{"version":"https://jsonfeed.org/version/1","title":"Let Them Eat Grass","home_page_url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm","feed_url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/json","description":"\"Let Them Eat Grass\" follows one former suburbanite (me) turned farmer as I make sense in real-time of the interconnected world of farming, food, and the environment. Here, your insatiable curiosity can feast upon good food. Here, a good story only germinates in deep topsoil.\r\n\r\nHere, you'll get some questions answered you've always had and learn about others you never knew existed.\r\n\r\nI started this podcast on a shoestring budget in the basement of my 1950s farmhouse during my early days of farming from March 2019 through March 2020. The older episodes sound like a time capsule of pre-Covid urgency that rings still true today. I restarted this podcast three years later, in March of 2023. There is still so much I have left to say. \r\n\r\nAnd, we're losing 2000 acres of farmland a day to development or abandonment. The average age of farmers is only going up. And, the effects of climate change are only going to get stronger. If you're like me, you love this planet. You want to preserve it for future generations. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and we must be the change we wish to see in the world. Listen to the old episodes, but stick around for the new ones.\r\n\r\nPS--If you're a farmer, and you need some help marketing your good food to the world, message me via my website:\r\n\r\nhttps://www.seofarmmarketing.com","_fireside":{"subtitle":"A podcast about healthy farms, good food, and sustainable living.","pubdate":"2023-06-23T15:00:00.000-05:00","explicit":false,"copyright":"2025 by Austin Williams","owner":"Austin Williams","image":"https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-images-2024/podcasts/images/c/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/cover.jpg?v=1"},"items":[{"id":"eb645d5f-ba99-4614-93c3-9da30693daa4","title":"Episode 41: Two Missouri Counties \u0026 the Antipodes","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/41","content_text":"The Invisible Things\n\nWhat lies beneath the soil is generally invisible unless we stick our hands into it. It doesn’t take much sifting of American soil before you run into one invisible thing: Race.\n\nUnsurprisingly, I learned about race from a very distant, middle-class, white perspective. Growing up in the upwardly-mobile suburbs of St. Louis, the son of a pharmacist and a lawyer, I had many privileges only now I can fully appreciate. There was always food in the fridge. Always a parent at home when I was home. And so, so many more.\n\nNone of the buildings in my hometown were even old enough to have witnessed the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. There are no visible reminders of acrimonious race relations. But, as I've come to see, the reminders of the past are all around us.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eThe Invisible Things\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat lies beneath the soil is generally invisible unless we stick our hands into it. It doesn’t take much sifting of American soil before you run into one invisible thing: Race.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUnsurprisingly, I learned about race from a very distant, middle-class, white perspective. Growing up in the upwardly-mobile suburbs of St. Louis, the son of a pharmacist and a lawyer, I had many privileges only now I can fully appreciate. There was always food in the fridge. Always a parent at home when I was home. And so, so many more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNone of the buildings in my hometown were even old enough to have witnessed the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. There are no visible reminders of acrimonious race relations. But, as I\u0026#39;ve come to see, the reminders of the past are all around us.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"A short reflection on my journey as it relates to race, agriculture, and America. This is more of a somber episode.","date_published":"2023-06-23T15:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/eb645d5f-ba99-4614-93c3-9da30693daa4.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":27330454,"duration_in_seconds":1138}]},{"id":"afb5d858-a5ec-4d6c-a806-a86f63515211","title":"Episode 40: Herbivore? Carnivore? Locavore? Find Good, Local Food in these 4 Free Directories","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/40","content_text":"It’s easy to get lost in the interwebs looking for good food. \n\nYou have enough to worry about between your job, bills to pay, going Beast Mode during CrossFit, soccer practice for the kids, and date nights with your spouse. Finding a directory of quality food so you can nourish your family AND support the local economy shouldn’t be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. \n\nWhat else are you going to do? Ask a farmer who their competitors are so you can browse their products? Yeah, I didn’t think so either.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eIt’s easy to get lost in the interwebs looking for good food. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYou have enough to worry about between your job, bills to pay, going Beast Mode during CrossFit, soccer practice for the kids, and date nights with your spouse. Finding a directory of quality food so you can nourish your family AND support the local economy shouldn’t be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat else are you going to do? Ask a farmer who their competitors are so you can browse their products? Yeah, I didn’t think so either.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Real Milk, Local Harvest, Eat Wild, and Google Business are four free directories to help quality-conscious consumers connect with good farmers.","date_published":"2023-06-02T14:30:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/afb5d858-a5ec-4d6c-a806-a86f63515211.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":26254123,"duration_in_seconds":1093}]},{"id":"58e2989c-1e5b-4923-a3fa-55f2378e349d","title":"Episode 39: 7 Farmers You Should Know","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/39","content_text":"Regenerative Agriculture is farming with nature rather than against it. Farmers who work regeneratively treat nature like a dance partner rather than a sparring partner.\n\nIt’s mimicking on a small, human-directed scale what nature does on a large, wild scale. Regenerative farmers focus on building healthy ecosystems by replenishing the humus which has been lost by centuries of extractive and shortsighted farming methods. They focus on:\n\nOrganic matter, hydrology, mineral cycling, ground cover, and plant spacing\n\nNOT\n\nYield, weeds, disease, pests, artificial inputs, and chemicals\n\nThese are seven regenerative farmers who you should know about (or even buy food from).","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eRegenerative Agriculture is farming with nature rather than against it. Farmers who work regeneratively treat nature like a dance partner rather than a sparring partner.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s mimicking on a small, human-directed scale what nature does on a large, wild scale. Regenerative farmers focus on building healthy ecosystems by replenishing the humus which has been lost by centuries of extractive and shortsighted farming methods. They focus on:\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOrganic matter, hydrology, mineral cycling, ground cover, and plant spacing\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNOT\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYield, weeds, disease, pests, artificial inputs, and chemicals\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThese are seven regenerative farmers who you should know about (or even buy food from).\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Joel Salatin, Seven Sons, Will Harris, David Boatright, Five Marys, Greg Judy, and Allan Savory. It’s almost criminal these people don’t have more recognition…","date_published":"2023-05-23T15:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/58e2989c-1e5b-4923-a3fa-55f2378e349d.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":41104216,"duration_in_seconds":1712}]},{"id":"a58e82d4-2560-424f-817b-56e7d26bbfc4","title":"Episode 38: Why Support Local Farms?","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/38","content_text":"","content_html":"","summary":"I spent the last five years managing two farms in rural Mid-Missouri. Here is what I learned...","date_published":"2023-04-06T11:30:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/a58e82d4-2560-424f-817b-56e7d26bbfc4.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":12532839,"duration_in_seconds":521}]},{"id":"280013c9-e941-4168-b9f8-359acb85c0f8","title":"Episode 37: The Return of the Lunatic","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/37","content_text":"","content_html":"","summary":"And this time, he uploads the right audio!","date_published":"2023-03-24T07:15:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/280013c9-e941-4168-b9f8-359acb85c0f8.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":1401925,"duration_in_seconds":58}]},{"id":"6b7a3d17-f5a1-4492-af65-5d33b700aa58","title":"Episode 34: August 13, 2016","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/34","content_text":"The true story of how I met my wife, Kelli Williams, on top of a mountain in Colorado. Narrated by Austin and Kelli Williams, Calvin Blaylock, Bradford Barnett, and Ashton Anderson. For your listening pleasure.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eThe true story of how I met my wife, Kelli Williams, on top of a mountain in Colorado. Narrated by Austin and Kelli Williams, Calvin Blaylock, Bradford Barnett, and Ashton Anderson. For your listening pleasure.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"My last hurrah...","date_published":"2020-03-13T21:45:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/6b7a3d17-f5a1-4492-af65-5d33b700aa58.