Seeds & Weeds Podcast Bevin Cohen, Small House Farm

It’s a hot and spicy episode of the Seeds & Weeds Podcast! Today we’re chatting with Mara Welton, who serves as director of programs for Slow Food USA. We’re going to dig into some of the incredible work that Slow Food does to support local and regional food systems and we’ll talk about Mara’s seasonal food truck. Then we’re going to play chili pepper trivia!
Mara Welton is a farmer, chef, community organizer and director of programs for Slow Food USA. Mara is actively involved in a number of Slow Food’s most impactful programs including the Plant a Seed Campaign and the Ark of Taste. Today we’ll learn more about Mara’s work with Slow Food and Chile Colorado, the food truck she runs with her husband that celebrates the flavors of the American Southwest. Then we’ll play a round of chili pepper trivia!

You can learn more about Slow Food USA at www.slowfoodusa.org
Before the interview Bevin catches us up on his busy spring season, including his recent book tour in Wisconsin and he drops some hints about a new project that he’s working on for Timber Press! You can stay up to date with all of Bevin’s adventures and shop for his books at www.BevinCohen.com
Big thanks to everyone that has left us reviews on Apple, Spotify and any other podcast platforms, we appreciate you! And remember, you can always support our podcast by joining our Patreon for as little as $3/month at www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

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In this episode we’re sitting down to chat with Canadian farmer and singer-songwriter Del Barber. Del’s music has been nominated for countless awards and has received critical acclaim from Rolling Stone Magazine. In April 2023, Del released Almanac, his 8th studio album.
When he’s not touring or recording, Del is busy running his farm with his wife and kids––a massive 2000 acres of grain land as well as 250 pure bred cows. He raises and sells over 1,000 meat chickens per year and they yield a sustainable micro-farm with vegetables and flowers.


We’re going to talk with Del about how song writing is like storytelling, how he’s able to balance his farm life with life on the road and we’re going to hear songs from the new album!


You can learn more about Del and order your copy of Almanac at www.delbarber.com


Before the interview, we recap some of the fun we had at the recent Mother Earth News Fair in Kansas. We got to hang out with some old friends and meet many new friends while we were there! We even ran into Zach Loeks who you might remember from an earlier episode of the show! You can check out our interview with Zach here:  https://www.smallhousefarm.com/seedsandweedspodcast/ep-10-5-questions-w-zach-loeks-plus-tomato-extravaganza/


We had so much fun at the Mother Earth News Fair seed swap! Bevin got to spend time sharing stories with the one and only Ira Wallace from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange! It was a blast! We’ll be hosting another seed swap at the Pennsylvania fair - find all the details at https://www.motherearthnewsfair.com/ 


On our drive down to Kansas we watched the redbuds evolve through their entire flowering cycle. Nature is fleeting and spring will be gone before we know it! One of our favorite ways to celebrate the seasons is with our Small House seasonal gift baskets, specially curated for our Patreon subscribers!

Loaded with limited edition teas, tinctures, salves and other groovy Small House products, these baskets are a great way to celebrate the seasons and support our podcast! Sign up to get your gift basket here: www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm 


We also decided to bundle Bevin’s book, The Complete Guide to Seeds & Nut Oils, with the Piteba oil press.. and that was so well received at the fair that we decided to continuing offering the bundle on our website! If you’d like to learn more about pressing your own seed and nut oils at home, check out this great bundle deal: https://www.smallhousefarm.com/product/the-complete-oil-pressing-kit/ 


And remember, you can always support our podcast for as little as $3 a month by joining our Patreon: www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

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YT: @smallhousefarm
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Today we’re hanging out with farmer and author Zach Loeks and he’s going to answer 5 questions. We’ll talk about his work at Ecosystem Solution Institute and we’re going to learn more about micro-landscaping. After the interview we’re going to celebrate with a Tomato Extravaganza.. because right now I am obsessed with America’s favorite fruit!
Zack Loeks is an educator, designer and grower, who specializes in Edible Ecosystem Design. He also manages an award-winning farm and has written a handful of books including The Permaculture Market Garden and The Edible Ecosystem Solution.
You can learn more about Zach’s work and order his books at www.ecosystemsolutioninstitute.com and www.zachloeks.com
 After the interview, it’s time to talk tomatoes! I share some info about a presentation I’ve been giving this spring – Let’s Talk Tomatoes, America’s Favorite Fruit. 
It’s a popular presentation that I’m scheduled to be giving at all three of the Mother Earth News Fairs this year. We’ll explore the history of this tasty little fruit… and then we’ll talk about some of our favorite types and varieties. 
Our Seeds & Weeds Facebook group weighed in on their favorite tomato types… Which is their favorite? We find out today! You can join our FB community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/619193340058728/
 Every year at Small House Farm we host a tomato tasting event. Its one of the most popular videos on our Youtube channel.. which tomato reigns supreme? You can watch the 2022 video here: https://youtu.be/OaC1r8cw33Q
 Be sure to subscribe to our Youtube channel to catch the 2023 tomato tasting too! 
 And remember, you can always support our podcast by joining our Patreon: www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm

