Épisodes

  • S6 - E2: Living a Beautiful Life through Fresh Flowers with Jessica Hall of Harmony Harvest Farm, Pt. I

    S6 - E2: Living a Beautiful Life through Fresh Flowers with Jessica Hall of Harmony Harvest Farm, Pt. I
    Jan 20 2026
    How can we live and enjoy a better life? Harmony Harvest Farm began with a lofty dream in 2011 and a vision of helping people to live and experience a better life through fresh flowers. Jessica Hall of Harmony Harvest Farm and Flower Genius joined Mary, Jeff, and Eric for a conversation about the farm business's vision, mission, values, and history.

    Jessica owns and operates the farm business with her mom and sister in Weyers Cave, Virginia. Jessica and her family believe Virginia-grown and American-grown flowers should be accessible to everyone, everywhere. To fulfill this vision and mission, they built up soil health and nourished their flowers from the start, while being mindful of good land management, soil erosion, irrigation needs, and bed layout to fit the topography.

    Jessica emphasizes that a sustainable business that lives its values needs a complete toolbox with the right tools at the right time for the right application. For Jessica and Harmony Harvest Farm, the toolbox includes a strong, growing network of personal and business mentors.

    To learn about their heirloom chrysanthemums, plan a pick-your-own flower trip, experience a virtual mum summit and on-farm educational events, or order a floral bouquet, please visit Harmony Harvest Farm's website.

    We can all be 4 The Soil, for the future! Here is how with four principles:

    1) Keep the soil covered -- with living plants and residue. Cover crops are our friends and allies; avoid leaving soil bare.
    2) Minimize soil disturbance -- Practice no-till or gentle tillage as much as possible in your field or garden.
    3) Maximize living roots -- for the longest time to improve biodiversity, soil structure, and life in the soil.
    4) Energize with diversity -- aboveground and belowground with high-quality food for soil and plants, and integration of livestock on cropland.

    If you are interested in art and framing the 4 The Soil posters for your office or home, the 16” by 20” posters are available for purchase and printing as single posters or a set of five posters.

    If you have questions about soil and water conservation practices, natural resource concerns, and soil health principles and practices to restore the life in your soil, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office.

    4 the Soil: A Conversation is made possible with funding support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and The Agua Fund. Other partners include the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Virginia Cooperative Extension; Virginia State University; Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation; and partners of the Virginia Soil Health Coalition.

    Disclaimer: Views expressed on this podcast are those of each individual guest.

    To download a copy of this, or any other show, visit the website 4thesoil.org. Music used during today’s program is courtesy of the Flip Charts. All rights reserved. 4 the Soil: A Conversation is produced by On the Farm Radio in collaboration with Virginia Tech. The host and co-hosts are Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt.
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    18 min
  • S6 - E1: Rooted in a Passion for the Earth, Soil, and the Bioeconomy with Ms. Fatema Mohajir

    S6 - E1: Rooted in a Passion for the Earth, Soil, and the Bioeconomy with Ms. Fatema Mohajir
    Jan 6 2026
    A desire and passion for caring for the earth, soil, and the natural environment can start at a young age.

    Fatema Mohajir and her family are from the Bamyan province in central Afghanistan. As a child, Fatema's family lived in Iran, where her father worked at a large-scale vegetable farm. Fatema's father and older brother inspired her interest in soil science and farming.

    Fatema studied at Kabul University and graduated in 2020. As a part of her studies, Fatema participated in a year-long Permaculture Program led by Rosemary Marrow from Australia. After graduating, Fatema received a scholarship to study in Uzbekistan, where she focused on bioeconomy and irrigation.

    Fatema moved to the United States in 2023 and has been working at the Farm at Willow Run in Harrisonburg for the past two seasons. Fatema shares about her interest in organic farming and her overall aim to be a role model for others in caring for the earth, soil, and the bioeconomy.

    To learn about Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community's farm-to-table initiative and the Farm at Willow Run, please visit https://www.vmrc.org/the-farm. You can listen to Rosemary Morrow's Journey to Permaculture on The Permaculture Podcast.

