The Appropriate Omnivore with Aaron Zober

For the latest episode of The Appropriate Omnivore podcast, host Aaron interviews Michele Thorne of Good Meat Project. Michele describes her journey into food systems transformation, beginning with concerns about food company transparency, ingredient adulteration, and corporate control, and shares her wide-ranging background from nonprofit management to raising animals herself. She explains Good Meat’s mission to advance an ethical meat system and details their programs, including FARMIN (farmer marketing support), BACON (butcher-chef partnerships), Good Meat Breakdown (consumer education), and various annual promotions. Michele emphasizes the organization’s focus on small and mid-sized local producers nationwide, busting myths about affordability and highlighting the benefits of direct-to-consumer bulk buying. She also discusses efforts to connect stakeholders and build community through initiatives like the Good Meat Switchboard and quarterly journals, while outlining challenges faced by the movement. Finally, Michele shares her vision for future resources and collaborations from Good Meat and invites listeners to join the community and explore their free educational offerings.

The 2025 Wise Traditions Conference in Salt Lake City is just one week away. For his final guest in the conference speaker series, Aaron welcomes Bob Quinn, founder of the newly established Quinn Institute. Quinn’s presentation, “Healing the Earth as Medicine – A New Profit Center for Farmers and Ranchers,” delves into the Institute’s core mission to advance regenerative organic research, education, and health-oriented agriculture, with the goal of healing both people and the planet through improved farming and food systems. The conversation clearly distinguishes between organic and regenerative agriculture, as Quinn reflects on his transition away from chemicals on the farm and shares research about ancient grains, such as the wheat grown by Kamut International, which Bob also founded. He discusses the nutritional shortcomings of refined foods—especially wheat flour—and advocates for whole grain and traditional sourdough preparation for better health and nutrition.

As host Aaron Zober continues to count down to the Wise Traditions Conference on The Appropriate Omnivore podcast, his speaker for this week is microbiome coach Vanessa Hargrove. Vanessa is author of the book Homestead to Homestead and teaches a course called Targeted Microbial Therapy. Vanessa will be speaking at the Wise Traditions Conference in Salt Lake City, giving two talks: one on targeted microbial therapy and the other on sourdough's health benefits. Vanessa shares her personal health journey, including overcoming fertility challenges by adopting nutrient-dense eating patterns inspired by the Weston A. Price Foundation. She explains her coaching program, which helps clients rebuild gut health through a 12-week fermented food course, lifestyle changes, and nutrition. The conversation covers the importance of fermented foods, particularly homemade milk kefir, and how microbes boost nutrient bioavailability. Vanessa also tells Aaron about some of her favorite recipes in her book, including sourdough, fermented condiments (mustard, ketchup, sauerkraut, etc.), as well as natural skincare and cleaning products she makes and teaches others to craft.

It's the next installment of the Wise Traditions Conference speaker series, with host Aaron Zober interviewing Judith McGeary, founder of the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance (FARFA). Her presentation, "Changing Laws that Govern Our Food," focuses on promoting common-sense agricultural policies and reforming food system laws. Judith, an attorney, activist, and regenerative farmer, discusses key topics including Texas cottage food laws, efforts to simplify regulations, egg sales and grading laws, meat processing reforms, regenerative agriculture and certification, and national legislative issues. She emphasizes bipartisan cooperation and the importance of challenging corporate control over food systems to benefit farmers and consumers alike. This episode serves as both a legislative update and a call to action for building a diverse, locally based, regenerative food system through pragmatic policy and grassroots activism.

The Appropriate Omnivore host Aaron Zober continues with his Wise Traditions Conference speaker series, interviewing Mike Keen of Eat Your Environment in this episode. Mike’s presentation, “Eating Greenland - An Evolutionary Diet Revelation,” shares his background as a chef with global experience that led him to a transformative journey focused on ancestral and evolutionary diets. Mike emphasizes the importance of eating seasonally and locally based on evolutionary principles. He strongly critiques the modern industrial food system's detrimental impact on health and the environment. Looking ahead, he plans a significant project in 2026 to live one year eating three distinct diets—hunter-gatherer, agricultural, and industrial—while undergoing scientific health monitoring to analyze the effects. Throughout the conversation, Mike discusses traditional food preservation methods, the role of fermented foods in evolutionary diets, and the loss of culinary and survival skills in contemporary culture as key issues to address.

