Fresh Take Florida Certified Organic Growers & Consumers, INC.

On this episode, hear about two unique farms in South Florida that are providing support for their communities: Empower farms, a certified organic and eco-friendly farm for people of all abilities, and Aloha Redland, a female-led farm blending art and nutrition for a more vibrant local community. 
 
Learn about: 
- How their CSA programs were started and how they have evolved 
- The impact COVID-19 has had on the farms and their CSA programs 
- Special programs offered at these non-traditional farms 
- Recommendations for farmers and consumers interested in CSAs 
 
Learn more about Empower Farms on their website.  
Find out more about Aloha Redland on their website. 
For more episodes on CSAs, visit our Fresh Take Podcast Page. 
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Frog Song Organics, located in Alachua County, started in 2011 with a mission to provide nutritious foods to the local community through sustainable farming. One way they do this is through their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.  
In this episode, hear about: 
- What led Frog Song to start their CSA 
- How their CSA model has evolved over time 
- Tips for farmers who are interested in starting a CSA 
- Recommendations for consumers thinking about joining a CSA 
 
Learn more about Frog Song Organics on their website.  
For more episodes on CSAs, visit our Fresh Take Podcast Page. 
Support the show (https://foginfo.org/donate/)

Community supported agriculture is one model through which producers and consumers can be more connected. We sat down with Rick Martinez, Founder of Sweetwater Organic Farm, which is thought to be the first CSA in Florida, to talk about his experience with this food systems model. 
In this episode, hear about: 
- The history of the CSA model at Sweetwater Organic Farm 
- Challenges faced while running the CSA 
- Benefits to the community and producers 
- Tips for sustaining CSAs into the future 
 
Learn more about Sweetwater Organic Farm on their website. 
Support the show (https://foginfo.org/donate/)

Every day, there are millions of children and adults who do not get the meals they need to thrive. According to Feeding America, Florida is 3rd in the nation with the highest number of people living in food-insecure households—over 2,500,000 people.  
In this episode, Katie Delaney, Fresh Access Bucks (FAB) Co-Manager, and Andi Emrich, Florida Farmers Market Association Coordinator (FFMA), join us to discuss how the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Fresh Access Bucks Programs (FAB) are being used to respond to these needs. 
In this episode, learn about: 
- The history of the SNAP and FAB programs 
- Benefits these programs provide to the food system as a whole 
- Where these programs operate 
- Resources to learn more and get involved 
 
Learn more about the Fresh Access Bucks program on the Feeding Florida website.  
Visit the Florida Farmers Market Website for more resources on Farmers Markets. 
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In our 50th episode, hear from Elizabeth Whitlow and Dr. Juan Carlos Rodriguez as they discuss Regenerative Organic Certified™ (ROC™) and how this form of regenerative agriculture may be one solution to the climate crisis. 
 
Tune in to learn about: 
- Regenerative agriculture’s place in organic and sustainable agriculture systems 
- Ways that regenerative organic agriculture can help mitigate climate change effects 
- Long-term solutions that can come from this movement 
 
Visit the Regenerative Organic Alliance website at https://regenorganic.org/ to learn more about Regenerative Organic Certified™.  
Support the show (https://foginfo.org/donate/)

Agriculture has an enormous impact on global ecosystems. As effects from climate change become more visible, it is important to address agriculture’s impact and the potential solutions that come from implementing organic and sustainable production methods. 
In this episode, Dr. Shade and Dr. Rodriguez discuss:  
 - How organic agriculture can mitigate climate change problems 
- Common myths and claims about organic agriculture and climate change from skeptics  
- How investing in research, education and resources can help 

 Learn more about The Organic Center on their website: https://www.organic-center.org 
Support the show (https://foginfo.org/donate/)