    We can all be 4 The Soil, for the future! Here is how with four principles:

    1) Keep the soil covered -- with living plants and residue. Cover crops are our friends and allies; avoid leaving soil bare.
    2) Minimize soil disturbance -- Practice no-till or gentle tillage as much as possible in your field or garden.
    3) Maximize living roots -- for the longest time to improve biodiversity, soil structure, and life in the soil.
    4) Energize with diversity -- aboveground and belowground with high-quality food for soil and plants, and integration of livestock on cropland.

    If you are interested in art and framing the 4 The Soil posters for your office or home, the 16” by 20” posters are available for purchase and printing as single posters or a set of five posters.

    If you have questions about soil and water conservation practices, natural resource concerns, and soil health principles and practices to restore the life in your soil, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office.

    4 the Soil: A Conversation is made possible with funding support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and The Agua Fund. Other partners include the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Virginia Cooperative Extension; Virginia State University; Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation; and partners of the Virginia Soil Health Coalition.

    Disclaimer: Views expressed on this podcast are those of each individual guest.

    To download a copy of this, or any other show, visit the website 4thesoil.org. Music used during today’s program is courtesy of the Flip Charts. All rights reserved. 4 the Soil: A Conversation is produced by On the Farm Radio in collaboration with Virginia Tech. The host and co-hosts are Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt.
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    18 min
  • S5 - E26: Flowers, Pollinators, Health, and Peace with Dr. Christine Mahoney, Pt. II

    S5 - E26: Flowers, Pollinators, Health, and Peace with Dr. Christine Mahoney, Pt. II
    Dec 23 2025
    How can we care for the soil and farm for better health outcomes? Dr. Christine Mahoney of the University of Virginia's Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and Wayflowering Flower Farm joins Mary and Eric for a conversation about soil health, regenerative farm design, and organic flower farming. Dr. Mahoney shares how better outcomes, such as health, peace, and tranquility, can be achieved through enriching the soil, enhancing biodiversity, sequestering carbon, strengthening local ecosystems, and supporting pollinator habitats. For Dr. Mahoney, caring for the soil and creating an incredible place for flowers, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators is foundational and inspirational. Please visit https://www.wayflowering.com/ to learn more about cut-your-own flower opportunities and immersive experiences at Wayflowering Flower Farm. For details about the flower farming course and podcast that inspired and influenced Dr. Mahoney's thoughts on farm design and organic no-till flower farming, please visit Floret Flowers and The No-Till Flowers Podcast. We can all be 4 The Soil, for the future! Here is how with four principles:1) Keep the soil covered -- with living plants and residue. Cover crops are our friends and allies; avoid leaving soil bare.2) Minimize soil disturbance -- Practice no-till or gentle tillage as much as possible in your field or garden.3) Maximize living roots -- for the longest time to improve biodiversity, soil structure, and life in the soil.4) Energize with diversity -- aboveground and belowground with high-quality food for soil and plants, and integration of livestock on cropland. If you are interested in art and framing the 4 The Soil posters for your office or home, the 16” by 20” posters are available for purchase and printing as single posters or a set of five posters.If you have questions about soil and water conservation practices, natural resource concerns, and soil health principles and practices to restore the life in your soil, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. 4 the Soil: A Conversation is made possible with funding support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and The Agua Fund. Other partners include the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Virginia Cooperative Extension; Virginia State University; Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation; and partners of the Virginia Soil Health Coalition.Disclaimer: Views expressed on this podcast are those of each individual guest.To download a copy of this, or any other show, visit the website 4thesoil.org. Music used during today’s program is courtesy of the Flip Charts. All rights reserved. 4 the Soil: A Conversation is produced by On the Farm Radio in collaboration with Virginia Tech. The host and co-hosts are Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt.
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    19 min
  • S5 - E25: Social Enterprises, Systems-Thinking, and Flower Farming with Dr. Christine Mahoney, Part I

    S5 - E25: Social Enterprises, Systems-Thinking, and Flower Farming with Dr. Christine Mahoney, Part I
    Dec 9 2025
    How can social entrepreneurship help build soil health and achieve ecological goals?

    Mary and Eric explore this question with Dr. Christine Mahoney of the University of Virginia's Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and Wayflowering Flower Farm. Dr. Mahoney shares her own experiences with social enterprises, systems thinking, and regenerative organic flower farming in this episode.

