Grounded by the Farm

Janice L Person

Grounded by the Farm brings food lovers conversations with farmers every other Wednesday. We learn about how the foods are grown, tips on storing & preparing and how their family prepares it, and more. read less
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Episodes

Deliciously Responsible: From Farm-to-Counter at Bolyard's Meats
Oct 11 2023
Deliciously Responsible: From Farm-to-Counter at Bolyard's Meats
Farm-to-counter may not be a thing for most of us, but it is a service that Bolyard's Meats delivers all the time. Bolyard's is a butcher shop that works directly with farmers on the beef, pork, lamb, poultry and more. And in a really unique spin, you not only buy fresh from the farm meats at the meat counter, but you can get a great meal too. And you can eat that while watching the butchers at work in the cutting room from a lunch counter! In this episode we talk with chef and butcher Chris Bolyard who shares his passion for whole-animal butchery, sustainable practices, and providing high-quality meats to his customers.  Here are some key points from the episode that will capture the interest of food and cooking enthusiasts: Chris emphasizes the importance of understanding where your food comes from and the impact it has on its quality and taste. He highlights the strong relationships his business has with local farmers, visiting their farms to learn about the animals' upbringing, diet, and living conditions.Seam butchery is a technique used by Bolyard's Meats, allowing them to offer a wide variety of meat cuts to their customers. They take pride in introducing customers to new and lesser-known cuts, encouraging them to step out of their comfort zones.Chris highlights the importance of minimizing waste and utilizing all parts of the animal to create value-added items like charcuterie, deli meats, sausages, and more. The holiday season is already on the mind of folks in food service. We discuss the increased demand for their products during the holidays, including fresh turkeys for Thanksgiving and standing rib roasts and tenderloin roasts for Christmas.  Links Available: See videos of beef being broken down in the cutting room and an interview with the farmer who produces beef for Bolyard's Farm-to-Counter post on groundedbythefarm.com Bolyard's Meats websitePrice Family Farms website (beef source we talked with)Buttonwood Farms (poultry source)
Tapping into Fresh & Seasonal Cooking:  A Convo with Chef Zane Dearien
Sep 27 2023
Tapping into Fresh & Seasonal Cooking: A Convo with Chef Zane Dearien
As we change seasons, we're talking seasonal foods with chef Zane Dearien at a unique restaurant in St. Louis' Central West End -- Bowood by Niche. The restaurant is paired with a garden center, providing a perfect patio environment to enjoy a relaxed meal with friends and family. Our conversation focuses on the importance of utilizing seasonal foods and the on-site herb garden at the restaurant, and ways home cooks can up their game too.  During the interview, several key topics are covered: Zane's background in food & the restaurant industry.The restaurant's unique concept of combining a restaurant and garden center, offering guests a garden atmosphere and relaxed dining experience.Zane emphasis on seasonality and freshness in his menu planning, focusing on using the freshest ingredients available each season.The on-site herb garden at Bowood, where they grow a variety of herbs used in their dishes, ensuring the utmost freshness and flavor.The growth of Niche from one restaurant to a network of great neighborhood chef-driven experiences throughout St. Louis under direction of chef Gerard Craft.  We also talk through the challenges and rewards of working in the restaurant world in a few different ways:  The misconception of the glamourous chef life portrayed online and in the media versus the hard work and dedication required in the industry. The importance of building relationships with local farmers and the need for flexbility at times due to complications of weather, etc.  Links Available: - Bowood by Niche website: https://www.bowoodbyniche.com/  - A video on the on-site herb garden at Bowood: https://youtu.be/gqA877w1kpw - Detailed show notes post & photos on additional info https://groundedbythefarm.com/seasonal-cooking-zane-dearien/
Uncovering Cahokia's Food History & Forgotten Farmscapes
Aug 30 2023
Uncovering Cahokia's Food History & Forgotten Farmscapes
With Cahokia on our minds after our last episode, we turn to my backyard of St. Louis and are digging into more Native American food and farming history. Joined by guest expert Dr. Gayle Fritz, an anthropologist and professor emeritus from Washington University, we uncover the mysteries of this once-thriving metropolis and its food and farming footprint. Get ready to have your mind blown as Gayle delves into the incredible discoveries and hidden histories of Cahokia. It was major city and the largest metropolitan area long before Europeans arrived here. It was the largest city north of Mesoamerica between 1000-1400 CE. Did you know that the original residents of Cahokia cultivated crops we still grow like corn, squash and nuts? They also grew so-called "lost crops" as they are no longer in production?They even had their own version of quinoa! Plus, we'll explore the various purposes of the mounds found in Cahokia, from ceremonial rituals to burial grounds. Whether you're a foodie, history buff, or curious about native heritage, this episode will leave you hungry for more knowledge. So grab a snack and tune in to "Grounded by the Farm" as we dig deep into the culinary legacy of Cahokia!  Key topics and moments from the episode: The difficulty in fully understanding the Cahokia site due to limited archaeological search and human activities like farming, ranching, and construction.The ongoing discovery of history at Cahokia, including occasional finds due to erosion during bad storms.The cultural and historical significance of Cahokia as a major city and trading hub.The role of mounds in Cahokia and other Mississippian sites, serving various functions such as ceremonial sites and burials.The interconnectedness of St. Louis and Cahokia, with similar pottery and the presence of mounds in downtown St. Louis. Links Mentioned: The book on Cahokia's food Dr. Gayle Fritz has written is Feeding Cahokia: Early Agriculture in the North American Heartland (Archaeology of Food). It's available through this affiliate link on Amazon  Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site: https://cahokiamounds.org/ Interview with Dr. Natalie Mueller on the lost crop of erect knotweed https://news.stlpublicradio.org/show/st-louis-on-the-air/2023-05-15/what-americas-lost-crops-tell-us-about-food-in-the-age-of-climate-change
