What does it really take to grow a peach, a plum—or a glass of wine? In this episode of Rooted & Restless, Marianne Smith Edge heads to Palisade, Colorado and into the orchard with Kentucky native, Phil Patton, owner and winemaker, Peachfork Orchards & Vineyards.

Phil shares a firsthand look at the challenges of growing specialty crops in a region where water is precious, weather is unpredictable, and every growing decision carries risk. The conversation explores why water is one of the biggest challenges facing Western agriculture, how drought and warmer temperatures are changing growing conditions, and how shifting consumer demands are influencing what growers grow.

What We Cover:

• Why water—and cooperation—are critical to growing food in the Western U.S.

• How drought, heat and changing seasons are reshaping specialty crop production

• The essential role of pollination in producing a successful fruit crop

• How growers are adapting crops and technology to meet changing markets

The conversation takes a surprising turn when Phil shares how he took pollination—literally—into his own hands after six years without a plum crop. Whether it’s a peach, a plum or a bottle of wine, there’s a story behind what we eat and drink—and it’s often more complicated than you think.

Guest: Phil Patton, owner & winemaker, Peachfork Orchards & Vineyards, Palisades, CO

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What if your favorite bread and pasta could deliver significantly more fiber without changing the taste or texture? In this episode of Rooted & Restless, Marianne Smith Edge talks with Jessica Wellnitz of Bay State Milling about a new high-fiber wheat flour developed through decades of traditional breeding.

With about 10 times more fiber than traditional white flour, this innovative wheat is already being used in products consumers can find today.

What We Cover

• How decades of traditional wheat breeding created a high-fiber flour without sacrificing taste or texture

• Why resistant starch and fiber matter for digestive and overall health

• How high-fiber wheat moves from the field to consumer products

• How farmers are contracted and rewarded for the nutritional quality vs the quantity of the wheat crop.

Jessica also explains how this innovation could help close our society’s fiber gap and make bread a more nutritious staple for improving public health.

Guest: Jessica Wellnitz — Director of Business Development, Bay State Milling

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Note: No financial support received from any mentioned products.

In this episode of Rooted & Restless, Marianne Smith Edge talks with Dr. Frank Mitloehner, University of California, Davis professor, extension specialist, and director of the CLEAR Center, about the science behind livestock emissions, methane, and the environmental impact of our food choices.

Known as the “Greenhouse Gas Guru,” Frank explains how a widely cited 2006 UN report helped shape the conversation around livestock and climate—and why the way emissions were measured created an apples-to-oranges comparison between livestock and transportation…and their respective global location.

The conversation takes a closer look at methane and why managing it may be an opportunity for dairy farmers using technologies such as anaerobic digesters and feed additives rather than climate liability.

What We Cover

• What the science really tells us about livestock, methane, and greenhouse gas emissions

• Why comparing livestock and transportation emissions can be misleading

• How farmers are reducing methane and turning climate challenges into opportunities

• What’s behind the changing market for plant-based and cell-cultured meat

Marianne and Frank also explore how consumers make food choices, and why taste, price, nutrition, and trust in the product often matter more to shoppers than environmental impact.

Guest: Frank Mitloehner, PhD, Director, University of California Davis CLEAR Center, Animal Science Professor

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