In just over a month, the Weston A. Price Foundation will host its annual Wise Traditions Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. Continuing his tradition on The Appropriate Omnivore podcast, Aaron Zober begins his series of interviews with featured speakers by welcoming back James Barry, founder of Pluck. James's presentation, "The Original Superfood: Why Organ Meats Belong Back on the Plate," delves into the definition of organ meats and the long history of humans consuming the whole animal. He explains that organ meats are "nature’s multivitamin," rich in nutrients essential for health and detoxification. Aaron and James explore the global culinary traditions that feature organ meats and discuss the cultural hesitance many Americans feel toward eating them. James offers practical strategies for introducing organ meats, including using his Pluck organ meat seasoning line. He also previews new Pluck flavors and upcoming product collaborations listeners can anticipate.

In this episode of The Appropriate Omnivore, Aaron Zober welcomes back registered dietitian Laura Mathes, founder of Rest, Digest, and Heal. Laura shares insights from her new 7‑module, self‑paced program, which blends practical education with weekly group coaching calls. She and Aaron then dive into common misconceptions about gut health, the importance of food quality and preparation, and the powerful connection between stress and digestion. Laura also highlights supportive practices, key supplements, and the value of maintaining lifestyle balance. This conversation encourages a grounded, practical path to lasting digestive wellness.

In this episode of The Appropriate Omnivore, host Aaron Zober welcomes back Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF) founder and president Sally Fallon Morell to discuss recent insights into olive oil quality, focusing particularly on the discovery that some olive oils contain higher levels of omega-6 fatty acids than previously recognized. They explore how this discovery was made and the subsequent actions taken to address it. Sally also highlights key speakers expected at this year·s Wise Traditions conference, encouraging listeners to engage with the foundation·s ongoing educational efforts surrounding real food and traditional nutrition. Finally, Sally discusses additional studies and policy initiatives that WAPF is pursuing alongside their educational work on traditional foodways.

On this episode of The Appropriate Omnivore podcast, host Aaron Zober welcomes back Alexia Kulwiec, executive director of the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund. Alexia discusses issues surrounding access to safe and healthy raw milk, with a particular focus on the role of herdshares —- a system in which a group of consumers collectively own a portion of a dairy herd, granting them legal access to raw milk produced by their animals. The conversation explores why herdshares have become a popular option for raw milk seekers in states with restrictive laws, and how they offer an alternative to conventional distribution. Additionally, Alexia updates listeners on other raw milk legislation the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund is involved with, as well as broader food and farming policy efforts.

For this episode of The Appropriate Omnivore, host Aaron Zober interviews Chantale Houle, founder of Biora and Kefiplant, about utilizing kombucha and other fermented botanicals beyond beverages, with a focus on their application in vinegars and salad dressings. Chantale shares how Biora was created as an offshoot of Kefiplant, her company that produces over 50 different fermented botanicals for the B2B market. She details her motivation for developing kombucha-based vinegars and salad dressings as innovative, health-focused alternatives to conventional products. Chantale explains her fermentation process, emphasizing the use of high-quality, certified organic botanicals and a commitment to clean, functional ingredients. She and Aaron discuss Biora’s range of offerings, including various vinegars and dressings, and explore the health benefits these products provide—particularly their abundance of postbiotics. The conversation also covers sourcing and certification practices, as well as the versatility of these products in different types of foods.

In the latest episode of The Appropriate Omnivore, Aaron Zober welcomes back Tim Richards, founder of Philosopher Foods, to discuss the accidental discovery and development of Gut Nuts — a unique line of fermented nuts. Aaron shares his passion for sour and fermented foods, while Tim explains how a kitchen mishap led to a new product, now made with lactic acid bacteria for enhanced flavor and nutrition. The conversation covers the journey from initial discovery to product launch, changes made after receiving feedback, and the science behind the health benefits of fermentation. Tim also shares plans for future innovations, including new flavors, nut butters, and entirely new fermented products.

As we enter the month of July and celebrate National Hot Dog Month, The Appropriate Omnivore host Aaron Zober interviews Kevin Pallaoro, president of Teton Waters Ranch, to discuss grass-fed beef, regenerative agriculture, and the real food movement. Kevin shares how farming has always been a part of his life. Aaron and Kevin delve into animal welfare and ranching, dispelling misconceptions about the industry and emphasizing the importance of caring for animals and the land. They discuss Teton Waters Ranch’s sourcing and standards, the shift from organic to regenerative agriculture, and why regenerative practices are essential for the future. The episode wraps up with both sharing their favorite toppings for grass-fed hot dogs.

