PODCAST · education
The Cutting Edge Podcast
by UW-Madison Extension
The Cutting Edge: A Podcast in Search of New Crops For Wisconsin
Episodes
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Field Notes, Reflections on the Honeyberry Season with Phil Stowe of Walking Plants Orchard
Phil Stowe of Walking Plants Orchard in Lake Osakis, MN, reflects on the 2026 honeyberry season.
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Episode #57: Winter Camelina Market and Research Updates
An interview with Anna Teeter, Novel Oilseed Program Manager at Cargill, and Sam Bibby, Will Fulwider, and Anastasia Kurth from UW-Madison Extension.
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Field Notes: Reflections on the Honeyberry Season with Brett Amundson of Farm Lola
Reflections on the 2026 honeyberry season with Brett Amundson, Farm Manager of Farm Lola in Wrenshall, Minnesota.
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Field Notes: Honeyberries with Mark Villers of Homestead 36 Farms, June 24
A conversation with Mark Villers of Homestead 36 Farms in Door County, Wisconsin.
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Episode #56: Saffron Production and Marketing
A conversation with Margaret Skinner, Research Professor and Extension Entomologist, and Richard Bamford, Research Scientist, at the University of Vermont about growing and marketing saffron.
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Field Notes: Hops, June 24
An update from Randy Urness of Fine Bine Farms about what he's seeing in his hop yard right now and doing for management.
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Field Notes: Honeyberry Bird Netting, May 29
The first in a series of episodes on honeyberry production. Steffen Mirsky, UW Extension's Emerging Crops Outreach Program Coordinator, talks through the bird netting strategy at the UW cultivar trials. A video showing bird netting installation at the West Madison Ag Research Station:...
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Field Notes: Hops, May 2026
The first in a series of episodes on hops production with Randy Urness of Fine Bine Farms, a 5 acre hop yard near Rosholt, Wisconsin.
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Episode #55 Northern Glo Seedless Table Grapes
A conversation with Dr. Soon Li Teh about the new Northern Glo seedless table grape varieties from the University of Minnesota.
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Episode #54: Fiber Flax - Building the US Linen Industry from the Ground Up
An interview with Leslie Schroeder, founder of Midwest Linen Revival, and Shannon Welsh, Executive Director of the North American Linen Association and Co-founder of Fibrevolution, on the status and future of flax and linen in the United States. North American Linen Association:...
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Episode #53: Hemp Research Priorities at UW-Madison with Dr. Shelby Ellison
Dr. Shelby Ellison, Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences at UW-Madison, provides an update on the research priorities her lab is focused on related to hemp.
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Episode #52: Update on State and Federal Hemp Regulations
An update on state and federal hemp regulations currently being debated and their potential impacts on the cannabis industry in Wisconsin and beyond. Our guests are Dr. Shelby Ellison and Rob Pero. Dr. Shelby Ellison is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences…
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Episode #51: Honeyberry (aka Haskap) Production
A conversation with two experienced honeyberry growers in the Upper Midwest: George Terwey of Haskap Minnesota (Stillwater, MN) and Phil Stowe of Walking Plants Orchard (Lake Osakis, MN). Haskap Minnesota: https://www.facebook.com/people/Haskap-Minnesota/100082913367876/ Walking Plants Orchard:...
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Episode #50: UMHDI Hazelnut Breeding Update
An update on hazelnut breeding in the Upper Midwest from breeders Emily Delorean and Scott Brainard
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Episode #49: Hemp Processing And Manufacturing
An interview with three entrepreneurs in the hemp fiber and grain processing industries. Trey Riddle is the Chief Strategy Officer of IND Hemp in Fort Benton, Montana; James Forbes is Co-Founder of Tiger Fiber in St. Louis, Missouri; and Alex Mootz is the President of Complete Agronomy Solutions…
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Episode #48: Field Notes, UW Hemp Research Updates
Recorded at the UW Arlington Agricultural Research Station during the 2023 Hemp Field Day, this episode features Assistant Professor Shelby Ellison and her students/staff as they share preliminary results from SARE and USDA SAC-NIFA grant projects. Each speaker shares their work in about 5…
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Episode #47: Agrivoltaics Part III, Agronomic Research
In this third and final episode on agrivoltaics, we dive into the agronomic research studying different types of cropping and grazing systems that may be compatible with solar arrays. We talk to Sarah Moser of Savion, a solar development company, and Eric Romich of Ohio State University about…
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Episode #46: Agrivoltaics Part II, UW Kegonsa Solar Project
In Part II of our series on agrivoltaics, we discuss the UW-Madison Kegonsa Research Campus solar project. This project is a collaboration between UW-Madison and Alliant Energy to develop a small-scale solar and agrivoltaics project for research and education purposes on the university-owned...