Connect with us!
IG: @small_house_farm
FB: @smallhousefarm
YT: @smallhousefarm
You can support our podcast by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm
www.seedsandweedspodcast.com 
Support the show

Why are moths always cast as the villain? What’s the difference between a moth and a butterfly? We’ll find out today in this special bonus episode! Let’s sit down for a chat with botanist and photographer Jim McCormac to talk about his new book Gardening for Moths. Jim and his co-author Chelsea Gottfried have written a book unlike any other available on the market!
Gardening for Moths is the first book to show midwestern gardeners and naturalists why they should attract specific moth species to their properties and how to do it. The book’s stunning color photographs and intriguing facts reveal the fascinating world of these insects, inspiring readers to incorporate moth-loving native plants into their landscapes. 
You can order your copy of this incredible new book on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Gardening-Moths-Regional-Jim-McCormac/dp/082142520X
Follow Jim’s blog to learn more about his work and check out some beautiful photography at:   http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/

Connect with us!
IG: @small_house_farm
FB: @smallhousefarm
YT: @smallhousefarm
You can support our podcast by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm
www.seedsandweedspodcast.com 
Support the show

Today we’re hanging out with Erica Kempter and Mike Levine, co-owners of Nature & Nurture Seeds, a Michigan based seed company. We talk about why planting regional seed matters and some of their favorite varieties from this year’s catalog, then we play the Garden Dating Game! Let’s see how well Erica and Mike know each other… in the garden. 😉 
 Erica has been farming and gardening for nearly 30 years and Mike has been obsessed with edible plants for his entire adult life. Together, in 2013, they founded Nature & Nurture Seeds, which just happens to be one of my favorite seed companies! You can learn more about the company and browse their excellent selection of seeds at www.natureandnurtureseeds.com
Nature & Nurture Seeds was featured in my Top Ten Favorite Seed Companies list that we posted on Patreon earlier this year. You can find the full list at www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm
In this episode I also talk about our new Seeds & Weeds Facebook group. This a fun forum for all of us to share our plant adventures with each other.. find the group and join the conversation at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/619193340058728/

Connect with us!
IG: @small_house_farm
FB: @smallhousefarm
YT: @smallhousefarm
You can support our podcast by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm
www.seedsandweedspodcast.com 
Support the show

We’re back with another round of Ask an Herbalist and this time we’re sitting down with herbalist and educator Demetria Clark. You sent in some really interesting questions and Demetria and I had a very fun and informative conversation!

Demetria Clark is an internationally known herbalist, aromatherapist and midwife. She has studied and apprenticed with renowned herbal practitioners, including Rosemary Gladstar, Jane Smolnik and Susun Weed. She is the founder of the Heart of Herbs online school and Birth Arts International. 

Some of the questions we covered in today’s interview include:
What are some herbs that you recommend for women's health and does this change throughout the stages of a woman's life?How can a new herbalist develop experience and connection with plants if they don't have the time or space to grow any herbs?What advice do you have for new herbalists when things just 'aren't working out'? How do we overcome the struggles of starting a new journey?If you’d like to submit questions to “Ask an Herbalist” you can contact us via our website www.seedsandweedspodcast.com or email Bevin directly at smallhousefarm@gmail.com

Learn more about Demetria’s work at www.heartofherbs.com and www.birtharts.com

If you’d like to explore the world of herbs in more depth, check out Bevin’s award-winning book, The Artisan Herbalist at www.theartisanherbalist.com
Connect with us!
IG: @small_house_farm
FB: @smallhousefarm
YT: @smallhousefarm
You can support our podcast by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm
www.seedsandweedspodcast.com 
Support the show