In the summer of 2023, Bruce Lanphear, Professor of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University, resigned his position as co-chair of a recently formed Science Advisory Committee of the PMRA, which regulates pesticide use in Canada. Dr. Lanphear

I Threw Out The Turkey You Sold Me.

Nov 22nd, 2022 14m 44s

The Ruminant's first ever holiday special! Fellow Canadians, don't @ me. The original version of this piece was produced for Canadian Thanksgiving, for radio.

Big Chicken, Indebted Farmers

Sep 17th, 2022 47m 5s

The US chicken industry is dominated by just a few very large, vertically integrated companies. They directly control every stage of chicken production from hatching to distribution, except that they outsource the riskiest stage--raising the bi

The Case for Slower

Jul 10th, 2022 23m 32s

This ep: we introduce a new segment called Farm Sounds. This time: when the tradeoff that comes with a gain in efficiency on the farm doesn't feel worth it. Plus another installment of The Farmer Questionnaire.

Crop Wild Relatives in Plant Breeding

Jun 2nd, 2022 53m 44s

This episode I speak with Dr. Patrick Byrne, Professor Emeritus of Plant Breeding and Genetics at Colorado State University. Our topic: crop wild relatives, the forebears to all of the agricultural crops we love and depend on. Patrick helps us

The Very First One. It's about potting blocks!

May 19th, 2022 1h 6m

The interview we planned to record yesterday and release today was postponed, so I dug up the very first episode of the show, from way back in 2012, until now never released on the newer podcast feed. It's an interview with Jason Beam about pot

The Biggest Little Disappointment

May 5th, 2022 42m 12s

This episode: to mark the release of an update (sort of?) to Netflix's big, farmy 2018 hit The Biggest Little Farm, herein we review both the original documentary (Netflix) and an update, called The Return of the Biggest Little Farm, which drop

I Hope You Die: Livestock Farmers on the Threats They Receive

Apr 21st, 2022 47m 37s

This episode, three farmers who slaughter animals reflect on the experience of encountering hate, vitriol and worse from animal rights activists. This episode was produced by Jordan Marr & Philippa Mennell.

Did Certified Organic Pay a Price for its Success?

Apr 7th, 2022 1h

This episode: Rebecca Kneen, a BC-based organic farmer & brewer, whose roots and activism in the organic sector go back decades, on the evolution of organic standards and oversight over time, some aspects of which she has misgivings about. Rebe

Let's Whet Together

Jan 8th, 2021 56m 30s

Hi Everyone! Herein: four audio segments I think you'll enjoy. Each comes from a 25-episode podcast series I'm in the middle of producing for my province's annual organic conference. So yeah, this is a teaser for the conference, but be assured

Let's Whet Together

Jan 8th, 2021 56m 31s

Drivecast No. 3

Jul 16th, 2020 33m 52s

I've had it with trying to produce a show during the farming season so I cut out a lot of production & administrative BS by just cold-calling people to see what they have to say. Episode 3.

Drivecast No. 2

Jun 22nd, 2020 55m 16s

Episode two of driving around and cold-calling people. Mainly farmers and extension specialists. A good mix of strangers and friends. Mostly to talk about the pandemic, but really to talk about anything food or farming related.

Drivecast No. 1

Jun 12th, 2020 29m 30s

In which your host catches you up on things as quickly as possible, and then makes some calls.

Rotational Grazing Tips with Sarah Flack (e.111)

Jun 19th, 2019 51m 36s

Tristan Banwell, BC-based rancher and occasional co-host of the show, recorded this interview with Sarah Flack, author of The Art and Science of Grazing: How Grass Farmers Can Create Sustainable Systems for Healthy Animals and Farm Ecosystems.

Participatory Plant Breeding (e110)

Jun 3rd, 2019 44m 40s

This ep: my interview with Alex Lyon, a UBC Postdoctoral Fellow focused on seed systems and plant breeding for diverse farm environments. Alex is involved in a number of projects that recruit commercial farmers to assist in the development of

Farming is Gay

May 20th, 2019 1h 15m

This ep: a few perspectives from members of the LGBTQ community who farm This ep: a few perspectives from members of the LGBTQ community who farm Show sponsors: BCS America BC Small-Scale Meat Producers Association

e108: Aliwawa?

Feb 22nd, 2019 35m 31s

In which your host tells you all about his experiences sourcing certain farm equipment using Alibaba, the massive, China-based gathering place for buyers and manufacturers. He'll take you through all the steps, from confusion to suspicion to cu

e107: A Cynical Farmer Rebuffed

Feb 21st, 2019 51m 41s

My guest this ep is Stefan Morales, producer of the Working Together podcast. Stefan and I both care about food and farming. I brought my passions to farming; he took his into the non-profit and government sphere. We compare notes, things get m

e106: How to Gross 250K on 1/2 Acre

Feb 21st, 2019 16m 6s

This ep: my conversation with urban farmer Kevin Sturdy, author of a book getting a lot of buzz: You're Welcome: How to Crush Your Dreams By Grossing More Money on Less Land Than You Ever Thought Possible. Kevin claims that by following his gui

e105: Ramial Wood as Soil Amendment and More with Karl Hammer

Feb 21st, 2019 38m 23s

This episode I speak with Karl Hammer, founder of Vermont Compost and all-around soil fertility expert. We focus on the use of wood chips as a soil amendment, and Karl also shares his thoughts about managing soil fertility on bio-intensive mark

e104: Silvopasture with Steve Gabriel

Feb 21st, 2019 59m

This ep: Ruminant co-host Tristan Banwell interviews Farmer and Author Steve Gabriel about his book Silvopasture: A Guide to Managing Grazing Animals, Forage Crops, and Trees in a Temperate Farm Ecosystem. Bonus content (more conversation) sh

e102: Weed Management in the Pasture

Sep 20th, 2018 40m 17s

This episode my guest is Mark Renz, an extension weed specialist at the University of Wisconsin. He joins me to talk about weed management in the pasture.

e101: Beneficial Insects on the Farm

Aug 6th, 2018 50m 40s

This ep: I wanted to learn more about maintaining and increasing bug biodiversity on my farm so I contacted the Xerces Society, a non-profit that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. They connected me

Foliar Feeding w/ Steve Solomon

Apr 23rd, 2018 46m 43s

Steve Solomon is back to talk about what's turning his crank in the garden these days: foliar feeding. Steve is the author of numerous gardening books including one of my faves, The Intelligent Gardener.