Author and professor Gigi Berardi says some kinds of farming in Washington state are often much closer to the "extinction threshold" than people realize. Gigi shares how she came from Hollywood to farming, via academia, and opens up about what she's found in her research on farms and at Western Washington University's Huxley College of the Environment at WWU. The post Gigi Berardi | #080 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

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Gigi Berardi | #080

When Bernadette Gagnier came to WSU's agriculture research station in Prosser to get a PhD in horticulture, she was reconnecting with family farming roots she didn't even know she had. She explains why the bugs she's researching are bad news for WA's amazing wines, and how she's trying to stop them without using pesticides. The post Bernadette Gagnier | #079 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Bernadette Gagnier | #079

Even though she was diagnosed with cancer, Leann Krainick knew her family's 100-year-old dairy couldn't stop while she was in treatment. She shares the emotional story of working through that time of crisis, and gives an inside look at running Krainick Dairy just a stone's throw from Seattle. The post Leann Krainick | #078 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Leann Krainick | #078

This PNW-based farmer-turned-recycler has a powerful solution to America's food waste problem. Luke Dynes has developed technology that he aims to take to every state in the nation and drastically reduce the amount of food that ends up in landfills. In fact, he's already doing it right here in Washington and Oregon. The post Luke Dynes | #077 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Luke Dynes | #077

He describes it as one of the best places in the world to make wine. That's why Co Dinn crafts his award-winning wines in the heart of the Yakima Valley with a keen focus on sustainability. Come with us as we visit Co Dinn Cellars' tasting room in Sunnyside, WA. The post Co Dinn | #076 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Co Dinn | #076

Kyler Beard is a real Washington cowboy, and he's passionate about doing what's best for his cattle and the rangeland they graze on. The post Kyler Beard | #075 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Kyler Beard | #075

Are dairy cows being treated well on Washington state dairy farms? Coming into the world of dairy originally as an outsider, Brianna Parmentier is now in charge of taking care of a dairy herd near Everson, WA. She shares what really happens behind the scenes on dairy farms in this state. The post Brianna Parmentier | #074 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Brianna Parmentier | #074

This beef and dairy farmer is dangerously close to achieving sustainable carbon neutrality on his farm near Royal City, WA. It may surprise you what Austin Allred of Royal Family Farming says is the secret to carbon neutrality, building soil health and producing food in a way that's sustainable for generations to come. The post Austin Allred | #073 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Austin Allred | #073

Producing pastured pork, chicken, lamb and beef with her family on their small family farm Widnor Farms, Brianna Widen is living her dream. Hear her unique perspective on what's wrong with our food system, and get a personal look at the challenges of small farming in Washington state. The post Brianna Widen | #072 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Brianna Widen | #072

For the first time, prominent Seattle chef Kevin Davis is sharing the heartbreaking behind-the-scenes story of being forced to close his four celebrated, local food-focused restaurants as a result of COVID. Hear how the tragic end to his downtown restaurant empire brought him closer than ever to his passion for reconnecting our food system, at a hidden gem called Canyon River Grill. The post Kevin Davis | #071 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Kevin Davis | #071

While he grows some of the best asparagus in the world, Scott Middleton and his brothers do so much more than that on their family farm near Pasco, WA. Hear how Scott's family came to Washington's Columbia Basin over a half-century ago and built a farm that not only produces incredible food, but also welcomes the public to visit every fall. The post Scott Middleton | #070 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Scott Middleton | #070

The science that keeps damaging bugs out of our food and out of the fields is pretty amazing! Meet entomologist, AKA 'bug scientist' Rebecca Schmidt who works for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's research facility in Wapato, WA, to learn about the creepy crawlies we don't want in our food, and how she's working to stop them in a sustainable way. The post Rebecca Schmidt | #069 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Rebecca Schmidt | #069

Jagwinder Singh Gill is passionate about growing blueberries and stewarding the environment on and around his new farm near Everson, WA. But he fears what could happen to his farm with lawsuits and government action on water management that doesn't take into account protecting local food production as well as streams and fish. The post Jagwinder Gill | #068 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Jagwinder Gill | #068

"It's almost like the Ninja Warrior, you know, you're trying to go through just to see if you can make it to the end," Madison McPherson says of the challenges family farmers in WA face right now. The Chelan-area cherry and apple orchardist shares why she's worried that more and more family farms will soon be gone for good if things don't change. The post Madison McPherson | #067 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Madison McPherson | #067

Not only does she grow the grapes, but Kerry Shiels also makes Côte Bonneville's award-winning wines. She shares how important having a sense of place is to appreciating fine wine, and how that sense should be key to all local food. The post Kerry Shiels | #066 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Kerry Shiels | #066

On a journey to discover the real stories of the people who grow our food