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":43769302,"duration_in_seconds":2368}]},{"id":"cfc65715-4b62-4242-a244-146b9d471f16","title":"Episode 31: Dark Sky","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/31","content_text":"Now, imagine that actually happened. Because it did. We've by and large lost the expectation to be able to see the night sky. It has become the exception rather than the rule. The night sky has been disappearing rapidly from the public consciousness, and it loss is extremely detrimental to more species than just ours.\n\nBirds need it to navigate and baby sea turtles need it to help them get from the beach to the ocean, as just a couple examples.\n\nJoin me as I argue for responsible stewardship of one of our most valuable resources.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eNow, imagine that actually happened. Because it did. We\u0026#39;ve by and large lost the expectation to be able to see the night sky. It has become the exception rather than the rule. The night sky has been disappearing rapidly from the public consciousness, and it loss is extremely detrimental to more species than just ours.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBirds need it to navigate and baby sea turtles need it to help them get from the beach to the ocean, as just a couple examples.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJoin me as I argue for responsible stewardship of one of our most valuable resources.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Imagine the Milky Way over NYC in 1977","date_published":"2020-01-22T07:45:00.000-06:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/cfc65715-4b62-4242-a244-146b9d471f16.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":17186608,"duration_in_seconds":835}]},{"id":"5a64c445-fd34-4639-97ef-7e05569e138b","title":"Episode 30: Salvation in the Soil","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/30","content_text":"Rashid Nuri started with a degree in political science from Harvard and ended up as an urban farmer in Atlanta. He's traveled across the post-colonial world to 36 different countries as he sought to aid in nation-building. He wanted a practical skill to help these fledgling nations get off their feet, and he could think of none better than farming. He's on a God-directed mission to bring natural food to communities so they can thrive. Listen to his story.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eRashid Nuri started with a degree in political science from Harvard and ended up as an urban farmer in Atlanta. He\u0026#39;s traveled across the post-colonial world to 36 different countries as he sought to aid in nation-building. He wanted a practical skill to help these fledgling nations get off their feet, and he could think of none better than farming. He\u0026#39;s on a God-directed mission to bring natural food to communities so they can thrive. Listen to his story.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"An interview with Rashid Nuri, an urban farmer visionary in Atlanta.","date_published":"2020-01-15T07:00:00.000-06:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/5a64c445-fd34-4639-97ef-7e05569e138b.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":40877227,"duration_in_seconds":2177}]},{"id":"1ce90a54-5536-468b-b69d-d21d4dd4738a","title":"Budgeting for Pasture-Raised Food","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/everydollar","content_text":"During the 2018 Christmas season, the average American family spent over $1000 on holiday-related expenses. Ironically, the average family surveyed a few month's prior believed they'd only spend around $700. That's a $300 gap between expectations and reality.\n\nOne solution is a zero-based budget, and one way to budget is with an app called Every Dollar. I've been using this app for more than two years, and it's definitely the best budgeting app I've ever used.\n\nAfter all, pasture-raised food is expensive. Our farm's ground beef is twice as expensive as Walmarts, but for good reason! Listen more to find out.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eDuring the 2018 Christmas season, the average American family spent over $1000 on holiday-related expenses. Ironically, the average family surveyed a few month\u0026#39;s prior believed they\u0026#39;d only spend around $700. That\u0026#39;s a $300 gap between expectations and reality.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne solution is a zero-based budget, and one way to budget is with an app called Every Dollar. I\u0026#39;ve been using this app for more than two years, and it\u0026#39;s definitely the best budgeting app I\u0026#39;ve ever used.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAfter all, pasture-raised food is expensive. Our farm\u0026#39;s ground beef is twice as expensive as Walmarts, but for good reason! Listen more to find out.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"What if you spent Every Dollar?","date_published":"2019-12-18T06:15:00.000-06:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/1ce90a54-5536-468b-b69d-d21d4dd4738a.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":22060900,"duration_in_seconds":1060}]},{"id":"b8857a92-75dc-4088-8b55-23c490982d4b","title":"Episode 28: Off the Record: The Farming Game","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/28","content_text":"As a farmer, I've come to see just how complicated the world of farming is. Debt, severe weather events, and decades of convention have all helped turn the colloquial relationship with the farmer down the street to the world of globalized, commodity-based farming. Stay with me as I try to parse it out for you.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eAs a farmer, I\u0026#39;ve come to see just how complicated the world of farming is. Debt, severe weather events, and decades of convention have all helped turn the colloquial relationship with the farmer down the street to the world of globalized, commodity-based farming. Stay with me as I try to parse it out for you.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"It's more complicated than you thought...","date_published":"2019-12-04T08:15:00.000-06:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/b8857a92-75dc-4088-8b55-23c490982d4b.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":28697661,"duration_in_seconds":1426}]},{"id":"009bf799-017b-44a9-b6bb-c7c3256b30ba","title":"Episode 27: Come Health or High Water (with Mariah Boatright)","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/27","content_text":"Diets can be overwhelming and confusing.\n\nIt seems like a new one pops up every minute, and ones we thought were new are just rebranded ones from ten years ago. What do we believe?\n\nEspecially what do we believe when we have people preaching extremes, and they both seem healthy?\n\nCan we be both fully vegan and fully carnivore? (Don't think too hard about it)\n\nIn this episode I explore a possible middle ground for diet. The easiest answer to the question of whether or not I should eat meat is that... we're omnivores. Some meats and some veggies is probably good for everyone. But God created us so magnificently that we're able to survive on the extremes. For this episode I interviewed Mariah Boatright, who was told she probably wouldn't be able to have children due to ovarian cysts. After trying birth control, she switched to a whole foods/pasture-raised meat diet and she now has two beautiful boys!\n\nListen to the rest of it!","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eDiets can be overwhelming and confusing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt seems like a new one pops up every minute, and ones we thought were new are just rebranded ones from ten years ago. What do we believe?\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEspecially what do we believe when we have people preaching extremes, and they both seem healthy?\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCan we be both fully vegan and fully carnivore? (Don\u0026#39;t think too hard about it)\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this episode I explore a possible middle ground for diet. The easiest answer to the question of whether or not I should eat meat is that... we\u0026#39;re omnivores. Some meats and some veggies is probably good for everyone. But God created us so magnificently that we\u0026#39;re able to survive on the extremes. For this episode I interviewed Mariah Boatright, who was told she probably wouldn\u0026#39;t be able to have children due to ovarian cysts. After trying birth control, she switched to a whole foods/pasture-raised meat diet and she now has two beautiful boys!\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eListen to the rest of it!\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"From the ancient Hebrew's kosher diet to YouTube influencer vegan defectors...","date_published":"2019-11-20T07:00:00.000-06:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/009bf799-017b-44a9-b6bb-c7c3256b30ba.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":35323072,"duration_in_seconds":1830}]},{"id":"83b65a49-0656-4673-8800-c317efdb4795","title":"Farm-to-Fork Restaurants (with Ben Parks)","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/barredowl","content_text":"Farm-to-Fork is a loosely affiliated restaurant movement that champions close relationships with local farmers instead of nationwide distributors. Wherever you live, there are likely restaurants nearby that practice this philosophy. Farm-to-Fork is part of a groundswell of popular support away from processed food and towards wholesome eating. I interviewed Ben Parks, the chef/owner of a farm to fork restaurant in Columbia, MO. He talks about the movement, the struggles, and the future of good food.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eFarm-to-Fork is a loosely affiliated restaurant movement that champions close relationships with local farmers instead of nationwide distributors. Wherever you live, there are likely restaurants nearby that practice this philosophy. Farm-to-Fork is part of a groundswell of popular support away from processed food and towards wholesome eating. I interviewed Ben Parks, the chef/owner of a farm to fork restaurant in Columbia, MO. He talks about the movement, the struggles, and the future of good food.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Nothing but great news.","date_published":"2019-11-06T04:30:00.000-06:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/83b65a49-0656-4673-8800-c317efdb4795.