Check out Ken’s work at the Crossroads Resource Center: http://www.crcworks.org Read a review of the book in the MOSES Organic Broadcaster. Read the Organic Broadcaster story: Commodity system creates persistent losses by Ken Meter & Megan Phillips Goldenberg Submit a voice memo telling us about one of your FAVORITE FARM SMELLS. https://anchor.fm/moses-podcast/message New Farmer U: https://mosesorganic.org/newfarmeru/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

From the 2019 MOSES Organic Farming Conference, Ken Meter and Megan Goldenberg dive deep into food systems history and data, and give examples of successful community-based food systems work from around the United States. Ken Meter is one of most experienced food-system analysts in United States, and his work integrates market analysis, systems thinking, quantitative time-series data, and first-hand interviews. His analysis and consulting has fostered 141 farm and food networks in 41 states, 2 provinces, and 4 tribes. Part 2, coming next week, is a conversation between Ken Meter and host Chuck Anderas based on Ken’s new book “Building Community Food Webs.” Submit a voice memo telling us about one of your FAVORITE FARM SMELLS. Check out Ken’s work at the Crossroads Resource Center: http://www.crcworks.org  You can find his new book Building Community Food Webs (Island Press) here: https://islandpress.org/books/building-community-food-webs HEAL Food Alliance webinar on Community Food Systems Over Corporate Control: Ensure Fair and Competitive Markets --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

This is the trailer to the new season of the In Her Boots podcast. This season is the first with new host Tiffany LaShae. Tiffany—a Black woman farmer, researcher, educator, and activist—interviews women of color in agriculture from around the Midwest about their experiences. Make sure to search for “In Her Boots” in your podcast app and hit subscribe. Stay tuned!  In Her Boots --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

Dr. Melinda Daniels of the Stroud Water Research Center and Dr. Kirsten Pearson of the Rodale Institute discuss their incredible collaborative research evaluating the impact of several management systems on an entire watershed. They have years of data on how the watershed was managed conventionally; this multi-year effort will give a clear idea of how various farming practices affect not only stream water quality but also crop yields, energy consumption, and the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil, including water infiltration. Watershed Impact Trial Stroud Water Research Center Farming Systems Trial --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

Farmer Kat Becker of Cattail Organics in Athens, WI, and Sam Malriat, the Director of the Organic Consulting Program at the Rodale Institute, talk with Chuck about the strategies they have tried, studied, and seen work on farms throughout the country. As Sam puts it, “In organic systems, models are state by state, county by county… There’s not one [model], there’s 150.” Listen in on a conversation full of nuanced ideas about no-till, tillage, soil health, and a holistic view of farm management. Organic Consulting Program Farming Systems Trial Cattail Organics If you have strategies to share or are looking for advice from other farmers and researchers, there is a community for you. It’s called Climate Resilient Organic Vegetable Production (CROVP), and you can join their email list by sending an email to CROVP+subscribe@googlegroups.com. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

Listen in on the conversation with Dr. Andrew Smith, the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Scientist of the Rodale Institute, and Dr. Francesca Cotrufo, Professor and Associate Head of the Department of Soil & Crop Sciences and Senior Scientist at the Natural Resource Ecology Lab at Colorado State University. We go in-depth on the practices and the science of soil carbon sequestration based on 40 years of data from Rodale and the expertise of Dr. Cotrufo. This is the first of a 3-part series celebrating and exploring the 40 years of Rodale's Farming Systems Trials. The next two episodes will cover No-till Organic Vegetable Production and the Watershed Impact Trial. Rodale: Carbon White Paper  Conversation with Soil Ecologist Dr. Francesca Cotrufo Farming Systems Trial Dr. Cotrufo: Homepage Bio Some recent publications Formation of soil organic matter via biochemical and physical pathways of litter mass loss Global change pressures on soils from land use and management Below-ground carbon inputs contribute more than above-ground inputs to soil carbon accrual in a bioenergy poplar plantation The Microbial Efficiency‐Matrix Stabilization (MEMS) framework integrates plant litter decomposition with soil organic matter stabilization: do labile plant inputs form stable soil organic matter? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

In the last of our Food-Grade Grain series with Artisan Grain Collaborative, Amy Halloran talks to two Illinois farmers: Andy Hazzard and Jeff Hake. Andy shares her experience milling the grain she grows, as well as milling for other farmers; Jeff Hake explains some of the challenges of trying to find the right equipment.  Hazzard Free Farm Funks Grove Heritage Fruits and Grains  Artisan Grain Collaborative Amy Halloran --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

Grain advocate, educator, and author Amy Halloran is back to guest host the second of our series in partnership with the Artisan Grain Collaborative. Amy talks with Jason Federer & Michael O'Donnell about how they are navigating their farm’s simultaneous transitions to organic production as well as food-grade marketing.  Artisan Grain Collaborative Amy Halloran  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

This is the first episode in our series with Artisan Grain Collaborative on food-grade grains. The collaborative includes farmers, millers, distillers, bakers, and other people across the value chain who are creating opportunities to grow grains for people, not livestock or fuel.  Today, grain advocate, educator, and author Amy Halloran explores seed research and breeding with Julie Dawson from UW-Madison and Lisa Kissing Kucek from the USDA-ARS. Upcoming episodes will cover diversified crop rotations and on-farm milling. Artisan Grain Collaborative Amy Halloran Julie Dawson Lisa Kissing Kucek Variety Trial Summaries: Organic wheat variety trial summaries from 16 site-years of organic trials in PA and NY. Scroll down to "Organic Trials" Organic wheat variety trial summaries from 16 site-years of organic trials in ME, VT, and NY. Scroll down to "Variety Trials" AGC wheat and hulless barley variety trial evaluation and bake test from March 2020: Free registration for Grains Week, happening remotely May 3rd-7th: https://www.cascadiagrains.com/grains-week --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

