Best CROP Organization Podcasts (2025)

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Ep. 529 - Native Plants, Habitat, & Infectious Diseases 56:37

5d ago56:37

56:37

Whether you realize it or not, our lives depend on the native plant communities that comprise and support regional biodiversity. As we lose habitat, we lose species, and we lose the checks and balances that keep the living world functional. Scientists are increasingly uncovering the links between human health issues like infectious diseases and bio…

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Old Tractors with New Tools, New Barn & Commercial Kitchen at Four Corners Farm with Trip Shaw: EP30 58:04

11d ago58:04

58:04

Text me a message! Today’s episode comes to you from Worthington Massachusetts where we visit with Trip Shaw of Four Corners Farm. He’s been growing over 16 years and produces over 8 acres of mixed vegetables for his newly built farmstand. We start off the episodes in this new farm building which has a front porch, farmstand, wash/pack space, walk-…

1
Ep. 528 - Flower Color is Complex 1:02:18

12d ago1:02:18

1:02:18

On face value, flower colors would seem to have everything to do with pollination, but it is far more complex than that. The pigments that give flowers the colors we can see can have many different functions and how they evolve is a fascinating realm of research. Join me and Dr. Andrea Berardi as we explore floral coloration in two genera - Silene …

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Ep. 527 - A Deep Dive on Medinilla 57:04

19d ago57:04

57:04

Understanding the relationships among plants can reveal so much about the history of our planet and the mechanisms of evolution. This is why Dr. Peter Quakenbush has spent so much time trying to understand the genus Medinilla. You might be most familiar with Medinilla magnifica as a popular houseplant, this it is only the tip of the iceberg when it…

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Ep. 526 - Biodiversity & Ecosystem Function 1:00:45

26d ago1:00:45

1:00:45

Changes in biodiversity are happening all over the globe. From losses to homogenization, understanding the affects of biodiversity change are paramount to understanding how ecosystems function. Nowhere is this more apparent than with plants. Join me and ecologist Dr. Jake Grossman as we explore the links between tree diversity and ecosystem functio…

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Ep. 525 - Lessons from Ancient Grasslands 1:04:11

1M ago1:04:11

1:04:11

Say "old growth" and we all too often picture ancient forests with large, gnarly trees. However, forests aren't the only habitat types that can reach old growth status. Prairies, savannas, and woodlands can be old growth too and it is vital that we both protect and learn from them as they are one of the rarest habitat types on Earth. Join me and ec…

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High Tunnels & Field Crops, the Farming Journey of Kagan & Elise of Blackbird Organics: EP29 1:18:50

1M ago1:18:50

1:18:50

Text me a message! Today’s episode comes to you from Plainfield Vermont where we visit with Kagen Dewey and Elise Magnant of Blackbird Organics. They’ve been farming since 2018 and have set their roots on their own farm with high tunnels and field production. We start off the visit with a tour of the greenhouses, walk around the fields, then circle…

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Ep. 524 - Tackling the Oval Sedges 59:04

1M ago59:04

59:04

Sedges (genus Carex) can be an intimidating group of plants to get your head wrapped around, but it doesn't have to be that way. One key element to understanding them is knowing what to look for, which is why I am so excited to talk about a new book/key to the oval sedges - “Carex of Illinois and Surrounding States”. Join me and authors Michael Mur…

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Ep. 523 - Prickly Pear Cacti Are Wonderfully Complex 1:01:14

2M ago1:01:14

1:01:14

The odds of encountering a prickly pear cactus (Opuntia spp.) in your lifetime is high no matter where you live. That is how abundant, diverse, and charismatic these cacti truly are. For all of their intrigue, so much about these spiny succulents remains a mystery. Trying to understand their diversity is fraught with challenges, both physical and a…

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Ep. 522 - Shocking Relationships Between Trees & Lightning 57:22

2M ago57:22

57:22

Getting struck by lightning is always thought of as a bad thing, but what if it wasn't? Trees can't get up and escape when storms roll in and the chances of one getting struck by lightning increases as they grow taller. For at least one species of tropical tree, getting struck could actually be beneficial not only to individuals but also population…