    Dr. Mahoney reflects on the catalytic effect organizations and businesses can have on innovation and change, such as enriching the soil, enhancing biodiversity, sequestering carbon, strengthening local ecosystems, and supporting pollinator habitats.

    To learn more about cut-your-own flower opportunities and immersive experiences at Wayflowering Flower Farm, please visit https://www.wayflowering.com/.
    If you want to become a member of the Central Virginia Flower Collective, send an email inquiry to CVAFlowers@gmail.com.

    If you are interested in impact investing, specifically related to displaced people and refugees, please visit the Refugee Investment Network that Dr. Mahoney helped found at https://refugeeinvestments.org/

    As always, we encourage you to cooperate with other farmers, graziers, and gardeners for peer-to-peer learning and to follow the four core soil health principles:

    1) Keep the soil covered -- Cover crops are our friends and allies; avoid bare fallows;
    2) Minimize soil disturbance -- Practice no-till or gentle tillage as much as possible in your field or garden;
    3) Maximize living roots year-round -- to improve biodiversity, soil structure, and life in the soil; and
    4) Energize with diversity -- through crop rotation, high-quality food for soil and plants, farm enterprises, and livestock integration.

    If you have questions about soil and water conservation practices, natural resource concerns, and soil health principles and practices to restore the life in your soil, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office.

    4 the Soil: A Conversation is made possible with funding support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and The Agua Fund. Other partners include the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Virginia Cooperative Extension; Virginia State University; Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation; and partners of the Virginia Soil Health Coalition.

    Disclaimer: Views expressed on this podcast are those of each individual guest.

    To download a copy of this, or any other show, visit the website 4thesoil.org. Music used during today’s program is courtesy of the Flip Charts. All rights reserved. 4 the Soil: A Conversation is produced by On the Farm Radio in collaboration with Virginia Tech. The host and co-hosts are Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt.
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    18 min
  • S5 - E24: Health and Nutrition Start with the Soil with Dr. Robin "Buz" Kloot, Part II

    S5 - E24: Health and Nutrition Start with the Soil with Dr. Robin "Buz" Kloot, Part II
    Nov 25 2025
    Health and nutrition start with caring for the soil. Food can and should be our medicine. Dr. Robin "Buz" Kloot of the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health and Soil Health Labs shares his perspective on connections with soil health and public health with Eric, Mary, and Jeff in this episode.

    Buz reflects on his own research but also points out what he has heard from farmers and ranchers he has worked with through the years. Building on the idea that eating is an agricultural act and food can be medicine, Buz would like health professionals, agronomists, soil scientists, farmers, and ranchers to collaborate more on soil and public health research and education.

    In addition to your own research and study of soil and human health, Buz recommends reading Fred Provenza's book Nourishment: What Animals Can Teach Us about Rediscovering Our Nutritional Wisdom.

    As always, we encourage you to cooperate with other farmers, graziers, and gardeners for peer-to-peer learning and to follow the four core soil health principles:

    1) Keep the soil covered -- Cover crops are our friends and allies; avoid bare fallows;
    2) Minimize soil disturbance -- Practice no-till or gentle tillage as much as possible in your field or garden;
    3) Maximize living roots year-round -- to improve biodiversity, soil structure, and life in the soil; and
    4) Energize with diversity -- through crop rotation, high-quality food for soil and plants, farm enterprises, and livestock integration.

    The 4 The Soil team recently commissioned a new set of art posters to help people remember the four principles of soil health and celebrate that “We Are 4 the Soil!”. If you are personally or professionally interested in printing and framing the soil health artwork, the 16” by 20” posters are available for purchase and printing as single posters or a set of five posters.

    If you have questions about soil and water conservation practices, natural resource concerns, and soil health principles and practices to restore the life in your soil, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office.

    4 the Soil: A Conversation is made possible with funding support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and The Agua Fund. Other partners include the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Virginia Cooperative Extension; Virginia State University; Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation; and partners of the Virginia Soil Health Coalition.

    Disclaimer: Views expressed on this podcast are those of each individual guest.

