Know Your Food, a podcast by Farm to People, digs into the stories, people, and ideas transforming the way we eat. Hosted by co-founder Michael Ray Robinov, each episode features candid conversations with chefs, farmers, writers, and food innovators—exploring what makes great food truly exceptional, why it matters, where it comes from, and how it stands apart from the average grocery store fare.
Learning from the Land: Martin Ping on Biodynamics, Education, and Regeneration | Know Your Food #17
In this episode of Know Your Food, we sit down with Martin Ping, longtime executive at Hawthorne Valley Association, to explore how decades of community-centered work, biodynamic farming, and deep relationship-building have shaped one of the Hudson Valley’s most enduring food and education hubs. Hawthorne Valley’s influence stretches from regenerative agriculture to farm-based learning and vibrant local economies, all grounded in a commitment to land and community.
We dig into what it really takes to sustain a place like Hawthorne Valley. Martin talks about the interconnected systems behind their work, the importance of biodynamics today, and the ongoing effort to grow not only food but culture. His perspective on leadership, resilience, and long-term stewardship offers a rare look at how a regional food system can truly thrive.
If you care about local farms, ecological farming practices, or the future of community-rooted agriculture in New York, this episode is for you.
This episode was recorded live as part of our Know Your Food event series at our warehouse in Bushwick. Keep up with our mission to support regenerative agriculture and slowly change how New York eats. Follow us for exclusive updates, future events, and more on Instagram at @farmtopeople, and visit farmtopeople.com to learn how you can get the farmers market delivered to your door.
In this episode of Know Your Food, we sit down with three people at the heart of New York’s regional grain renaissance: Heidi Dolnick of Unified Mills, Makayla Bunce of Farmer Ground Flour, and Thor Oechsner of Oechsner Farms. Together, they unpack why real flour begins long before the millstones start spinning.
We explore what makes local grains different: how regenerative farming strengthens soil from the roots up, why stone milling preserves flavor and nutrition that industrial flour strips away, and how rebuilding a local grain economy puts value back into farms and communities. This is the story of flour as food, not filler.
This conversation was recorded live as part of our Know Your Food event series at our warehouse in Bushwick. Keep up with our mission to support regenerative agriculture and slowly change how New York eats.
Follow us for exclusive updates, future events, and more on Instagram at @farmtopeople, and visit farmtopeople.com (http://farmtopeople.com/) to learn more about how you can get the farmers market delivered to your door.
20 Aug 2025
Mycology at Work: Cory Nellissen
In this episode of Know Your Food, Tivoli Mushrooms farm director Cory Nellisen joins us to share his path from experimenting with fungi in a garage to managing daily operations at one of New York’s leading mushroom farms. We explore the realities of mushroom cultivation—balancing the science of mycology with production demands, the patience it takes to keep mushrooms thriving year-round, and how trust and teamwork shape life on the farm. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to grow mushrooms for a city like New York, this conversation pulls back the curtain.
This conversation was recorded live as part of our Know Your Food event series at our warehouse in Bushwick. Keep up with our mission to support regenerative agriculture and slowly change how New York eats.
Follow us for exclusive updates, future events, and more on Instagram at @farmtopeople—and visit farmtopeople.com to learn more about how you can get the farmers market delivered to your door.
13 Aug 2025
Soil to City: Regenerative Farming with Simon Ziegler of Sun Sprout Farm
In this episode of Know Your Food, we sit down with Simon Ziegler, co-founder of Sun Sprout Farms, to explore how a lifelong passion for growing food—and a commitment to ecological stewardship—has shaped one of the Hudson Valley’s most trusted organic produce distributors. Sun Sprout connects small farms to the restaurants, markets, and communities that rely on them, making local food accessible while keeping sustainability at the heart of their work.
We dive into the nuts and bolts of running a local food hub, the delicate balance between scale and integrity, and the ways Simon and his team support regenerative farming practices across the region. From managing seasonal abundance to building strong farmer relationships, Simon shares what it really takes to nourish a resilient food system.
