“What we do here at this urban farm is to be connected to the earth, but as we've mentioned, it's [also] connected us to so many other people.”
In this episode, host Sarah Davis speaks with lifelong Iowan, Kathy Byrnes, of the Birds & Bees Urban Farm. During their conversation, they discussed community, self-sufficiency and sustainability — all in the setting of a farm in the middle of Des Moines, Iowa.
If you live in an urban area in Iowa, have you considered turning your yard into food? I’d love to hear from you. Email me at warmlyiowa@gmail.com. For the next episode, we’ll be chatting with Dr. Brian Rumsey about community and sustainable farming practices, in the context of pizza farming.
About Kathy
A lifelong Iowan, and country mouse at heart, Kathy Byrnes always gardened but wasn’t an actual farmer till she moved to the city of Des Moines. She soon discovered that dirt in urban settings is very different from the soil she was used to. With her husband, Ed, she’s learned to build soil with compost and manure from local sources - one being their very own chickens. Now Kathy is using her experience as a teacher, writer, foodie, and climate activist to help others learn to turn their yards into dinner.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
The Fallon Forum Dec. 5 Episode Kathy mentioned (the tomato discussion begins at 54:19):
Washington Post article mentioning Iowa as a state with a high quality of life: Which states have the highest living standards? (And more!)
Reimagining the Lawn