    To download a copy of this, or any other show, visit the website 4thesoil.org. Music used during today’s program is courtesy of the Flip Charts. All rights reserved. 4 the Soil: A Conversation is produced by On the Farm Radio in collaboration with Virginia Tech. The host and co-hosts are Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt.
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    17 min
  • S5 - E23: A Fundamental Overhaul and Paradigm Shift in Soil Science with Dr. Robin "Buz" Kloot, Part I

    S5 - E23: A Fundamental Overhaul and Paradigm Shift in Soil Science with Dr. Robin "Buz" Kloot, Part I
    Nov 11 2025
    Changing course is never easy, especially if the change requires a complete overhaul at the most basic, fundamental level. Dr. Robin "Buz" Kloot of the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health and Soil Health Labs talks with Eric, Mary, and Jeff about this paradigm shift among farmers and within the soil science community.

    Buz explains how the shift in thinking and paradigms occurred. In many cases, people were focused more on the symptoms rather than the cause, for instance, soil loss through erosion or poor water infiltration. Understanding the underlying cause required a whole-system approach. For Buz, an open mind to farmers' stories and experiences, and "a beginner's mindset" as a scientist were required to truly grasp the dynamic nature of soil.

    If you are beginning your journey with soil health and cover cropping systems, the featured length Under Cover Farms video, Buz and his team produced, provides a good introduction and uplifts the initial experiences of farmers in South and North Carolina.

    As always, we encourage you to cooperate with other farmers, graziers, and gardeners for peer-to-peer learning and to follow the four core soil health principles:

    1) Keep the soil covered -- Cover crops are our friends and allies; avoid bare fallows;
    2) Minimize soil disturbance -- Practice no-till or gentle tillage as much as possible in your field or garden;
    3) Maximize living roots year-round -- to improve biodiversity, soil structure, and life in the soil; and
    4) Energize with diversity -- through crop rotation, high-quality food, farm enterprises, and livestock integration.

    The 4 The Soil team recently commissioned a new set of art posters to help people remember the four principles of soil health and celebrate that “We Are 4 the Soil!”. If you would like to learn about the history of the art posters and access a link to purchase an individual poster or the set of five 4 The Soil posters, please visit our recent blog post: Spreading the Message for Healthy Soil with Posters!

    If you have questions about soil and water conservation practices, natural resource concerns, and soil health principles and practices to restore the life in your soil, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office.

    4 the Soil: A Conversation is made possible with funding support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and The Agua Fund. Other partners include the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Virginia Cooperative Extension; Virginia State University; Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation; and partners of the Virginia Soil Health Coalition.

    Disclaimer: Views expressed on this podcast are those of each individual guest.

    To download a copy of this, or any other show, visit the website 4thesoil.org. Music used during today’s program is courtesy of the Flip Charts. All rights reserved. 4 the Soil: A Conversation is produced by On the Farm Radio in collaboration with Virginia Tech. The host and co-hosts are Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt.
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    18 min
  • S5 - E22: Encouraging a Hospitable Habitat for Soil Microorganisms with Dr. Ashley Jernigan of Virginia Tech, Pt. II

    S5 - E22: Encouraging a Hospitable Habitat for Soil Microorganisms with Dr. Ashley Jernigan of Virginia Tech, Pt. II
    Oct 28 2025
    Did you know soil microorganisms of all sizes and shapes need water, air, shelter, and care to function and thrive? Dr. Ashley Jernigan, assistant professor and director of Virginia Tech's Sustainable and Organic Vegetable Crops Production Lab, returns to talk with Jeff and Mary about what farmers and gardeners can do to encourage a hospitable habitat for soil microorganisms.

    As a soil ecologist, Ashley recommends keeping track of your soil organic matter level and its aggregate stability, and how these soil health indicators compare to native biological systems. Soils, like people, need quality food in diverse and complex forms (compost, green manures, plant roots, etc.). Similarly, farmers and gardeners should avoid leaving the soil naked and bare. Being gentle and reducing the intensity of tillage is also key to maintaining a comfortable environment for soil critters and not disrupting the structures and networks that soil organisms establish.

    We would encourage our listeners to visit Andy Murray's A Chaos of Delight: Exploring Life in the Soil website and tour the gallery of photos of different soil microorganisms.

