Episodes
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Stone Soup Community Garden, growing food to share
Meet Peter Miller, he is the Stone Soup Community Garden Manager. He oversees the most unique community garden in interior Alaska, where the garden is meant for growing food to serve those who are food insecure, he also created an eating garden that is open to anyone who wants to stop by and grab...
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The Folk School, What is that?
When people talk about The Folk School, the typical response is, huh, what is that? or Is this here? What do they do? Is it a charter school ? Well, in reality, It’s a collective that teaches lots of arts, traditional crafts, outdoor skills of all kinds, building and crafting skills such as...
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Geothermal Gold, -35F Tea farm in interior Alaska
Does tea really grow anywhere other than India and China? Well, it can! even when its cold, dark and temeratures are -35 to -50 degrees fahrenheit. It can grow in Faiurbanks Alaska and quite successfully. Meet Jenny Tse, owner of Sipping Streams Tea Company in interior Alaska. Her company is the...
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The student Agrarian
Meet 17 year old Liam Wade. A senior in North Pole High School in Interior Alaska. He is self proclaimed Agriculturist, in fact he believes we are all Agriculturists in one form or another. His passion for Agriculture, Food Security and being a change leader in the agriculture revolution in…
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Chef George Easter, a Culinary magician and a Food Systems leader
Chef George Easter not only creates magical cuisine that generates comments like, "he's a culinary genius", "his menus emulate the arctic skies", he is a strong food system leader. His focus is on being all that and also in creating upscale elegance in his restaurant where every plate tells a...
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Southside Community Farmer's Market, making a difference.
It's a success story of creating a food and community focused market where community and vendors come together to provide locally produced and crafted food to the most insecure area in our city. Vendors line up every Tuesday to offer abundance of produce, eggs, baked goods, preserves, flowers,...
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Risse Greenhouse, a family legacy rooted in tradition
A greenhouse rooted in tradition, Risse shows pride in what they sell. Their ongoing commitment and focus on building relationships and education is exemplary. Come meet this amazing family, listen to their story and aspirations. Risse Greenhouse was started 65 years ago in Fairbanks, AK by Lee…
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Jodie Anderson, the force behind the Institute of Agriculture at UAF
Meet Jodie Anderson, Director of Institute of Agriculture at UAF. Don't let her laughing, bubbly and fun personality fool you, She is the force behind all good things that are happening at the IANRE. She oversees the statewide complex IANRE, which is Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources…
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Georgeson Botanical Garden, the farthest north botanical garden
Georgeson Botanical Garden is the the farthest north accredited Botanical garden in the United States. Thousands of people from around the world have visited Georgeson Botanical Garden to look at the beautiful peonies that bloom 120 miles south of the Arctic Circle. Display Gardens include…
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AFFECT: Training new farmers and growing more food.
On this episode I speak with Callen Christensen about his work with the AFFECT program. What started as a grant to teach hydroponics, evolved into a three year curriculum to teach farming to interested and upcoming farmers who want to start their own farm, or work on a farm. Tuition free, this...
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Frontieress Farm, a small and diversified farm in interior Alaska
On this episode I sit down with Megan Schulze to learn about her small but diversified farm in Interior Alaska, called Frontieress Farm She farms only one and a half acre of land and grows the full gamut of vegetables and over 30 varieties of flowers including tulips. TULIPS! Yes, and they are...
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North Pole Peonies: Exporting peonies from Interior Alaska.
On this episode, I sit down with Ron and Margi Illingworth of North Pole Peonies, a commercial peony farm that has been successfully growing and exporting peonies for twenty years. They started this venture after retirement. They are in their 80's now. Impressive! Why Peonies? Because it turns…
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Hawks Greenhouse: 65 years of Beauty, Blooms and Community
Hawks Greenhouse is celebrating its 65th year of operation this year, It’s three generations working together to continue the greenhouse that was started by Angie’s in laws, Elaine and Charles Hawks in 1960. This podcast is the third in the Greenhouse series. It's the inspirational story of Chuck...
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Yellow Wood Farms, nurturing and raising farm animals ethically.
Putting Animals first. That's the philosophy embraced by the young and energetic couple who along with their five kids have started a farm in Fairbanks, Alaska. In this episode I sit down with Michael and Jessica Shaffstall, to talk about their journey in starting a farm in this very cold…
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Last Month of the Year. Lessons Learned and Insights Gained"
As the year 2024 ends, I'm reflecting back to when I started this podcast, my reasons, my challenges, my journey. The insights I gained. If not for this podcast, I would not have met the wonderful people who took time to speak with me and share their stories. If not for them, we would not know...