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":36126289,"duration_in_seconds":2071}]},{"id":"c6429f5a-d332-4ddc-884b-795bca7a1cb6","title":"Episode 26: Redux: Interview","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/26","content_text":"Recently I got interview on the podcast \"Faith and Family Fellowship\" by Pastor Chris Buscher. I go deeper into the theological underpinnings of why I do what I do than normally happens on my episodes. I hope all who listen can be strengthened and encouraged. Whether or not you're a brother or sister in Christ, I think you'll find it interesting.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eRecently I got interview on the podcast \u0026quot;Faith and Family Fellowship\u0026quot; by Pastor Chris Buscher. I go deeper into the theological underpinnings of why I do what I do than normally happens on my episodes. I hope all who listen can be strengthened and encouraged. Whether or not you\u0026#39;re a brother or sister in Christ, I think you\u0026#39;ll find it interesting.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Faith and Family Fellowship by Pastor Chris Buscher","date_published":"2019-10-24T12:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/c6429f5a-d332-4ddc-884b-795bca7a1cb6.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":44905055,"duration_in_seconds":2419}]},{"id":"fa045fe9-a0e5-4710-b143-84e44863c93f","title":"Backyard Animals (with Janet Garman)","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/backyardanimals","content_text":"Across the US, farm animals have been creeping into formerly suburban spaces. There has been an incredible interest in keeping backyard poultry for the many ecological benefits they offer. Trash disposal plus fresh eggs every morning? Sign us up! Chickens do everything from helping control tick populations to recycle biomass. It's a win-win situation.\n\nGoats and sheep aren't as common, but they are equally valuable. In fire prone countries like Portugal and states like California, tribes of goats are used to build fire breaks ahead of encroaching wildfires. They eat through all the flammable material, which deprives a fire of any fuel source. Sheep are great to own if you don't want to mow your lawn any more. They'll eat through perennial grass without breaking a sweat.\n\nFor this episode, I interviewed Janet Garman. She's been keeping backyard animals for many years now, and has a wealth of experience to boot. Check out the Backyard Poultry Magazine if you want to know more about this (she is affiliated with them!)","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eAcross the US, farm animals have been creeping into formerly suburban spaces. There has been an incredible interest in keeping backyard poultry for the many ecological benefits they offer. Trash disposal plus fresh eggs every morning? Sign us up! Chickens do everything from helping control tick populations to recycle biomass. It\u0026#39;s a win-win situation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGoats and sheep aren\u0026#39;t as common, but they are equally valuable. In fire prone countries like Portugal and states like California, tribes of goats are used to build fire breaks ahead of encroaching wildfires. They eat through all the flammable material, which deprives a fire of any fuel source. Sheep are great to own if you don\u0026#39;t want to mow your lawn any more. They\u0026#39;ll eat through perennial grass without breaking a sweat.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor this episode, I interviewed Janet Garman. She\u0026#39;s been keeping backyard animals for many years now, and has a wealth of experience to boot. Check out the Backyard Poultry Magazine if you want to know more about this (she is affiliated with them!)\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"There's been a silent revolution afoot in our backyards...","date_published":"2019-10-24T11:15:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/fa045fe9-a0e5-4710-b143-84e44863c93f.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":45337858,"duration_in_seconds":2545}]},{"id":"17fedc47-574e-4591-a955-1eba9360f51c","title":"Episode 23: Double Episode Featuring Coming Soon","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/23","content_text":"Seriously, just listen for a minute.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eSeriously, just listen for a minute.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Just listen for a minute.","date_published":"2019-10-23T06:30:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/17fedc47-574e-4591-a955-1eba9360f51c.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":1456659,"duration_in_seconds":76}]},{"id":"efc745ad-feb3-4ea3-924c-4424ace4ac27","title":"Episode 22: Leave A Trace","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/22","content_text":"Leave No Trace (LNT) is a backcountry wilderness ethic preached in many of our national parks. It makes sense. Don't litter, respect wildlife, stay on the trail, etc. But it has blind spots. It encourages an ecological disconnectedness with actions in our daily lives. We might not litter in the park, what what happens to the plastic wrappers that covered our food when we bought it at the store? See? Trash has to go somewhere, too.\n\nConscious Impact Living (CIL) will hopefully be the replacement for LNT. I didn't create it, and I don't even think LNT is bad. LNT served its purpose for many decades. But we've learned a lot about the earth's climate in the half century since LNT was created, and we know more now than ever that everything is connected. CIL is a roadmap to sustainable living in both the city and the backcountry. I can't wait to show it to you!","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eLeave No Trace (LNT) is a backcountry wilderness ethic preached in many of our national parks. It makes sense. Don\u0026#39;t litter, respect wildlife, stay on the trail, etc. But it has blind spots. It encourages an ecological disconnectedness with actions in our daily lives. We might not litter in the park, what what happens to the plastic wrappers that covered our food when we bought it at the store? See? Trash has to go somewhere, too.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eConscious Impact Living (CIL) will hopefully be the replacement for LNT. I didn\u0026#39;t create it, and I don\u0026#39;t even think LNT is bad. LNT served its purpose for many decades. But we\u0026#39;ve learned a lot about the earth\u0026#39;s climate in the half century since LNT was created, and we know more now than ever that everything is connected. CIL is a roadmap to sustainable living in both the city and the backcountry. I can\u0026#39;t wait to show it to you!\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Remember, everything is connected.","date_published":"2019-10-09T05:30:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/efc745ad-feb3-4ea3-924c-4424ace4ac27.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":52986691,"duration_in_seconds":1324}]},{"id":"7932487e-4392-4b8e-8848-7fc3470beeb7","title":"Episode 21: Could Localism Cure Globalism?","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/21","content_text":"Our penchant for global travel is destroying the very places we're trying to see. Whether it's going off trail for the perfect instagram picture, or it's more invisible like carbon dioxide melting around 90% of the world's glaciers, these fragile environments are breaking down right in front of our eyes.\n\nTourism isn't new. Even the Pharoahs of ancient Egypt visited monuments like the Great Sphinx built 1000 years previously. But we aren't going for these grand, month-long tours of different countries. Most tourists now are from the emerging middle class, and they only have time for a week. So ports of call in beautiful locales are swamped with picture-hungry tourists who only have a few hours to prove to their friends back home how much fun they're having.\n\nAt least 259 people died while trying to take a selfie last year. That statistic alone proves how messed up our social-media driven culture is.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eOur penchant for global travel is destroying the very places we\u0026#39;re trying to see. Whether it\u0026#39;s going off trail for the perfect instagram picture, or it\u0026#39;s more invisible like carbon dioxide melting around 90% of the world\u0026#39;s glaciers, these fragile environments are breaking down right in front of our eyes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTourism isn\u0026#39;t new. Even the Pharoahs of ancient Egypt visited monuments like the Great Sphinx built 1000 years previously. But we aren\u0026#39;t going for these grand, month-long tours of different countries. Most tourists now are from the emerging middle class, and they only have time for a week. So ports of call in beautiful locales are swamped with picture-hungry tourists who only have a few hours to prove to their friends back home how much fun they\u0026#39;re having.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAt least 259 people died while trying to take a selfie last year. That statistic alone proves how messed up our social-media driven culture is.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"We're loving our favorite places to death. Let's stop.","date_published":"2019-09-25T06:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/7932487e-4392-4b8e-8848-7fc3470beeb7.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":27658995,"duration_in_seconds":976}]},{"id":"7f812f92-e232-4033-8fdc-7ecd6eae8918","title":"Episode 20: Are Beef Cows Making the Amazon Burn?","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/20","content_text":"We've heard a lot about the Amazon Rainforest in the news recently. \n\n\"The lungs of the world are burning!\"\n\nWell, first off, they really aren't the lungs of the world. And the amount of fires this year in the Brazilian Amazon is actually slightly BELOW the 20 year average for fires by this time of year. So why are we hearing about it now?\n\nWe're hearing about it because the media are famous for histrionics and over-simplification of complex ecological issues.