What does it take to build a successful organic farm that feeds both a local community and sends produce to the Bay Area?
For over two decades, Ed Cohen of Earthly Edibles has been answering that question, and he sat down with us to share his journey. Starting as a farmhand for an OG organic legend, Paul Gintoli, Ed learned the ropes in an era when "organic by default" was the local norm. Now, with over 20 years of his own certification, he’s a cornerstone of our local food system.
In this episode, we dive deep into:
🌿 The roots of organic certification in Humboldt and why Ed believes in Organic farming practices.
🚜 The transition from worker to owner – and why advocating for fair farm labor is non-negotiable.
📦 Navigating wholesale & distribution – how to build relationships with companies like Veritable Vegetables and when it makes sense for a small farm in Humboldt County.
🏫 The game-changing power of local markets – especially the role of the Harvest Hub and Farm-to-School programs in keeping food and dollars in our community.
🔮 The future of Humboldt agriculture – Why Ed is optimistic, the impact of shifting cannabis land, and the enduring importance of growing food for your neighbors. This is a masterclass in building a resilient, values-driven farm business from someone who’s been in the soil, the office, and everywhere in between.
👉 Listen now! Perfect for aspiring farmers, local food advocates, and anyone who wants to understand the backbone of our regional food system. #HumboldtCountyGrown #OrganicFarming #EarthlyEdibles #FarmToSchool #LocalFood #HumboldtCounty #SustainableAgriculture #FarmLife #Podcast #HarvestHub
18 Dec 2025
Farm Co-ops and Conservation! Redwood Roots Farm Cooperative and Humboldt County Conservation District
How can a women-owned farm cooperative and a conservation agency team up to build a more resilient and productive farm? Find out in our latest episode! We’re sitting down with Jasmine from the inspiring Redwood Roots Farm—a worker-owned cooperative—and Megan & Petra from the Humboldt County Resource Conservation District (RCD).
They unpack their powerful partnership, which started with the creation of a comprehensive Carbon Farm Plan. Listen in to learn:
🍃 What a Carbon Farm Plan really is and how it goes beyond paperwork to map out whole-farm health.
🤝 How cooperative structure fosters collaboration and creates the perfect conditions to implement big conservation dreams.
💰 How the RCD helps navigate grants and funding (like for compost and hedgerows!), turning plans into action.
🌿 The tangible benefits they’ve already seen: from boosted production and healthier plants to stronger climate resilience.
🎪 Bonus: Hear about community events like Worm Fest and farm potlucks that root this work in joy and connection. This is a story about good timing, shared goals, and how building the right partnerships can help farmers not just sustain their land, but help it thrive.
👉 Tune in wherever you get your podcasts! Links to the RCD’s programs, Redwood Roots Farm, and all the resources mentioned are in the show notes.
Listen now! #HumboldtCountyGrown #CarbonFarming #FarmCooperative #Conservation #SustainableAg #HealthySoil #HumboldtCounty #LocalFood #WomenInAg #ClimateResilience #Podcast
16 Oct 2025
Jared Zystro and Molly Travis from Organic Seed Alliance
What if the secret to climate-resilient crops is already hidden in our seeds? This week, we dive deep with researchers Molly Travis and Jared Zystro from the Organic Seed Alliance to explore the critical link between organic seed production and dry farming. Discover how their on-the-ground research in Humboldt County is breeding seeds specifically adapted to thrive in organic systems and with less water. They explain how selecting plants under the stress of dry farming doesn't just create drought-tolerant varieties—it builds all-around tougher crops that are better at resisting disease and weather fluctuations. Learn how this research helps local farmers today and contributes to a more resilient food system for everyone. If you've ever wondered how the seeds we save today can secure our harvests tomorrow, this conversation is for you. Hashtags: #SeedSaving #DryFarming #OrganicSeeds #PlantBreeding #ClimateResilience #SustainableAg #HumboldtCounty #FutureOfFood #OrganicResearch #SeedSovereignty
2 Sept 2025
Lichen Land Farm with Nicole Brown and Mike Vitiello
From chefs and teachers to cultivators! On this episode of Humboldt County Grown, we chat with Nicole Brown and Mike Vitiello of @LichenLandFarm about their incredible journey from working in schools and restaurants to starting a blueberry farm in Humboldt County.
They share how they’re building a life centered around family, community, and working with the land—not against it. From getting signs from the universe (and local farming legends) to navigating grant writing with a newborn and a toddler, their story is raw, real, and deeply inspiring.
Tune in to hear about balancing parenting with perennial crops, learning through @NCGA.agriculturalprograms Climate Resilient Farmer Training Program, and their vision for a future filled with berry patches, farmer’s markets, and a legacy built on good food.
Listen now at the link in our bio! And remember: supporting local farms is an investment in your health, your community, and the land.
