In this episode, we dive into the complex world of farming in the U.S. with award-winning writer, researcher, and podcaster Sarah Mock [https://sarahmock.substack.com/]. Join us as we discuss her provocative book, "Farm and Other F Words: The Rise and Fall of the Small Family Farm," and unravel the intricacies of the food and farm system. Sarah shares her journey from growing up on a small farm in Wyoming to becoming a leading voice in agricultural research and advocacy. We explore the myths and realities of farming, the impact of corporate farms, and the historical and ongoing issues of land ownership and consolidation. Don't miss this enlightening conversation that challenges our perceptions and offers a path to a more equitable food system.


They say there’s only one thing in the world worth working for, worth fighting for and worth dying for. It’s not love or money, not vengeance or virtue — It’s land. To understand how the existence, value and costs and benefits of Ag lands affects us all, Sarah Mock unravels the mystique of the farm landscape. We love the U.S. Farmer. We trust them to be part of children’s nursery rhymes, to provide the economic backbone of rural communities and to embody ideals of the “American” dream and yet we recognize “corporate” farms are disrupting the oft romanticized, agrarian way of life we admire. 
 
How do we preserve farmlands and the farms we love? In her book, Farms & Other F Words, Sarah Mock dismantles our misconceptions about farms in the U.S. and examines the who, what and why of small family farms. What works, what fails and why. Your house, your land and your concept of ownership have everything to do with the agricultural origins of the United States. Sarah Mock joins us now to offer an alternative perspective on agricultural history, reveal a path to a more equitable food system and re-examine the notion of private property for the benefit of future generations. 



For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio

Sarah Mock is an award-winning writer, researcher, and podcaster whose work focuses on the food and farm system. She is a freelance food, agriculture, and rural issues writer and author of two books: Farm (and Other F Words): The Rise and Fall of the Small Family Farm [https://www.amazon.com/Farm-Other-Words-Small-Family/dp/1636768202/] and Big Team Farms: Growing Farms Differently [https://www.amazon.com/Big-Team-Farms-Growing-Differently/dp/B0B14HYW4R/]. She is also the host and producer of the podcast, The Only Thing That Lasts [https://ambrook.com/research/podcast/the-only-thing-that-lasts] which explores the profound significance of land in the United States, revealing how it has been a driving force behind work, conflicts, and aspirations throughout history.

Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt
Hosted by Carry Kim 
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Episode 235
Photo credit: Sarah Mock

Farm & Other F-Words: Creating Farms and Food Systems for The Future

EcoJustice Radio presents environmental and climate stories from a social justice frame, featuring voices not necessarily heard on mainstream media.

Our purpose is to amplify community voices, broaden the reach of grassroots-based movements, and inspire action. We investigate solutions for social, environmental, and climate issues with an eye to advance human health, steward wild landscapes, and solve the climate crisis across the USA and the world.

Featured weekly on KPFK Los Angeles and KPFT Houston, and found on all major podcast apps. We are nationally syndicated through the Pacifica Network and PRX and heard on public radio stations across the US and downloaded in over 25 countries.

Co-hosts Jack Eidt, Carry Kim, and Jessica Aldridge present a broad range of perspectives: land defenders and water protectors; Indigenous leaders, front/fenceline community spokespeople; youth organizers; ecosystem and land stewards; regenerative farmers and permaculture specialists; spiritual and faith leaders; environmental health advocates and practitioners; documentary filmmakers; climate scientists; and political decision makers.

EcoJustice Radio [http://EcoJusticeRadio.org] is produced by SoCal350.org since 2017. 

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