\n\nHaving no oxygen might scare us, but it's not true. It might get our attention, but it's a lie.\n\nWhat we need to worry about is having too much carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. It's not our lungs that should be the focus of the Amazon. It's the burning trees.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eWe\u0026#39;ve heard a lot about the Amazon Rainforest in the news recently. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026quot;The lungs of the world are burning!\u0026quot;\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWell, first off, they really aren\u0026#39;t the lungs of the world. And the amount of fires this year in the Brazilian Amazon is actually slightly BELOW the 20 year average for fires by this time of year. So why are we hearing about it now?\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe\u0026#39;re hearing about it because the media are famous for histrionics and over-simplification of complex ecological issues.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHaving no oxygen might scare us, but it\u0026#39;s not true. It might get our attention, but it\u0026#39;s a lie.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat we need to worry about is having too much carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. It\u0026#39;s not our lungs that should be the focus of the Amazon. It\u0026#39;s the burning trees.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"No... but Brazilian Ranchers Are.","date_published":"2019-09-11T05:30:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/7f812f92-e232-4033-8fdc-7ecd6eae8918.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":36680013,"duration_in_seconds":916}]},{"id":"9b631b66-41d9-4e7a-8f60-f8cf937f42e7","title":"Episode 19: Lessons from Sheep","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/19","content_text":"Sheep aren't complicated animals. They eat, sleep, and poop just like we do. But they are the most mentioned animal in the Bible. We are compared to them more than any one other animal. So, what can we learn about ourselves from sheep?\n\nSheep are vulnerable, wayward, and need a mentor.\n\nAfter a year of observing our biological weed control (aka sheep) at work, I have a pretty good idea of what makes them tick. There is a certain nuance to sheep that only becines clear from being around them for months at a time. I checked online to see what other people said about sheep, and I could smell suburbia from across the internet!\n\nOur culture is geared towards making us think we're invincible, self-reliant, and always on the right path. We'd all be better off if we watched some sheep... maybe we'd be reminded of our own humanity.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eSheep aren\u0026#39;t complicated animals. They eat, sleep, and poop just like we do. But they are the most mentioned animal in the Bible. We are compared to them more than any one other animal. So, what can we learn about ourselves from sheep?\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSheep are vulnerable, wayward, and need a mentor.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAfter a year of observing our biological weed control (aka sheep) at work, I have a pretty good idea of what makes them tick. There is a certain nuance to sheep that only becines clear from being around them for months at a time. I checked online to see what other people said about sheep, and I could smell suburbia from across the internet!\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOur culture is geared towards making us think we\u0026#39;re invincible, self-reliant, and always on the right path. We\u0026#39;d all be better off if we watched some sheep... maybe we\u0026#39;d be reminded of our own humanity.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Vulnerability, Waywardness, and Mentoring","date_published":"2019-08-28T06:45:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/9b631b66-41d9-4e7a-8f60-f8cf937f42e7.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":42268127,"duration_in_seconds":1056}]},{"id":"5d9b650c-3c81-4bd2-acbf-12fbd06b8a7d","title":"Episode 18: An Important Announcement!","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/18","content_text":"This is too short for a description! Just listen to it!","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eThis is too short for a description! Just listen to it!\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"I'm going back to bi-weekly episodes...","date_published":"2019-08-14T06:30:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/5d9b650c-3c81-4bd2-acbf-12fbd06b8a7d.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":3629891,"duration_in_seconds":90}]},{"id":"612d8af8-6e6d-44d3-8ae7-85f81c513100","title":"Episode 17: Das Sheep","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/17","content_text":"The average American ate around 5 pounds of lamb as late as the 1960's. Now the average American eats less than 1 pound of it. \n\nConcurrently, there used to be herds of 40-50 million sheep in the US prior to WW2. In 2019, there were around 5 million.\n\nSheep are honestly my favorite animal on the farm. They love eating anything with deep taproots, which provides them with nutrients from deep soil sub-layers. This makes their bones incredibly good to boost your immune system in the form of a bone broth.\n\nListen more for why you should start eating more lamb!","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eThe average American ate around 5 pounds of lamb as late as the 1960\u0026#39;s. Now the average American eats less than 1 pound of it. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eConcurrently, there used to be herds of 40-50 million sheep in the US prior to WW2. In 2019, there were around 5 million.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSheep are honestly my favorite animal on the farm. They love eating anything with deep taproots, which provides them with nutrients from deep soil sub-layers. This makes their bones incredibly good to boost your immune system in the form of a bone broth.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eListen more for why you should start eating more lamb!\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Introducing America's most underappreciated animal...","date_published":"2019-08-14T06:30:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/612d8af8-6e6d-44d3-8ae7-85f81c513100.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":21787082,"duration_in_seconds":544}]},{"id":"09261974-4087-4360-9569-741c091875c5","title":"Episode 16: Off The Record","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/16","content_text":"Get ready for a faux-monologue featuring the central theme of HBO's Chernobyl: \"What is the cost of lies?\"\n\nI can't stop thinking about this question, so I thought I'd pawn some of my existential fears off on you. Excpet instead of bemoaning the shortcomings of communism, I turn my attention to something more familiar. Namely, our food. \n\nOnce again, \"Off the Record\" is a more extemporaneous venture than my normal show. It will feature topics outside of the usual narrow categories of food, broken ecosystems, and a better way to live. Today's episode will be about food, but in a consciously theatrical manner.\n\nIf you can't deal with theatrics, you'd better turn it off.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eGet ready for a faux-monologue featuring the central theme of HBO\u0026#39;s Chernobyl: \u0026quot;What is the cost of lies?\u0026quot;\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eI can\u0026#39;t stop thinking about this question, so I thought I\u0026#39;d pawn some of my existential fears off on you. Excpet instead of bemoaning the shortcomings of communism, I turn my attention to something more familiar. Namely, our food. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOnce again, \u0026quot;Off the Record\u0026quot; is a more extemporaneous venture than my normal show. It will feature topics outside of the usual narrow categories of food, broken ecosystems, and a better way to live. Today\u0026#39;s episode will be about food, but in a consciously theatrical manner.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you can\u0026#39;t deal with theatrics, you\u0026#39;d better turn it off.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"The Cost of Lies","date_published":"2019-08-07T05:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/09261974-4087-4360-9569-741c091875c5.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":17877074,"duration_in_seconds":446}]},{"id":"c52d00ed-5bea-40f5-9945-7c39d9d52c26","title":"Episode 15: A Gallon of Pasteurized Milk","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/15","content_text":"Milk is our our first food.\n\nIt's sustained us since the beginning of time. The Lapplanders, Biblical Hebrews, Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Spanish, and early American colonists all drank it. It's probably been the least controversial thing on the planet for the past couple thousand years or so. When cows eat grass in a pastoral setting, they produce good milk.\n\nBut we've lost that logic somewhere along the way in modern America.\n\nWe lock our cows in 6x6 foot stalls and make them stand on concrete for the duration of their short lives. We feed them grain. And then we pretend to watch in horror as people get sickened by the milk.\n\nPasteurization was invented as a way to sterilize wine, but along the way it got applied to milk. Supposedly it makes milk safe. In fact, drinking a glass of pasteurized, homogenized milk is pretty dangerous. After researching for this episode, I refuse to drink another glass.\n\nUpdate: I have updated this episode to reflect a more balanced take on conventional vs. raw milk","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eMilk is our our first food.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt\u0026#39;s sustained us since the beginning of time. The Lapplanders, Biblical Hebrews, Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Spanish, and early American colonists all drank it. It\u0026#39;s probably been the least controversial thing on the planet for the past couple thousand years or so. When cows eat grass in a pastoral setting, they produce good milk.