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Ep. 521 - Plant Conservation from the Sky 58:33

2M ago58:33

58:33

Go looking for information on rare plant population health and it can be surprisingly hard to come by. Plant monitoring, especially over the long term, is a challenge and data have not always kept up with the need. Dr. Michelle DePrenger-Levin and her colleagues at the Denver Botanic Gardens are doing their part to fix this and using some cool tech…

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Bob Gray Reflects on His Life Being a Farmer at 4 Corners Farm: EP28 1:22:19

2M ago1:22:19

1:22:19

Text me a message! Today’s episode comes to you from Newbury Vermont, where we visit with Bob Gray of 4 Corners Farm. He and his wife Kim purchased the farm in the late 1970’s after finding success selling their abundance of vegetables at a farmers market and overtime built a highly diversified farm that supports them and their children. Bob shares…

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Ep. 520 - Saving Orchids! 53:40

2M ago53:40

53:40

What does it take to save orchids from extinction? Saving Orchids by Dr's Philip Seaton and Larry Zettler showcase the dedicated folks who are making it happen across the world. From why orchids need our help to cultivating in the lab and returning them to the wild, Saving Orchids is an inspirational read for anyone with even the slightest interest…

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Ep. 519 - Sonoran Desert, Past & Future 53:53

3M ago53:53

53:53

Visit the Sonoran Desert and you too will fall in love with its beauty and diversity. It is truly one of the most incredible places on earth. Dr. Ben Wilder agrees which is why he has dedicated his life to understanding the history of the Sonoran flora and using that knowledge to help ensure it has a future. Join us for a celebration of all things …

1
Ep. 518 - The Complexities of Plant Reproduction 57:43

3M ago57:43

57:43

What does it mean to be a successful plant? Reproduction? Population growth? What factors influence these important events and which contribute more to a population through time? The answers to these questions are very complex and climate change is only making things harder to understand. Dr. Amy Iler and her colleagues are not afraid to try and ta…

1
Ep. 517 - Demystifying the Woolly Devil 55:11

3M ago55:11

55:11

The woolly devil (Ovicula biradiata) is a fascinating and unique member of the daisy family (Asteraceae) that was only recently described to science. It was first found in Big Bend National Park in Texas and serves as an important reminder of not only the need for protecting wild places but also how little we still know about the natural world. Joi…

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Starting up a Diverse & Collaborative Farm with Spencer & Jake from The Farm Upstream: EP27 1:08:09

3M ago1:08:09

1:08:09

Text me a message! Today’s episode comes to you from Jericho Vermont where we visit with Spencer Hardy and Jake Kornfeld of The Farm Upstream (https://www.thefarmupstream.com). They are friends who are just setting roots on this new farm and share how they've structured their business to grow collaboratively to support multiple households. Support …

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Ep. 516 - Plants in the Afterlife 47:54

3M ago47:54

47:54

Plants ARE habitat and that doesn't stop when they die. Countless species of microbes, fungi, arthropods, and more not only take up residence in dead plant material but also require it to complete their lifecycle. My guest today is Dr. Amy Zanne and she spends a lot of time thinking about the things that live in dead wood and their impacts on the w…

1
Ep. 515 - Phenology is Important 50:17

3M ago50:17

50:17

The emergence of leaves, the blooming of flowers, the arrival of pollinators... these are all biological events that are closely tied to the changing seasons. The study of this linkage is called Phenology and my guest today wants to share her passion for this wonderful world of inquiry. Join me and Dr. Theresa Crimmins as we discuss the USA Nationa…

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Ep. 514 - Parent/Offspring Conflicts in Moss 56:37

4M ago56:37

56:37

Parents and children don't always get along. Sometimes they can even be competitors. Conflicts often lead to interesting evolutionary adaptations and mosses are no stranger to this. Join me and Dr. Jessica Budke as we explore a familial tug of war going on all around us. This episode was produced in part by Rich, Shad, Maddie, Owen, Linda, Alana, S…

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Ep. 513 - The Enigma of the Galax Genome 45:08

