When did you realize that you are white? Most white adults can’t recall an incident when they became aware of their race. But all Black parents have that conversation with their children at some point, and it often doesn’t start with a good experience. In the latest episode of #foodheroespod, Abena Foli recalls the time when her friend’s daughter asked “Mommy – am I brown?” Her 5-year-old daughter had experienced her first brush with racism, which prompted the first of many conversations her mother would have. It’s a reality and a privilege of existing as a white person: we are rarely compelled to face racism unless we choose to. And making that choice to have the hard conversations is…well, hard. Abena was gracious enough to share her experience with us in the latest episode of Food Heroes Podcast. I encourage you to listen and take action on her advice! 

EP 56 Abena Foli on Race

EP 55  K80 Rogue Food Heroes Update and Supporting Black Lives Matter

Corn is in nearly everything we consume. But how did that happen? And why? Charles Wiley, aka the Corn Man, initiates this conversation through storytelling and music!   In this episode, we talk about where we learn about our food systems, Charles’s vision for Corn Man, and the ripple effects of thoughtful conversations.

EP 54 Charles Wiley The Corn Man Project

I go on quite the rant in this solo episode. I read a post on istagram from the Thrid Space CAnteen that got me fired up about the role we can each play in creating a more locally-focused food experience. Lots of observations as we all realize our food system isn't as secure as we believed. Never think you are too small to be an agent for change!

EP 052 K80 Rogue Third Space Canteen  and the question of changing food systems during COVID  5.1.2020

Distance between the farmer and the consumer is not just a problem in the U.S. In Italy, small towns and villages often have just one major grocery store, and people don’t question the convenience of it. “They choose the brand because they trust the brand,” Sonia Massari tells me, “but they don’t know enough about the origin of the food or where the food comes from.”  As the director of Gusto Lab in Rome, she encourages students to compile stories rather than conduct surveys in order to learn about what people need. Listen to this episode to learn what food access looked like during quarantine in Italy, the similarities and differences between Italy and the U.S., and why she emphasizes empathy as the foundation of her research method.

EP 053 Sonia Massari Sustainable Design for the future of food

“It’s not charity forever.” I interviewed Mary McLaughlin from Trees That Feed to learn more about how her organization fights poverty, hunger, and climate change. Her childhood memories on her father’s farm in Jamaica inspired her to save the world by planting food forests!   We talk about all the delicious forms of breadfruit, how she and her husband developed a solar-powered dehydrator, and how Trees That Feed encourages self-reliance through agro-forests.

EP 50 Mary McLaughlin Trees that feed

There’s nothing more alienating than not being able to share a meal with family and friends. But with the vegan tortellini and ravioli from Eat Nice Foods, Paul Cantagallo and his wife Nell are uniting all dietary choices around the dinner table. Learn more about their journey to veganism, the state of the filled pasta industry, and how our cravings for comfort food can bring us together.

EP 51 Paul Cantagallo from Eat Nice Foods

Fishermen in Maine have seen shrimp, oyster, and mussel populations rapidly disappear due to fluctuating water temperatures. As a result, their primary source of income is lobster - but that’s at risk as well. Briana with Atlantic Sea Farms helps fishermen diversify their income with kelp farming. But she had to ask herself “How do you make the kelp industry look like the lobster industry so that lobstermen can participate?” In this episode, Briana and I talk about the state of the lobster industry (as of October 2019), how kelp farming combats climate change, and why she is proud to be a Mainer (even though she can’t call herself one).

EP 049 Briana Warner Atlantic Sea Farms

It is April 2 2020 and we are under a "stay in place" order from the governor of Florida. How are you coping with Covid 19? What changes do you think will stick or will it be business as usual once the threat passes? In this solo episode K80 shares updates on past and future interviews and what she is doing to make the most of social distancing and self-quarantine.

EP 048 K80 Rogue  Covid 19 and an update on EP 047

Join us for a conversation about climate grief with our guest Carmen Ostrander. Carmen shares some tips on coping with climate grief and introduces the idea of radical reimagining as a way to boost our creativity to build a future we want to see.

EP 47 Carmen Ostrander Radical REimagining

Introducing the new season of Food Heroes Podcast. Our 1-month break turned into three but we are back with a new series of interviews that will inspire you to get to know the food heroes in your town. With all the chaos of 2020, we are asking each guest to practice the art of radical reimagining as a way to use our creativity to build a better tomorrow. Now more than ever, we believe that small changes can have big impacts.

FHP Intro to 2020

In this episode, I'm joined by Sterling Schuyler as we dish on what we loved and learned from guests on Food Heroes in 2019.  Was there a guest who challenged your ideas about your food? I had several moments that have led me to a deeper connection to my food and the men and women pushing for change in our food system.    What's ahead for 2020? Tune in to find out.