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut we\u0026#39;ve lost that logic somewhere along the way in modern America.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe lock our cows in 6x6 foot stalls and make them stand on concrete for the duration of their short lives. We feed them grain. And then we pretend to watch in horror as people get sickened by the milk.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePasteurization was invented as a way to sterilize wine, but along the way it got applied to milk. Supposedly it makes milk safe. In fact, drinking a glass of pasteurized, homogenized milk is pretty dangerous. After researching for this episode, I refuse to drink another glass.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUpdate: I have updated this episode to reflect a more balanced take on conventional vs. raw milk\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Or, the biotechnology masquerade. You pick.","date_published":"2019-07-31T06:30:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/c52d00ed-5bea-40f5-9945-7c39d9d52c26.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":29774115,"duration_in_seconds":1454}]},{"id":"a004568b-074f-48ec-aa25-3e104f1394f4","title":"Episode 14: Tesni Sojourner Williams","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/14","content_text":"Last week I said I wouldn't make a new episode if my daughter was born. I had no idea it would be so fast! Well, she was born on July 18, 2019 at 10:42pm in Barnett, Missouri. She, in my ever so humble opinion, is absolutely perfect. Kelli labored for 23 hours, pushing for about 1.5 hours of that. My wife is nothing short of a superstar, and I'm so proud of her. The birth was pretty hairy. Kelli was losing a lot of blood and Tesni had secondary apnia--couldn't breathe right.\n\nThis week has been pretty crazy for us. Kelli has been getting used to only sleeping for 1.5 hour stretches and still finding time to take care of herself somewhere in-between nursing. Her mom and dad have been living out of our house to help with our transition into full time parenting. They've been taking the night shifts whenever Tesni is asleep.\n\nBut, like I ask in this episode, please email me at austin@letthemeatgrass.org to tell me what you're passionate about when it comes to real food, broken ecosystems, and a better way to live. Please!","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eLast week I said I wouldn\u0026#39;t make a new episode if my daughter was born. I had no idea it would be so fast! Well, she was born on July 18, 2019 at 10:42pm in Barnett, Missouri. She, in my ever so humble opinion, is absolutely perfect. Kelli labored for 23 hours, pushing for about 1.5 hours of that. My wife is nothing short of a superstar, and I\u0026#39;m so proud of her. The birth was pretty hairy. Kelli was losing a lot of blood and Tesni had secondary apnia--couldn\u0026#39;t breathe right.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis week has been pretty crazy for us. Kelli has been getting used to only sleeping for 1.5 hour stretches and still finding time to take care of herself somewhere in-between nursing. Her mom and dad have been living out of our house to help with our transition into full time parenting. They\u0026#39;ve been taking the night shifts whenever Tesni is asleep.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut, like I ask in this episode, please email me at \u003ca href=\"mailto:austin@letthemeatgrass.org\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003eaustin@letthemeatgrass.org\u003c/a\u003e to tell me what you\u0026#39;re passionate about when it comes to real food, broken ecosystems, and a better way to live. Please!\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"I'd like you to meet my new daughter.","date_published":"2019-07-24T05:15:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/a004568b-074f-48ec-aa25-3e104f1394f4.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":5948519,"duration_in_seconds":148}]},{"id":"13b69e87-030f-4648-8439-529e3961b518","title":"Episode 13: Raw Milk, So What?","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/13","content_text":"Raw Milk is milk that hasn't been changed or adulterated in any way. It's been drunk by everyone from the Israelites of the Bible, to the Romans, to the Spanish Conquistadors, and finally, to us. But, somehow we've decided in the last 90 years or so that 4 millenia of milk drinkers had it wrong. Raw milk is actually super dangerous, or so the American medical and political establishment would have you believe.\n\nToday's episode is the first of a 3 part series. Today I just wanted to cover the basics. I attempt to answer one main question:\n\nWhy is raw milk better for you?\n\nNext week I'll be taking you through the history of the controversy... covering everything from time immemorial through about 1912. It's a tall order, but I think I can manage.\n\nCheck out my patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/user?u=18435655","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eRaw Milk is milk that hasn\u0026#39;t been changed or adulterated in any way. It\u0026#39;s been drunk by everyone from the Israelites of the Bible, to the Romans, to the Spanish Conquistadors, and finally, to us. But, somehow we\u0026#39;ve decided in the last 90 years or so that 4 millenia of milk drinkers had it wrong. Raw milk is actually super dangerous, or so the American medical and political establishment would have you believe.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eToday\u0026#39;s episode is the first of a 3 part series. Today I just wanted to cover the basics. I attempt to answer one main question:\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhy is raw milk better for you?\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNext week I\u0026#39;ll be taking you through the history of the controversy... covering everything from time immemorial through about 1912. It\u0026#39;s a tall order, but I think I can manage.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCheck out my patreon page at \u003ca href=\"https://www.patreon.com/user?u=18435655\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003ehttps://www.patreon.com/user?u=18435655\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"The basics.","date_published":"2019-07-17T06:30:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/13b69e87-030f-4648-8439-529e3961b518.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":32638348,"duration_in_seconds":815}]},{"id":"c667cffb-6f72-4820-b77d-6f9a0fe0a29f","title":"The Impossible Burger (with Will Harris)","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/the-impossible-burger-with-will-harris","content_text":"The Impossible Burger is a burger made exclusively from plant protein. And, more specifically, genetically modified (GM) soy. Its creators claim we can do no less than save the planet if we eat them at scale. Its creators also claim that any and all forms of animal agriculture are not sustainable at scale, and that most of the environmental degradation on our planet is traceable to private herds of livestock.\n\nThey cast a wide net... a bit too wide in my opinion.\n\nWhile CAFO's are objectively destructive to the environment and ecosystems they inhabit, our farm has been the recipient of our stewarding touch. Regenerative agriculture seeks to heal what industrial agriculture has destroyed... and I see Impossible Foods as a sly industrial food company trying to evade the fact they are brazenly selling GM product to unknowing customers.\n\nWhile conventional beef production in CAFO's emits about 33 pounds of CO2 into the air for every pound of animal protein, the Impossible Burger emits about 3.5 pounds of CO2 for every pound of plant protein. Sounds great, right? Yeah... until you realize that a farm employing regenerative agricultural techniques in Georgia called White Oak Pastures measured NEGATIVE 3.5 pounds of CO2 for every pound of animal protein they produce. That means they ABSORBED 3.5 pounds of CO2 for every pound of meat. Crazy stuff.\n\nCan we solve technology problems like carbon emissions with more technology like the Impossible Burger? Listen to the episode and find out!","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eThe Impossible Burger is a burger made exclusively from plant protein. And, more specifically, genetically modified (GM) soy. Its creators claim we can do no less than save the planet if we eat them at scale. Its creators also claim that any and all forms of animal agriculture are not sustainable at scale, and that most of the environmental degradation on our planet is traceable to private herds of livestock.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThey cast a wide net... a bit too wide in my opinion.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhile CAFO\u0026#39;s are objectively destructive to the environment and ecosystems they inhabit, our farm has been the recipient of our stewarding touch. Regenerative agriculture seeks to heal what industrial agriculture has destroyed... and I see Impossible Foods as a sly industrial food company trying to evade the fact they are brazenly selling GM product to unknowing customers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhile conventional beef production in CAFO\u0026#39;s emits about 33 pounds of CO2 into the air for every pound of animal protein, the Impossible Burger emits about 3.5 pounds of CO2 for every pound of plant protein. Sounds great, right? Yeah... until you realize that a farm employing regenerative agricultural techniques in Georgia called White Oak Pastures measured NEGATIVE 3.5 pounds of CO2 for every pound of animal protein they produce. That means they ABSORBED 3.5 pounds of CO2 for every pound of meat. Crazy stuff.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCan we solve technology problems like carbon emissions with more technology like the Impossible Burger? Listen to the episode and find out!\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"A food tech start-up makes some crazy claims about their plant-based burger... so do I.","date_published":"2019-07-11T06:30:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/c667cffb-6f72-4820-b77d-6f9a0fe0a29f.