Deep Roots Radio: Recent Episodes
Sylvia Burgos Toftness
Saturdays, 9:00-9:30AM Central, live interviews with guests who help connect the dots between what we eat and how it's grown. Sylvia Burgos Toftness - New York City girl turned 100% grass-fed beef farmer - chats with ranchers, farmers, scientists and educators, film makers, policymakers, marketers, chefs and authors - all describing the linkages between soil health and nutrition, agricultural practice and financial sustainability, animal welfare and environmental restoration, sustainable agriculture and community revitalization. Broadcast and streamed live at WPCA Radio 93.1 FM and on the Internet.
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 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.
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
Executive Director Terry Hauer explains the role of the Polk County Economic Develop Corporation's role in post-COVID northwestern Wisconsin farm country. It's not the old saw about chasing smokestacks.
John Govin describes his annual Lamb Barn and Baby Farm Animals spring time event on his Menomene, WI farm.
New entrepreneur Tessa Ingham describes why she's purchased and re-imagined Wildflour Market natural foods store in Amery, WI
Jan. 2021 growers and markets can attend 2021 WI Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Conference in person or virtually
WFU hosts series of online webinars to examine shortages of smaller-scale meat processing and many possible solutions
Medicinal herbalist Nancy Graden describes herbs you have at home to boost health and immune system in time of COVID-19
Internationally-recognized agricultural economist John Ikerd describes the urgent need for better agricultural policies that will help address climate change, restore soils and nutrition, and provide opportunities for smaller, family farms.
I’ve baked my sourdough hearth loaves in covered clay pots for years, and recommend that same strategy to the many baking students that travel to my Bull Brook Keep teaching kitchen. Why? because the covered vessels provide a blast of heat and moisture-saving enclosure that yields high rises, crisp crusts and tender crumb laced with […]
The new Jewelltown Roastery, Star Prairie, Wisconsin, roasts and brews a great cup of coffee, welcomes local performers to its space, and builds community through local food sourcing, great conversation and down-home music.
While at the MOSES Organic Farming Conference in La Crosse, WI, Chang Tianle, found/director of the Beijing Farmers Market describes the start, growth and competitive pressures for organic foods.
Founder/CEO Katie Sterns describes how MN-based You Betcha! Box boosts small food businesses, state pride and local philanthropy through subscription gourmet food boxes.
Jeremy McAdams describes his 10-year old, certified organic mushroom farm in Clayton, Wisconsin. He's dedicated not only to great taste and high quality, but environmental stewardship that embraces a community of farms.
Brooks Geenen’s black and white photos are dramatic and stark. His large-scale frames invite us to look at agricultural land – and how man’s shaped it – through his high-resolution lens. In this day and age of smartphone selfies and Instagram immediacy, Geenen uses large 5-inch by 5-inch exposures taken through old bellows-camera technology. His […]
Deep Roots Radio chat with Upstream Tea's Anna Metcalfe. How her project promotes conversations and stories about our individual experiences, hopes and fears about our shared watersheds.
RockFilter Distillery founder and CEO Christian Myrah tells the story: how a Navy combat pilot returned to the organic family farm to create hyper-local, seed-to-glass whiskeys based on home-grown corn and grains, great water, and the resources and talents of local crafts people. He worked with musician/writer Dessa to release Time & Distance, a certified organic bourbon that's as smooth as silk.
Angelia Hollstadt describes the fun, process, nutrition and business of her raw fermented kimchi, sauerkraut and kvass.
The relationships between farming and food, health and nourishment, people and spirituality are tightly woven. They are interlaced and as old as time. Unfortunately, these deep connections have been ignored or denied in recent decades – much to the detriment of human and environmental health, local economies and community connections. In this Deep Roots Radio […]
My Siggy is a Corgi, a herding dog. We practice rotation grazing on our farm because our commitment is to 100% grass-fed beef. Our practice is to move cattle slowly and calmly from pasture to pasture. No loud noises or running allowed! How do I train Siggy to work more gently with my BueLingo cattle? […]
In this first of three Deep Roots Radio interviews, stock dog trainer and border collie breeder Denice Rakley describes the special human-dog communication needed to bring out the instincts of herding dogs, also known as stock dogs. Owner and operator of Clearfield Stockdogs, Bennington, Indiana. Denice will hold demonstrations on April 26, and a three-day […]
In this Deep Roots Radio interviewed, Jessica “Turtle” Manderfeld describes the pictures and skills displayed by 3rd, 4th and 5th graders excited by the insects, animals and birds of their native Wisconsin. The exhibit, which runs until the end of April, is sponsored by the Farm Table Foundation in partnership with the Amery School District’s […]
I can’t wait: on March 28th, 2018, I’ll be one of several people confronting a tough assignment. We’ll have the enviable job of judging honey-based pastries created by some of the top women chefs in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN metro area and nearby Wisconsin. You’re invited to savor the dozens of sweet and savory foods […]
There’s nothing like a gathering of like-minded people – especially when the get-together includes delicious foods created with highly nutritious ingredients. When it’s a meeting of Weston A. Price Foundation chapter members, participants share deep commitment to foods grown to restore the environment, cooked and baked to boost flavor and health. These are the hallmarks […]
Erin Rupp, Executive Director of Pollinate MN describes the garden and farm plant habitats needed to encourage threatened bees and other pollinators.