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Episode #45: Agrivoltaics Part I, InSPIRE Project
Kicking off our series on agrivoltaics - the use of land for both agriculture and solar photovoltaic energy generation - is an interview with James McCall, Energy and Environment Analyst at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). James gives an overview of the InSPIRE project, which...
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Episode #44: Mulberries Part II, Very Mulberry and Habitera Farms with Anil and Smita
A conversation with Anil and Smita, co-founders of the Very Mulberry brand and Habitera Farms, an 80-acre commercial mulberry farm in the Bay Area of California. Habitera Farms is the only large-scale commercial mulberry farm in the United States today. It opened for business this spring and...
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Episode #43: Mulberries Part I, Current Research and Historical Context
A conversation with Eliza Greenman, fruit explorer and Germplasm Specialist at the Savanna Institute, and Scott Brainard, Tree Crop Breeder at the Savanna Institute and post-doc at UW-Madison, about the history of mulberries and current research to develop improved varieties for agroforestry...
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Episode #42: Day-Neutral Strawberries and Seedless Table Grapes
Amaya Atucha, Associate Professor and Fruit Crop Specialist at UW-Madison, shares the latest research on day-neutral strawberries and table grapes at UW. This episode is the audio recording of a presentation Amaya gave during a winter webinar series. To watch the video recording, visit...
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Episode #41: Compeer Financial
Co-hosted with Jacob Grace from the Savanna Institute, this episode features Paul Dietmann, Senior Lending Officer in the emerging markets loan program at Compeer Financial, who works with farmers marketing their products directly to consumers or in value-added agriculture. Compeer Financial:...
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Episode #40: Silver Springs Foods
An interview with Eric Rygg, President of Silver Springs Foods and Huntsinger Farms, the largest grower and processor of horseradish in the world, based in Eau Claire, WI.
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Episode #39: Winter Camelina as a Cover Crop
An interview with Ruth McCabe and Emery Davis, conservation agronomists at Heartland Co-op, an agricultural co-op based in Des Moines, Iowa with over 70 locations around Iowa. Emery also farms with his family in southeastern Iowa. https://www.heartlandcoop.com/
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Episode #38: Winter Camelina as an Oilseed Crop
An interview with three people in the vanguard of winter camelina commercialization efforts as an oilseed cash crop in the Upper Midwest. Colin Cureton is Director of Adoption and Scaling at the University of Minnesota's Forever Green Initiative. Matthew Tentis is a 3rd generation farmer on White...
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Episode #37: Chippewa Valley Bean
Chippewa Valley Bean Vice President Charles Wachsmuth talks about the history of the family business, current markets, and what makes them unique in the world of kidney beans. Located in Menomonie, WI, Chippewa Valley Bean is the world's largest processor of kidney beans, exports to 35 countries...
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Episode #36: Aronia Berry Markets
An interview with Dale Hilgenkamp and Dean Duval about current and future markets for aronia berries. Dale Hilgenkamp is an aronia farmer near Omaha, Nebraska and president of the American Aronia Berry Association. Dean Duval is an aronia farmer in Castana, Iowa as well as a board member of the...