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":98084487,"duration_in_seconds":2452}]},{"id":"94d5394d-5754-4fb8-8400-d511de188141","title":"Episode 12: Off The Record","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/12","content_text":"\"Off the Record\" will be a thematically driven show I release from time to time. It's unscripted and pretty laid back. I envision the show as a catalogue of low moments and honest talk. All the stuff that happens to me, or other people I interview, that didn't go the way we thought or simply proved disastrous, will make it on here.\n\nToday's show theme is \"time\". I am shooting for Dan Carlin's contemplative vibe, but I wax lyrical on just how arbritary time is. But, arbitrary or not, time is important. It's a yardstick for our lives.\n\nAnd 2 second improvements can really make your life easier. I talk about our dairy operation, and the difficulties I encountered at first. I went from spending 6 hours a day down to 2 hours a day.\n\nAnd time travel is possible, by the way.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003e\u0026quot;Off the Record\u0026quot; will be a thematically driven show I release from time to time. It\u0026#39;s unscripted and pretty laid back. I envision the show as a catalogue of low moments and honest talk. All the stuff that happens to me, or other people I interview, that didn\u0026#39;t go the way we thought or simply proved disastrous, will make it on here.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eToday\u0026#39;s show theme is \u0026quot;time\u0026quot;. I am shooting for Dan Carlin\u0026#39;s contemplative vibe, but I wax lyrical on just how arbritary time is. But, arbitrary or not, time is important. It\u0026#39;s a yardstick for our lives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd 2 second improvements can really make your life easier. I talk about our dairy operation, and the difficulties I encountered at first. I went from spending 6 hours a day down to 2 hours a day.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd time travel is possible, by the way.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"2 Second Improvements... and a whole lotta time.","date_published":"2019-07-03T05:45:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/94d5394d-5754-4fb8-8400-d511de188141.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":20452330,"duration_in_seconds":1278}]},{"id":"506c78f0-e0a1-4973-af34-cf9b48679cac","title":"Wilderness Abandonment (with Joel Salatin)","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/wilderness-abandonment-with-joel-salatin","content_text":"The radical ideology of wilderness abandonment is getting misapplied to our public and private land.\n\nWe are seeing the unfortunate consequences of the \"hands off\" ecological approach. Everything from beetlekill in Colorado to California burning wildly out of control. Still, we persist in our belief that we need to keep our hands off the land. Rather than use our opposable thumbs for good, we just need to stay off entirely.\n\nWe are losing farmland to wilderness at a frightening pace in our country. 3 acres every 60 seconds. At that rate, our farm would be gone in 2.5 hours.\n\nIs there any alternative to this madness? Can we produce food in a way that heals the land rather than destroys it? Is land better off being abandoned?","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eThe radical ideology of wilderness abandonment is getting misapplied to our public and private land.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe are seeing the unfortunate consequences of the \u0026quot;hands off\u0026quot; ecological approach. Everything from beetlekill in Colorado to California burning wildly out of control. Still, we persist in our belief that we need to keep our hands off the land. Rather than use our opposable thumbs for good, we just need to stay off entirely.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe are losing farmland to wilderness at a frightening pace in our country. 3 acres every 60 seconds. At that rate, our farm would be gone in 2.5 hours.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIs there any alternative to this madness? Can we produce food in a way that heals the land rather than destroys it? Is land better off being abandoned?\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Does land minus people equal better?","date_published":"2019-06-26T07:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/506c78f0-e0a1-4973-af34-cf9b48679cac.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":52857174,"duration_in_seconds":3303}]},{"id":"282d7e1e-51ae-406e-9651-4ca056d97709","title":"Episode 11: The Stewardship Diet (with Kelli Williams)","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/11","content_text":"Diets are usually about eliminating stubborn belly fat. That's reductionist, but hang with me. And they are usually recycled. What's in and what's out is really just repackaged every couple of years and given a fancy new name that millenials can get behind. But what I haven't seen is a diet that isn't just totally about you.\n\nWhy can't our diets promote consistency in our often chaotic lives? So many diets just end up being short-lived fads because we can't maintain the impossibly high idealism we started them with. Real life just seems to crush it. There needs to be enough flexibility in a diet that allows for times to break it without having to throw all of it out the window.\n\nI offer to you \"The Stewardship Diet\". I started the stewardship diet about ten months ago with my wife Kelli. It's basically an improvement on the paleo diet, with an acknowledgement that there's no way to follow it perfectly. It's regenerative, flexible, and forgiveable. I hope you enjoy it.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eDiets are usually about eliminating stubborn belly fat. That\u0026#39;s reductionist, but hang with me. And they are usually recycled. What\u0026#39;s in and what\u0026#39;s out is really just repackaged every couple of years and given a fancy new name that millenials can get behind. But what I haven\u0026#39;t seen is a diet that isn\u0026#39;t just totally about you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhy can\u0026#39;t our diets promote consistency in our often chaotic lives? So many diets just end up being short-lived fads because we can\u0026#39;t maintain the impossibly high idealism we started them with. Real life just seems to crush it. There needs to be enough flexibility in a diet that allows for times to break it without having to throw all of it out the window.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eI offer to you \u0026quot;The Stewardship Diet\u0026quot;. I started the stewardship diet about ten months ago with my wife Kelli. It\u0026#39;s basically an improvement on the paleo diet, with an acknowledgement that there\u0026#39;s no way to follow it perfectly. It\u0026#39;s regenerative, flexible, and forgiveable. I hope you enjoy it.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"The only diet where healing the land is the main focus...","date_published":"2019-06-19T06:30:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/282d7e1e-51ae-406e-9651-4ca056d97709.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":69730136,"duration_in_seconds":1743}]},{"id":"d60916f8-b049-4792-9e33-6755f3b1fc10","title":"Episode 10: Eat Mor Beef (with David Boatright)","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/10","content_text":"Eating pasture-raised anything has better ecologically regenerative effects than grain-fed anything. But not all meat is created equal. We also run sheep and chickens on our farm, but our cow herd is definitely the backbone. In this episode I delve a little bit into how our production makes our pasture-raised beef different than meat you would find at the grocery store.\n\nPasture Beef is the number one land-healing food you can eat. They get quite a bum rap in the news media nowadays, and I think I need to be their strong advocate. Any pictures of muddy feedlots and disgusting environments don't have anything to do with the animals (they enjoy being quite clean), but rather with the farmer who owns them. Farmers own the blame for taking an animal who is able to heal the land and allowing them to ruin it.\n\nI interviewed David Boatright, my fellow farmer and best friend, for this episode. He is pretty knowledgeable about everything farming related, so you should enjoy him.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eEating pasture-raised anything has better ecologically regenerative effects than grain-fed anything. But not all meat is created equal. We also run sheep and chickens on our farm, but our cow herd is definitely the backbone. In this episode I delve a little bit into how our production makes our pasture-raised beef different than meat you would find at the grocery store.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePasture Beef is the number one land-healing food you can eat. They get quite a bum rap in the news media nowadays, and I think I need to be their strong advocate. Any pictures of muddy feedlots and disgusting environments don\u0026#39;t have anything to do with the animals (they enjoy being quite clean), but rather with the farmer who owns them. Farmers own the blame for taking an animal who is able to heal the land and allowing them to ruin it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eI interviewed David Boatright, my fellow farmer and best friend, for this episode. He is pretty knowledgeable about everything farming related, so you should enjoy him.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Healing the land = Eating Pasture-Raised Beef","date_published":"2019-06-12T06:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/d60916f8-b049-4792-9e33-6755f3b1fc10.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":68872739,"duration_in_seconds":3217}]},{"id":"ad86758a-3cd1-4e7b-a20a-7a11e8cc7a60","title":"Episode 9: Why Bread and Why Wine?","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/9","content_text":"I gave a communion talk at my church a couple months ago on the ingredients of communion. I decided that the content fit nicely into the parameters of \"real food\" we set for this podcast, so I wanted to share it with you.