4M ago45:08

45:08

Spend any time in the southern Appalachian Mountains and you are bound to cross paths with Galax urceolata. This wonderful little evergreen herb seems to be at home in a variety of habitats from forest streams to granite outcrops and everywhere in between. It is also culturally significant and even suffers from poaching in some areas. Despite its p…

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30 Years of Farming with Andrew Knafel of Clear Brook Farm: EP26 1:24:54

4M ago1:24:54

1:24:54

Text me a message! Today’s episode comes to you from Shaftsbury Vermont where we visit with Andrew Knafel of Clear Brook Farm. As he just farmed for the 30th season we reflect on how they grows on about 30 acres and in 11 greenhouses. He markets mixed vegetables and bedding plants mostly all sold from his retail farmstand. We start off the episode …

1
Ep. 512 - The Complexity of Mangrove Ecosystems 48:11

4M ago48:11

48:11

Mangrove forests are dynamic places and so too are the people that study them. From carbon capture and peat formation, to restoration and hydrology, these coastal habitats offer curious minds plenty to ponder. Join me and Dr. Luke Lamb-Wotton as we explore the wonderfully complex world of these coastal ecosystems. This episode was produced in part …

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Ep. 511 - Paw Paw Randomness 55:42

4M ago55:42

55:42

Paw paw (Asimina triloba) is a charismatic and special species. It is the most northerly growing member of a mostly tropical family. It also has considerable influence on its herbaceous neighbors. Join me and PhD student Anna Wassel as we explore the random world of pawpaw and understory herb community assembly. This episode was produced in part by…

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Ep. 510 - Epiphytes & Phorophytes 58:42

5M ago58:42

58:42

Mosses, liverworts, and lichens live in a world of their own. Not unlike the trees they grow on, these tiny organisms must play out the dramas of obtaining the water, nutrients, and light they need to survive, they are just doing so on a much smaller scale. At the same time, they are supporting their own food webs that scale far bigger than their o…

1
Ep. 509 - The Power of Biotic Resistance 51:48

5M ago51:48

51:48

Invasive species reduce native biodiversity and hinder an ecosystem's ability to support life, including our own. Managing invasive species can be very challenging, but that doesn't intimidate people like Dr. Mike Schuster. Learn how he and his colleagues are using the ecological principal of biotic resistance to study how some native plants such a…

1
Ep. 508 - The Cashew Family Revisited 50:04

5M ago50:04

50:04

What do cashews (Anacardium spp.), mangoes (Mangifera spp.), pistachios (Pistacia spp.), and poison ivy (Toxicodendron spp.) have in common? They are all members of the family Anacardiaceae! Revisit this conversation with Executive Director at the United States Botanic Garden, Dr. Susan Pell, who has devoted her career to understanding this incredi…

1
Ep. 507 - The Beginning Revisited 14:26

5M ago14:26

14:26

January 2025 marks the 10 year anniversary (!!!) of the In Defense of Plants Podcast. To celebrate, I thought it would be fun to revisit the first episode of the podcast. Travel back a decade to a tiny, old Buffalo NY apartment where a young and naive Matt waxes poetic about his love for jewel orchids (Ludisia discolor) as a blizzard rages outside.…

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Completely Flooded 3 Times in 2 Seasons | Foote Brook Farm: EP25 1:34:49

5M ago1:34:49

1:34:49

Text me a message! Today’s episode comes to you from Johnson Vermont where we visit with Tony and Joie Lehouillier of Foote Brook Farm. They grow sod, and 35 acres of vegetables for both wholesale markets and their on-farm store. We start off the episode seeing what’s growing in one of the greenhouses in early December, take a look in the farm stan…

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Looking to Ecology to Build a Cooperative Farm Future with Andrew Adamski of Full Circle Community Farm 43:22

5M ago43:22

43:22

Andrew Adamski, or walkie talkie callsign gopher, is one of the farmer owners of Full Circle Community Farm in Wisconsin, the land of coops in the US. He came back to his generations old family farm in 2017 after college, along with his now wife heather, to not only continue the family farming tradition, but diversify both its production and member…

