Harvesting Resilience: Regenerative Farming & Zero Waste Cities (Part 1)

Send us Fan MailIn this compelling Part 1 of "Harvesting Wisdom," host Mike McMahon explores the power of regenerative agriculture and sustainable urban innovation. The first half of the episode features Asher Wright, Farm Director at Caney Fork Farms in Tennessee (on Al Gore’s Caney Fork property), who shares his journey from environmental studies student to pioneering regenerative land manager. Asher offers deep insights into how Caney Fork is practicing climate-smart farming: from soil health, carbon sequestration, and rotational grazing to growing heirloom grains and developing diversified farm business models.Transitioning into the second half, Mike welcomes Jeff Whitlock, Zero Waste Analyst for the City of Phoenix. Jeff discusses the city's groundbreaking sustainability programs, including their composting systems, landscape green waste certifications, and organic waste diversion initiatives. He shares lessons learned in scaling urban zero-waste efforts while maintaining efficiency and public engagement — critical knowledge for any city aiming to build resilience in the face of climate change.Together, Asher and Jeff offer a rare and practical view of how rural regenerative farming and urban sustainability systems are two essential pillars for building a climate-smart, socially responsible future — fully aligned with Urban Farming Education’s mission to "close the gap between information and action."Why Listen?At "Harvesting Wisdom," we believe "We have all taken a bite out of the apple." In this episode, rural landscapes meet urban innovation. If you care about regenerative farming, zero waste practices, or simply building a stronger, climate-resilient future — you’ll find powerful, actionable insights here.Important Timeliness:1:02 – Asher’s journey into sustainable agriculture6:22 – Farm diversification: livestock, heirloom grains, market gardens11:26 – Caney Fork’s Research & Outreach Program14:12 – Carbon sequestration practices and results20:11 – Composting, amendments, and building a closed-loop system30:06 – Climate change impacts on farm water cycles34:06 – Transitioning to electric and solar technologies37:11 – National farm entrepreneurship leadership program41:50 – Collaborations with Dr. Bruno Basso on carbon modeling44:04 – Jeff Whitlock’s story: From Public Works to Sustainability Leadership46:27 – City of Phoenix Green Organics and Compost Programs48:26 – Landscape certification efforts for cleaner urban compost49:40 – Managing household green bins vs. commercial landscape waste51:22 – Strategies for scaling zero-waste programs responsiblyLinks:Caney Fork Farms- https://www.caneyforkfarms.com/City of Phoenix Public Works Sustainability Division- https://www.phoenix.gov/administration/departments/publicworks/education-programs/zero-waste-team.htmlUrban Farming Education- https://www.weareufe.org/Harvesting Wisdom Podcast- https://www.harvestingwisdompodcast.com/Sustainable Agriculture, Regenerative Farming, Climate-Smart Agriculture, Soil Health, Carbon Sequestration, Diversified Farming, Direct-to-Consumer Farming, Sustainable Land Management, Climate Change, Resilient Farming Systems, Urban Sustainability, Zero Waste, Composting, Green Waste Management, Biochar, Waste Diversion, Urban Farming Education, Asher Wright, Jeff Whitlock, Caney Fork Farms, City of Phoenix, Mike McMahon, Harvesting Wisdom#RegenerativeAgriculture #ClimateSmartFarming #SustainableFarming #SoilHealth #CarbonSequestration #UrbanSustainability #ZeroWaste #Composting #HarvestingWisdom #UrbanFarmingEducation #CityOfPhoenix #AsherWright #JeffWhitlock