Rich Flavors and History of Midwestern Vineyards
May 24 2023
Rich Flavors and History of Midwestern Vineyards
We offer a deep dive into the world of winemaking, sustainability, and the family-run business of St. James Winery in Missouri talking with Brandon Hofherr (marketing director) and Sam Cobb (vineyard manager). From the rich history of Missouri as the first AVA in the US, settled by German and Italian immigrants, to the challenges of overturning restrictive laws on winemaking, the story of St. James Winery is a testament to the power of persistence and passion. It's also a great stop along Interstate 44 with a tasting room & brew pub on the grounds. We get into the vineyards themselves, taking a closer look at the importance of sustainable practices in winemaking and the use of AI technology to develop better blends and optimize water use. As we learn, the decision to invest in technology is a balancing act in the quest for better quality while remaining eco-conscious. For those who love food and the environment, this episode is filled with interesting information on the vital role that grape growing and winemaking play in our ecosystem. It's a reminder that what we eat and drink encompasses not just the ingredients on our plates but also the people who grow them, the environment that nurtures them, and the history and innovation that drive them forward. So pour yourself a glass of wine, relax, and tune in to this fascinating story of a family and their winery, rooted in tradition and inspired by the future. See video of the vineyard tour on our YouTube Channel or on the website at https://groundedbythefarm.com/midwestern-vineyards/ Learn more about the winery at StJamesWinery.com
Homeless to hopeful: How urban farming is changing lives in an Iowa shelter
May 10 2023
Homeless to hopeful: How urban farming is changing lives in an Iowa shelter
Urban farming has so much potential but it can be hard to make a living doing it. With the economy today, every city and town seems to have more people experiencing homelessness. In Iowa, there is a unique approach connecting individuals utilizing services at Central Iowa Shelter & Services (CISS) to fresh local food in a win-win and a unique farm right downtown. The facility has been growing vegetables every summer for years but this winter, they opened a greenhouse. Now, some of the people looking for the next steps to housing and employment are spending time planting seeds and growing skills.  Urban farm manager Aaron Thormodsen and Josh Spain who connects the farm program to culinary efforts at the facility and to restaurants in town sit down with Janice to talk about what the program is seeing, how trainees and local chefs are finding more common ground and more.  See the greenhouse tour on either our YouTube channel or the Grounded by the Farm website Learn more about Central Iowa Shelter & Services through: The CISS shelter website and the site's Mulberry Farms pageThe Shelter's Facebook PageCISS on Instagram If you would like to support the Mulberry Farms program & planned agrihood, you can donate to the greenhouse program or purchase some things from the farm's Amazon wish list and have it shipped directly! There is also a wish list for the shelter if you'd like to provide some of the items needed there as well.
Could Cricket Farming Be the Next Big Thing?
Apr 26 2023
Could Cricket Farming Be the Next Big Thing?
Shelby Smith never expected to be a farmer, so it may be fitting that she's a kind of farmer almost nobody thinks about. Shelby is a cricket farmer. Right in the heart of the Midwest.  She describes this space as one changing quickly and compares it to the reality there was a time most Americans probably thought avocados were odd and wondered why others ate them, while some of us now absolutely crave having guacamole now. We talk with Shelby about whether crickets may be the next big thing in foods and why she believes that. We also talk about: Shelby's background growing up on a farm and stumbling into cricket farming when doing research for her next careerTrying new foods thanks to a diverse palate -- crickets, tongue tacos, etc. Some people may not like the visual aspect of certain foodsWhat a cricket barn is like and why climate control is criticalBuying and growing cricketsFeeding practices for cricketsNew cricket barn excitementBiosecurity and pest control on the cricket farmFood safety considerations for cricketsAge is not a barrier to trying cricket-based products. You can see a tour of the farm at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIaVPVUkYOw&t=7s  Where else you can find Grounded by the Farm GroundedbytheFarm.com is our hub for photos & videos, blog posts, show notes, podcasts are here and more. You can even get new content emailed once a week as we publish by subscribing.Find your favorite foods or fun food educational resource information on the website.Groundedbythefarm_ on InstagramTikTok @groundedbythefarmGrounded by the Farm on YoutubeGrounded by the Farm Facebook Page