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Ep. 506 - The Digital Future of Herbaria

6M ago

—

The herbarium world is a fascinating one. These botanical repositories are goldmines of data and help us understand the present by looking at the past. But what kind of future questions can herbaria help solve? Experts say the opportunities are endless, but we will need new technologies to take full advantage. Join me and Curator and Director of th…

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Ep. 505 - Leave the Dang Leaves! 48:56

6M ago48:56

48:56

Leave the leaves! It is a phrase you hear a lot these days, but why is it so important to keep leaves and other plant debris on your landscape? These are the questions that drive Dr. Max Ferlato. Leaf litter and other plant debris provides vitally important habitat for myriad organisms including species important for pollination and pest control. M…

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Ep. 504 - The Genetic Mysteries of Creosote Bush 59:18

6M ago59:18

59:18

What is a species? On the surface, this seems like an easy question to answer. Get a bunch of biologists in the room together and you will quickly see it can be a bit of a loaded question. Questions like this are what drive scientists like Dr. Robert Laport. By looking at genome duplication events in plants like creosote bush (Larrea tridentata), h…

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Practical Tools & Advice When Starting a Co-op w/ Kelly Maynard of UW Center for Co-op Development 59:28

6M ago59:28

59:28

Kelly Maynard is a cooperative development specialist at the university of Wisconsin center for cooperative development and we're going to get into some practical advice and tools you can use when thinking about going into cooperative farming, yourself, or yourselves, as it were. This is the second coop development person, or forth depending on how…

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Ep. 503 - Pollen Specialization

6M ago

—

Bees run the gamut from generalists to specialists. Whereas the generalists visit a variety of plants for the resources they need, many specialists exist on a single species. Such is the case for at least 20 different bees living in Southwestern North America who specialize on the pollen of the creosote bush (Larrea tridentata). In geologic terms, …

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Spencer Blackwell of Elmer Farm: EP24 1:44:30

6M ago1:44:30

1:44:30

Text me a message! Today’s episode comes to you from Middlebury Vermont where we visit with Spencer Blackwell of Elmer Farm. He’s been growing for 30 years and built this property up from a homestead to a CSA & wholesale vegetable farming growing crops on over 7 acres. We start off with a tour checking out the wash and pack area, then hop in the tr…

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Ep. 502 - Unearthing the Mysteries of Underground Storage Organs

7M ago

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Tubers, corms, taproots, bulbs... There are many different kinds of underground storage organs in the plant world. Moreover, they form from many different kinds of plant tissues. This begs the question, why are there so many variations on the theme of energy storage? Join me and Dr. Carrie Tribble as we explore phylogenetic and trait-based approach…

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Looking to the past to move decentralized regional food systems forward with Lexi close of Appalachia regional cooperative development 57:21

7M ago57:21

57:21

Welcome back to Collab Farm, the podcast where we talk about all the ways small- and mid-scale farmers can work together, even in big $10 million food system rebuilding kinds of ways. Like this conversation that I had with Lexi Close from Appalachia Regional Cooperative Development and the Appalachia Producers Co-op. Now, Lexi is involved with much…

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Ep. 501 - Conservation of Crop Wild Relatives 59:49

7M ago59:49

59:49

Domestication is a spectrum, especially for botanical crops. Regardless of where a plant is on that spectrum, it nevertheless has a wild origin. Understanding those origins can not only help us understand the plants better, but also our history as a species as well as open the door to future possibilities. Sadly, many of the wild relatives of crops…

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Building a Farm & Retiring to Hike & Ski - Tim & Janet Taylor of Crossroad Farm: EP23 1:53:24

7M ago1:53:24

1:53:24

Text me a message! Today's episode comes to you from Post Mills Vermont where we visit with Tim and Janet Taylor of Crossroad Farm. They are recently retired from a 40+year farming career growing over 50 acres and 20 greenhouses of diversified vegetables. What started out as a garden turned into a business that was able to be sold and retired off f…

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Ep. 500 - 500?! 31:40

7M ago31:40

31:40

It is hard to believe, but you are about to listen to the 500th episode of the In Defense of Plants Podcast. So much has happened over the nearly 10 years this podcast has been running, and none of it would be what it is today without YOU, the listener. So, in celebration of the big 5 0 0, the wonderful Sara Johnson turns the tables and sits down t…

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A Simple Cooperative Farm Model & a Short History of Modern Co-ops w/ Chris Bodnar of Close to Home Organics 1:23:09

7M ago1:23:09

1:23:09

I’m going to be real honest with you, I’ve been working hard lately. If you’re listening to this, I bet you’ve been working hard, too. Case in point, I JUST got our garlic in the ground in down here in zone 7, but better late than never I suppose. So, I thought I’d seize this opportunity to bring back an old episode, the very FIRST episode of colla…

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Ep. 499 - Aspen & Forest Health 48:43

7M ago48:43

48:43

Aspen (Populus tremuloides) are synonymous with many habitats throughout North America. This tree is a species of superlatives, but its grandeur doesn't mean it is immune to threats. In fact, in many areas of its range, aspen is in decline. Join me and Dr. Connor Crouch as we explore what he and his colleagues are learning about aspen health and ho…

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Ep. 498 - Planting a Future for Ecuadorian Biodiversity 43:38

7M ago43:38

43:38

Protecting and restoring biodiversity in a place as biodiverse as Ecuador is no small task. You have to work hard and collaborate and that is exactly what the folks at Jocotoco Conservation Foundation. From protecting land and engaging communities, to research and restoration, their multifaceted efforts stand as a glorious example that conservation…

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Ep. 497 - Understanding the Bewildering Diversity of Plant/Pollinator Interactions 52:42

8M ago52:42

52:42

One cannot overemphasize the importance of plant/pollinator interactions. The world as we know it would not exist without these complex components of ecology. Getting good data, and more importantly, making those data useful is important in conserving and restoring plants and their pollinators. Join my and Dr. Chris Cosma of Conservation Biology In…

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Growing on Principles: Soil Health, Farmer Health, and Community Health... An OAK Field Day w/ Jackson Rolett 53:22

8M ago53:22

53:22

In the spirit of collaboration, I'm gonna do something a little different. A couple weeks ago I did a field day with OAK--that's the Organic Association of Kentucky--If you're listening to this and live in Kentucky you should totally be a member. We and acouple of dozen other farmers and farm professionals walked through our gardens. We talked abou…

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Ep. 496 - Tree Rings Revisited 43:21

8M ago43:21

43:21

Counting the rings of a tree can be so much fun. In the temperate zone, each ring marks a year in that tree's life. However, if you know what to look for, tree rings can tell you so much more. Dr. Valerie Trouet has made a career out of counting and measuring tree rings. Tree rings offer a surprisingly detailed window back in time and allows scient…

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Ep. 495 - Pack Rats & Paleoclimates Revisited 31:40

8M ago31:40

31:40

Novel approaches are always fun. Nowhere is this more apparent than in today's podcast. We revisit a conversation with Dr. Camille Holmgren from SUNY Buffalo State about her research reconstructing ancient desert climates using pack rat middens. Join us for a fun and interesting discussion that will take you back thousands of years in the past. Thi…

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Perspectives on Starting Different Cooperative Business Models, Roundtable at the TN Local Food Summit (Live Recording) 1:04:40

8M ago1:04:40

1:04:40

This roundtable with Jameson Parker of the Moonlight Collective, William Crenshaw of the Nashville Food Coop, Rhianna Michelle of the Waterbear cooperative land project, & Lexi Close of the Appalachian producers co-op offers different perspectives on starting a cooperative business and was recorded at the '23 TN Local Food Summit. A special thank y…

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Ep. 494 - The Botanical Mysteries of the Mazon Creek Formation 49:40

8M ago49:40

49:40

The Mazon Creek Fossil Formation is famous the world over for the exquisite preservation of soft tissues in animals. These rocks provide pristine snapshots of everything from extinct worms and jellyfish to sharks and even the mysterious Tully Monster. For all that these fossils have taught us about the animals of this long extinct ecosystem, we kno…

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CROP Organization Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen