868: Tempe Garden Girls on Transforming Local Food

Erin and Elise are out to change the local food economy.

In This Podcast: Greg speaks with Erin Erickson and her mother, Elise Pitterly, who are part of a mother-daughter team aiming to transform the food economy in Phoenix. They own a small urban farm in South Tempe where they grow a variety of produce and raise poultry. Erin, with a background in vineyard farming from Oregon, and Elise, a certified master gardener, share their journey from initial challenges to developing a flourishing farm using permaculture and regenerative agriculture. They discuss the impact of the pandemic on their decision to move to Arizona, exploring new gardening techniques inspired by various YouTube homesteaders. They touch on the importance of local farming, community support, and their approach to market their produce effectively. Additionally, they highlight their upcoming venture of launching a region-specific veggie start box for local gardeners..

Our Guest:  Erin and her husband, Todd raise their three daughters, maintain a thousand square foot garden, and care for various poultry. Erin grew up on a vineyard in Oregon, and loves passing on her passion for gardening to her kids and community. Her mother, Elise, is a certified master gardener with decades of experience dedicated to growing food and teaching others. Together, they sell produce at the Uptown Farmer's Market and are launching a region specific veggie start box to help local gardeners thrive In Arizona's unique climate.

Book Recommendations

• Erin - The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs by Joel Salatin
• Elise - Vegetables Love Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler's

Visit UrbanFarm.org/TempeGardenGirls for the show notes and links on this episode!

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