Contributing writer, Xander Balwit, writes about the importance of bat pollination and all the other essential functions that bats serve in ecological and agricultural systems. Tequila, chocolate, bananas? All delicious results of bat pollination!

Staff Writer Oksana Bihun brings us an overview of “urban agriculture” — a term that can encompass a lot of different growing practices and scales. Oksana covers what urban agriculture can mean and showcases four urban farms that show how varied and diverse “urban agriculture” can be.

Contributor Anna Birn shares her experience working with Food Hubs and their role in providing flexible sourcing outlets to strengthen local food systems. Providing her perspective of managing direct-to-consumer operations at Headwater Food Hub during the pandemic, Anna helps us better understand what a food hub is, and how they can be supported to strengthen regional food systems and support local farmers.

Plant-based protein is a hot topic for plant-based eaters and carnivores alike. Much of the controversy and confusion revolves around fear of not getting “enough” protein, but there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to plant-based protein. We’re going to dive into the science behind how our bodies utilize protein and review some popular, plant-based protein sources.

Staff Writer Oksana Bihun brings us an overview of “regenerative agriculture” — a term that has been circling the media lately but often without a very clear definition. Oksana covers what regenerative agriculture is, why it holds such appeal for climate change mitigation and how reasonable large scale adoption could be. From reduced tillage to rotational grazing to agroforestry, concepts take this lofty term down into the soil and show how it works in real applications.

Contributor Harry Tibbetts dives into agricultural waste (figuratively!) and the current overload of animal byproducts on the environment. Rather than natural nutrient recycling that happens on traditional small farms between animal waste and crop land, waste in large agricultural systems is concentrated on factory farms. This imbalance in our waste system leads to additional greenhouse gas production, waterway degradation and other issues.

Staff Writer Kahlea Williams shares her latest journey into exploring foraging, the basics of safe foraging and the important cultural implications of foraging, especially for Indigenous communities and people of color.

Contributor Jenna Bensko reflects on the noticeable differences between produce from corporate farms and small, local operations, and questions what nutritional differences we may not be able to see. Jenna dives into what nutrition research there has been on this topic, and highlights our need for a better understanding of how production affects nutrition.