In Her Boots Podcasts

We are back with Sylvia Burgos Toftness today as she shares why education is important not only to grow our organic movement, also as a business strategy. You don’t have to be the ultimate expert to teach, just share from where you are, advises Sylvia. Listen in for sage advice from a former marketer-turned-farmer.

We are talking women’s leadership today today with someone who has worn many hats leading our organic movement: Sylvia Burgos Toftness. Be involved, share your story and take hold of an issue you are passionate about because, as Sylvia has learned, it just might take a long time before things change. A seasoned leader in the organic food movement, Sylvia produces and co-hosts Deep Roots Radio and serves on the board of MOSES. She and her husband, David, raise 100% grass fed beef in Amery, Wisconsin. Her background includes reporting for television reporter and working in public relations, all skills that partner well with her farm life today.

Today, we chat with the inspiring Sylvia Burgos Toftness on ways we as women committed to sustainable an organic agriculture can amplify our voices. It’s all about "lifting the veil" as Sylvia calls it, and owning and using the title of farmer when introducing ourselves. A seasoned leader in the organic food movement, Sylvia produces and co-hosts Deep Roots Radio and serves on the board of MOSES. She and her husband, David, raise 100% grass-fed beef in Amery, Wisconsin. Sylvia has worn many hats before then, including begin a television reporter and working in public relations, all skills that partner well with her farm life today.

Sylvia Burgos Toftness shares her journey from the Puerto Rican community in the South Bronx to farming in the middle of Wisconsin, with sidetracks as a TV reporter and work in public relations—experiences that have helped her be a leader in the organic food movement. Sylvia produces and co-hosts "Deep Roots Radio" and serves on the board of MOSES. She and her husband, David, raise 100% grass-fed beef.

Joyce Ford, a pioneer in the organic movement, shares expert advice and tips particularly for women who are beginning farmers: Experiment small before you go big and take on debt, grow things you are passionate about and sometimes keep some of the best of your harvest for yourself. Today, Joyce runs Blue Fruit Farm with her husband, Jim Riddle, and grows a variety of certified organic berries. She founded the Organic Inspectors Association, served on the MOSES Board, launched farmers markets and has led the establishment of various organic standards, training and policy.

Want to grow and sell fruit? Listen in as we get marketing tips from an expert in her field, Joyce Ford of Blue Fruit Farm, a certified organic berry operation in Winona, Minnesota. Tip #1: teach people why they should eat your fruit. Who knew aronia berries have 4x the antioxidants of blueberries!

A real pioneer in the organic farming movement, Joyce shares her journey from the back-to-the-land movement to today running Blue Fruit Farm with her husband, Jim Riddle. Along the way, Joyce founded the Organic Inspectors Association, served on the MOSES Board of Directors, launched farmers markets, and has led the establishment of various organic standards, training and policy.

Farmer Clare Hintz has earned her PhD in sustainability education as her "fallback" career in case she gets injured or needs to get out of labor-intensive farming at some point. Her dissertation focused on women farmers and permaculture. Clare Hintz runs Elsewhere Farm in Herbster Wisconsin, a 40-acre farm located near the south shore of Lake Superior. Listen in for a smart discussion on realistic planning for women farming solo.

Join us today for a conversation with farmer Clare Hintz of Elsewhere Farm as she shares her insights and inspiration for women running solo operations. Clare's 40-acre farm is located near the south shore of Lake Superior--"If you can farm here you can farm anywhere." She uses organic practices and permaculture design principles and boasts about 700 fruit and nut trees, approximately half of which are in production. She also has a market garden with heirloom and open-pollinated vegetable varieties, and keeps bees and rare breed Icelandic chickens. Lots of work!

Farmer Clare Hintz talks about a topic near and dear to her heart: using ecological design and drawing from a number of traditions to steward our land and produce healthy food to boot. She has a 40-acre farm near the south shore of Lake Superior in Herbster, Wis. She uses organic practices and permaculture design principles and now has about 700 fruit and nut trees, with about half in full production mode. Her intensively planted market garden features heirloom and open-pollinated vegetable varieties, bees, and rare-breed Icelandic chickens.

Today we welcome farmer Clare Hintz of Elsewhere Farm, a 40-acre farm near the south shore of Lake Superior. "If you can farm here, you can farm anywhere," Clare says of the challenging soils. She uses organic practices and permaculture design principles for about 700 fruit and nut trees, approximately half of which are in production on five acres. Her intensively planted market garden features heirloom and open-pollinated vegetable varieties, She also manages bees and rare breed Icelandic chickens.

We wrap up our conversation with Kirsten Jurcek of Brattset Family Farm and get her advice on finding a mentor and harvesting a farming education amidst an abundance of resources. Her top pick? The annual MOSES Organic Farming Conference. Listen in for good advice from this seasoned grazing educator.

Today we continue our conversation with Kirsten as she shares how she returned to her family farm and built on the farming wisdom of her parents while shifting the farm from row crops to a rotational grazing operation for a grass-fed beef herd—in part to create a workspace to accommodate her role as a parent of young kids. Hear her insights on how she integrates 3 generations on her farm.

Get tips from Kirsten Jurcek on the importance of cover crops in all farming systems. She is a farmer champion for the National Wildlife Federation, teaching farmers about cover crops. Hear how cover crops help keep our waterways clean, protect fields from erosion, and build organic matter and fertility in the soil.

Today we welcome farmer Kirsten Jurcek of Bratsett Family Farm in Jefferson, Wisconsin. Kirsten went back to the family farm she grew up on, reinventing the farm in partnership with her family to be an intensive rotational grazing operation and home to a grass-fed beef herd. Kirsten also works as a grazing educator, teaching other farmers to become better graziers through proper management of their soils, forage, and livestock.