#HumboldtCountyGrown #NewFarmers #BlueberryFarm #SustainableAg #FarmLife #HumboldtLocal #SupportLocalFarms #ClimateResilience"
12 Aug 2025
Aquilli Metzli: Indigenous Farming & Food Sovereignty in Humboldt County
🌽✨ Aquilli Metzli: Indigenous Farming & Food Sovereignty in Humboldt ✨🌱 Tune into the latest Humboldt County Grown episode with Octavio, Adriana & Oscar of Aquilli Metzli Masa Co-op—a farmer/artisan collective reviving the ancestral milpa system (think Three Sisters + 500 cousins!). 🔴 Why "Aquilli Metzli"? Red = indigenous resilience + labor justice 🌾 Moon = rising tide of land-back movements 🌕 Corn = cultural rebirth & food sovereignty 🌽 🌿 More Than Farming: • Co-op model = horizontal power, living wages, and keeping $$ local 💸 • Work parties = communal land-tending + feasting (because farming shouldn’t be lonely!) 👩🌾🎉 • Milpa magic = biodiversity, medicine, and kids playing in pesticide-free fields 🌻 🚜 Join the Movement: • Volunteer at a work party (follow @aquillimetzli) • Support local masa • Help fill gaps: cold storage, cal production, land access 💬 "The land is our culture. When we grow food together, we grow community." #AquilliMetzli #LandBack #FoodSovereignty #HumboldtGrown
12 Aug 2025
Strengthening Local Food Systems with the North Coast Food System Network
Strengthening Local Food Systems with the North Coast Food System Network 🌱✨
Join us on this episode of Humble County Grown as we dig into the North Coast Food System Network—a thriving collaboration rooted in food security for California’s North Coast! 🌾🍎 We’re excited to chat with Megan and Lauren from the North Coast Growers’ Association about how they’re cultivating connections between local farmers, fishers, and food businesses to grow a stronger, more resilient food web. 🤝🌿
From seed-to-table infrastructure investments ♂️💡 to community-powered projects like the Gather & Grow Food Hub 🛒🥕 and Humboldt County Ag Day 🎪🐄, we’ll explore how these initiatives are nourishing our region—one harvest at a time.
Tune in and discover how these grassroots efforts are feeding your friends and neighbors here in Humboldt County! 🌍❤️
More information on the North Coast Food System Network here: https://www.northcoastgrowersassociation.org/ncfsn.html (https://www.northcoastgrowersassociation.org/ncfsn.html)
18 Jul 2025
NCGA's Harvest Hub! An interview with Megan Kenney of NCGA
"Humboldt County Grown" – Cooperative Distribution with Megan Kenney
Host Gwilym Walker talks with Megan Kenney from the North Coast Growers' Association (NCGA) about the Harvest Hub and Harvest Box Program, which support local farmers and strengthen Humboldt’s food system. The Harvest Box is a flexible, multi-farm CSA with home delivery , accepting EBT and offering Market Match to double food assistance benefits. Meanwhile, the Harvest Hub streamlines wholesale distribution, helping farmers sell to schools and tribal groups while keeping prices fair—already generating $1M+ for local growers. Megan also highlights gaps in local food infrastructure, like cold storage and meat processing, and encourages listeners to support by signing up and buying wholesale. Learn more: northcoastgrowersassociation.org (http://northcoastgrowersassociation.org)
3 Jul 2025
An interview with Chris Moore of Woody Ryno Farms
In this episode of Humboldt County Grown, host Gwilym Walker interviews Chris Moore of Woody Ryno Farms, who shares his journey from permaculture enthusiast to diversified farmer in Humboldt County, California. Starting in 2011 with a small vegetable plot, Chris transitioned to pastured pork farming to manage invasive weeds, using pigs to regenerate degraded land. However, challenges like feed costs and processing logistics led him to pivot back to vegetable farming, focusing on no-till practices, quick-growing crops like bok choy, and adapting to pest pressures like symphylans. Chris highlights the importance of flexibility, soil health, and balancing off-farm income with farming’s demands. Chris discusses the impacts of climate change on local agriculture, noting milder winters and experimenting with citrus in greenhouses. He emphasizes the challenges of small-scale farming, including labor, time management, and pest control, while celebrating wins like efficient tools (Jang seeders, paper pot transplanters) and farm-to-table meals like homemade ramen. Currently, Woody Rhino Farms supplies restaurants like The Eatery in Trinidad and occasionally sells at Arcata’s Saturday Market. The episode concludes with a reminder to support local farmers, teasing next week’s topic: the NCGA Food Hub.
Submit your Questions and Suggestions for the Podcast here!
https://www.northcoastgrowersassociation.org/podcast.html (https://www.northcoastgrowersassociation.org/podcast.html)
25 Jun 2025
Humboldt County Grown: First Mini-Episode
In our first mini episode we introduce our listeners to the concept of this podcast, to highlight the wonderful work all the farmers and farm workers in Humboldt County do to make our local agriculture a resilient part of our environment and culture here in Humboldt County California. This episode features a quick mini interview with local farmer Chris Moore, and also some previews into future topics on full length episodes. To submit questions or feedback for the podcast please use the link below!
https://www.northcoastgrowersassociation.org/podcast.html (https://www.northcoastgrowersassociation.org/podcast.html)
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