You can’t dream big enough was a challenge often heard from the widely acknowledged voice of Agriculture, Orion Samuelson. Just after graduating from college the host of Farm To Table Talk, Rodger Wasson had the good fortune to host a Radio Farm Show in Normal, Illinois and subsequently become acquainted with the legendary host of the Chicago based clear channel WGN Radio Farm Show. Orion Samuelson made it is life’s work to support farmers and remind consumers that since they eat they’re part of agriculture. Orion recently passed away at the age of 91. Courtesy of the Lincoln Laureates podcast we are sharing views from Orion that he expressed in conversation with broadcast journalist Jim Bohannon. The conversation recorded in 2022 celebrates the Lincoln Academy of Illinois having honored Orion Samuelson as a leader who has contributed to the betterment of humanity.

https://www.LincolnAcademyIllinois.org

Natalie Bogwalker, c0-author of The New Natural Food Garden, discuses her journey from living in a log cabin to selling her business Wild Abundance and focusing on gardening education. She shared insights about her new book, which features beautiful photography and practical gardening advice, and discussed her approach to cooking with homegrown ingredients. The conversation explored how gardening can provide both financial savings and mental health benefits, with Natalie emphasizing that growing food can lead to a more fulfilling lifestyle rather than necessarily generating income. Rodger and Natalie also discuss the importance of preserving food and creating recipes using seasonal ingredients. www.growingwise.net

Getting enough iron from the food we eat is something most of us take for granted, but about 2 billion people worldwide have an iron deficiency, the Number 1 nutritional deficiency globally. An international research team led by scientists in Brazil have come up with a way to boost iron content in rice, which is one of the most consumed foods. Farm Table Talk talks with Dr. Felipe Ricachenevsky about research at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, where he is working to biofortify rice with higher iron and zinc content through genetic modification using CRISPR technology. Felipe explained that approximately 25-30% of the world population lacks sufficient iron and zinc in their diets, particularly affecting children in developing countries where rice is a staple food. He explains his lab’s approach of combining two iron transporters to achieve a 50-70% increase in iron concentration in rice grains, though this came with some trade-offs in waterlogged conditions. The discussion also covered the broader context of genetic modification, including the challenges faced by Golden Rice and how public perception shifted from accepting genetic improvements to opposing them when they were primarily used for pesticide-resistant crops. felipecruzalta@gmail.com