Deep Roots Radio

When March hits, Wisconsin can be a roller-coaster of temperature and snow - nasty. Yet this is the time of year when new lambs decide to baaa their way into the world. At Curlee Acres, a small sheep farm near Centuria (north central Wisconsin), sheep herder/yarn producer Andrea Seifert is hoping for black lambs this year. It's a matter of minding the genetics of her Shetland flock, and some luck, said Andrea.In this Deep Roots Radio interview, Andrea describes what it takes to get from fleece to naturally colored skeins of yarn.Check out her website for her yarn, fleeces, and knitting patterns. I hope you enjoy this interview.Sylvia

When you think "maple syrup" what comes to mind? Vermont? Canada? Nah, think Wisconsin. Z-Orchard in Amery, WI was recently featured in a syrupy article in the New York Times, and the recognition is well deserved. Z-Orchard's syrup is pure and delicious.In this Deep Roots Radio chat, Z-Orchard owner and beekeeper Bill Zager describes the steps involved in going from tree sap to maple syrup. Enjoy.Sylvia

Many travel to France for the annual display of lavender: fields of purples ranging from dusky to intense. Luckily for us in the Upper Midwest, we need go no further than Kiel, Wisconsin to drink in the site and fragrance of acres of lavender at Country Lavender & Orchard.In this Deep Roots Radio chat, Sandy Buchholz describes how she and husband John tripped from farming into the cultivation of this amazing flower and herb. Enjoy the interview, and make plans to visit this lavender farm!Sylvia

Wisconsin loses more than a farm a day because of the high costs and low incomes to farmers. Not a new story: WI lost 10% of its farms between 2017 and 2022. Yet, there is a clear way for farmers to increase their income: agricultural tourism. And it will not cost the taxpayer a dime.Despite this great way for farmers and rural businesses to boost income, Wisconsin legislators are sitting on bill that could help. Why? Call your Wisconsin Senator and Representative to urge them to pass two bills: One that will again enable event barns, on working farms, to rent their barns more than six (6) times a year, andAnother that allows Wisconsin farmers to welcome overnight visitors for Education Farm Stays.Enjoy this Deep Roots Radio interview with more of the reasons why this works for farmers, visitors and the State of Wisconsin.Sylvia

Sheila Everhart, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association points visitors to on-farm fun all across Wisconsin. She also asks the public to help remove barriers to agricultural tourism opportunities. Hundreds of Wisconsin farmers are eager for you to visit their farms for adventures in eating, meeting animal farm babies, hiking/biking, taking classes, picking fruits and berries, and so much more. Public demand for on-farm experiences continues to grow. This includes holding private events in on-farm barns, and enjoying Educational Farm Stays. Unfortunately, there are obstacles. And you can help remove these blockages by contacting your Wisconsin State Senator and Representative before this Legislative session ends in a few weeks. (Find your legislators here.)Pls urge your Senator and Representative to support Senate Bill 415 and Assembly Bill 413 so that Wisconsin farmers can offer Educational Farm Stays on their property.Pls go to Change.org and sign the petition to this effect. You can make a big difference.Also contact your Senator and Representative to move Senate Bill 850 and Assembly Bill 863 through committee and to a vote. These bills would again allow Wisconsin farmers to offer the public the opportunity to rent the space of an event venue (barn) for private, invitation-only celebration. As of January 2026, new legislation demands that a working farm must purchase a $10,000 liquor license, install expensive equipment, and operate as a bar if it wants to open its barn to more than six events a year. To be clear, for decades before this January, on-farm event venues operated legally and in compliance with all state and local regulations: These farm venues did not sell liquor in any form; the farms rented the barn space; the renter provided the alcohol (if any) to its invitation-only guests; the renter provided the required, licenses bartender. Register your support at https://instituteforjustice.quorum/campaign/128722/

In this first of two Deep Roots Radio interviews, journalist Elspeth Hay introduces us to her fresh off the presses book, Feed Us With Trees: Nuts and the Future of Food. She describes what describes what agriculture looked like before Columbus, how European settlers forced change, and what we’ve lost in a cloud of myth and misinformation. Ms. Hay moves us through a re-examination of permaculture, as well as economic and social opportunities possible in the future.Elspeth Hay is a writer in print, radio and online, focused on food, the environment, and the people, places and ideas that feed us. She is the creator and host of The Local Food Report, a weekly feature that has aired on Cape Cod’s NPR station since 2008.