In this episode of The Appropriate Omnivore, host Aaron Zober interviews Emily Moose, Executive Director of A Greener World (AGW), to discuss the importance of food transparency and credible labeling. Emily shares her background in agriculture and explains how AGW was founded to address the need for trustworthy, third-party certifications. Together, Aaron and Emily explore which food labels are meaningful and which are misleading, emphasizing the value of independent verification in a crowded marketplace. Emily then details AGW’s four certification programs and highlights the consumer resources AGW offers, such as their comprehensive food label guide. The conversation underscores the need for reliable information to help consumers make informed, values-based food choices.

Aaron Zober hosts Holly Howe on The Appropriate Omnivore podcast, where they discuss their shared interest in sauerkraut and its health benefits. Holly shares how she first became interested in fermentation and why she focuses specifically on sauerkraut. She then explains how creating her website Make Sauerkraut eventually led to writing her book "Mouthwatering Sauerkraut". Holly highlights the benefits of consuming raw, fermented sauerkraut and why making it at home is best. They also discuss similar ferments from other cultures. Finally, Holly previews her future plans to teach listeners more about the joys and benefits of sauerkraut.

The Appropriate Omnivore host Aaron Zober interviews Maxi Heidenblut, founder of Happy Candy, a company that makes “better-for-you” gummy candies. Maxi, originally from Germany — a country famous for its gummy candy — explains her inspiration for starting Happy Candy after being diagnosed with an autoimmune condition that required her to reduce sugar intake. Disappointed by existing low-sugar candies due to their texture, aftertaste, and digestive side effects, she set out to create her own version. Maxi lets the listeners know all about the ingredients she chose. Happy Candy is focused on sustainability in many ways from its sourcing to the packages it's sold in.

For this episode of The Appropriate Omnivore, Aaron Zober interviews Phoenix Be of Simply Grassfed. Phoenix discusses the prevalence of greenwashing in the natural products industry and explains why labels can often be misleading. He addresses a wide range of related issues, including loopholes in organic certification, challenges in meat and produce processing, and concerns about seafood and wild game sourcing. Despite these obstacles, both Phoenix and Aaron (who describe themselves as apocaloptimists) remain hopeful that these problems can be overcome, even those that many sustainable food advocates may not recognize. Phoenix also shares how he established processing standards for Simply Grassfed and how other farms have joined him in adopting these higher practices.

Aaron Zober welcomes David Dottorini to the Appropriate Omnivore podcast. David is an export manager for Ficacci Olive Co., which is based out of Italy. David and Aaron share a love for olives, especially when unpasteurized. The two cover everything about olives, including some information you may not know. David starts with the different between olives sold in Italy and the U.S. and what the colors of different olives mean. He then explains the benefit of eating fresh olives. Also discussed is the history of where Ficacci has sourced its olive. Plus how olives are becoming more popular with the masses and what the target audience is. And how Ficacci is not only sustainable with its olives but the packaging they come in. The state in the U.S. which introduced sustainable packaging may surprise you.

On the latest episode of The Appropriate Omnivore, host Aaron Zober interviews Nehru Karim, founder of Agi's Caribbean, a family-run startup specializing in Caribbean and Guyanese cuisine. Inspired by the popularity of his mother Nehru’s home-cooked meals, Nehru launched the business at farmers markets, initially offering traditional and vegetarian samosas with homemade tamarind sauce. The menu has since expanded to include entrees like chicken curry and potato curry, served with roti. Nehru discusses the company’s commitment to quality ingredients, balancing health and taste, and making traditional comfort foods accessible without sacrificing flavor. He highlights health-conscious choices such as frying in avocado oil and offering gluten-free options. Aaron and Nehru explores the underrepresentation of ethnic cuisines like Guyanese food in the CPG market and how Agi's plans to introduce more people to these unique flavors.

This week on The Appropriate Omnivore, host Aaron Zober interviews Elizabeth Bruckner of The Create Wellness Project and author of The Homesteader Mindset. Elizabeth explains that in order to homestead, you not only need to learn the necessary skills for practices such as gardening, composting, or fermenting, but you first have work on your mental health. Elizabeth discusses her background with the listeners working as an acupuncturist and first becoming a homesteader while recovering from chronic illness. The pandemic additionally contributed to Elizabeth becoming more aware of the food system and wanting to grow the food herself. Explaining that more than will power is needed to learn traditions skills, she breaks down the myth of what stifles positive change and how you can kick them to the curb. Aaron then asks Elizabeth about the eight tools of mental wellbeing. Plus Elizabeth shares how learning foreign language has helped her as a homesteader.