EP. 045 Most Impactful Food Heroes of 2019 with  Sterling Schuyler and K80 Jones

The right to property isn’t as protected throughout the world as it is in America. And for many, it’s a right that could guarantee livelihood as well as security. To combat poverty and hunger, Danielle Flood with ECHO provides agricultural knowledge and training that improves the livelihood of people everywhere. “If we can show and test some of these theories going around with sustainable agriculture,” Danielle explains, “then we can take the risk where farmers don't have that same capacity.” In this episode, I visit the ECHO farm in Florida, where they test a variety of sustainable agriculture techniques to help people get the most from their land. Listen to learn more about how Danielle and ECHO create solutions to end world hunger!

EP. 044 Danielle Flood Echo Global: Teaching the agricultural skills to end world hunger

How do you work with food companies to improve animal welfare, while also holding them accountable?   We dive into this question and more with Rachel Dreskin, the  US Executive Director of an organization called Compassion in World Farming.    If you've ever wondered what it takes to work for change in the food industry Rachel shares what it took to become a voice for the humane treatment of farmed animals along with the changes she has seen in the last few years.    Compassion in World Farming has put together a guide so that we can shop easily cut through the confusing claims and labels on packaged foods to choose foods that align with our values as conscious consumers. Check out the Food Buying Guide:  www.ciwf.com/foodguide

EP. 043 Rachel Dreskin Compassion in World Farming: Kicking down doors to stand up for factory  farmed animal welfare

The obstacle we face now (as always) is changing our behavior. While a fairtrade banana can cost almost double the price as a regular banana, we have to consider whether we’re shopping in a practical manner or simply hunting for bargains. In this episode, Executive Director of Fairtrade Canada Julie Francoeur tells us about the human and environmental benefits of supporting fairtrade banana farmers.   Listen to this episode to learn about how your dollar truly has an impact on banana farmers in the Caribbean! For more of the story head to our website https://wp.me/p9QmWq-r2

EP. 042 Julie Francoeur Fairtrade Canada:Behind the peel of fair trade bananas

Questions for you and the changes coming to Food Heroes

You’ve probably heard that fermented foods are great for gut health. But do you know why?   Kirsten and Chris Shockey have been fervently fermenting since the early 2000s. After developing nearly a cult following at their farmer’s market, they found themselves talking more about the fermenting process than the products. The Shockeys realized there might be greater demand for teaching about fermentation instead of selling fermented foods.  Learn about grain-based ferments such as natto, tempeh, koji, and miso and why these foods are good for you and the planet  Listen to this episode to learn about fermenting and how you can get started! 

EP. 041 Kirsten & Christopher Shockey: Helping people take control of their gut health through teaching fermentation world wide

When fish company Verlasso hired Jennifer Bushman, they met with organizations such as Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and asked “If we’re going to farm sustainably, and you’re going to endorse it, what do we need to do to get farming right?”   This meeting led Jennifer on a journey to change everything we understand about fish farms. And as our appetite for fish continues to grow, sustainable aquaculture is one of our best chances to save marine life. Learn more about Jennifer’s work and how you can choose the best fish in your grocery stores and at your favorite restaurants!

EP. 040 Jennifer Bushman Route to Market: Ethics and sustainability in seafood production

Annie went to India initially to work on a healthcare program that she developed with her brother for mothers and children. When Annie first tried jackfruit, she didn’t intend to start a company around the delicious fruit. But over time, she believed jackfruit could be a solution to the prevailing poverty that led to the health concerns she was trying to address. Back then, there weren’t any commercial supply chains for it, and no commercial products developed with it. As a result, a lot of it was going to waste. “This was an opportunity to take a truly amazing natural resource, a miracle crop, and instead of letting it go to waste, convert it into massive incremental income for farming families.” So how’d Annie build the supply chain for her company? It just took an enormous amount of trust, confidence, and persistence, all for an unwanted fruit. In this episode  Annie’s first trip to India What jackfruit is and the stigma around it How Annie built her supply chain from scratch Her market research and the plant-based movement How The Jackfruit Company develops its products How jackfruit curbs climate change The gap between medicine and nutrition  Read the full story here.

EP. 039 Annie Ryu The Jackfruit Company: Establishing an ethical supply chain for plant-based products

Sarah Duignan started AnthroDish around the same time I started Food Heroes Podcast. But while I focus on how individuals and businesses fight inequity and climate change with food, Sarah looks at the human history of what we eat to promote awareness and understanding of accessibility and equality.     What you’ll learn in this episode  How Sarah joined the Global Future Waters project Why access to clean water is a problem for Indigenous populations How Sarah started her podcast AnthroDish What we learned in our first years podcasting The direction she wants to take AnthroDish Sarah’s experience as a podcaster at conferences How Sarah wants to tell stories and why she enjoys it Why she wants you to stop buying bottled water (hint: it’s about more than just the environment!)  Check out more at https://foodheroespodcast.com/

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