On this episode of Greenhorn Radio, Severine interviews Michael Meier from the Brooklyn Grange Farm in Long Island City, Queens. Michael is a south Florida citrus country native who was introduced to farming as a youngster spending summers at his grandparents' farmstead in the North Carolina Smokies. He moved to New York City in 2005 and quickly became a part of the local food scene there. He spent a few years working in the ad industry and honing urban homesteading techniques to grow food on the side, before taking an apprenticeship position in 2011 at Brooklyn Grange, a one-acre rooftop farm in NYC. As farm manager with Brooklyn Grange this season, Michael is learning what it takes to run a quickly expanding farm business and is working towards a lifetime career in agriculture, whether on city rooftops or in the country like normal folks. Tune in to hear Michael talk about the Grange's role in the urban farming landscape, and how it serves as a model for a for-profit farm that can help feed the city. Hear about some of the factors that make Brooklyn Grange different from a traditional rural agricultural farm. This episode was brought to you by Hearst Ranch.

"The point of our farm isn't to try to provide every last vegetable or leafy green people need in the city, but to help create a business model for a sustainable urban agriculture that works and can generate jobs and revenue... Looking at the environmental benefits and the educational and social impact that we have, it's a constellation of things, but we are a farm and our main priority is producing food... We're hoping that by constantly testing, working, and spurring innovation in this space that we'll help grow an industry." --Michael Meier on Greenhorn Radio

This week on The Farm Report, Erin Fairbanks talks with Anthony Butler of St. John's Bread and Life, an emergency food provider based out of Bed Stuy, Brooklyn. Tune in to hear Erin and Anthony discuss the importance of local and healthy food providers for poor and hungry populations, the problems with the food stamp program in New York City, and food education in the Bed Stuy community. Also, Anthony tells about how to work with donated food, whether it's squash or lobster. This program was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery.

"Probably the best and most robust group that is able to respond to the issues of hunger is the food community, particularly in Brooklyn. We're dramatically increasing our procurement from purveyors of New York State products, both farmers and value -added purveyors."

"If you receive food stamps as an individual, you have to live on four dollars and fifty cents a day. It grows for a family, it's about twelve dollars a day. It's a significant problem. There's been a 25% increase in the number of folks with four-year degrees who are [finding] themselves in food pantries and soup kitchens."

-- Anthony Butler on The Farm Report

This week on Eat To The Beat, Sarah is joined by guest Michelle Lopez of the New York Metropolitan Country Music Association.