Podcast: Agriculture & Farming

68: Beejom Farm – Animal Sanctuary and Sustainable Regenerative Agriculture

Beejom is an animal sanctuary and sustainable agricultural farm located in Western Uttar Pradesh. They use natural farming techniques to grow food. The agricultural practices at Beejom are farm animal-centric. We talk to the passionate and energetic Aparna Rajagopal, a lawyer turned conservationist, animal rescuer, and educator. While trying to rescue a horse, she leased farmland to board the horse, and while trying to improve its soil she bought some cows and bulls for their manure – about 150 of them. But they do not use them for dairy. These cattle generate 1000 kgs of dung at the farm on average. Beejom utilizes this dung is to make lovely dung pots and partners with local nurseries in the hope that they stop using plastic covers and start using these beautiful pots for their seedlings. When the seedling outgrows this pot, one can transplant the seedling into the ground along with the pot which is nothing but cow dung manure. A beautiful sustainability project that is great for the environment and an additional income source for the farmer. They have a cow dung log machine and make dung logs that can replicate wood. The logs can be used in crematoriums, bonfires or Havans (religious fires). Come join us on Aparna’s journey on Beejom Farm.

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Agriculture & Farming
68: Beejom Farm - Animal Sanctuary and Sustainable Regenerative Agriculture
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57: Ceres Greenhouse Solutions – Designing for a Better Future

We have on our show Marc Plinke, founder/CEO, and Miriam Schaffer Marketing and Communications Specialist of Ceres Greenhouse Solutions. Inspired by the Roman Goddess of Agriculture, Ceres is a company devoted to growing plants. Their core team consists of engineers, architects, builders, plant experts, designers, and tinkerers. Founded in 2011, Ceres Greenhouse Solutions aims to reinvent the traditional greenhouse. They combine passive solar design principles with innovative heat-storage techniques to create the most energy-efficient and durable greenhouses for any climate in the world. The result is a smarter, ‘greener’ greenhouse design: one that regulates its own temperature, can grow year-round, withstands the harshest weather, and uses little to no fossil fuel energy.

Ceres greenhouse solutions can be found around the world, in climates as far-ranging as Alaska to South Africa for backyard gardeners, sustainable farmers, school administrators, and big industrial growers. Listen to Marc Plinke and Miriam Shaffer on Mindful Businesses.

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Agriculture & Farming
57: Ceres Greenhouse Solutions - Designing for a Better Future
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47: Polyface Farms – The Farm With Many Faces

In 1961, William and Lucille Salatin moved their young family to Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, purchasing the most worn-out, eroded, abused farm in the area near Staunton. Using nature as a pattern, they and their children began the healing and innovation that now supports three generations.

Disregarding conventional wisdom, the Salatins planted trees, built huge compost piles, dug ponds, moved cows daily with portable electric fencing, and invented portable sheltering systems to produce all their animals on perennial prairie polycultures.

Today the farm arguably represents America’s premier non-industrial food production oasis. Believing that the Creator’s design is still the best pattern for the biological world, the Salatin family invites like-minded folks to join in the farm’s mission: to develop emotionally, economically, environmentally enhancing agricultural enterprises and facilitate their duplication throughout the world. We chat with the energetic and vivacious Joel Salatin, who talks about Polyface Farms mission and journey.

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Agriculture & Farming
47: Polyface Farms - The Farm With Many Faces
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37: Textile Exchange – Creating Material Change

Being a fifth generation cotton farmer gave LaRhea Pepper the knowledge, grit and passion to farm the way her granddaddy had taught her. She set out to to create the non-profit Textile Exchange to build a community that can collectively accomplish what no individual or company can do alone.

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Agriculture & Farming
37: Textile Exchange - Creating Material Change
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