In this episode, we explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping both agriculture and education—starting right in the classroom. From diagnosing plant diseases to predicting nutrient deficiencies, AI is helping students and future farmers see agriculture through a high-tech lens.

Discussion includes:

🌾 How AI is being introduced into agricultural education

🧠 AI’s role in identifying healthy vs. diseased crops

💸 The cost of disease treatment and the value of early detection

👨‍🌾 Why agronomists are key partners in plant health management

💰 The ongoing challenge of funding—how grants and local support keep programs running

🌿 The role of plant and tissue sampling in spotting nutrient deficiencies

🤖 How emerging technologies may reduce manual labor—but must still overcome traditional mindsets

Whether you’re an educator, student, or grower, this conversation dives into how innovation is transforming ag education—and what we still need to move forward.

In part two of Community Farming Podcast’s Community Agriculture in Action, we’re joined by Emmanuel Roux, founder of 15th Street Farm in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. What started as a therapeutic garden for a drug and alcohol recovery center has grown into a thriving urban organic educational farm, connecting people—especially kids—with nature, healthy food, and each other.

🔍 In This Episode, We Discuss:

• 🌱 The origin story of 15th Street Farm and its roots in recovery and healing

• 🏙️ How a half-acre urban farm became a hub for community, education, and culture

• 🍽️ The power of family-style meals and cultural culinary experiences to bring people together

• 🧑‍🌾 Their work with school gardens (15 and counting!), home garden installs, and healthy eating education

• 🌿 The importance of compost, soil health, and biologics in regenerative agriculture

• 💡 Principles of Korean Natural Farming and organic, chemical-free growing

• 🧬 “We are what we eat ATE”—rethinking nutrition from the ground up

• ♻️ How composting city yard waste helped transform nutrient-poor sand into fertile growing soil

• 🍲 The 2023 addition of a commercial kitchen and event space, now hosting themed dinners, tours, and cooking classes

• 💚 How hospitality, entrepreneurship, and community-building are core values of the farm

• 🎯 The farm’s guiding belief: “Good food is the product of healthy soil”

💥 Why This Matters:

Food is more than fuel—it’s culture, community, and connection. Emmanuel and his team are nurturing future generations by showing the deep relationship between soil health, nutrient-dense food, and wellness. Their work not only educates but empowers people to grow, cook, and enjoy food in ways that heal both body and earth.

✨ Tune in to hear how 15th Street Farm is cultivating change—one garden, one meal, and one student at a time.

To learn more about the 15th Street Farm, visit https://www.15thstfarm.com

In this special recap episode of the Modern Farming Podcast, we bring together two powerful conversations from our What Is and Isn’t in Your Food series to highlight one essential truth: you don’t have to be a farmer to care about agriculture. The health of our soil directly impacts the health of our food—and ultimately, the health of you.

Episode Highlights:

We revisit key insights from two groundbreaking episodes:

1. “What Your Food Is and Isn’t” with David R. Montgomery and Anne Bikle

This thought-provoking conversation explores how soil depletion affects crop quality, nutrient density, and public health. David and Anne walk us through how regenerative practices restore soil biology and why healthy soil isn’t just good for farms—it’s essential for long-term human well-being.

2. “Defining Nutrient Density” with Dan Kittredge

Dan breaks down the science behind nutrient-dense food—explaining why food grown in living, biologically active soil is more flavorful, more nourishing, and more resilient. Backed by ongoing research and field data from the Bionutrient Food Association, this episode showcases how soil health can be measured, improved, and made visible to consumers.

Why This Matters for Everyone—Not Just Farmers:

Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, or someone simply trying to eat well, understanding what’s in your food—and how it got there—is key to your health. These episodes emphasize that support for healthy soil is support for your own body. And this isn’t just theory—it’s supported by real data showing how soil quality influences nutrient density and food system resilience.

What You’ll Learn in This Recap:

• Why healthy soil = healthy people

• How soil biology and regenerative practices are changing the game

• How new data and technology are making food quality measurable

• Why consumers have the power to shift the system—starting with knowledge

Tune in now for a deep dive into why what’s beneath your food matters just as much as what’s on your plate.

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Want more information? Check out the full episodes:

• “What Your Food Is and Isn’t” with Anne Bikle & David Montgomery - https://youtu.be/NQ-nXvE5eFI

• “What Is and Isn’t in Your Food: Defining Nutrient Density” with Dan Kittredge - https://youtu.be/mSoynEHEN-E