This month, we’re focusing on the topic of Farm to Table. It’s increasingly clear that human health and what we eat is directly linked to how our food is grown! Learning how to improve and navigate our food systems is crucial to the well-being of everyone.
Here is a list of resources around the topic of farm to table – from free podcasts to educational book titles and more!
Best Books on Farm to Table
- The Whole Okra by Chris Smith – The Whole Okra is foremost a foodie’s book, but Smith also provides practical tips and techniques for home and market gardeners.
- Nourishment by Fred Provenza – Renowned animal behaviorist Fred Provenza presents his research on animal food choices, and his theory on how similar choices can improve human health.
- Food, Farming & Health by Dr. Vandana Shiva, et al – This book shows how health is a continuum from the soil, to the plants, to our bodies.
- Eating Tomorrow by Timothy A. Wise – Reporting from Africa, Mexico, India, and the United States, Timothy A. Wise’s Eating Tomorrow discovers how in country after country agribusiness and its well-heeled philanthropic promoters have hijacked food policies to feed corporate interests.
- A Precautionary Tale by Philip Ackerman-Leist – A Precautionary Tale introduces readers to an unlikely group of activists and a forward-thinking mayor who came together to ban pesticides in Mals, Italy, by a referendum vote—making it the first place on Earth to accomplish such a feat, and a model for other towns and regions to follow.
Find more books on farm to table at the Acres U.S.A. Bookstore in the Calendars and Cookbooks Collection, the Human Health Collection, and the New Titles Collection.
Best Podcasts on Farm to Table
Acres U.S.A.’s Tractor Time podcast has interviewed many experts on food and farming over the years. Here are a few key episodes that, in particular, focus on farm to table:
- Episode 50: Vandana Shiva – A fearless advocate for peasant farmers throughout the world, Dr. Shiva is one of the most outspoken critics of industrial agriculture and its dire environmental and spiritual consequences.
- Episode 49: Chris Smaje – For the last 15 years, Smaje has run a small farm in Sommerset, England. Before that, he worked as a social scientist at University of Surrey and Goldsmiths College.
- Episode 51: Tom Philpott – Tom Philpott is the food and ag correspondent for Mother Jones. Before that, he covered the food system for Grist. His reporting has appeared in the New York Times, Newsweek and the Guardian.
- Episode 55: Mark Bittman – For 30-plus years, Mark Bittman has been, hands-down, the most influential food writer in America. He worked as a star food columnist at the New York Times. He’s written 16 best-selling books and cookbooks.
Catch all of our Tractor Time podcast episodes for free here, or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Learn from the Experts in Person
There’s nothing like meeting the experts in person to really cement the knowledge they’re providing. Your next chance to meet experts like Marty Travis, Mark Shepard, Dr. Nasha Winters and Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin in person will be the 2022 Eco-Ag Conference & Trade Show!
Of particular interest to farm to table topics will be the following workshops:
- All-day Eco-Ag U workshop on “Life Cycle of Health from Humus to Human” by Dr. Nasha Winters and guests. Dr. Winters is a beloved speaker at Acres U.S.A. conferences and we are thrilled to be having her once again! She is a sought-after luminary and a global healthcare authority in integrative cancer research and consults with physicians around the world.
- Session on “Growing Top-Shelf Food for Chefs” by Marty Travis and Chris Pandel. Marty Travis is the author of My Farmer, My Customer and the proud owner of Spence Farm in Illinois.
- Day 1 Keynote Address by David Montgomery and Anne Biklé. Their new book, What Your Food Ate, marshals evidence from recent and forgotten science to illustrate how the health of the soil ripples through to that of crops, livestock, and ultimately us.
Learn more about how you can connect and learn from an innovative network of farming experts and peers at the 2022 Eco-Ag Conference & Trade Show. It will take place Dec. 5-8 in Covington, KY, right across the river from beautiful Cincinnati, Ohio. Sign up for our News & Announcements email newsletter to stay up to date on all the latest learning opportunities from Acres U.S.A.!