Last week in Anaheim, New Hope Network held its annual Natural Products Expo West. The Appropriate Omnivore host gives his fourth annual show recapping his discoveries. There's no guest this week as Aaron himself lists the five major takeaways from Expo West as far as trends and new products he found on the exhibit floor. Every year there's a different take, although some similar elements may repeat. And while no main interview for this episode, recordings taken on the Expo West halls with some of Aaron's favorite exhibitors and their thoughts on the convention.

The Appropriate Omnivore host Aaron Zober views the sustainability of packaging for products as important as the sustainability for how the food in the packages are grown and processed. So Aaron proudly welcomes rePurpose Global co-founder & chief impact officer Aditya Siroya to the program. Aditya grew up in Bangalore, India, which went from garden city to garbage city of India in the 2010s. He tells his story of how went from his town and country to a plan which eventually led to rePurpose with the idea of scaling up solutions on the ground. Aditya address that it’s a a myth that plastic can be gotten rid of overnight. rePurpose works with all types of realistic solutions to CPG brands reducing plastic waste, including solutions still using plastic.

This episode of The Appropriate Omnivore is about ghee, one of host Aaron Zober’s favorite fats to cook with. His guest Avi Nalwaya shares this passion. Avi tells his story of originally using ghee to help with his son’s gut issues to eventually founding Nalwaya Foods. Aaron and Avi discuss how saturated fats have demonized and why they're needed in your diet. Avi mentions what he looks for in terms of dairy farms to source from and why raw dairy makes the best ghee. He then explains why ghee is better to cook with than butter. Avi talks about some of his favorite foods to use with ghee. Plus Avi shares future products which Nalwaya Foods is developing and local businesses which are using his ghee in their products.

A major aspect of the nutrition Aaron Zober recommends on The Appropriate Omnivore is related to fermentation. So Aaron is pleased to welcome on Austin Durant. Austin founded Fermenters Club and more recently authored the book Fearless Fermenting. Austin shares his journey with Aaron and what he means by being the Forrest Gump of fermentation. He explains how his organization then led to the book he wrote. Aaron asks Austin about the best ferments for beginners, the intermediate level ferments, and which ferments are the hardest. Aaron also explains how he's partial to Austin's recipe for dill pickles. Austin explains the nuances of a ferment which may not be the easiest, but is a popular ferment nonetheless. Aaron and Austin also delve into some of the overlooked ferments. Austin also lets the listeners know the meaning of his book title. Plus we find out the possibility of the San Diego Fermentation Festival returning.

For the first podcast of The Appropriate Omnivore in 2025, host Aaron Zober welcomes somebody who has helped so many of us be appropriate omnivores. Guest Brad Johnson is CEO of Verde Farms, the leading provider of 100% grass fed beef. Brad gives his background in CPG from being in brand marketing & sales to wanting to work on brands that advocated for improvement to his current position at Verde. Aaron & Brad both agree that natural CPG is the future. Brad then gets into the importance of 100% grass fed beef, why it's better, and why certified organic is also important. Brad & Aaron then mention what cuts of meat they think are underrated. And since the Super Bowl is this weekend, Brad discusses what he'll be making with Verde grass fed beef while his family watches the big game.

With the 2024 Wise Traditions Conference coming, The Appropriate Omnivore host Aaron Zober welcomes another speaker for the conference. Today's guest is Will Harris, a fourth generation cattleman running the farm White Oak Pastures in Blufton, GA. Will talks about his great grandfather starting the farm and how Will's dad changed things when he took over. Will discusses the transitioning away from industrial agriculture and what it means to be regenerative. While White Oak Pastures has several certifications, Will explains how visiting the farm yourself is the greatest certification of all. Aaron and Will delve into many topics of regenerative agriculture, such as undergrazing and overgrazing, multispecies farming, and White Oak's zero waste program. Other highlights of White Oak Pastures which Will tells the listeners about include its nonprofit wing Center for Agriculture Resilience, and how White Oak has help rebuild the community of Blufton, GA.

