A Rosie On The House Replay

In this reply episode of 'Rosie on the House', Romey Romero and Farmer Greg host special guest Cactus Kelly, a master gardener and foraging educator. We explore foraging native edibles in Arizona, highlighting various plants like Palo Verde beans, mesquite, and Ironwood. Cactus Kelly shares valuable insights on how to harvest, prepare, and consume these native plants, often found in urban environments. We also delve into the uses of weeds, cacti such as prickly pear and barrel cactus, and other native flora. We dive into foraging techniques, the nutritional benefits of these plants, and how they support local ecosystems. The segment aims to educate and encourage sustainable harvesting practices while introducing traditional uses and modern applications of native desert plants.

 Cactus Kelly is a master gardener, a foraging educator at the Desert Botanical Garden, and the owner of Cactus Kelly Urban Foraging Institute. Her specialty is low desert plants around Phoenix, Arizona, where we only get about seven inches of rain annually. Bean trees, seasonal greens, weeds, and the cactus fruits are the primary, wild, edible foods that she has been exploring ways to harvest, store, make flour, bake, and cook with them for over 10 years.

Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/888-Rosie for the show notes and links on this episode!

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In This Podcast: Greg and Bill navigate the evolution of seed ownership and its impact on biodiversity. They highlight how, historically, seeds were predominantly grown locally, fostering diversity. However, today, four major companies dominate the global seed market, resulting in a significant loss of agricultural diversity. This shift has made the food system vulnerable to diseases and climate change, which were traditionally mitigated by seed diversity. Efforts to preserve genetic diversity through seed banks are underfunded and face operational challenges, raising concerns about future accessibility.

The conversation emphasizes the importance of local seed saving and sharing initiatives as a means to reclaim control over seeds. Resources like Seed Up Saturday and organizations such as goingtoseed.org are promoted as vital tools for increasing seed diversity within communities. The session concludes with encouragement for individuals to actively participate in seed saving and sharing to enhance local food security and biodiversity.

For a full article on this topic visit - Who Really Owns The Seeds That Feed Us

Visit UrbanFarm.org/887-seed for the show notes and links on this episode!

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*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

In This Podcast: Tony shares his background in the nursery business and the accidental discovery that led him to develop his organic fertilizer, Tony's Magic Mix. He discusses the ingredients and scientific principles behind the fertilizer, focusing on soil health and balanced plant nutrients. Tony recounts success stories, such as record avocado harvests and thriving gardens in harsh climates like Phoenix and emphasizes the importance of promoting a healthy soil biome with organic fertilizers. Tony also talks about his personal journey, including past business failures, the success of his current business, and the support from his family. Tony concludes with a recommendation for spending time outdoors and enjoying the magic of nature.

Our Guest: Tony has been in the nursery industry starting in his father’s business at the age of three. He was destined to be a horticulturist. He started working in a nursery as a teenager and studied marine biology and climatology in college. Then returned to horticulture to study ace genetics, plant breeding, weed science and soil fertility. With so many new organic fertilizers on the market he trialed as many as possible to give honest feedback to his customers. This led him to spend several years mixing different ingredients by hand in a five gallon buckets to give samples to his clients to test. Magically the local garden groups named it Tony’s Magic Mix.

Tony's Book - Old Man In the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway

Visit UrbanFarm.org/EarthOriginalOrganics for the show notes and links on this episode!

Become an Urban Farm Patron and listen to more than 850 episodes of the Urban Farm Podcast without ads. Click HERE to learn more.

*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.