These days, people are really getting closer to their food source – whether for fun, community, food safety, or environmental impact – and that means lots of homegrown veggies, herbs in the kitchen windowsill, CSA’s and farmer’s markets. The next step for many people right now is… raising chickens! Back yard chickens are a great fit for many gardens That’s right, chickens – from rural side lots to urban back yards, chickens take up little space and provide fresh eggs – that’s food so “local” that it doesn’t travel further than your back yard to your sauté pan. Droppings in wood shavings can be added to your compost bin, or if your chickens are free-range, can be left right in the yard where they fall! This Season Two episode was chosen for a special Encore Broadcast in Season Three.

This episode is about the renewal of Detroit, whose bleak landscape is slowing changing due to the efforts of urban farmers and community gardeners determined to grow their city’s revival. Once America’s most productive manufacturing city, Detroit was home to a thriving automotive and music industry, with almost 2 million residents and a robust economy. A dramatic decline began in the mid-1960s as factories began closing their doors for overseas opportunities. The City eventually suffered near-collapse as residents left in droves to find work elsewhere.

As urban development is encroaching more and more on native landscapes, animal habitats shrink and birds and other animals in those areas are displaced. But we can help the situation by creating gardens that restore just a little piece of their habitat – even if we only have a small backyard or apartment balcony. In this episode, we visit an innovative school that uses natural habitat gardens as outdoor classrooms to reconnect children to nature and teach environmental science.

Thousands of US military veterans return home to find it difficult re-integrating into civilian life and find meaningful work. In fact, veteran unemployment is higher than our national average – but there is a growing movement in agriculture to change that. On today’s episode, we meet veterans who are building successful careers as farmers and helping others do the same.

Compost: yes, it occurs naturally – but with a little knowledge we can speed up or enhance the process! This rich, beautiful, life-giving substance teeming with microbes and nutrients is amazingly borne from dead plants, discarded kitchen scraps and yard trimmings through the natural magic of decomposition. By managing and aiding the decomposition process we can have rich compost even faster, but truly – you don’t have to do a thing if you don’t have the time or inclination. Nature knows what she’s doing, all by herself. This Season Two episode (225) was chosen for a special Encore Broadcast in Season Three. Note: credits marked as episode 308 in error.

From farm fields to dinner tables across America, more people want pesticide-free vegetables, humanely-raised meat and eggs all produced in a way that isn’t harmful to the environment. Unfortunately, that is not the way most of our food is produced. So how can we as consumers make the choices that are healthier for us and the earth at the same time? To help answer those questions, we visit a farm that is considered one of the most sustainable farms in America. We’ll look at their all-natural system that builds soil and heals the land while raising food and we’ll also explore the meanings behind some of the food labeling we see in the supermarket.

In the home- and business owner’s quest for the perfect green lawn, we can do some pretty terrible things to the soil, water, and the environment. Today we’re going to visit the owners of 16 acres of perfect lawn managed organically. This is a private estate with an all-organic lawn converted just a few years ago.

In this fun episode, the whole crew enrolls for a week in a New England farm school to learn all they can while there. The cameras are rolling to show the reality side of organic farm living with our mostly city-slicker crew doing their best to keep up! This Season Two episode was chosen for a special Encore Broadcast in Season Three.

As heirloom seeds continue to lose ground to modern hybrids, habitat destruction and careless stewardship, many of these diverse and treasured varieties of the past are lost forever. Prior to the 1940′s, vegetables were grown closer to home and breeding focused on things like flavor, texture, and disease resistance. Seed and sharing seed was common, and favorite varieties were protected and passed down through generations. This Season Two episode was chosen for a special Encore Broadcast in Season Three.

Although the words “dirt” and “soil” are often used interchangeably, to a gardener, there’s a big difference! “Soil” (cue angelic music) is what gives life to a garden – full of organic matter, minerals and nutrients. But not all soil is created equal, which is why it’s a great idea to get to know your soil first, so that you can make additions and amendments if anything is lacking.

In this episode, we learn the tricks and advantages of winter gardening from some world-renowned pioneers in the field, Eliot Coleman and Barbara Damrosh of Four Season Farm. On their property in Maine they are able to produce food commercially all year round, simply and naturally, and without heaters. They are passionate about sharing their knowledge for gardening and producing fresh, healthy food year-round, and we will be sharing many of their tips with you today. Finally, Chef Nathan Lyon really turns up the heat on a favorite cold-weather crop with his Pan-Roasted Broccolette with Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes.