science
Hosted by Eric Bendfeldt · science · EN · 137 episodes
Soil. What is it, really? It’s more than the dirt under our feet and the ground we stand on. Soil is living and life-giving. Listen in as we unlock the mysteries of soil by speaking with people at the forefront of the soil health movement. “4 The Soil: A Conversation” is part of the 4 The Soil Awareness Campaign led by Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Virginia Soil Health Coalition. The campaign’s purpose is to raise awareness of soil as a critical agricultural and natural resource for social, economic, and environmental health. The podcast is a collaboration of Virginia Tech's School of Plant and Environmental Sciences and Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia State University, On The Farm Radio, USDA-NRCS, and the Virginia Soil Health Coalition with specific funding from the Agua Fund, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and Virginia Tech’s Department of Agriculture, Leadersh
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Booking probability
35%
Guest openness
Selective
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Signup to Generate a PitchSoil. What is it, really? It’s more than the dirt under our feet and the ground we stand on. Soil is living and life-giving. Listen in as we unlock the mysteries of soil by speaking with people at the forefront of the soil health movement.
4 The Soil: A Conversation is hosted by Eric Bendfeldt. The show has published 137 episodes to date.
Recent episodes include "S6 - E21: Buckwheat, Einkorn wheat, Bread, and Soil Stories with Chef Kat Jiang of Seylou Bakery and Mill, Pt. 1" (13 October 2026, 19 minutes), "S6 - E20: Interseeding Resilience and Diversity into Farming Systems with Keith Berns of Green Cover, Part II" (29 September 2026, 19 minutes), and "S6 - E19: Always Growing -- even Okra, Coriander, and Cucurbits -- with Keith Berns of Green Cover, Pt. I" (15 September 2026, 20 minutes).
4 The Soil: A Conversation publishes roughly every two weeks, with episodes averaging 19 minutes across 137 episodes.
Booking probability for 4 The Soil: A Conversation is 35%, and the host is rated Selective on guests. 4 The Soil: A Conversation requires a Pod Score of 80 or higher. 4 The Soil: A Conversation's contact route on record: verified email.
The strongest fits for 4 The Soil: A Conversation are Other Crop Farming and Crop Farming Services. 4 The Soil: A Conversation has a science audience.
Eric Bendfeldt hosts 4 The Soil: A Conversation, a science show with 137 episodes published.
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Episode #21
Did you know every farm, bread, and soil has a story? Chef Kathryn "Kat" Jiang of Seylou Bakery and Mill joins Jeff Ishee, Summer Thomas, and Eric Bendfeldt to talk about their working relationships with farmers...
Episode #20
How can you interseed resilience and diversity into a family business and a cropping system whether you are in Nebraska, Virginia, or Upstate New York? Keith Berns shares about the history of Green Cover with Jeff...
Episode #19
Are you always growing and evaluating what you want to accomplish? Keith Berns of Green Cover shares his insights on that question as a co-business owner, farmer, and educator of diverse, customizable cover crop...
Episode #18
As a fifth generation row-crop farmer in the Northern Neck of Virginia, P.J. Haynie III shares how important generational knowledge, networking, and technologies are to successful farming and business development. In...
Episode #17
How do row-crop farmers in the Northern Neck of Virginia practice soil and water conservation and add market value to their farming operations? Philip "P.J." Haynie III of Haynie Family Foods and Haynie Farms, LLC...
Episode #16
Would you like to be part of a community that protects grassland bird species and builds landscape resiliency? Justin Proctor, coordinator of the Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative of the Smithsonian Institute's...
Episode #15
Do you love to watch birds? Are you occasionally surprised on a morning walk by the flutter and fury of birds emerging from a nearby tree or grassland? Justin Proctor, coordinator of the Virginia Grassland Bird...
Episode #14
What do healthy soils and healthy people have in common? According to Dr. Ray Weil, they both thrive when they're kept active. And just like staying active begins with a purpose, every successful cover crop system...
Episode #13
In this special National Soil Health Day episode, Jeff, Mary, and Eric talk with Dr. Ray Weil of the University of Maryland. An internationally recognized soil scientist, Dr. Weil shares how a desire to make a...
Episode #12
Lauren Hines-Acosta of the Chesapeake Bay Journal returns to talk with Jeff, Mary, and Eric about emerging issues that affect regional agriculture and the Bay ecosystem. Laura's scientific research and writing includes...
Episode #11
The Chesapeake Bay watershed is a national treasure with many small and expansive wonders. Lauren Hines-Acosta is a scientific journalist and staff writer with the Chesapeake Bay Journal's Virginia office. Lauren took a...
Episode #10
Soil loss and erosion can occur by rainfall or wind. Kim Melton, the soil health coordinator for the Red River Basin Commission, emphasizes that soil loss by wind erosion is farmers' and soil conservationists' number...
Episode #9
Keeping soil on the land is a sound way to grow and move agriculture forward. Kim Melton is the soil health coordinator for the Red River Basin Commission. Kim coordinates soil health education and outreach across three...
Episode #8
Soil health is a foundation for healthier communities, stronger economies, and more resilient landscapes. And yes, hippos can be major pests. During this episode of 4 The Soil: A Conversation, Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch...
Episode #7
Vegetable farming is a food and health business that requires dogged persistence, curiosity, and a no-quit attitude. Bob Jones, Jr., is a second-generation vegetable farmer and the chief executive officer of The Chef's...
Episode #6
Bob Jones, Jr., is a second-generation vegetable farmer and the chief executive officer of The Chef's Garden in Huron, Ohio. Bob co-owns the vegetable farm and business with his brother Lee. Bob and his brother love...
Episode #5
Doug Fifer of Fifer Family Farms joins Jeff, Mary, and Eric for a second episode to discuss how Doug manages change, inputs, and tighter margins with his farming and cover cropping systems. Doug acknowledges that we are...
Episode #4
Where do you need to go with your farming? Doug Fifer of Fifer Family Farms joins Jeff, Mary, and Eric to talk about his experience and journey with no-till crop farming over the past fifteen years. Doug raises turkeys...
Episode #3
What priorities excite you? Heirloom Chrysanthemums, soil health, and contributing back to the community are exciting priorities for Harmony Harvest Farm . In the previous episode, we learned the vision of Harmony...
Episode #2
How can we live and enjoy a better life? Harmony Harvest Farm began with a lofty dream in 2011 and a vision of helping people to live and experience a better life through fresh flowers. Jessica Hall of Harmony Harvest...
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