Episode 31: Aaron De La Cerda on becoming a "plant person," urban farming, natural-systems growing and more!

Episode 31: Aaron De La Cerda on becoming a "plant person," urban farming, natural-systems growing and more!

Author: Hobby Farms June 8, 2022 Duration: 48:44

Aaron De La Cerda is on this episode of Hobby Farms Presents: Growing Good to talk about the Acta Non Verba Youth Urban Farm Project, fruit gleaning, growing cannabis as a teenager, and why he prefers to be a "lazy" farmer.

You'll learn about how a life decision he was asked to make in third grade led to him being known as "the plant person" among his family and friends and shaped his career and life trajectory. Aaron talks about growing up with a family full of educators and how this, plus his green thumb and an interest in social justice eventually brought him to nonprofit urban farming work. Hear about his work with unhoused folks, helping the shelter with a garden, and plotting out fruit gleaning opportunities in Merced, Cali.

Then, get up to speed with the work of Acta Non Verba Youth Urban Farm Project and its kids and family programs. Hear about the community farm at the Oakland A's baseball stadium, as well as two other urban farms, and the wild growth of ANV's Beet Box CSA program.

Finally, get Aaron's advice—hat tip to Masanobu Fukuoka's book One-Straw Revolution—for hands-off, natural-systems farming, consider the current crisis of "local" food, and hear Aaron's thoughts on the role and future of urban farming. (Spoiler alert: It isn't to feed the whole city's population.) 

Acta Non Verba Youth Urban Farm website

ANV on Facebook

ANV on Instagram

 


At the heart of Hobby Farms Presents: Growing Good are the conversations that happen over a fence line or at a farmers market, translated into audio. This podcast lives in the space where a personal passion meets practical purpose, featuring the voices of those who cultivate small plots, raise a few animals, or run a sustainable micro-farm. Host Lisa Munniksma doesn’t just interview her guests; she gets into the dirt with them, uncovering the personal journeys that led to a life rooted in the land. You’ll hear how a simple hobby evolved into a thriving side business, how families connect through daily chores, and how these growers are building resilience within their local communities far beyond the harvest. The discussions are grounded in real experience, tackling the challenges of soil health, animal husbandry, and market creativity alongside the profound satisfactions of self-reliance and stewardship. It’s a series for anyone who has ever felt the pull to grow something, whether that’s a backyard tomato plant or a fledgling farmstead business, offering relatable stories and tangible insights from people who are actually doing the work. Tune in for honest talk about the failures, the triumphs, and the quiet motivations that keep this community planting seeds season after season.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 88

Hobby Farms Presents: Growing Good
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