Modern Farming

Green Jean Foundation

Welcome to Modern Farming, the new podcast brought to you by the Green Jean Foundation. Join us each week, as we dive into different ways to think about agricultural production - looking at some methods to revolutionize what we do. The Modern Farming Podcast features a diverse panel of hosts and covers a wide range of topics. Our exclusive interviews with industry leaders, innovative discussions, and groundbreaking insights are something you won’t want to miss. But we’re more than just a podcast. The Green Jean Foundation is dedicated to fostering a deep appreciation for agriculture and expanding knowledge to young minds. We provide schools with the necessary tools for students to have hands-on learning opportunities that connect to agriculture. For more information about the Green Jean Foundation, visit us at greenjeanfoundation.org and sign up for our monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest news and events. Don’t miss out on the transformation happening in agriculture. Subscribe to the Modern Farming Podcast and let’s shape the future of farming together.

  1. 3D AGO

    Feeding the Soil, Fueling the Future with Brad Turner

    What if the secret to healthier plants, stronger yields, and more resilient growing systems starts with what’s happening beneath the surface? In this next installment of our Soil Health Series, Brad Turner of Sand to Soil Services returns to The Modern Farming Podcast to dig even deeper into the living world beneath our feet. This episode explores the biology that powers thriving growing systems and why healthy soil is far more than just dirt. Brad breaks down the role of compost, compost teas, beneficial microorganisms, inoculants, biostimulants, and even the surprising role fish can play in feeding healthy gardens. From using fish-based inputs as a natural nutrient source to feeding soil microbes with carbon-rich materials, this conversation connects the science of soil health to practical, real-world growing strategies that growers of all sizes can apply. Whether you're a farmer, gardener, educator, or simply curious about what makes plants truly thrive, this episode is packed with valuable insight. In This Episode, We Cover: • What makes a growing system truly thrive • The role of compost in building healthy soil biology • Compost teas and how they introduce beneficial life into the soil • Microorganisms and why they matter more than most growers realize • Biostimulants and the “food” that helps biology and plants perform • Inoculants and how targeted microbes support plant health • How fish-based fertilizers and inputs can naturally support garden growth • The connection between carbon, biology, and nutrient availability • Practical ways growers can improve soil function naturally Healthy plants start with healthy biology—and healthy biology starts in the soil.

    54 min
  2. Rooted in FFA: Growing the Next Generation of Agricultural Educators

    MAY 8

    Rooted in FFA: Growing the Next Generation of Agricultural Educators

    In this week’s episode of The Modern Farming Podcast, we sit down with Mykaela Billingsworth, a University of Florida student on the path to becoming an agricultural educator. Mykaela shares how her early involvement in FFA programs sparked a lifelong passion for agriculture and inspired her commitment to teaching the next generation. She reflects on her experience raising and showing livestock, and how those hands-on skills translate into her work equipping students to participate in county fairs and agricultural competitions. Now serving as an intern at Bok Academy in Polk County and nearing the completion of her degree, Mykaela discusses the journey that brought her to this point and her vision for shaping the future of agricultural education.

    19 min

  3. MAY 1

    Growing Leaders Early: From Bees to Business with Veronica Grannan

    In this episode of The Modern Farming Podcast, we sit down with Veronica Grannan, a Kindergarten teacher at Englewood Elementary who is planting seeds that go far beyond the classroom. With deep roots in her school community, Veronica is shaping young minds through hands-on learning, leadership development, and a strong focus on stewardship. As the leader of the Everglades Club, she teaches students that “leaders always serve.” Her students don’t just hear that message, they live it. Through real-world experiences in water, land, and air conservation, these young learners are developing a deep respect for the environment and their role in protecting it. From caring for bees to growing vegetables, Veronica is opening students’ eyes to where their food comes from and why it matters. But it doesn’t stop there. Her students are also gaining valuable life skills through entrepreneurship, learning how to take initiative, solve problems, and think beyond themselves. This conversation is a powerful reminder that it’s never too early to start teaching responsibility, leadership, and a love for agriculture. Veronica is proving that even the youngest students are capable of meaningful, impactful work when given the opportunity. In This Episode, We Cover: • How the Everglades Club is building servant leaders at a young age • Teaching conservation through hands-on experiences in water, land, and air • Introducing agriculture early through bees, gardening, and food systems • Helping students develop entrepreneurial and real-world life skills • Why early exposure to agriculture and stewardship matters more than ever Why This Episode Matters: Veronica’s work highlights what is possible when education goes beyond textbooks. She is not just teaching Kindergarten, she is shaping future leaders who understand responsibility, service, and stewardship from the very beginning.

