Photo credit: Green Backyard
This month, we start the show with a story about Gardens of Sanctuary, a network of green spaces across the UK started by Ben Margolis, co-founder and Executive Director of The Grange, Norfolk and Sophie Antonelli, Growing Together Advisor for the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens. The initiative aims to provide asylum seekers and refugees a place where they can become co-creators of community gardens and environmental projects, providing opportunities for therapeutic benefits and community integration.
Next, we take a trip across the pond to talk with Eliot Coleman, an organic farming legend who has been running Four Season Farm in Maine for over 50 years. Eliot has just published a new edition of his book “The New Organic Grower”, an important read for organic farmers and market gardeners everywhere. The way Eliot talks about organic farming is similar to the principles behind regenerative agriculture – it’s all about being guided by soil health and working with the natural world.
Then we hop across to Montinore Estate, a biodynamic vineyard in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Rudy Marchesi, the president and chief viticulturalist at Montinore, is a globally respected biodynamic winegrower, and he shares with us some tips for using biodynamic methods on a larger scale.
We finish up with a message from Joel Rodker, who is saying goodbye to Harvest Barn Market Garden. We wish him the very best and are looking forward to following his future endeavours.
We’re delighted to be nominated for a Bullseye Award at this years British Podcast Awards. We’ll let you know how we get on next month! You can also vote for us in the listeners’ choice award by going to britishpodcastawards.com/vote and typing in ‘Farmerama’. It takes less than a minute, and voting closes on the 15th May.
Thanks to Rebel Kitchen for supporting this episode! Rebel Kitchen are a member of 1% for the Planet. This means they donate 1% of their sales (not just their profits!) to partners contributing to the planet – and it’s through this commitment that they’re helping to support us to share knowledge within the farming community and to spread the word to many more farmers and growers.
This month’s show was made by Jo Barratt, Abby Rose and Katie Revell. We had help with editing from Louis Hudson and Suzie MacCarthy. Thanks to Joy Rose for sending in the recording about Gardens of Sanctuary. Community support is handled by Annie Landless, Eliza Jenkins and Olivia Oldham, and our theme music is by Owen Barratt.