\n\nI heard many years ago that if Jesus instituted communion in 2019, we would probably be drinking soda and eating pizza. I disagree. I think that Jesus chose bread and wine because they communicated something very specific about himself. I think bread and wine teach us about permanence and impermanence.\n\nWe will dive into the history of 1st century near-eastern bread-making and winemaking in this episode, so hold on tight.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eI gave a communion talk at my church a couple months ago on the ingredients of communion. I decided that the content fit nicely into the parameters of \u0026quot;real food\u0026quot; we set for this podcast, so I wanted to share it with you.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eI heard many years ago that if Jesus instituted communion in 2019, we would probably be drinking soda and eating pizza. I disagree. I think that Jesus chose bread and wine because they communicated something very specific about himself. I think bread and wine teach us about permanence and impermanence.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe will dive into the history of 1st century near-eastern bread-making and winemaking in this episode, so hold on tight.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Maybe Jesus had a reason for choosing bread and wine for communion...","date_published":"2019-06-05T13:15:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/ad86758a-3cd1-4e7b-a20a-7a11e8cc7a60.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":30735589,"duration_in_seconds":768}]},{"id":"db9e73b8-e295-4f62-a92a-2b3ee63af2f6","title":"Episode 8: Dead Zone","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/8","content_text":"Whenever farmers inject artificial fertilizer into their cropland where I live, almost all of it will end up in the Missouri River Watershed. It will be carried to the Mississippi River, and down to the Gulf of Mexico. All this fertilizer has created a dead zone the size of Delaware. And the worst part is that we don't even need artificial fertilizer. We only need it because we've decided cows like grains more than they like grass.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eWhenever farmers inject artificial fertilizer into their cropland where I live, almost all of it will end up in the Missouri River Watershed. It will be carried to the Mississippi River, and down to the Gulf of Mexico. All this fertilizer has created a dead zone the size of Delaware. And the worst part is that we don\u0026#39;t even need artificial fertilizer. We only need it because we\u0026#39;ve decided cows like grains more than they like grass.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"There's a dead zone the size of Delaware in the Gulf of Mexico, and it's our fault.","date_published":"2019-05-29T06:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/db9e73b8-e295-4f62-a92a-2b3ee63af2f6.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":33827442,"duration_in_seconds":845}]},{"id":"0bd6226b-7938-453a-9df0-62d4517e3e1b","title":"Episode 7: The State of Our Farms Address (with Lucinda Cramsley)","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/7","content_text":"The average conventional farm sells their product on the commodity market. Corn, Beef, Soybean, etc. Some random trader in Chicago or New York sets the prices for the whole nation and farmers across the US feel the squeeze. They have to bet on intangibles like inflation and future events like the weather months in advance, which is really impossible to do. The loans they took out in the spring need to be repaid with the fall's harvest. Sometimes what they plant or slaughter isn't even worth the initial investment and time they've put into them.\n\nFor instance, during the 80's the US government bought the dairy cows from struggling farmers and dumped them on the beef market. That tanked the beef market for beef producers and put them out of business!\n\nThe solution to all this anxiety-producing bet on intangibles and future events is buying direct. Support a farmer who heals the land and sells directly to consumer. They get to keep the entire dollar rather than watch part of it go to a middle man.\n\nLucinda Cramsley is jumpstarting that revolution. She's something crazy like an 8th generation farmer, whose ancestors used to farm hemp. She's married, but she's not married to the past. Lucinda founded an internet company called \"MOINK\" (\"Moo\" and \"Oink\") that helps farmers sell direct to consumers. It accepts food that meets only the highest pasture-based standards and ensures farmers receive around 800% more than if they sold on the commodity market.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eThe average conventional farm sells their product on the commodity market. Corn, Beef, Soybean, etc. Some random trader in Chicago or New York sets the prices for the whole nation and farmers across the US feel the squeeze. They have to bet on intangibles like inflation and future events like the weather months in advance, which is really impossible to do. The loans they took out in the spring need to be repaid with the fall\u0026#39;s harvest. Sometimes what they plant or slaughter isn\u0026#39;t even worth the initial investment and time they\u0026#39;ve put into them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor instance, during the 80\u0026#39;s the US government bought the dairy cows from struggling farmers and dumped them on the beef market. That tanked the beef market for beef producers and put them out of business!\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe solution to all this anxiety-producing bet on intangibles and future events is buying direct. Support a farmer who heals the land and sells directly to consumer. They get to keep the entire dollar rather than watch part of it go to a middle man.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLucinda Cramsley is jumpstarting that revolution. She\u0026#39;s something crazy like an 8th generation farmer, whose ancestors used to farm hemp. She\u0026#39;s married, but she\u0026#39;s not married to the past. Lucinda founded an internet company called \u0026quot;MOINK\u0026quot; (\u0026quot;Moo\u0026quot; and \u0026quot;Oink\u0026quot;) that helps farmers sell direct to consumers. It accepts food that meets only the highest pasture-based standards and ensures farmers receive around 800% more than if they sold on the commodity market.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"The future looks pretty bleak for the average conventional farm.","date_published":"2019-05-22T05:45:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/0bd6226b-7938-453a-9df0-62d4517e3e1b.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":83878054,"duration_in_seconds":2096}]},{"id":"d7f401e9-4e73-46a9-9115-5bed0d309721","title":"Episode 6: The Carnivore Bar (with Philip and Merry Meece)","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/6","content_text":"I've eaten a lot of meal replacement bars in my life. Most of the ingredients on the back label are unpronouncable.\n\nSince becoming a regenerative farmer, I'd like to believe there is a better way. And, I believe that better way is through something called \"The Carnivore Bar\". Regardless of whether you've decided to live on a meat and water diet, the Carnivore Bar contains only two ingredients: beef and salt. And I think those are two things most discerning foodies can get behind.\n\nPhilip and Merry Meece are my friends. Philip was a combat medic and Merry is a touring musician. They both realized the need for healthy, shelf-stable food for different reasons. He needed food that was healthy and could withstand intense heat. She needed a healthy bar she could pick up at a gas station.\n\nIf you live a mobile lifestyle, listen up! This might be the bar for you!","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eI\u0026#39;ve eaten a lot of meal replacement bars in my life. Most of the ingredients on the back label are unpronouncable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSince becoming a regenerative farmer, I\u0026#39;d like to believe there is a better way. And, I believe that better way is through something called \u0026quot;The Carnivore Bar\u0026quot;. Regardless of whether you\u0026#39;ve decided to live on a meat and water diet, the Carnivore Bar contains only two ingredients: beef and salt. And I think those are two things most discerning foodies can get behind.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePhilip and Merry Meece are my friends. Philip was a combat medic and Merry is a touring musician. They both realized the need for healthy, shelf-stable food for different reasons. He needed food that was healthy and could withstand intense heat. She needed a healthy bar she could pick up at a gas station.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you live a mobile lifestyle, listen up! This might be the bar for you!\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"I think I might have found the solution to the sugary, artificial junk we call \"meal replacement bars\". ","date_published":"2019-05-15T06:30:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/d7f401e9-4e73-46a9-9115-5bed0d309721.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":25279340,"duration_in_seconds":1579}]},{"id":"fe8c5b74-6d19-402a-a968-16698d153d41","title":"Episode 5: Tame, Bountiful, and Blessed","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/5","content_text":"If you want to make small changes, change how you do things. If you want to make big changes, change how you see things. And today, friends, we are focused on big changes.\n\nOur understanding of \"wilderness\" in America prevents us from having healthy relationships with the land. It pits farmers and conservationists against each other unnecessarily. It complicates categorizing my farm.\n\nIn today's episode, I tap into my roots as a past English teacher. We look at a little etymology, and deconstruct the cultural and ecological assumptions of the word \"wilderness\". I use a quote from Luther Standing Bear to illuminate how differently modern Americans view wilderness from Native Americans, and as an example of a better way to think about \"wilderness\".\n\nThe upshot? We should think of \"wilderness\" as tame, bountiful, and blessed.