    24 min
  4. From Axolotls to Aquaculture: Building Hands-On Ag Education with Aaron Bokelmann

    APR 24

    From Axolotls to Aquaculture: Building Hands-On Ag Education with Aaron Bokelmann

    From Axolotls to Aquaculture: Building Hands-On Ag Education with Aaron Bokelmann What happens when you take a marine science program and turn it into a full-scale agriculture pathway? Aaron Bokelmann is doing exactly that in Manatee County, and the results are something every ag educator should be paying attention to. In this episode of the Modern Farming Podcast, Aaron shares how he is transforming his classroom into a working aquaculture program where students are not just learning about aquatic life, they are raising it, managing it, and learning how to build a business around it. From axolotls to snook, this program covers it all. With more than 30 tanks and nearly 400 axolotls (and counting), students are immersed in real, hands-on learning every day. But it goes beyond caring for animals. Aaron is building a program that teaches students how to process, market, and operate a successful aquaculture business from the ground up. Looking ahead, the program will offer an aquaculture certificate, giving students a real credential and a real head start in one of agriculture’s fastest-growing industries. Aaron also shares how experiences like fossil hunting in the Badlands with the Toomey Foundation are helping keep students engaged, curious, and connected to the world around them. It is a reminder that the best learning does not happen behind a desk. In This Episode, We Cover: • Turning a marine science program into a hands-on agriculture pathway • Building an aquaculture program from the ground up • What it takes to offer an aquaculture certificate in high school • Raising everything from axolotls to snook in the classroom • Managing 30+ tanks and hundreds of aquatic species • Teaching students how to run and market an aquaculture business • Fossil hunting in the Badlands with the Toomey Foundation • Why hands-on learning is the key to student engagement Why This Matters: Programs like this are redefining what education can look like. When students are given the opportunity to work with their hands, solve real problems, and see the results of their efforts, learning sticks. This is the future of agriculture education, and it is already happening. Stay connected for more conversations highlighting the people and programs shaping the future of agriculture.

    28 min
  5. More Than a Classroom: Teaching Real-World Skills Through Aquaponics with Bert Johnson

    APR 17

    More Than a Classroom: Teaching Real-World Skills Through Aquaponics with Bert Johnson

    In this episode of the Modern Farming Podcast, we sit down with Bert Johnson, Applied Engineering and Technology teacher at Melbourne High School in Brevard County, Florida, who is redefining what education can look like. Mr. Johnson brings engineering to life through aquaponics, creating a dynamic learning environment where students are not just memorizing information but actively building, growing, and solving real problems. His classroom blends agriculture, engineering, biology, and sustainability into one hands-on experience that prepares students for far more than a test. Rather than teaching to standardized exams, Mr. Johnson focuses on teaching students how to think, how to troubleshoot, and how to apply what they learn in real-world situations. From designing systems to growing healthy food, his students gain practical skills that will serve them for a lifetime. A firm believer in lifelong learning, Mr. Johnson encourages students to take advantage of the resources around them and to stay curious long after they leave the classroom. His philosophy is simple but powerful: “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” This episode is a thoughtful conversation about the importance of meaningful education, the value of hands-on learning, and how programs like aquaponics can shape confident, capable, and curious young people. Whether you are an educator, parent, student, or simply someone passionate about agriculture and innovation, this is an episode you will not want to miss.

    22 min

  6. APR 10

    The Aquadome Effect: Turning Passion into Purpose in Aquatic Education

    In this episode of The Modern Farming Podcast, we sit down with Katrin Rudge, Aquascience teacher at Riverview High School, whose program is nothing short of extraordinary. What started with simple aqua balls has grown into a full-scale, immersive aquascience program that gives students hands-on experience in aquatic ecosystems, marine life, and real-world conservation. At the center of it all is the Aquadome, an outdoor greenhouse that houses a dynamic collection of living systems designed, maintained, and studied by students. Inside the Aquadome, students work directly with a shark tank featuring multiple species of sharks and tropical fish, a mangrove ecosystem, a coral reef tank, and clownfish breeding systems that support live food production. The program also includes a snook tank, where students raise juvenile snook, tag them, and release them in partnership with MOTE Marine Laboratory, contributing to real conservation efforts happening right here in Florida. Katrin shares how she built this program from the ground up, the challenges she faced along the way, and the vision that kept it moving forward. Named Sarasota County Teacher of the Year in 2013, she brings a level of passion and purpose that is clearly reflected in her students and the opportunities they are given. This episode highlights what is possible when education becomes hands-on, meaningful, and rooted in real-world application. Students aren’t just learning about aquatic systems, they are actively managing them, gaining skills in aquatic husbandry, system design, and environmental stewardship. In this episode, we cover: How Katrin Rudge built Riverview High School’s aquascience program from the ground upThe evolution from basic aqua balls to the fully developed Aquadome greenhouseA behind-the-scenes look at the shark tank, mangrove system, coral reef tank, and clownfish breeding programThe snook tagging and release partnership with MOTE Marine LaboratoryThe importance of teaching aquatic husbandry through hands-on experienceReal-world skills students gain through managing live aquatic systemsThe impact of strong agricultural and environmental education programs on student successKatrin’s journey as Sarasota County Teacher of the Year and what drives her work today This is the kind of program that sets the standard. If you care about the future of agriculture, aquaculture, and education, this episode will leave you inspired.

