Episode 73: Kimberly Haire

Episode 73: Kimberly Haire

Author: Hobby Farms March 13, 2024 Duration: 29:25

Kimberly Haire talks with Hobby Farms Presents: Growing Good host Lisa Munniksma about what it's like to teach middle schoolers in Kentucky about growing food while she expands her own farming knowledge.

Hear about how Kimberly uses the foundations of agriculture, local and global food systems, and hands-on work to get sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students excited about coming to class. In one of the most tangible examples of demonstrating the impact of agriculture, the lettuce and radishes on the menu for Bullitt Central High School's scholarship fundraising dinner came from these students' work. This new program is in its startup stages, with a greenhouse and a new egg incubator, and Kimberly is looking for grants and funding for a larger greenhouse and other infrastructure to continue to grow and improve the program. Listen to how Kimberly has tapped into community resources, like the county 4-H program and local farms and agritourism locations, to still provide experiences and opportunities for the students that their small budget can't provide.

Kimberly talks about her personal interest and experience in producing food, why this work is important to her, and what it was like to transition from her career as an English teacher into agriculture as part of the school system's unified arts curriculum. Keep listening to get Kimberly's advice for capturing middle-school students' interest in food and farming, using their limited attention spans to your advantage. 

At the end of the episode, Kimberly describes an incredible meal straight from her garden, and Lisa talks about her favorite farm meal, as well.

Bullitt Lick Middle School Facebook page

Kimberly Haire on Instagram

Hobby Farms Presents: Growing Good podcast episode with Michelle Howell


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
Podcast Episodes
Episode 88: Mike Ghia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:03
Learn about Mike's family's farming heritage, which came to the US from Italy with his great-grandfather and how Mike grew up with a more diverse farm experience than most of us. Mike's early start in farming served him…
Episode 87: Ron Bittner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:18
Entomologist and farmer Ron Bittner talks pollinators and soil health This conversation with Ron Bittner will help you make the connection between crop pollination, water conservation and soil health in a way you probabl…
Episode 86: Panha Suon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:41
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Episode 85: Lewis Hughes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:17
Lewis Hughes, land steward and local-food distribution pro Hear about Lewis Hughes's journey into farming, from conventional pig and corn farms to international agricultural research to organic farming and cooperative fa…
Episode 84: Nasuha Lenuh [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:24
Small-scale farmer and entrepreneur Nasuha Lenuh — nicknamed R — talks about the tree crops grown in her region, the southern part of Thailand. Hear about her family's tree crops, from rubber to durian fruit, and how R h…
Episode 83: Melissa Stewart [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:02
Military service members and veterans farming program and aeroponic gardening with Melissa Stewart Listen to Melissa Stewart's story about the West Virginia National Guard's Patriot Guardens program — the only agricultur…
Episode 82: Jenny Howard Owen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:12
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Episode 81: Robert Frew & Juan Carlos Arango [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:40
The hazards of grants, letting vegetable plants go to seed and lessons in water rights with Robert Frew and Juan Carlos Arango Robert and Juan Carlos practice permaculture and a culture of sharing at Sobremesa Farm, just…
Episode 80: Sara Wittenberg [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:51
Sara Wittenberg on Pollinators and How to Build a Pollinator Garden Pollinator Week is June 17-23, 2024. Without pollinators, we wouldn't have food, making pollinators an essential link in the food system. You, as a gard…
Episode 79: Pattie Baker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:29
Pattie Baker talks about WWOOFing — traveling to work on farms — gardening and finding hope. Hear about how 9/11 spurred Pattie on to start gardening, from zero interest to a need to plant a seed in the name of hope. She…