The average age of the American farmer is nearly 60. An entire generation of growers – of commodities, specialty crops, dairy, and livestock – are staring retirement in the face and the transition is often a tough one for many reasons. Not only does the older farmer confront the end of a loved career, but […]
Weston A. Price Foundation President Sally Fallon Morell explains how infant, child and adult health depend upon returning to traditional foods and preparation.
Late summer – a time for capturing the season’s best fruits and vegetables for great eating when the snow flies. One way to enjoy warm-weather flavors and aromas is by making jams, jellies and preserves. In this Deep Roots Radio interview, Wisconsin author Debbra Anne highlights easy ways for using her creative Slippery Moose jellies […]
I know you’ll be fascinated by Reginaldo (Regi) Haslett-Marroquin’s new book, In the Shadow of Green Man. Get a copy at your earliest opportunity and be prepared for a memoir unlike any you’ve encountered. Half bio, half legends, it’s a page-turner. In this Deep Roots Radio interview, Regi describes how and why he weaves his […]
In-the-field Deep Roots Radio interview with leaders and members of Region 12 of the American Dexter Cattle Association - why the small Dexter is the right-sized choice for small-acre farms and food lovers.
I hope you’ll enjoy this Deep Roots Radio interview with fermentation guru Sandor Katz. We chatted about the value of making fermented foods at home – just how easy it is to start, and how much you gain in the way of flavor, food preservation and increased nutritional content. The author of Wild Fermentation, The […]
Deep Roots Radio interview with Jessica "Turtle" Manderfeld about her exhibit about bees which features her botanical art, and sensory examples of bee products and their impacts on society.
Owner Jenna Johnson describes creating and operating new craft micro-brewery in rural Amery, WI. How she plans for unique flavors by working with local farmers.
In this Deep Roots Radio interview, Lisa Kivirist describes the multi-year battle to legalize the sale of home-baked goods in the state Wisconsin. The Badger state has been one of only two in the entire country that has not permitted the sale of home-baked muffins, cookies and breads. Lisa is one of three women farmers […]
Although there are hundreds of environmental, agricultural and good-food nonprofits nationwide, Jim Riddle asserts that none represents the voice and influence of the 16,000 certified organic farmers in the US today. In this Deep Roots Radio interview, organic farming pioneer and policy analyst Jim Riddle describes how the Organic Farmers Association, a new member-driven organization, […]
I hope you enjoy this Deep Roots Radio interview with Therese Asmus, of Artistta Homestead, is a long-time baker and teacher dedicated to the nutritional and flavorful benefits of sourdough breads made with ancient grains. She shares research and insights into the nutritional differences among ancient grains and contrasts their digestibility with commercially varieties. She […]
Alison Martin describes why and how we need to save heritage livestock - dozens of breeds that are living storehouses of genetic diversity we need to secure the food and farming of tomorrow.
Always dreamed of pulling crisp, bubbling pizzas from your own wood-fired oven? Whether you live on a city lot or out in the country, David S. Cargo can show you how to build a portable oven in just a couple of hours. No special tools required. You’ll leave the class with know-how, new friends, and […]
I hope you enjoy this Deep Roots Radio interview with North Dakota rancher Gabe Brown on the principles of regenerative farming that will yield health and profitability even as you transition your operation – large or small. Gabe will be in Amery, Wisconsin February 9th for a full day workshop in which he will describe […]
I hope you enjoy this Deep Roots Radio chat with author and modern-day homesteader Ben Hewitt. An engaging storyteller, Ben pulls you right into his books and their characters. His most recent publication is The Nourishing Homestead: One Back-to-the-land Family’s Plan for Cultivating Soil, Skills and Spirit. Ben, his wife Penny and their two sons […]
Deep Roots Radio interview with 45th Parallel Distillery CEO Paul Werni about establishing craft vodka, rye, whiskey, bourbon, and brandy distillery in western Wisconsin.