    As always, we encourage you to cooperate with other farmers, graziers, and gardeners for peer-to-peer learning and to follow the four core soil health principles:

    1) Keep the soil covered -- Cover crops are our friends and allies; avoid bare fallows;
    2) Minimize soil disturbance -- Practice no-till or gentle tillage as much as possible in your field or garden ;
    3) Maximize living roots year-round -- to improve biodiversity, soil structure, and life in the soil; and
    4) Energize with diversity -- through crop rotation, high-quality food, farm enterprises, and livestock integration.

    To enjoy recent 4 The Soil blog posts and additional soil health resources, please visit https://www.4thesoil.org/blog and https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices, natural resource concerns, and soil health principles and practices to restore the life in your soil, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office.

    4 the Soil: A Conversation is made possible with funding support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and The Agua Fund. Other partners include the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Virginia Cooperative Extension; Virginia State University; Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation; and partners of the Virginia Soil Health Coalition.

    Disclaimer: Views expressed on this podcast are those of each individual guest.

    To download a copy of this, or any other show, visit the website 4thesoil.org. Music used during today’s program is courtesy of the Flip Charts. All rights reserved. 4 the Soil: A Conversation is produced by On the Farm Radio in collaboration with Virginia Tech. The host and co-hosts are Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt.
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    17 min
  • S5 - E21: Regenerating Worn Out Soils with Dr. Ashley Jernigan of Virginia Tech, Pt. I

    S5 - E21: Regenerating Worn Out Soils with Dr. Ashley Jernigan of Virginia Tech, Pt. I
    Oct 14 2025
    Does your garden soil just fall apart in your hands? How do you regenerate and bring back life to worn-out soils? Dr. Ashley Jernigan, assistant professor and director of Virginia Tech's Sustainable and Organic Vegetable Crops Production Lab, in visiting with Jeff and Mary, advises doing your own test in your garden or crop field with a shovel.As someone who enjoyed digging soil pits as a seven-year-old, Ashley recommends sampling to a six-inch depth to get a sense of your soil's tilth and aggregate stability. If the soil does not have a good, varied crumbly structure, the soil's organic matter content and aggregate stability may be low. Therefore, feed your soil and soil animals to feed your plants to start the biological journey and bring back the life in the soil.If you have ever wondered what soil animals like springtails and soil mites look like, Dr. Jernigan developed a Soil Mesofauna: Who are They? resource guide to help. Ashley also highly recommends Andy Murray's Chaos of Delight: Exploring Life in the Soil website for wonderful photos and videos. As always, we encourage you to cooperate with other farmers, graziers, and gardeners for peer-to-peer learning and to follow the four core soil health principles: 1) Keep the soil covered -- Cover crops are our friends and allies;2) Minimize soil disturbance -- Practice no-till or gentle tillage in your field or garden as much as possible;3) Maximize living roots year-round -- to improve biodiversity, soil structure, and life in the soil; and4) Energize with diversity -- through crop rotation, farm enterprises, and/or livestock integration.More details about the Virginia Farm-to-Table Feast and Harvest Celebration scheduled for Saturday, October 25, 2025, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at On Sunny Slope Farm in Rockingham, Virginia, can be found at https://virginiafarmtotable.org/2025vaf2tharvestcelebration/To enjoy recent 4 The Soil blog posts and additional soil health resources, please visit https://www.4thesoil.org/blog and https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/. For questions about soil and water conservation practices, natural resource concerns, and soil health principles and practices to restore the life in your soil, call or visit a USDA Service Center, a Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District office, or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office. 4 the Soil: A Conversation is made possible with funding support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and The Agua Fund. Other partners include the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Virginia Cooperative Extension; Virginia State University; Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation; and partners of the Virginia Soil Health Coalition.Disclaimer: Views expressed on this podcast are those of each individual guest.To download a copy of this, or any other show, visit the website 4thesoil.org. Music used during today’s program is courtesy of the Flip Charts. All rights reserved. 4 the Soil: A Conversation is produced by On the Farm Radio in collaboration with Virginia Tech. The host and co-hosts are Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt.
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    19 min