The Weston A. Price Foundation will be holding its annual Wise Traditions Conference at the end of October. Leading up to the event, Aaron Zober returns with his series speakers interviewing people who will be giving talks at the conference. His first is Sophia Eng of the blog Sprinkle with Soil, co-host of the podcast Call to Farms, and author of the cookbook and author of The Nourishing Asian Kitchen Cookbook. Since the pandemic, Sophia has gone from working in real estate in California to homesteading in Tennessee. She tells the listeners how her upbringing in Vietnamese culture has influenced her cooking in terms of the similarities between Asian cuisine she grew up with and Wise Traditions diet. Aaron and Sophia then get into the problems with MSG and why it isn’t needed to get the umami flavor. Plus what it means for Sophia's farm to be regenerative. And a preview of what Sophia will be discussing in her Wise Traditions Conference presentation entitled East Meets Weston A. Price: Nourishing Asian Cuisine Reimagined – A Journey To Reclaim Authentic Flavors, Free from MSG and Excitotoxins.

With this weekend being Labor Day, millions will be grilling burgers to celebrate, so The Appropriate Omnivore host Aaron Zober devotes this podcast episode to one of his favorite foods. With him to talk about everything burgers is Corey Dunn of the blog For Nutrient's Sake! as well as a co-host of the podcast Modern Ancestral Mamas. Aaron & Corey cover all the ingredients in a burger from grass fed patties to organic buns, veggies, and condiments. The two discuss the best products you can find in supermarkets to include on your burger as well as the idea of making everything from scratch. Aaron & Corey also touch upon the popular sides for a burger, such as fries, potato chips, soda pops, and shakes.

Aaron Zober with The Appropriate Omnivore podcast, welcomes another wonderful regenerative organic CPG brand founder as he interviews Ben Ripple. Ben tells his story of how Big Tree Farms came to be. Aaron and Ben discuss how Big Tree's practices fall into the certification requirements of the Regenerative Organic Alliance in terms of soil health and social fairness and why organic needs to be a part of regenerative. The episode then moves into why coconut sugar is a great option over both cane sugar and other natural sweeteners. Ben lays out the benefits coconut sugar has in terms of taste, sustainability, work conditions, and health. Aaron and Ben also cover Big Tree Farms other products, such as the coconut aminos and sauces, and what products we can expect from Big Tree in the future.

The Appropriate Omnivore host Aaron Zober continues his coverage of regeneratively sourced CPG with Raj Vable, the founder of Young Mountain Tea. Raj tells his story from growing up with parents from India who drank tea to a friend in grad school introducing him to single origin tea. He then goes into the problems with conventionally grown tea and the benefits of regenerative organic tea, including a higher yield from crops. Next Aaron talks about the principles of regenerative agriculture and Raj explains how Young Mountain Tea's practices fit into all of those. Raj goes into the different flavors of teas he offers and Young Mountain Tea's project to launch a farmer owned tea factory in the Kumaon village of Champawat.

The topic of regenerative agriculture has been addressed many times on The Appropriate Omnivore podcast. So for this episode, host Aaron Zober gives a warm welcome to Elizabeth Whitlow, executive director of the Regenerative Organic Alliance. As regenerative agriculture is taking on many meanings, Aaron asks Elizabeth how she would define regen ag. Elizabeth explains what she sees as the three pillars. Conversation leads into the roles organic, animal welfare, and farmer & worker fairness play in being regenerative. Elizabeth then mentions the brand that went through the pilot program to become Regenerative Organic Certified. And Aaron talks about the ROC brands he likes. All of the plus where Elizabeth and Aaron would like to see regenerative ag headed in the future.

It's another hot summer, so for the latest episode of The Appropriate Omnivore, host Aaron Zober welcomes SorBabes & Fudgy Pop co-founder Deborah Gorman. With her two products, Deborah has taken the fruit bar and fudge pop, respectively, and put a healthier and more sustainable twist on them. Both products are free of dairy, GMO sugar, and artificial colors. Deborah explains how SorBabes and then Fudgy Pop came to be. She gets into how she's created the different flavors and what possible ones we can expect in the future. Deborah tells Aaron what she looks for in terms of ingredients to source and ways that the two businesses can become even more sustainable.

The Appropriate Omnivore podcast is back for a new series of episodes. Host Aaron Zober kicks it with Sonia Acuña-Rubio. Aaron has talked about all types of productions certifications on this show. Now he brings on a person from the organization which works with so many of the food certifiers. Sonia tells Aaron what the some of the new and popular certifications are. As the program is called The Appropriate Omnivore, Aaron asks Sonia about the various types of animal products certifications the NSF works with. While the NSF is known for all of its food product certifications, it actually began as a certifier food equipment. Sonia explains this in great detail. Plus Aaron and Sonia discuss the future of food and consumers looking for more transparency in what they buy.