If you care about local farms, sustainable supply chains, or the future of fresh food in New York, you won’t want to miss this conversation.
This episode was recorded live as part of our Know Your Food event series at our warehouse in Bushwick. Keep up with our mission to support regenerative agriculture and slowly change how New York eats. Follow us for exclusive updates, future events, and more on Instagram at @farmtopeople — and visit farmtopeople.com to learn how you can get the farmers market delivered to your door.
6 Aug 2025
Simpli's Ecosystem Pantry: Sarela Herrada
In this episode of Know Your Food, Sarela Herrada, co-founder of Simpli, joins us live in Brooklyn to talk about how her roots in Peru—and her career in mission-driven food—led her to build a pantry brand that’s anything but ordinary. Simpli sources beautiful beans and grains directly from smallholder farmers in Latin America, prioritizing transparency, traceability, and equity every step of the way.
We get into how Simpli is reshaping the conversation around everyday staples, the challenges and rewards of building a values-based supply chain, and how food can be both deeply personal and radically transformative.
If you care about food systems, women-led businesses, or pantry staples with a purpose, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
This conversation was recorded live as part of our Know Your Food event series at our warehouse in Bushwick. Keep up with our mission to support regenerative agriculture and slowly change how New York eats. Follow us for exclusive updates, future events, and more on Instagram at @farmtopeople (https://www.instagram.com/farmtopeople) — and visit farmtopeople.com (http://farmtopeople.com/) to learn more about how you can get the farmers market delivered to your door.
30 Jul 2025
Handmade & Hustling: Hannah Cheng from Mimi Cheng’s
In this episode of Know Your Food, Hannah Cheng, co-founder of Mimi Cheng’s, joins us live in Brooklyn to share how she left a career in finance to follow a dream: opening a dumpling shop with her sister. What started as a family recipe has since become a New York City favorite—and now a growing retail brand bringing bold, unexpected flavors to the frozen aisle.
We get into how Mimi Cheng’s blends heritage with innovation, what it takes to scale from restaurant to CPG, and why staying true to flavor and storytelling is at the heart of it all.
If you care about modern Asian-American cooking, women-led food brands, or turning a passion into a business, this is a conversation you’ll want to hear.
This conversation was recorded live as part of our Know Your Food event series at our warehouse in Bushwick. Keep up with our mission to support regenerative agriculture and slowly change how New York eats. Follow us for exclusive updates, future events, and more on Instagram at @farmtopeople (https://instagram.com/farmtopeople)—and visit farmtopeople.com (http://farmtopeople.com/) to learn more about how you can get the farmers market delivered to your door.
23 Jul 2025
From Soil to Public Policy: Qiana Mickie
Qiana Mickie, a policy strategist, food justice advocate, and longtime New Yorker, joins us to talk about what it really means to build an equitable food system—from the ground up. As the inaugural Executive Director of NYC’s Office of Urban Agriculture, Qiana is reshaping how city government engages with land, food, and the people most impacted by systemic inequities.
Drawing from years of grassroots organizing and policy work, Qiana shares how her upbringing, community ties, and political clarity have shaped her approach to food justice. She breaks down the connections between land access, equity, and climate resilience—and why true food sovereignty starts with shifting power.
We also get into the role of storytelling in movement work, how urban ag can thrive in unlikely places, and the importance of listening to frontline communities when designing food policy.
If you’ve ever wondered how change really happens—or what a just food future could look like—this episode is for you.
Recorded live at our warehouse in Bushwick as part of the Know Your Food event series.
Follow us on Instagram @farmtopeople for updates on upcoming events—or head to farmtopeople.com to get the farmers market delivered to your door. 🥬🏙️✊
16 Jul 2025
From Cervo's to Minnow: Nialls Fallon & Leah Campbell Take on Tinned Fish
In this episode, we sit down with Nialls Fallon and Leah Campbell—two-thirds of the team behind Minnow, a tinned seafood brand born from New York’s dynamic restaurant scene. As the minds behind beloved spots like Hart’s, Cervo’s, The Fly, and an upcoming oyster bar, they share how their passion for seafood and hospitality inspired them to launch Minnow’s thoughtfully sourced line of tinned fish and seafood products.