Continuing our partnership with the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives, Kelly Maynard and Chuck talk with Hannah Breckbill of Humble Hands Harvest in Decorah, Iowa. We talk through all the aspects of how and why someone would want to transition their farm from a sole proprietorship to a worker-owned cooperative, and some of the benefits and challenges of farming cooperatively. Humble Hands Harvest: Humble Hands Harvest 2021 Changemaker: Hannah Breckbill MOSES Organic Field Day at Humble Hands Harvest Cartoon Operating Agreement for a Coop LLC UWCC: UW Center for Cooperatives Kelly Maynard: kelly.maynard@wisc.edu MOSES: Empowered Farm Financials workshop series Conference Specials—no admission necessary You can register for the Growing Stronger Collaborative Conference through March 31st! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

Mary O'Herin is an acupuncturist and massage therapist with experience on small-scale organic vegetable and fruit farms. She has a good understanding of the hard work, dedication, and solitude that goes into being a farmer. Mary shares some movement and body-care techniques with us, as well as tips for how to facilitate lasting change. One of the aspects of her practice is guiding and inspiring others how to take rock-solid baby steps toward beneficial habits. This episode is a recap of a Growing Wellness monthly meeting. These meetings include a brief presentation followed by a discussion. If you want to contribute to the community, go to https://groups.io/g/GrowingWellness. Subscribe to the listserv by sending an email to GrowingWellness+subscribe@groups.io.  Get in touch with Mary: maryo.herin@gmail.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

In partnership with Kelly Maynard from the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives, we explore the seven principles of cooperatives with Angela Dawson and Kheph Rakhu from 40 Acre Cooperative. This is part 2 of 2, where we explore principles 5-7: education and training, cooperation among cooperatives, and concern for community. What is 40 Acre Cooperative All About? Video: Join Forty Acre Co-op Better Family Life MN Contact Better Family Life MN by email: admin@bflmn.org UW Center for Cooperatives Growing Stronger Collaborative Conference --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

In partnership with Kelly Maynard from the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives, we explore the seven principles of cooperatives with Angela Dawson and Kheph Rakhu from 40 Acre Cooperative. This is part 1 of 2 episodes where we explore principles 1-4: open and voluntary membership, democratic member control, members’ economic participation, and autonomy and independence. What is 40 Acre Cooperative All About? Video: Join Forty Acre Co-op Better Family Life MN Contact Better Family Life MN by email: admin@bflmn.org UW Center for Cooperatives Growing Stronger Collaborative Conference --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

After our three-part series on pollinator habitat on organic farms, we had a meeting with the guests to dive a bit deeper into the ins and outs. Listen in on the conversation between Sarah Foltz Jordan and Karen Jokela from the Xerces Society, Joan Olson from Prairie Drifter Farm, Kaitlyn O’Connor from Prairie Moon Nursery, and hear their answers to farmers' questions. Here are the edited highlights from that meeting on December 15th, 2020. Links mentioned in this episode: Growing Stronger: Collaborative Conference on Organic and Sustainable Farming Farmer-Share Speed Presentations Native Plant-Insect Interactions Guide Insectopia Prairie Seed Mix Protecting habitat from drift Habitat Assessment Guides Pollinator and Beneficial Insect Conservation Plans Cover Cropping for Pollinators and Beneficial Insects Guidance to Protect Habitat from Pesticide Contamination Protecting Conservation Planting from Pesticides Beetle Bank Article in the MOSES Broadcaster Guest contact information Karin Jokela: Karin.jokela@xerces.org, 763-213-4341 Sarah Foltz Jordan: sarah.foltz@xerces.org Joan Olson: prairiedrifterfarm@gmail.com Kaitlyn O’Connor: Kaitlyn@prairiemoon.com, 507-452-1362 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

On-farm pollinator habitat has many benefits, but deciding how and where to add that habitat can be daunting. Recorded at the 2020 MOSES Conference, Sarah Foltz Jordan of the Xerces Society and Joan Olson of Prairie Drifter Farm help you determine which habitat projects—insectary strips, pollinator-friendly cover crops, native wildflower meadows, hedgerows—make the most sense for your goals, resource concerns, space, capacity, equipment, weed pressure, and other factors. Learn about planting methods, design, and weed control options, including several effective organic site preparation methods.  This is the final episode in a three-part series on pollinator habitat on organic farms. Join us for the Post-Podcast Farmer Chat on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020, 10:30 a.m. CT with the guests from this series. Click this link to register: Post-Podcast Farmer Chat: Pollinator Habitat Links: Workshop slides Prairie Drifter Farm Xerces Society Growing Stronger: Collaborative Conference on Organic and Sustainable Farming Gempler's  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message

Chris Frakes discusses steps to take if you encounter someone who is struggling with thoughts of suicide. It is important to note that this is not a full suicide awareness and intervention training. However, it provides the basic steps for effective listening, providing support, and connecting someone in crisis to other appropriate resources so they can receive needed support. Chris Frakes is the Project Coordinator for the Farmer Well-Being and Suicide Prevention Program with Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program. Get in touch with Chris: c.frakes@swcap.org or 608-553-0033. Immediate assistance: call 1-800-273-8255 (TALK), contact your local crisis hotline, or dial 911. There are monthly Growing Wellness meetings. They include a brief presentation followed by a discussion. If you want to contribute to the community, go to https://groups.io/g/GrowingWellness or send an email to GrowingWellness+subscribe@groups.io to subscribe to the Growing Wellness listserv.  Links: Growing Wellness Group Growing Wellness: Suicide Awareness and Prevention on YouTube Post-Podcast Farmer Chat: Pollinator Habitat --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moses-podcast/message