Land Stewardship Project has been working for the health and growth of small family farms and practices that restore soil health, and extend the affordable access to land. In this Deep Roots Radio interview Laura Scheiber, LSP's Government Relations Director, describes the links between public policies and how food is grown and processed. She also argues that policy makers - our elected officials - pay attention to calls, letter and visits from the people who live and work in their districts. Laura joined LSP in 2018 and helped launch their Local Foods Campaign. Driven by how the farm and food system can be a vehicle for climate action and positive change in people's day to day lives, she was a policy organizer in 2020 leading campaigns on soil health and climate, land access, and regional food systems at the state legislature. In January 2025, Schreiber began to lead LSP's Government Relations work, driving forward LSP's legislative agenda and the state and federal level working with farmers, rural residents and supporters to bring their voices to the Capitol and pass legislation that invests in a more sustainable farm and food system. Laura is a graduate of University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with degrees in Urban Studies and Public Relations and lives in Northeast Minneapolis with her Springer Spaniel, Sesame.

When we think of gauging the health of our soils and water, we usually imagine lab tests. When we say the word "farm," it's common for images of livestock and row crops to come to mind. However, just as the "canary" came to signal toxic air conditions in a coal mine, there are animals that can flag dramatic shifts on farm land and ground water.In this Deep Roots Radio interview, herpetologist Christopher Smith describes how reptiles, turtles and salamanders are indicators of shifts in how we're using land and water. The impacts can be surprising at times.Chris is a Minnesota-based Certified Wildlife Biologist, specializing in endangered species conservation and ecology, and with an emphasis is on amphibians and reptiles (herpetolgy).He administers the Amphibian and Reptile Survey of Minnesota, and is Director of Public Affairs for the global HerpMapper project (HerpMapper.org)Co-host Dave Corbett and I hope you enjoy this interview.#farming, #regenerativeagriculture, # herpetology

It's spring: time to find and schedule on-farm adventures all across Wisconsin. One you don't want to miss is The Classic Green Reunion, June 12-14, 2025, West Bend, WI. In this Deep Roots Radio interview, Sheila Everhart, Exec Dir of the Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association (WATA), describes how the Classic Green Reunion combines the best of farm food, family-friendly activities, loads of John Deere memorabilia.There are also opportunities for real on-farm experiences thanks to two bus tours to nearby farms offering great food, and hands-on fun. Each bus tour will visit five separate farms, each offering unique tastes, field walks, and more. To reserve your ticket for the bus tours, visit ClassicGreen.org. To learn more about agricultural tourism visit wiagtourism.com.#agtourism. #agritourism. #wiagtourism. #classicgreenreunion

Who can resist a cuddly lamb or bouncing baby kid? It seems thousands of us love watching videos about them. Well we don't have to settle for virtual clips. Every Spring, Govin's Farm, in Menomonie, Wisconsin opens its barn to visitors so that they can experience the joy of farming as new life comes to the farm. Their Farm Babies event runs for five weeks in March and April. Visitors, young and not-so-young, are provided real farm babies to hold and enjoy. If you've got a lap, the farm staff will help you cuddle the brand new lambs and kids, wriggly piglets and fluffy chicks.Parking is free and plentiful. Snacks, lunch and beverages are available for sale. Govin's Farm is a real, working farm where John and family raise sheep and lamb, and crops. They welcome you to this spring time event, as well as berry picking in the summer, and a corn maze and pumpkin patch in the fall.I hope you enjoy this interview.

This episode originally aired in 2023.

We think we know honey. As kids, we drizzled it on toast, dolloped in into tea, and swirled it onto cereals. But now we can tap into its real power: as medicine, and especially wen combined with other helpful herbs and spices. This is nothing new, says Dawn Combs in this Deep Roots Radio interview. A sustainable beekeeper, ethnobotanist, herbalist and farmer, Dawn is author of Sweet Remedies: Healing Herbal Honeys. She has contributed to numbers of publications, and has been featured on Martha Stewart, NPR, the New York Times, at Slow Food Nation, the Washington Post and Mother Earth News. She is also the author of Healing Local, and Conceiving Healthy Babies. She can be reached on social media and https://dawncombs.com

Deep Roots Radio in-studio chat with Alondra Cano, the energy and collaborator behind the Engine Room, in downtown Amery, WI. The new cocktail bar is just off the blocks and gaining speed with expertly crafted cocktails and artisenal foods featuring the ingredients and flavors of the Upper St. Croix watershed. Cano describes the menu, as well as efforts to attract area chefs and creative businesses to the recently renovated space on Amery's main street.

In this 5th Deep Roots Radio conversation, Anne Stobart describes major considerations when designing a medicinal forest garden of any size. In our chat, she talks about the steps she took - over several years - to establish and grow Holt Wood in Devon, England. Anne is an experienced and formally-trained clinical herbalist, permaculture practitioner and teacher, lecturer, and earned her Ph.D. through research in medicinal history. She is the author of Household Medicine in 17th Century England (2016), The Medicinal Forest Garden Handbook (2020), and Trees and Shrubs that Heal (2024). Her website, The Medicinal Forest Garden Trust, https://medicinalforestgardentrust.org,provides free downloads about trees and shrubs featured in her books, as well as links to her online courses. Anne publishes a biweekly newsletter, The Medicinal Tree Woman, https://annestobart.substack.com. For additional audio podcasts, please search for Deep Roots Radio. Thanks.

