farming

Books
Arts

#NationalPoetryMonth: Verses That Celebrate Life On The Farm

3:02pm April 12, 2016

by Maria Godoy

Poet Tess Taylor's new book, Work & Days, is a lyrical meditation on food and farming and our "fragile and ultimately, necessary relationship we have with the earth." Download her illustrated poems.

An assortment of organic vegetables are seen on display. A growing body of evidence documents how farming methods can influence the nutritional content of foods.

Going There: How We Eat

4:00pm April 04, 2016

by Michel Martin

The journey our food takes from farm to fork can be fascinating. But from eating organic to genetically modified, local or seasonal, what food is best for individuals, communities and the environment?

Farmer Aubrey Fletcher of Purdy, Mo., is one of thousands of women who have taken on leadership roles in the traditionally male-dominated agriculture industry. Despite her busy workload, Fletcher has been making the time to meet regularly with a new group

Women Farmers Band Together To Vent, Seek Support And Exchange Ideas

7:00am March 31, 2016

by Suzanne Hogan

The agriculture industry is traditionally male-dominated. But that's changing: Over the past 15 years, the fraction of U.S. farms run by women has nearly tripled.

Big Muddy Farms, an urban farm in northern Omaha, Neb., is seen among residential homes last October. Urban farms have become a celebrated trend, yet earning a living at it is tough, a new survey finds.

Urban Farms Fuel Idealism. Profits? Not So Much

3:14pm March 07, 2016

by Tracie McMillan

Raising crops in the city has become trendy, yet earning a living at it is tough, a survey finds. But many urban farmers are in it for other reasons, like addressing hunger and building community.

Science

Resilient Agriculture

4:07pm March 04, 2016

by Shawn Fitzmaurice

SciWorks Radio is a production of 88.5 WFDD and SciWorks, the Science Center and Envir

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A ranch manager holds pistachios at a farm in Madera, Calif. The lifting of sanctions on Iran has California growers worried that Iranian pistachios will flood the U.S. market.

National

Oh, Nuts! U.S. Pistachio Growers Worry About Competition From Iran

1:54pm February 19, 2016

by Ezra David Romero

Iran is historically known for its pistachios. With sanctions against Iran lifted, its growers are free to sell in the U.S. Iranian nuts haven't flooded the U.S. yet — but that could soon change.

John Boyd Jr., with his father, John Boyd Sr.

Environment

Farmer John Boyd Jr. Wants African-Americans To Reconnect With Farming

10:43am February 15, 2016

by NPR Staff

The president of the National Black Farmers Association says African-Americans have a negative association with farming — and he wants that to change.

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Human Interest

Organic Farming For Children: Bridget Thrower

2:34pm February 12, 2016

Bridget Thrower is the Outdoor Education Coordinator for YMCA Camp Weaver. She runs an organic farm and teaches children how to plant and harvest food.

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A chicken house in Seagrove, N.C. North Carolina is one of the country's largest poultry producers. As farms move closer to residential areas, neighbors are complaining that the waste generated is a potential health hazard.

When A Chicken Farm Moves Next Door, Odor May Not Be The Only Problem

6:19pm January 24, 2016

by Keri Brown

Large-scale poultry production is ramping up in North Carolina and getting closer to residential areas. Neighbors say the smells and pollution from these farms can make it hard to breathe.

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Millet isn't just one grain but, rather, a ragbag group of small-seeded grasses. Hardy, gluten-free and nutritious, millet has become an "it" grain in recent years.

Science

Millet: How A Trendy Ancient Grain Turned Nomads Into Farmers

6:13pm December 23, 2015

by Jeremy Cherfas

Hardy, nutritious and gluten-free, millet has become an "it" grain in recent years. Research reveals our ancestors relied on it: Millet was central to the rise of agriculture and farming communities.