On this episode of The Appropriate Omnivore, host Aaron Zober has Melissa Clemente of Wildfare on his podcast. Melissa gives her background working in marketing and sustainable food and then talks all about Wildfare. Wildfare is known for providing a great variety of Mediterranean food from ajvar to olives & olive oil to pasta and many other wonderful products. Melissa explains to Aaron what makes their offerings sustainable. This includes their Empowering Woman Farmers where they partner with fair trade women owned farms and production companies. Melissa also gets into specifics about many of the foods in Wildfare's line and what we can expect from the company in the future.

For the latest episode of The Appropriate Omnivore, host Aaron Zober welcomes Sara Kelly of Season Brand to talk about sustainable seafood. Season is a 100-year-old company known for offering canned fish such as sardines, mackerels, and anchovies. Sara mentions how tin fish is a hot trend and explains exactly what tin fish is. She then moves into discussing the different certifications which Season products have and what makes their seafood healthy and sustainable. Sara also talks about her role as marketing director and the major rebranding which Season is currently working on, which she describes as Season 2.0. Plus Sara tells Aaron what types of future products we can expect from Season in terms of both other seafood and possibly expansion into other types of food.

Aaron welcomes back Dr. Nakisa Nowroozi to The Appropriate Omnivore podcast. Nakisa is the founder of Luv Maman. She also has a PhD in cell and molecular biology and masters in biochemistry and currently teaches anatomy and physiology at Orange Coast College. For this episode Nakisa talks about her family’s experience on the GAPS (Gut & Psychology Syndrome) Diet. As she’s not a GAPS practitioner, she explains the diet from a mother’s point of view. Nakisa had her sons go on GAPS to resolve health issues they were having. To show support, her whole family went on it. Nakisa explains the various stages of GAPS in terms of transitioning to each one and then when you know you’re ready to end GAPS. She also discusses what do after the GAPS Diet and how there are more GAPS friendly products on the market now then when she and her family did it.

Aaron Zober returns with The Appropriate Omnivore podcast and his third annual show recapping his discoveries at the 2024 Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim. Taking a break from guests for this episode, Aaron lists the five major takeaways from Expo West in regard to the trends and new types of products he's seeing hit the market. Are some similar to last year? What trends are completely new? What does Aaron think about them? Although there's no main interview, Aaron plays recordings taken on the Expo West floor with his favorite exhibitors and their takes on the convention.

2023 is almost over. But before the year ends, Aaron Zober does one more podcast for The Appropriate Omnivore. Aaron welcomes back Lani Fox, founder of Rosemallow Artisanal, for a holiday special. Lani has several holiday themed artisanal marshmallow truffles (or rosemallows as she refers to them) for Aaron to sample them. Aaron and Lani both taste the rosemallows and state their thoughts. Listeners can follow along by looking at the Rosemallows on the website (https://rosemallowartisanal.com/products/mallow-truffles-festive-winter). After sample the rosemallows, Lani and Aaron then discuss the topics of finding better options for holiday treats, whether marshmallows can be come the next elevated dessert, and what to expect from Rosemallow Artisanal in 2024.

This week's guest on The Appropriate Omnivore podcast is Dr. Adam Wuollet. Dr. Adam tells his story from going to med school and working in allopathic medicine to where he is now with what he calls wholistic medicine. He explains wholistic medicine (not to be confused with holistic medicine) is about the whole approach. Dr. Adam and Aaron discuss the ideas of food as medicine. Dr. Adam then gets into other areas of medicine he focuses on, such as frequencies and water. He sees these as two of the most critical aspects of life and our own health. In addition to having transitioned into wholistic medicine, Dr. Adam is now a homesteader raising cows, pigs, and chickens to feed his family. He explains how he sees parallels between gardening, regenerative farming, and our own health. Aaron concludes the podcast having Dr. Adam Wuollet talk about how he's improved his own health.