In this 5th Deep Roots Radio conversation, Anne Stobart describes key considerations when designing a medicinal forest garden of any size. In our chat, she talks about the steps she took - over several years - to establish and grow Holt Wood in Devon, England. Anne is an experienced and formally-trained clinical herbalist, permaculture practitioner and teacher, lecturer, and earned her PhD through research in medicinal history. She is the author of Household Medicine in 17th Century England (2016), The Medicinal Forest Garden Handbook (2020), and Trees and Shrubs that Heal (2024). Her website, The Medicinal Forest Garden Trust, https://medicinalforestgardentrust.org,provides free downloads about trees and shrubs featured in her books, as well as links to her online courses. Anne publishes a biweekly newsletter, The Medicinal Tree Woman, https://annestobart.substack.com.

Anne Stobart joined me for the third in a five-part series of Deep Roots Radio interviews about medicinal shrubs and trees that heal. A clinical herbalist, permaculture designer, and author, Anne holds a PhD from her extensive research into the history of medicine. This Deep Roots Radio conversation focused on how herbal medicines were used in 17th century England. Anne described the challenges of researching the herbal practices, investigation that had her searching through personal diaries, letters and account books to find evidence of herbal remedies in the homes of the middle and upper classes. In addition to the three books Anne's written -- Household Medicine in Seventeen-Century England (2016); The Medicinal Forest Garden Handbook (2020); and her latest; Trees and Shrubs That Heal (2024) -- she provided links to free resources: -- Critical Approaches to the History of Western Herbal Medicine, edited by Susan Francia and Anne Stobart, https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.5... and -- Herbal History Research Network, https://www.herbalhistory.org/home/

This is the second of five interviews with Anne Stobart: clinical herbalist, permaculture educator, author, and presenter. Chatting from Devon, England, in this episode, Anne reviewed some of the medicinal shrubs and trees of North America. This series was prompted by the publication of her latest book, Trees and Shrubs That Heal (January 2024). Her earlier books include: The Medicinal Forest Garden Handbook (2020), and Household Medicine in 17th Century England (2016). In this first episode, Anne described her urban background, and her formal and informal studies in the UK and in the USA. Anne holds a PhD from her extensive studies in this history of medicine. Future episodes will take a look at the history of Western Herbalism, and particularly in 17th Century England; herbalism safety; "at risk" medicinal plants and conservation measures; and how to use medicinal herbs. You can go to her website, The Medicinal Forest Garden, to download free materials and learn about her online courses. You can also subscribe to her bi-weekly newsletter, The Medicinal Tree Woman, on substack.

This is the first in a five-part series with Anne Stobart, educator, author, clinical herbalist, and developer of medicinal permaculture forests. In this episode, Anne looks back and describes how she became interested in and focused on medicinal herbalism. She also explains her commitment to regenerative agriculture and to helping students see the wealth of plant-based remedies all around us. Anne has written three, deeply researched books that are approachable, understandable, and credible: Household Medicine in 17th Century England (2016), The Medicinal Forest Garden Handbook (2020), and Trees and Shrubs that Heal (January 2024). Future conversations will cover a range of topics, including: the trees and shrubs of North America; the woody plants of England; the need to protect "at risk" medicinal plants; the history of using herbal remedies; and how to use herbs safely. You can find free downloads on her website, The Medicinal Forest Garden Trust, and subscribe to her bi-weekly newsletter, The Medicinal Tree Woman.

This Deep Roots Radio Face-to-Face interview with Anne Stobart. It's the 4th of a 5-part series based on her latest book, Trees and Shrubs That Heal (2024). Stobart is a clinical herbalist, scientist, historian and author. Her other books on medicinal herbs are Household Medicine in 17th Century England (2016), and the Medicinal Forest Garden Handbook (2020). She joined me from her home in Devon, England. Anne refers to the list of 500 research study references supporting her book of 80 monographs, which is available for free on her website: https://medicinalforestgardentrust.org . You can sign up for her bi-weekly newsletter, https://annestobart.substack.com

In this Deep Roots Radio audio podcast, Anne Stobart tells of her experience with the many English trees and shrubs with medicinal value. This is the fourth conversation in a series of five about medicinal shrubs and trees. Anne is an experienced and formally educated clinical herbalists, permaculture expert and teacher, lecturer and author. Her latest book, Trees and Shrubs that Heal, was released in the USA in January 2024. You can find out more about Anne's online courses, and additional published materials (many available for free), on her website, Medicinal Forest Garden Trust; and in her bi-weekly newsletter, The Medicinal Tree Woman. Visit my Deep Roots Radio YouTube channel to view her five interviews.