    18 min
  7. Rooted in FFA: Janyel Taylor’s Journey from Teacher to Nursery Leader

    APR 3

    Rooted in FFA: Janyel Taylor’s Journey from Teacher to Nursery Leader

    In this episode of The Modern Farming Podcast, Kris and Tara sit down with Janyel Taylor, Nursery Operations Manager and Chief Financial Officer at Ralph Taylor’s Nurseries. Janyel’s journey into agriculture began in high school, where an influential FFA teacher sparked a passion that would shape her future. That early inspiration led her to the University of Florida, and eventually into the classroom, where she spent eight years as an agriculture teacher investing in the next generation. Today, Janyel plays a key role in her family’s nursery business, combining her background in education with hands on experience in operations and financial leadership. Her story is a powerful example of how strong roots in agricultural education can grow into lifelong impact within the industry. In this episode, we discuss: • The role FFA and ag teachers play in shaping future careers • Her transition from the classroom to the family nursery business • What it takes to manage both operations and finances in a growing agricultural operation • The importance of family legacy in agriculture • Encouragement for young people considering a path in agriculture Whether you come from a farming background or are just beginning to explore the industry, Janyel’s story is a reminder that the right mentor and a willingness to step forward can open doors you never expected. 🎧 Listen now and be inspired by a journey rooted in education, leadership, and a deep commitment to agriculture.

    25 min
  8. Rebuilding Citrus: Scott Thompson and the Tree Defender Solution

    MAR 27

    Rebuilding Citrus: Scott Thompson and the Tree Defender Solution

    In this episode of the Modern Farming Podcast, Kris and Tara sit down with Scott Thompson, co-founder of Tree Defender, a Florida-based company on a mission to help save the citrus industry. As citrus greening continues to challenge growers across the state and beyond, Tree Defender has developed an innovative solution designed to protect young trees and give growers a fighting chance.Scott shares the story behind Tree Defender and how their Individual Protective Cover (IPC) is helping shield citrus trees from the Asian citrus psyllid, the insect responsible for spreading citrus greening. But protection is only part of the story.Field studies have shown that trees grown with the Tree Defender IPC are not only surviving, but thriving. With reported growth rates more than 2.5 times greater than uncovered control trees, the results are turning heads across the industry. The conversation dives into how these covers may enhance photosynthesis, creating a more favorable microclimate for young trees to establish and grow stronger, faster.Even more exciting, early observations suggest that this technology could extend beyond citrus. Other crops may also benefit from the same enhanced growing conditions, opening the door to broader applications for both commercial growers and backyard gardeners.This episode is a powerful look at innovation in agriculture, resilience in the face of industry challenges, and what the future could hold for citrus and beyond.In This Episode, We Cover:The ongoing impact of citrus greening on Florida agricultureHow the Asian citrus psyllid spreads diseaseThe development of the Tree Defender IPC systemReal-world results showing accelerated tree growthHow protective covers may enhance photosynthesisPotential applications for other crops and home gardensWhat this means for the future of citrus productionLearn More:https://thetreedefender.com

    16 min
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About

Welcome to Modern Farming, the new podcast brought to you by the Green Jean Foundation. Join us each week, as we dive into different ways to think about agricultural production - looking at some methods to revolutionize what we do. The Modern Farming Podcast features a diverse panel of hosts and covers a wide range of topics. Our exclusive interviews with industry leaders, innovative discussions, and groundbreaking insights are something you won’t want to miss. But we’re more than just a podcast. The Green Jean Foundation is dedicated to fostering a deep appreciation for agriculture and expanding knowledge to young minds. We provide schools with the necessary tools for students to have hands-on learning opportunities that connect to agriculture. For more information about the Green Jean Foundation, visit us at greenjeanfoundation.org and sign up for our monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest news and events. Don’t miss out on the transformation happening in agriculture. Subscribe to the Modern Farming Podcast and let’s shape the future of farming together.

Information

  • Creator
    Green Jean Foundation
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    74
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Green Jean Foundation
  • Show Website
    Modern Farming