About a year ago, The Appropriate Omnivore host Aaron Zober joined the networking group known as Naturally Los Angeles. This organization is part of the Naturally Network. The Naturally Network has chapters in various cities for people in the natural product space to connect. Aaron welcomes Naturally LA executive director Rana Manzi to the podcast to inform the listeners what Naturally LA and the Naturally Network offer. Rana explains that she's been working in the natural industry her entire life based on how her mother raised her. Rana's been employed in various areas of the natural CPG world from being a nutritionist to retail to nutraceuticals to trade shows to now Naturally LA. Rana goes into great detail about Naturally LA in terms of what the membership consists of, what her role as executive director entails, and upcoming events in 2024. Rana and Aaron both discuss the benefits of emerging natural CPG brands. Rana and Aaron also delve into current trends of the natural product space and their overall thoughts on the future of natural food and food in general.

For the latest episode of The Appropriate Omnivore podcast, Aaron Zober dives into one of the best ways you can be an appropriate omnivore. And that is consuming organ meats. Still many are scared to try them. That's where guest James Barry comes in. James founded Pluck, which offers seasonings made with various organs and coming in various flavors. James tells his story of going to culinary school, working as a chef, and coming up with the idea for Pluck while he was a stay-at-home dad. James also goes into stories of people who have benefitted health wise from his organ meat seasonings. He lets Aaron know what new products and flavors we can expect in the not too distant future. And James and Aaron discuss all that they know about sourcing sustainable meats.

On this episode of The Appropriate Omnivore, Aaron Zober does a first with an interactive podcast. His guest Lani Fox founded Rosemallow Artisanal, which makes the sophisticated adult treat of artisanal marshmallow truffles, or Rosemallows as they're referred to. Aaron samples Lani's Rosemallows while recording the interview and states his thoughts. Listeners can follow along by looking at the Rosemallows on the website (https://www.rosemallowartisanal.com/). In addition to the tastings, Lani tells her story how she's been growing food since childhood as well as cooking her entire life and how this led to Rosemallow. Lani explains what makes her Rosemallows different than conventional marshmallow. She gets into why it's called Rosemallow. (There may be more than one reason.) Lani also discusses how her Jewish culture plays into her products, which Aaron can relate to also being Jewish.

In a few weeks, the Weston A. Price Foundation will be holding its annual Wise Traditions conference. Leading up to the event, The Appropriate Omnivore host Aaron Zober will be interviewing a few of the speakers. Aaron's first guest in this series is Corey Dunn. Corey is a Weston Price chapter co-leader in Brunswick, GA and runs the blog For Nutrients Sake! as well as co-hosts the podcast Modern Ancestral Mamas. Her talk at the conference is entitled Nourish Your Family with Proper Foods Cooked Right, a topic Aaron Zober can very much relate to. Corey gives her background going from paleo to Weston Price, where she was able to incorporate properly prepared grains. Corey and Aaron share their appreciation of how the WAPF allows for properly prepared grains as well as the inclusion of all of our favorite comforts foods when they're done the right way. Corey shares her favorite comfort foods to make for her family. Corey and Aaron connect with their love of the burger. And Corey tells the listeners about her homesteading journeys since she's moved from Maryland to coastal Georgia.

The Weston A. Price Foundation's 2023 Wise Traditions Conference in Kansas City, MO is only a few days away now. The Appropriate Omnivore host Aaron Zober's third and final guest of the speaker series is Nathalie B. of Bee Mindful. Nathalie's talk at the conference is entitled Easy Horizontal Beekeeping to Source Your Own Unfiltered Raw Honey and Other Products of the Hive. Along with Nathalie managing almost 400 colonies in the greater Austin, TX area, Nathalie keeps very "bee-sy" with her involvement in numerous beekeeping organizations. With all that she does, Aaron is glad Nathalie can take some time to "bee" on the podcast. Nathalie tells the story of how she was interested in bees at a young to where that leads to her today as a beekeeper. Topic which Aaron and Nathalie delve into include beekeeping for underprivileged communities, problems with organic, honey as a natural sweetener, and how honey has personally benefited Nathalie health wise. Nathalie and Aaron conclude the episode exploring the question of whether the general public is more aware of the plight of the bees.

As the Weston A. Price Foundation's annual Wise Traditions conference in Kansas City, MO is almost a week away, The Appropriate Omnivore host Aaron Zober continues his series of interviews with speakers at the event. This week his guest is Alex Miller. Alex describes himself as a flash flight farmer. He works during the day as a business professor at the University of Tennessee and he farms during nights and weekends at Lick Skillet Farm. His talk at the conference is entitled The Loss of Local Farms and What You Can Do about It. Alex sees himself as a venture capitalist, providing capital to grow new business and enterprises on the farm. Alex and Aaron discuss the current state of local farms. Alex and Aaron then cover many areas of the agriculture system, including why we need more young farmers, the problems with foods labels, reasons to support local farms, and if there's a confusion as to what regenerative agriculture means.