Jay Gilbertson and Ken Sequine describe their certified organic pumpkin seed oil farm and business - America's first - at Hay River farm, Wisconsin.
We all know that chefs can cook, some of them extraordinarily. And we know that what they cook can reflect and flavor local culture. But did you know our chefs can – and increasingly do – play a role in redesigning a more sustainable, healthful food system in America? I really enjoyed this conversation with […]
Drink coffee? One, two, three cups a day? Now multiply that simple act by several hundred million people every day. It’s hard to imagine the mountain of coffee beans needed to satisfy that thirst. Now, consider that those beans could work not only to create delicious brews, but also to produce a fair wage for […]
I hope you enjoy this Deep Roots Radio interview with trained and experienced medicinal herbalist and farmer Nancy Graden, owner and operator of Red Clover Herbal Apothecary Farm, Amery, Wisconsin. Nancy brings decades of training and field experience to her farm and to the people of Amery, Polk County and the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota metro […]
Just published, Soil Sisters:A Toolkit for Women Farmers provides resources, tips and new visions. Its a book about empowering ourselves to reach out, branch out, and shape our lives on the farm. I hope you enjoy this Deep Roots Radio interview with farmer, author and prize-winning eco-innkeeper Lisa Kivirist about her newest book, Soil Sisters: […]
Organizer Jay Salinas describes how Fermentation Fest celebrates the connections between farm land and food production, fermentation and music to express the talented and joyful culture of Reedsburg, WI and Wisconsin's rural communities.
Deep Roots Radio chat with master preserver Perry Rice on 200 years of home canning - the changes in equipment and techniques
Licensed cheesemaker Rama Hoffpauir describes how she and husband Josh Bryceson are expanding to a Whole Diet CSA which includes a 250-subscriber vegetable CSA, pork, chick and egg CSAs, and now a 100% grass-fed dairy and brand new Cosmic Wheel Creamery.
More than a farmer-consumer directory, developer Julien Roberge describes Agrilliance as a deep web-based effort to connect farmers to consumers, as well as to growers, climate data, and seed diversity locally and worldwide.
How Midwest farmers can use agri-tourism to increase revenues and boost local economies.
Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin, Chief Operating Officer and designer of Main Street Project's Sustainable Food and Agriculture program. A Minnesota model demonstrates a full and resilient food system that scales up local and sustainable.
One way to move America’s food system to great taste, high nutrition, environmental stewardship, humane animal welfare, and fair wages is through thoughtful investment – slow money. What is slow money? How does it work and what does it mean to you and me? How can you and I make a difference? Find out in […]
Grazing guru Cody Holmes describes the vision and challenges of developing a local food hub to meet the Springfield, MO-area's growing demand for delicious, high-quality, clean, and healthful foods. Holmes is working with dozens of area farmers to provide grass-fed meats, poultry, eggs and dairy, and produce, and value-added products.
Neil Thapar, with the Sustainable Economies Law Center, on state laws that technically make it illegal for gardeners to swap seeds or organize seed libraries. Thapar describes efforts in Minnesota, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Nebraska to correct this glitch.
Jennifer McGruther's "The Nourished Kitchen" cookbook and blog makes getting back to traditional, delicious, and nutritious cooking beautifully do-able
Harvey Ussery, author of The Small-Scale Poultry Flock: An all-natural approach to raising chickens and other fowl for home and market growers, talks about how to start chicks off right, and how chickens should be part of the larger environmental and food systems.
Jim French, long-time Kansas rancher, is Sr. Advocacy Advisor for Agriculture to Oxfam America. In this Deep Roots Radio interview he explains how local traditional agricultural practice, local energy and goals can fight poverty and boost nutrition overseas and in America.
Fifth generation chicken keeper Lisa Steel lives for her award-winning blog and book "Fresh Eggs Daily."
Deep Roots Radio chats with journalist and author Sam Fromartz about his new book "In Search of the Perfect Loaf: a Home Baker's Odyssey"
Television hostess, Inga Witsher describes why she visits and films Wisconsin small family farms.
This Canadian research shows how industrial-sized crop farming has dramatically reduced monarch butterfly populations in North America
Dr. Gail Hansen describes how the overuse of antibiotics in industrial livestock production creates antibiotic-resistant bacteria - a healthcare crises in the USA
The antibiotics given to livestock amount to tons every year. If these drugs were administered to help the animal recover from illness or injury, I could see it. But that’s not the case. In many confined animal feeding operations, antibiotics are mixed with the daily feed in order to prevent illness due to crowded conditions, […]
Gearld Fry explains how all bulls are not created equal, and how the genetics affect the health and nutrition of the herd