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Calypso Farm, growing food and educating community
On this episode, meet Tom Zimmer. He and his and co-founder Susan, started Calypso Farm twenty five years ago with mission to grow food ecologically, keeping mother nature in front and foremost focus and to educate the community of all ages in growing gardens, homesteading, blacksmithing and…
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Mighty Melissa Sikes, a consummate educator and food security guru
On this episode meet Mel Sikes, the imminent authority on food security, consummate educator and a tireless foot soldier helping farmers, educating students, and community of growing their own fresh food. Her passion is beyond comparison and her energy endless. She travels across the Interior...
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Farm to Fresh, Offbeet Farm and a modern root cellar
Fresh vegetables all year long? In Alaska? Yes! Meet Sam Knapp. He is the only farmer in Interior Alaska that has a cold storage farm and produces winter storage vegetables, a niche that he has cultivated for himself and his farm that serves his passion for winter storage farming. Everything he...
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Birth to Bacon Farm, is it just about the pigs?
Pig Farming! Its really more complex than that. More diversified, and more challenging in Alaska. In this Episode I have a wonderful conversation with Mitch and Melissa Berggren, local farmers who always had raised pigs, not just for their own use but for others who wanted to buy pigs from them…
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Hannah Hill, Feeding People and affirming lives in Fairbanks, Alaska
In this episode Hannah Hill, Executive Director of Breadline, Inc speaks about food security and the need to address and reduce hunger in our community. Bread Line is an anti-hunger organization that has been serving the Fairbanks community since 1984 For almost 40 years, the Bread Line has…
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Mushroom Farming in Ester, Alaska
Lions Mane, Oyster, Black Pearl, Chestnut, King Oyster, And Pioppino? What these are mushrooms? Yes! And all grown in a small Interior Alaska community of Ester. Boreal Woods is Interior Alaska's only year-round mushroom farm, growing a wide variety of gourmet and medicinal mushrooms for the...
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Plant Kingdom, a new focus.
The ever evolving Plant Kingdom. An established greenhouse under new hands, venturing in expansion and new directions but keeping the essence of the much loved greenhouse intact. Its a place to find flowers, vegetables, perennials, shrubs along with joy, peace and tranquility, and soon coffee!...
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Hay Farming and Food Security in Interior Alaska
On this episode I speak with Mike Priebe, who started hay farming a few years ago and is passionate about addressing the food security issue in Alaska. He is part of the conversation that will help other farmers, and supporting entities to share ideas, resources, knowledge so together everyone…
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Community Gardens helping community thrive
Community Gardens are a place to garden, grow food, flowers and engage with other fellow gardeners. Community Gardeners grow food for their own needs, or to distribute to food banks, neighbors, families and to friends. Its a place where gardeners come together to connect with the soil, people…
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Oldest Farmers Market in Alaska and Goosefoot Farms
Managing, the oldest established Tanana Valley Farmers market in Alaska that showcases Alaska Grown produce and running his own farm, Goosefoot Farm, that focuses on diversified produce. Brad St. Pierre certainly has his hands full. Can one person do it all? Brad St. Pierre can and does so with...
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Two Successful Greenhouses and a woman behind it. Cyndie Warbelow
Running and successfully managing not one but two enormous interior Alaska Greenhouses and Nursery, Tacks Greenhouse and Plant Kingdom, Cyndie Warbelow is a horticulturist, a phenomenal gardener, a legend, a shrewd businesswoman and an author of a best selling book on Alaskan Perennials. Her...
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Land Clearing to Meat Cutting, The man with Midas touch
On this episode I'm speaking with Tom Gross, who takes us through the journey of his life and brings us finally to where he always needed to be. We walk with him through growing up in a large family, college, military, tree cutting and land clearing business, opera, and now running a meat retail...
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Chaga and its emerging popularity
On this episode we talk with Callen Christensen who runs Alaska's only Chaga Cooperative. Chaga is becoming more mainstream. There is awareness and use of it that is increasing. However, this poses challenges as accurate information, benefits, problems and sustainability need to be upfront as…
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Food Surplus and Sharing with Community in Interior Alaska, a model Food Bank
Food Security and Hunger. Join me as we learn how a local Community Food Bank collects and distributes millions of pounds of food, annually, to individuals and to the community. Food security is a big concern in Fairbanks, Alaska where growing season is short and 90-95% of the food is shipped or...
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Roaming Root: Connect with Local Goodness
Local farmers, crafters and the shoppers under one roof. All year around in Alaska How is this one person bringing a diverse and large community of makers, creators, producers and growers and shoppers together under one roof. We are talking with a visionary who has created a hub for all local...
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Beekeeping in Alaska
On this episode we are talking about beekeeping! Yes, beekeeping! There is a growing interest and engagement in beekeeping, not only in Interior Alaska but in the entire state. So why do so many people engage in beekeeping? Let's find out. Join me as I speak with Tammy Randolph, who is now in her...