For the latest episode of The Appropriate Omnivore podcast, Aaron Zober brings on Amantia Muhedini, an executive director and sustainable & impact investing strategist for UBS. Amantia has dedicated her academic training and whole career to S & I investing. While she's he had a long time interest in the field, it precedes her career. Amantia tells us about the origins of S & I investing back in the 70s when it was known socially responsible investing and how it got to where it is today. Amantia explains the differences between sustainable investing and impact investing. Aaron and Amantia then discuss how impact investing can relate to agriculture and CPG with types of investing such as nature based solutions. Aaron asks how issues such as biodiversity, supply chains, antimicrobial resistance, and renewable energy fall under sustainable & impact investing. Amantia goes into how investable biodiversity currently is and what's needed to make it more investable.

Aaron Zober returns with a fall series of new Appropriate Omnivore podcasts. As his focus is the best natural products available, Aaron kicks off the new cycle interviewing Asher Cowan, the co-founder of Dr. Cowan's Garden. Dr. Cowan's Garden strives to offer the best real food products across every food category. Asher Cowan founded Dr. Cowan's garden with his father Dr. Thomas Cowan. Asher recaps the unique circumstances which formed the business. He then moves into the company starting out with selling different garden blends. Aaron mentions that he's impressed with the products being beyond organic and not needing to use any additives or preservatives. Asher discusses how including either of those was never an option. Asher next moves into talking about other products you can find from Dr. Cowans' Garden, explaining they're all foods he's wanted for his own pantry. And Asher previews what future products we can expect from Dr. Cowan's Garden.

As The Appropriate Omnivore is all about supporting family farms and family business, Aaron Zober welcomes Brita & Bryce Lundberg of Lundberg Family Farms. Lundberg Family Farms is a successful CPG rice brand known for its regenerative and organic practices. Brita & Bryce discuss how they went from growing up on a farm to then how they themselves ended up working for the company. Aaron converses with Brita & Bryce about how regenerative and organic are related. Brita & Brice also share the many ways Lundberg Family Farms practices sustainability. Then Brita & Brice let Aaron know all about the great products Lundberg offers and what new products we can expect from them in the future.

July is National Pickle Month, so The Appropriate Omnivore podcast host Aaron Zober couldn't be more excited to devote a show to a favorite food of his since childhood. To talk about everything pickles with Aaron is Chris Glab, chief innovation officer for Bubbies Fine Foods and Fermented Food Holdings. Like Aaron, ferments such as pickles were a staple of his growing up. Chris discusses how he got into CPG, founded Wildbrine, and then sold it to Fermented Food Holdings. Fermented Food Holdings also owns Bubbies. Chris tells the listeners all about Bubbies' key to making real fermented pickles and where he sees the market headed. Chris talk about other Bubbies products and even asks Aaron what foods he'd like to see them offer. All of this plus information about the diverse fermented goods throughout the various Fermented Food Holdings labels.

The leading natural product distribution group KeHE just held its annual Holiday Show. The Appropriate Omnivore podcast host Aaron Zober brings on Ari Goldsmith, vice president of marketing & digital media at KeHE Distributors, to give a recap of the Show and other development news about the company. Ari lists the major trends seen with the various brands at the Show and mentions some of the new products showcased. Ari also talks about the OnTrend winners and the new International Pavilion. Ari then delves into other projects KeHE is involved with, including the company's exclusive supplier programs, its commitment to sustainability, KeHE's exclusive partnership with the Rodale Institute, and Smart Shelf Tags. Plus Ari and Aaron discuss where regenerative and organic agriculture are headed.

Aaron Zober returns with a new cycle of The Appropriate Omnivore podcast for the summer season. His first guest back well represents the idea of being an appropriate omnivore. Jasen Urena is vice president of NestFresh Eggs and New Barn Organics. Jasen explains how you should never take the position that any one segment of food is bad. So Jasen offers healthy animal products with the regenerative New Barn eggs and the pasture raised NestFresh eggs and healthy plant based products with New Barn's almond and coconut milks. Jasen and Aaron talk about the importance of sourcing sustainable and regenerative almonds and coconuts as well as keeping the ingredients simple in plant based milks.