#234 - In our second episode swap with the Market Gardener Podcast, JM Fortier and co-host Chris Moran sit down with Dave Chapman and trade insights on decentralization, food politics, and how organic values can thrive in today's shifting agricultural landscape. From health and climate to corporate consolidation, their reflections connect farming and activism in powerful ways. https://realorganicproject.org/jm-fortier-interviews-dave-chapman-234 The Real Organic Podcast is hosted by Dave Chap...
Aug 3
2 hr 19 min
#233 - Nicole Dehne, director of Vermont Organic Farmers, shares what it means to uphold real integrity in a shifting organic landscape. From hydroponics and organic standards to the struggles of small farms, she explains how certifiers like VOF are fighting to preserve the original values of organic - transparency, soil health, and farmer-driven accountability - in a system increasingly influenced by industrial interests. https://realorganicproject.org/nicole-dehne-conviction-meets-certifica...
Jul 27
59 min
#232 - Stone Barns head baker Eli Pipkin reveals what it takes to bake whole grain bread that is alive with flavor, nutrition, and story. Rooted in the mission of chef Dan Barber's Blue Hill, Eli shares how his team mills fresh flour, bakes with intention, and builds a bread program that honors farmers and soil. This conversation digs deep into how bread - when made right - can restore health to people, ecosystems, and food culture itself. https://realorganicproject.org/eli-pipkin-mastering-w...
Jul 20
50 min
#231 - In this special conversation, Michael Pollan and Dan Barber and other food system leaders explore the deep relationship between whole grain bread, human health, and agricultural resilience. From the nutrient losses caused by industrial milling to the taste and vitality of freshly milled, soil-grown grains, this episode calls attention to the most overlooked staple on our plates - and how its transformation mirrors the rise of processed food and holds the key to reclaiming health and de...
Jul 13
1 hr 1 min
#230 - Paul Hawken returns to share his hopeful and hard-won perspective on how organic farming and climate solutions go hand-in-hand, and to reflect on the themes in his latest book Carbon. Drawing from his decades of work in food systems and regeneration, he explains why soil is one of our greatest allies and how organic farmers are leading the charge toward a livable, equitable future. https://realorganicproject.org/paul-hawken-reversing-ecological-collapse-230 Paul Hawken is a climate act...
Jul 6
1 hr 28 min
#229 Marion Nestle, author of Food Politics, joins us to discuss how corporate money shapes what ends up on our plates - and why nutrition science so often serves industry over public health. From USDA dietary guidelines to food marketing in schools, Nestle explains how power, politics, and policy collide in the American food system. With decades of research and advocacy behind her, she makes a compelling case for real transparency and accountability in what we eat. https://realorganicproject...
Jun 29
1 hr 2 min
#228: Dan Barber returns to explore how farming for flavor - not just yield or shelf life - can transform our food system from the ground up. As a chef and co-founder of Row 7 Seeds, Dan argues that seed breeding should begin in the kitchen, with taste driving innovation in the field. From soil-grown crops to flavor-forward farming, this episode digs deep into what we’ve lost - and what we can grow back by connecting chefs, farmers, and crop breeders. https://realorganicproject.org/dan-barber...
Jun 22
55 min
#227: Kate Mendenhall, Executive Director of the Organic Farmers Association, breaks down the strategic grassroots campaign to keep organic standards rooted in soil, transparency, and trust. As corporate influence grows, Kate outlines how OFA is working to ensure the organic label still reflects its original values and that farmer voices are always at the forefront. https://realorganicproject.org/kate-mendenhall-defending-organic-integrity-nationwide-227 Kate Mendenhall is the Executive Direc...
Jun 15
1 hr 18 min
#226: Peter Segger shares his journey from music and metal testing to pioneering organic farming in Wales. He reflects on the legacy of the Soil Association, his encounters with E.F. Schumacher, and the decades-long effort to protect the soul of organic food against industrial takeover. https://realorganicproject.org/peter-segger-farming-small-thinking-big-226 Peter Segger is a well-known early adopter of organic practices in the UK, having run a 45 acre mixed fruit and vegetable farm in Wale...
Jun 8
1 hr 10 min
#225: Julie Guthman explains how Silicon Valley’s growing role in agriculture is reshaping organic from the top down. From hydroponics to venture capital, she explores what’s lost when food is engineered like software and soil is written out of the future. https://realorganicproject.org/julie-guthman-big-tech-takeover-organic-225 (From the Harvard Radcliffe Institute site): "Julie Guthman is a professor of social sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her research has broadly b...
Jun 1
1 hr 34 min
Load more