885: Michael Olson on the Three Laws of the Food Chain

In This Podcast: Greg interviews Michael Olson, a returning guest and influential figure in the food system. Michael shares his background as a Montana farm boy, Vietnam veteran, and author of Metro Farm. Then they jump into Michael’s 'Three Laws of the Food Chain,' which include: 1) Agriculture is the foundation upon which we build all our sandcastles, 2) The farther we go from the source of our food, the less control we have over what’s in our food, and 3) Cheap food isn't cheap. They discuss the evolution of local food movements, the impact of farmer's markets, and the importance of understanding where our food comes from. Michael emphasizes the value of local, nutrient-rich foods and the historical precedent for sustainable, small-scale farming seen in Asian cultures. The episode concludes with a call to action for consumers to seek out food with its farmer’s face on it, underscoring the profound impact of food on human well-being.

Our Guest: Michael Olson is a Montana farm boy and Vietnam veteran with a University of California degree in English & Chinese Literature. Earlier in life he participated in the commercial production of a wide variety of crops in California, Montana and Oregon.  He has consulted on farm projects throughout the world, from the island of Cyprus, to the jungles of the Amazon, and the streets of Watts.  As a journalist he authored three non-fiction books, including MetroFarm a Book of the Year award-winner, has produced documentaries for NBC Magazine with David Brinkley, and hosted over 1,380 episodes of his syndicated Food Chain Radio show. 

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

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