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Episode #35: A Ho-Chunk Perspective on Hemp
Forrest Funmaker of the Ho-Chunk Nation talks about the significant of their partnership with UW-Madison to conduct hemp variety trials at Whirling Thunder Farm near Tomah, Wisconsin. The partnership is made possible by a Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education (SARE) grant. Ho-Chunk…
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Episode #34: Hemp Research Updates
An interview with Dr. Heather Darby and Phillip Alberti on the latest in hemp research. Dr. Heather Darby is an Agronomy Specialist for University of Vermont Extension. Phillip Alberti is a Research Program Manager in the Department of Horticulture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.…
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Episode #33: Bambara Groundnut
An interview with Dr. Jed Colquhoun about his research on the Bambara groundnut. The Bambara groundnut is a new crop to the United States but commonly grown in its native Africa as a subsistence crop. Jed shares his successes and challenges during his early work breeding this legume for…
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Episode #32: Mint Production(For Oil)
Four experts from Indiana join us for a conversation on growing peppermint and spearmint for oil. Doug Matthys is a mint farmer in South Bend, Indiana at Shady Lane Farms, a fourth-generation family farm growing mint on about 1000 acres. Dr. Elizabeth Long, Assistant Professor in the Department…
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Episode #31: Haskaps (aka Honeyberries)
A conversation with two experts on haskaps (aka honeyberries). First up is Bernis Ingvaldson, who owns and operates The Honeyberry Farm with her husband Jim in Bagley, MN, about two hours south of the Canadian border. They grow about two acres of honeyberries along with many other alternative…
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Episode #30: Cider Apples
An interview with Dan Bussey and Deirdre Birmingham about cider apples and hard cidermaking. Dan Bussey is an apple historian, orchardist, cider maker, and author of the seven volume series "The Illustrated History of Apples in the United States and Canada." He has a special interest in heirloom...
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Episode #29: Hazelnut Insect Pests
An interview with Hailey Shanovich about her work understanding insect pests of hazelnuts in the Upper Midwest. Hailey is a Natural Resource Science PhD Student and Research Assistant in the Department of Entomology at the University of Minnesota. Link to Hailey's presentation at the 2022 Upper...
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Episode #28 - Hazelnut Breeding Part 2
In this episode we get updates from hazelnut researchers Mark Hamann and Dr. Lois Braun at the University of Minnesota and Jason Fischbach at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Mark Hamann is a Research Technician at the University of Minnesota and works as an assistant to Dr. Lois Braun.…
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Episode #27 - Hazelnut Breeding Part 1
An interview with Dr. Julie Dawson, Associate Professor in the Department of Horticulture at UW-Madison, and Dr. Scott Brainard, Research Associate at UW-Madison and Tree Crop Breeder at Savanna Institute, about recent progress in breeding American and hybrid hazelnuts.
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Episode #25: Day In The Life Hazelnuts
Join hazelnut researcher Jason Fischbach as he traverses the state of Wisconsin to visit hazelnut research trials, farms, and processing facilities. Heading south from Ashland, his first stop is the Kickapoo Culinary Center in Gays Mills where Pete Lammers describes hazelnut feeding trials in...
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Episode #26: UW Hemp Trials
A conversation with Jerry Clark about the University of Wisconsin industrial hemp trials being conducted in Chippewa County, WI.
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Episode #24: Elderberry
A conversation about elderberry production.
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Episode #23: Wildlife Plots
A conversation about establishing wildlife food plots on your property using both conventional crops and native plants.
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Episode #22: Saffron Part 3
The Vermont saffron researchers are back for episode three, this time with a focus on saffron production in the field or high tunnel.
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Episode #21: Currants
A conversation with Eric Wolske with the University of Illinois about black, red, and white currant production.
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Episode #20: Carbon Farming
A conversation with UW-Madison Energy Specialist Tim Baye about ways farms can participate in the carbon economy.
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Episode #19: Natural Wild Rice
A discussion about harvesting and care for natural wild rice with guests from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
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Episode #18: Grimo Hazelnuts
A conversation with Linda Grimo from Grimo Nut Nursery in Niagra-on-the-Lake, Ontario about hazelnut germplasm they sell.
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Episode #17: Saffron Part 2
Part 2 of the Saffron series, this time focusing on marketing.
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Episode 16: Cut Flowers
A conversation about production and sale of cut flowers for CSA, farmstands, and weddings.
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Episode #15: Lavender
Growing lavender in Wisconsin
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Episode #14: Saffron
An interview with University of Vermont researchers about growing saffron in the northern United States
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Cutting Edge: A Podcast in Search of New Crops For Wisconsin
HOSTED BY
UW-Madison Extension
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Cutting Edge Podcast have?
The Cutting Edge Podcast currently has 65 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Cutting Edge Podcast about?
The Cutting Edge: A Podcast in Search of New Crops For Wisconsin
How often does The Cutting Edge Podcast release new episodes?
The Cutting Edge Podcast has 65 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Cutting Edge Podcast?
You can listen to The Cutting Edge Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Cutting Edge Podcast?
The Cutting Edge Podcast is created and hosted by UW-Madison Extension.
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