Recorded live at Farm to People’s Bushwick warehouse as part of the Know Your Food event series, this conversation explores the connection between restaurant kitchens and food product innovation, the rich history and appeal of tinned seafood, and what it takes to build a brand that honors quality, community, and tradition.
If you’re interested in seafood, NYC’s food culture, or the journey from chef to CPG entrepreneur, this episode is a must-listen.
Follow us on Instagram at @farmtopeople (https://instagram.com/farmtopeople) for event updates, and visit farmtopeople.com (http://farmtopeople.com/) to get fresh farmers market deliveries to your door.
9 Jul 2025
Spores of Change: Avery Stempel
In this episode of Know Your Food, mushroom farmer and psilocybin advocate Avery Stempel—founder of Collar City Mushrooms in Troy, NY—joins us live in Brooklyn for a conversation on the power of fungi to transform food, health, and community. We get into how mushrooms are redefining urban agriculture, why Avery is pushing for psilocybin legalization in New York State, and how mycelium offers a model for collective care and resilience. If you’re curious about the future of food, mental health, or mycology as activism, this is a must-listen.
This conversation was recorded live as part of our Know Your Food event series at our warehouse in Bushwick. Keep up with our mission to support regenerative agriculture and slowly change how New York eats.
Follow us for exclusive updates, future events, and more on Instagram at @farmtopeople (https://instagram.com/farmtopeople)—and visit farmtopeople.com (https://farmtopeople.com) to learn more about how you can get the farmers market delivered to your door.
2 Jul 2025
The Power of Regional Food Systems: Alicia Kennedy
Cultural critic Alicia Kennedy discusses the structural barriers to cooking, the role of food journalism, and eating locally with the hosts in this interview.
25 Jun 2025
Making Waves in Modern Aquaculture: John Ng
Founder John Ng of Hudson Valley Fisheries discusses sustainable aquaculture practices and creating a circular ecosystem by converting farm waste into fuel, in this interview episode.
18 Jun 2025
Made From Scratch: Reenie Karim
Chef Reenie Karim discusses her journey of reconnecting with ingredients and blending her heritage into unique dishes, exploring food's personal and communal power in this interview.
11 Jun 2025
Baking Against the Grain: Sarah Magid
Sarah Magid of Knead Love Bakery discusses her journey to create nutrient-dense, sourdough sweets using hand-milled, locally sourced flours, emphasizing the joy and intentionality in baking, in this interview.
4 Jun 2025
The Future of Dairy Is Local: Rick Osofsky
Dairy farmer Rick Osofsky discusses the challenges and rewards of operating a small, family-run dairy farm focused on animal welfare and quality in today's consolidating market, in this interview episode.
20 May 2025
Who’s Really Deciding What We Eat?: Marion Nestle
Nutritionist Marion Nestle discusses how food industry lobbying and marketing distort nutrition science and influence food choices, revealing the forces that shape our diets in an interview with Know Your Food.
19 May 2025
The Spice Revolution You Need to Taste: Ethan Frisch
Spice expert Ethan Frisch of Burlap & Barrel discusses the importance of equitable spice trade and how sourcing directly from farmers impacts flavor and transparency in this interview.
19 May 2025
What Big Chicken Doesn't Want You to Know: Chloe Sorvino
Journalist Chloe Sorvino reveals the surprising ways that the chicken industry impacts public health, climate, and corporate accountability in an interview with Know Your Food.
Who has been a guest on Know Your Food
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Alicia Kennedy
John Ng
Reenie Karim
Sarah Magid
Rick Osofsky
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
34 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 50 / 100
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Quality
61
Social presence
97
YouTube
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Engagement
51
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