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A battle with stage 4 cancer and a dangerous flood could have ended their farm, but Shelli DeJager and her husband Pete have managed to keep their small family dairy near Everson, WA alive. Hear Shelli recount the dramatic details of survival, and find out why her children won't be able to keep the farm despite their desire to continue the family's farming legacy. The post Shelli DeJager | #114 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Despite his passion from a young age for raising cattle, becoming a full-time rancher didn't seem to be in the cards for Pete Charriere. Hear what changed to make that dream a reality for Pete, and why he remains so passionate about raising top-quality beef in Pomeroy, Washington. The post Pete Charriere | #113 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

After a career as a fish biologist around the Pacific Northwest, Steve Seymour helped reinvigorate Drayton Harbor Oyster Company in Blaine, Washington. Steve shares the story of making the oyster farm a regional destination, as well as the challenges of growing oysters and the incredible benefits they offer. The post Steve Seymour | #112 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Although she always wanted to be a farmer, it was the pandemic that finally pushed Jessica Jager and her husband to start Your Friends Farm near Spokane. Hear about their amazing journey, and the care they put into every bit of food they produce. The post Jessica Jager | #111 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Growing up in one of Washington's oldest apple-growing families, 5th generation apple & cherry farmer Reba Guzman learned to appreciate hard work and honor the legacy she wants to help continue. She explains why she's so proud of the fruit her family produces, and just how much care and hard work goes into growing it and selling it all over the nation and around the world. The post Reba Guzman | #110 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Growing over 300 kinds of fruits and vegetables near Eltopia, WA, Alan Schreiber shares the insider struggles with bringing real local food to market. The post Alan Schreiber | #109 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Second-generation dairy farmer Dwayne Faber is passionate about milk, and how it continues to play a role in the evolution of our society. The post Dwayne Faber | #108 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Growing up as a farmworker in Washington orchards, Faviola Barbosa experienced the hard work and uncertainty that comes with growing food. After working extensively in the world of education, she's come back to her farming roots to help guide the WA tree fruit community's generous funding through the Washington Apple Education Foundation to assist young people raised in tree fruit districts with their education. The post Faviola Barbosa | #107 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

As a policy analyst, Pam Lewison not only writes about the affects of new laws on farming, but also continues to work on her family's farm near Moses Lake, WA. The post Pam Lewison | #106 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

She's a chef with Michelin-star training who now grows her own food. Meet Ona Lee Weatherford, whose amazing journey of loss and renewal has taken her to New York, Los Angeles and back home to Washington state. The post Ona Lee Weatherford | #105 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Ever heard of black garlic? Food entrepreneur Ivan Sultan has all the details on it, as well as the unique Columbia Bar energy bars he's created. He shares deep insights from a lifelong journey that's taken him to nearly every corner of the food system. The post Ivan Sultan | #104 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Sustainability is everything to Jack Mallonee's family's small organic dairy in Curtis, WA. Hear how they combine four generations' worth of farming knowledge with cutting-edge technology to steward the land while producing quality milk. The post Jack Mallonee | #103 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Gerrit Van Weerdhuizen has a passion for educating students about farming, and has mentored countless people interested in growing food and supporting the food system. Known to his students as "Mr. Van," he's also a beef farmer himself, and we visited his farm near Everson, WA to hear his insights into food, farming and education. The post Gerrit Van Weerdhuizen | #102 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Rex Ogden is the 4th generation to farm a hilly piece of land near Castle Rock, Washington. As he sees family farms disappearing from his part of the state, he shares his perspective on what it will take to protect them The post Rex Ogden | #101 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

An unbelievable farming accident nearly killed Ron Tebow when he was 19, and it changed his life forever, in more ways than one. Hear him tell his incredible story, and explain how he became a farmer poet later in life. The post Ron Tebow | #100 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Even though Kaitlyn Thornton is a social media influencer with over a quarter-million followers, she's still the real deal, helping run her family's apple and pear orchard in Tonasket, WA. She opens up about why she's a farmer, and how difficult times shaped her passion for growing food. The post Kaitlyn Thornton | #099 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

These first-generation wheat farmers took a big risk to start their farm near Harrington, WA. Meet Josh & Katie Steward, and hear why they were willing to put their family's future on the line to become farmers. The post Josh & Katie Steward | #098 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

If you've ever eaten beef from Whole Foods, it may have come from Austin Olma's ranch. Hear directly from this real-life cowboy about the challenges he faces every day as we visit his ranch in Tonasket, WA. The post Austin Olma | #097 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

This dairy farm in Washington has created a revolutionary natural skincare cream made from cows' colostrum. Ashlee Frank with Nurst explains how the innovative idea was born on her family's farm, Royal Family Farming, and how they're trying to get the word out about the surprising benefits of their unique skincare products. The post Ashlee Frank | #096 appeared first on Real Food Real People.

Labor challenges mean an uncertain future for small family farms like the orchard Pedro Cuevas runs with his father. Pedro sat down with Dillon to share his story of growing up in a farm worker family and talk about the cutting-edge farming technology he's now involved with. The post Pedro Cuevas | #095 appeared first on Real Food Real People.