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eIf you want to make small changes, change how you do things. If you want to make big changes, change how you see things. And today, friends, we are focused on big changes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOur understanding of \u0026quot;wilderness\u0026quot; in America prevents us from having healthy relationships with the land. It pits farmers and conservationists against each other unnecessarily. It complicates categorizing my farm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn today\u0026#39;s episode, I tap into my roots as a past English teacher. We look at a little etymology, and deconstruct the cultural and ecological assumptions of the word \u0026quot;wilderness\u0026quot;. I use a quote from Luther Standing Bear to illuminate how differently modern Americans view wilderness from Native Americans, and as an example of a better way to think about \u0026quot;wilderness\u0026quot;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe upshot? We should think of \u0026quot;wilderness\u0026quot; as tame, bountiful, and blessed.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Could farms and national parks coexist? Let's imagine a healthier kind of \"wilderness\"...","date_published":"2019-05-10T06:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/fe8c5b74-6d19-402a-a968-16698d153d41.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":46428911,"duration_in_seconds":1160}]},{"id":"ea57675d-d615-4360-bebb-74e02576cf7e","title":"Episode 3: The Danger of Labels (with Carrie Balkcom)","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/3","content_text":"We see labels everywhere, to the point of immunity. Not that we're immune to their effects, but definitely to their presence. We see a label, like \"USDA ORGANIC\" or \"CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF\", and we assume it means they are healthy for us. We feel like we've connected the mental dots. But we haven't.\n\nLabels haven't been around forever. Only since meat could be shipped nationwide year-round, which was 1867, did consumers begin to lose touch with their food supply. Leapfrogging to today, and we have no idea where 99% of our food came from. We go further to assume some things are inherently \"pure\", like wine, and couldn't possibly be contaminated with anything. A man named Rudy Kurniawan exploited this trust, and pumped over $550 million dollars of fake wine onto the marketplace before he was arrested in  2012. Oh, and one study found that 90% of french wines contained traces of insecticides.\n\nLabels don't have to be misleading though. Some labels don't just tell you what ISN'T in the meat, they also are affirming of good agricultural practices. I got to interview CARRIE BALKCOM, Executive Director of the American Grassfed Association. If you think I'm nuts, listen to her. She's been doing this for nearly 20 years. And she knows her stuff.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eWe see labels everywhere, to the point of immunity. Not that we\u0026#39;re immune to their effects, but definitely to their presence. We see a label, like \u0026quot;USDA ORGANIC\u0026quot; or \u0026quot;CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF\u0026quot;, and we assume it means they are healthy for us. We feel like we\u0026#39;ve connected the mental dots. But we haven\u0026#39;t.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLabels haven\u0026#39;t been around forever. Only since meat could be shipped nationwide year-round, which was 1867, did consumers begin to lose touch with their food supply. Leapfrogging to today, and we have no idea where 99% of our food came from. We go further to assume some things are inherently \u0026quot;pure\u0026quot;, like wine, and couldn\u0026#39;t possibly be contaminated with anything. A man named Rudy Kurniawan exploited this trust, and pumped over $550 million dollars of fake wine onto the marketplace before he was arrested in  2012. Oh, and one study found that 90% of french wines contained traces of insecticides.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLabels don\u0026#39;t have to be misleading though. Some labels don\u0026#39;t just tell you what ISN\u0026#39;T in the meat, they also are affirming of good agricultural practices. I got to interview CARRIE BALKCOM, Executive Director of the American Grassfed Association. If you think I\u0026#39;m nuts, listen to her. She\u0026#39;s been doing this for nearly 20 years. And she knows her stuff.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"So, what do labels actually mean? Probably not what you think...","date_published":"2019-04-12T04:45:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/ea57675d-d615-4360-bebb-74e02576cf7e.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":84709793,"duration_in_seconds":2117}]},{"id":"20762fad-9222-4777-b737-986bef2dbaa9","title":"Episode 2: Pasture-Raised Eggs (with David Boatright)","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/2","content_text":"The majority of the hens in the United States lead monotonous and disgusting lives. From getting their beaks chopped off to prevent nervously pecking their friends, to living in a cage the size of an iPad for their entire lives, millions upon millions of eggs get produced in closely guarded facilities with are often cesspools of death and disease. The eggs are often washed in multiple chlorine baths, which end up leaching through the outer membrane into the egg itself. Yet, as Austin Williams will point out, the valid response is to search for eggs from hens who live lives on pasture.\n\nThe egg industry has done a phenomenal job popularizing the narrative, \"An egg is an egg is an egg.\" There is such widespread confusion about the differences between \"all natural\", \"organic\", \"cage free\", \"free-range\", and \"pasture-raised\" that people just assume they are different ways of saying the same thing. They are not.\n\nBy the end of the episode, you'll learn three questions you can ask any egg producer to guarantee you're getting eggs from hens who live their lives on pasture, rather than dirty confinement barns. (And you'll get to hear the tales of Cindy and Henrietta!)","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eThe majority of the hens in the United States lead monotonous and disgusting lives. From getting their beaks chopped off to prevent nervously pecking their friends, to living in a cage the size of an iPad for their entire lives, millions upon millions of eggs get produced in closely guarded facilities with are often cesspools of death and disease. The eggs are often washed in multiple chlorine baths, which end up leaching through the outer membrane into the egg itself. Yet, as Austin Williams will point out, the valid response is to search for eggs from hens who live lives on pasture.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe egg industry has done a phenomenal job popularizing the narrative, \u0026quot;An egg is an egg is an egg.\u0026quot; There is such widespread confusion about the differences between \u0026quot;all natural\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;organic\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;cage free\u0026quot;, \u0026quot;free-range\u0026quot;, and \u0026quot;pasture-raised\u0026quot; that people just assume they are different ways of saying the same thing. They are not.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBy the end of the episode, you\u0026#39;ll learn three questions you can ask any egg producer to guarantee you\u0026#39;re getting eggs from hens who live their lives on pasture, rather than dirty confinement barns. (And you\u0026#39;ll get to hear the tales of Cindy and Henrietta!)\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Finally, someone explains which eggs are worth buying.","date_published":"2019-03-23T19:45:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/20762fad-9222-4777-b737-986bef2dbaa9.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":20591560,"duration_in_seconds":1286}]},{"id":"bf7d3d18-c037-48a7-a9df-c3ebbc8681a7","title":"Episode 1: Pilot","url":"https://letthemeatgrass.fireside.fm/1","content_text":"We have food amnesia.\n\nSo often we can just buy food without ever thinking where it came from. This has terrible consequences for our bodies and the natural world. I am making this podcast not for other producers of food, but consumers of it. The main problem I had as a consumer of food was a knowledge-problem. I didn't know enough to feel like I could make a difference in my diet. This podcast seeks to arm consumers with the knowledge that makes them dangerous as critical consumers.\n\nWe will cover many topics in the coming episodes. Everything from eggs to raw milk to wilderness abandonment to CAFO's to the California wildfires and more. Please join me on this journey. Eventually, I hope more people support farmers who's mission is to heal the land and nourish them with healthy food.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eWe have food amnesia.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSo often we can just buy food without ever thinking where it came from. This has terrible consequences for our bodies and the natural world. I am making this podcast not for other producers of food, but consumers of it. The main problem I had as a consumer of food was a knowledge-problem. I didn\u0026#39;t know enough to feel like I could make a difference in my diet. This podcast seeks to arm consumers with the knowledge that makes them dangerous as critical consumers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe will cover many topics in the coming episodes. Everything from eggs to raw milk to wilderness abandonment to CAFO\u0026#39;s to the California wildfires and more. Please join me on this journey. Eventually, I hope more people support farmers who\u0026#39;s mission is to heal the land and nourish them with healthy food.\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"The first one... of a whole lot more.","date_published":"2019-03-19T08:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://chtbl.com/track/7E789/aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/c8ae1cb0-2f4f-49be-a731-807ca4b96c6b/bf7d3d18-c037-48a7-a9df-c3ebbc8681a7.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mp3","size_in_bytes":2853372,"duration_in_seconds":178}]}]}