Small Farms Radio

Contact: Jamie Johnson

Stories for Change - The Diversity, Hope, and Resilience of Our Food System

Small Farms Radio is a monthly podcast by the Cornell Small Farms Program, that serves as a hub of conversation for New York farmers and provides a window into the state's small-scale agricultural world for the broader public. We center stories of the diversity, hope, and resilience of our farmers and food system.

For more than two decades, the Cornell Small Farms Program has supported small farms across New York State and beyond. We have seen how farmers work tirelessly to keep their farms viable in a system that was not built for them. We have seen an increasingly diverse group of people who dream of farming try to navigate land access. There are so many stories scattered across our state, just waiting to be told. Through our Small Farms Radio, we share the stories our farmers: why they do this work, what they struggle with, and their visions for the future.

Green circular logo with the text “SMALL FARMS RADIO • STORIES FOR CHANGE” surrounding a tire tread pattern. In the center: “CORNELL Small Farms PROGRAM” in a decorative badge.

We highlight stories of hope and resilience around climate change, food sovereignty, and building diversity in our local food systems. Our podcast episodes convene farmers, ag educators, and others in the food system to share their thoughts about where they think the future of agriculture should be heading and what they’re doing to move it in the right direction.

Small Farms Radio is produced by the Cornell Small Farms Program, with contributions from farmers, educators within Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE), faculty and researchers with the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), and other service providers across the Northeast. The podcast is supported by a Rural Humanities Grant, which focuses on learning from rural New York's histories, cultures, challenges, and futures.

We welcome anyone who has a story to share.

News and Updates

Yellowbud Farm Image

Small Farms Radio Shines a Spotlight on the Power of Trees

By Kacey Deamer | January 15, 2026

If you’re selling 25 million trees, New York State is looking to buy. In 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul began an ambitious reforestation goal, aiming to plant 25 million new trees…

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SFQ Brett Grant land 7341 scaled

Head, Hands and Heart: Hidden Pearls Farm & Healing Center

By Violet Stone | October 8, 2025

I was so grateful to spend a summer afternoon sitting with Brett Grant in his farmhouse kitchen, learning about the spectacular emergence of his dream, and to share his story…

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Fungi on the Farm

Fungi on the Farm: Small Farms Radio Explores Indoor Mushroom Production

By Emma Davis | July 18, 2025

What does it take to grow mushrooms indoors? To answer this question, our agroforestry and mushroom specialist, Connor Youngerman, takes podcast listeners on a tour of Queens, venturing into nondescript…

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Collage titled Fungi in the City showing mushrooms, a man with a dog, city buildings, a van, people inspecting logs, a plate of food, and a pile of food scraps, connected by black arrows over a fungal background.

Fungi in the City: Small Farms Radio Talks Urban Mushroom Life Cycle

By Olivia Young | June 12, 2025

How does a mushroom move through the city? On the most recent episode of the Small Farms Radio podcast, our agroforestry and mushroom specialist Connor Youngerman learned that it’s compost…

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Farm Transitions at Northland Sheep Dairy Final

Farm Transitions and Transformations: Small Farms Radio in Conversation with Northland Sheep Dairy

By Kacey Deamer | May 7, 2025

Starting a farm is difficult. But what do you do when you want to retire from one? In the newest episode of our Small Farms Radio podcast, our Associate Director…

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Contact Small Farms Radio

For more information about Small Farms Radio, contact our multimedia producer, Jamie Johnson, at jpj46@cornell.edu.

Calling Into the Podcast

Small Farms Radio invites listeners to call in and share their stories, reactions to episodes, and answers to the questions we pose.

If you are interested in sharing your voice, and potentially being included in a future episode, email Jamie or call us at [phone number].