00. Welcome to Hands in the Soil

In today’s episode, I share the story of how this podcast came to be. I give you insight into my personal journey, starting with the ‘mysterious’ illness that led me to discover how food and agriculture impacts our lives in profound, but often invisible ways.  I came to learn that three of my biggest interests - environmental sustainability, health and wellness, and social justice - converged in one domain; food systems. Throughout my years of hands-on research, I’ve witnessed a great deal of beauty, but I’ve also been digging up some challenging truths. The complex problems I’ve uncovered require complex solutions, and I’ll be taking you along for a journey of speaking to those at the front lines - farmers, ranchers, backyard gardeners, forestry workers, indigenous seed keepers, waterway protectors, and more. Together, we’ll answer questions such as:  Why is ethically grown food so expensive? Why is it so hard for small farmers to compete with “the big guys”? How has food shapes us and our histories? What does it mean to live in alignment with the Earth?  Resources Mentioned: Documentary: ⁠Food, Inc.