Did English peasants comb the woods for herbal remedies? Were physicians in the 1600s aware of the deadly impact of mercury and blood-letting? Anne Stobart gives us a glimpse into the use of herbal remedies as used in households and by apothecaries, physicians and surgeons. With a PhD from her extensive research into the history of medicine, Anne is the author of Household Medicine in 17th Century England. A teacher of permaculture, she is also the author of The Medicinal Forest Garden Handbook. And as an experienced clinical herbalist, she recently published her newest book, Trees and Shrubs That Heal. Anne's newsletter - Medicinal Tree Woman - is on substack.

This second conversation with master herbalist and author Anne Stobart focuses on several of the many helpful trees and shrubs she's encountered in her practice and in visits to the United States. These are plants you may have in your own backyard! Anne is an expert in permaculture, clinical herbalism, a history and scientist. Her books include the recently published Trees and Shrubs That Heal, Household Medicine in 17th Century England, and The Medicinal Forest Garden Handbook. She offers online courses, and her newsletter is available on substack.

What if you could get weather information - the details - updated every five minutes? Well, you can thanks to this widening network of weather monitors.

John Jeavons has proved his small-scale agricultural approach in communities all around the world. In this interview he describes how a living wage, environmental stewardship and food production can be achieved. The director of Ecology Action, Jeavons is the author of the best-selling How To Grow More Vegetables (and fruits, nuts, berries, grains, and other crops).

With over 50 years of practical experience, Gerald Fry knows the powerful influence of genetics in building a healthy grass-fed beef herd.

In this 2016 #DeepRootsRadio chat, author Ben Hewitt describes the New England culture behind his book, The Town That Food Saved. This is a story about economic potential and impact when a town deliberately anchors its future on a web of food-based businesses.

In this interview, we learn about how farmers markets are growing in China.

In this interview we learn how the demand for healthier foods helped grow Angelica's Garden, a producer of small-batch fermented foods.

Economist John Ikerd describes the economic and health issues farmers and consumers will face in the near future.

Hundreds of farmers welcome tourists to their properties every year for fun, relaxation, education, food and lots of activities. This interview examines how farmers can prepare for safe and enjoyable on-farm adventures.

Investigative reporter, Jo Robinson describes real foods from canned and frozen foods. In this #DeepRootsRadio interview, she summarizes key points of her high researched book, Eating on the Wild Side.

In this third #DeepRootsRadio conversation with EagleSong Gardener, she describes her encounters with the many species of Hawthorn around the world.

In this second #DeepRootsRadio chat with EagleSong Gardener, she describes how this very thorny tree is used as remedy and food.

How do you keep bees alive when Wisconsin winter temps commonly dip to 10 below? In this @DeepRootsRadio chat, the Zieglers describe the challenges and rewards of keeping bees.

We're all tempted, but do we dare pick and eat that mushroom? This interview with a very experienced mushroom hunter provides the skinny. Enjoy.

Anne Stobart is a clinical herbalist, permaculture designer, educator/lecturer, blogger and author. This five-part series was prompted by the January 2024 release of her latest book, Trees and Shrubs That Heal. In this first conversation, Anne describes her early years in herbal studies, which began in London. Future episodes will cover medicinal shrubs and trees of North America; the history of herbal medicine in the UK; the woody plants of the UK; herb conservation and safety, and more. She joined me - via Zoom - from Devon, England. Her website, Medicinal Forest Garden Trust, has free downloads as well as links to her online courses. You can also subscribe to her bi-weekly newsletter, annestobart.substack.com

In this Deep Roots Radio interview Marcus Carpenter, founder of Route 1, describes what his nonprofit is doing to encourage and support emerging BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) farmers in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest.

In this Deep Roots Radio interview, author, researcher, historian and teacher Julia Skinner talks about "Our Fermented Lives." In this lively half-hour chat, she describes how the activities around fermented foods have shaped cultures and communities around the world over hundreds of years.

Deep Roots Radio chats with Kriss Marion, communications lead for the Wisconsin Women in Conservation about their work with women and men across the state.

Deep Roots Radio chat with Sheila Everhart, Exec Dir of Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association about three decades working to help farmers welcome visitors and the public find ag-based adventures across the state.

Deep Roots Radio chat with best-selling author, teacher and herbalist Rosalee de la Foret about what holistic herbalism is and how it works.

Deep Roots Radio interview focuses on legislative moves with high probability of constraining farm-based event venues ability to do business and meet public demands