Amber Waves Farmcast: Growing Better Every Day Through Food, Farming and Community

EP21 - Year of the Female Farmer

In this episode, Amber Waves co-founders Katie Baldwin and Amanda Marrow kick off the International Year of the Woman Farmer with a wide-ranging conversation on the “invisible work” of agriculture and why getting closer to your food can bring more joy, agency, and resilience.They share how Amber Waves’ apprenticeship program trains the next generation of farmers (overwhelmingly women), why crop rotation and plant families matter, and how moments like COVID made our regional food system suddenly visible.Plus: a brand-new recurring segment, MVP (Most Valuable Produce), featuring winter greenhouse arugula and how to grow it at home in days.**Learn more + support Amber Waves**- Donate / subscribe monthly: https://www.amberwavesfarm.org/giving- CSA info: https://www.amberwavesfarm.org/csa- Website: https://www.amberwavesfarm.org/#AmberWaves #Farmcast #WomenInAgriculture #LongIsland #RegenerativeAgriculture

EP21 How Farms Improve: Our Season Review Process

00:00 - The Long-Term Experiment of Farming00:19 - Welcome to the Farmcast at Amber Waves00:53 - The Concept of Season Review01:19 - Crop Review: Winners and Losers02:25 - "Chef's Choice" Tomatoes and Contentious Conversations03:31 - Emotional Attachments to Tomato Varieties04:40 - Matt's Wild vs. Jasper Cherry Tomatoes05:30 - Long-Term Farm Experiments: Garlic Plastic Trials06:12 - Challenges with Crop Planning Variables06:58 - The Speckled Roman Tomato07:48 - Choosing Crops for Flavor and Biodiversity08:52 - Financial and Intrinsic Value of Crops09:20 - Celery Passion09:42 - Celery and Parsley: Preventing Mistakes11:03 - Celery: The Hardest Crop to Grow12:44 - Systems Review and Apprentice Feedback13:55 - The Apprenticeship Rotation Program14:56 - Inefficiency of Training and Efficiency of Long-Term Ag16:41 - The Future of Farming and Financial Risk18:34 - Success and the Amber Waves Family19:32 - Fundraising: Paying for the Apprenticeship Program21:32 - The Workforce Crisis in Agriculture23:03 - Removing Barriers with Paid Training24:37 - The Scholarship Model25:14 - The Conductor of Plants and PeopleIn this episode of the Amberwaves Farm Cast, farm manager **Amelia** takes you inside one of the most important (and least seen) parts of farming: the **season review**.On our 35‑acre vegetable, grain, herb, and flower farm on Eastern Long Island, season review is where the team gets brutally honest about what worked, what failed, and what needs to change before next year.👩‍🌾 About the Amberwaves ApprenticeshipAmber Waves runs a **paid, housed apprenticeship program** designed to train the next generation of farmers. Apprentices rotate through all parts of the farm: seeding, transplanting, harvest, flowers, wash/pack, CSA, markets, equipment, and more.The goal: graduates who can step into meaningful roles on other farms or start their own operations with real-world skills, not just theory.**Learn more / apply:**https://www.amberwavesfarm.org/jobs **Amberwaves Farm** is a **501(c)(3) nonprofit educational farm** in Amagansett, NY. Your support helps train new farmers and strengthen regional food systems.**👉 Join the CSA / visit the farm:**Subscribe for more conversations with the people growing our food—and the systems behind what ends up on your plate.

EP19 Who Farms Now?

At Amber Waves Farm on the eastern end of Long Island, hiring season is more than sorting résumés. It is a window into who wants to become a farmer in 2026—and what they are running toward.In this episode of the Amber Waves Farmcast, farm manager and hiring lead Amelia sits down in the greenhouse to talk through:- The difference between 9‑month apprenticeships and short‑term field crew roles.- Why applicants are leaving office jobs, marketing agencies, and graduate programs to work in the dirt.- How climate anxiety is pushing 20‑ and 30‑somethings toward hands‑on climate solutions.- What it really looks like to manage a crew of 20+ people, 12 tractors, and 45 acres.- How Amber Waves is building a work culture that’s sustainable for bodies and minds, not just the soil.If you have ever wondered:- Could I really make farming my career?- What does an apprenticeship on a teaching farm actually look like?- How are small farms part of a climate solution?…this episode is for you.👉 Learn more about Amber Waves Farm and the apprenticeship program: https://www.amberwavesfarm.org/👉 Support farmer training and local food access: https://amberwavesfarm.networkforgood.com/projects/261881-2025-end-of-year-gift?hid=NTYxNDk4MDc%3D&utm_campaign=dms_email_blast_4325715👉 Subscribe for more stories from women farmers during the International Year of the Woman Farmer: https://www.youtube.com/@amberwavesfarmNY#InternationalYearOfTheWomanFarmer #WomenInAg #AmberWavesFarm #Farmcast #FarmingApprenticeships

EP18 From a Manhattan desk job to managing a 35 acre farm

00:00 Introduction to Amber Waves Farm 00:19 Meet the Hosts: Katie and Amanda 00:36 Interview with Amelia: From Art to Agriculture 02:51 Amelia's Early Influences and Farming Journey 05:38 Discovering Amber Waves and the Farming Community 07:12 Building Bonds and Overcoming Challenges 11:30 The Realities of Farm Work14:06 The Challenges of Farming in Harsh Conditions 14:12 Memorable Moments with the Crew 15:30 The Never-Ending Cycle of Farming Tasks 16:25 The Unique Dynamics of an All-Women Farming Team 18:16 The Importance of Emotional Support and Teamwork 19:43 The Role of Retention and Management Style in Farming 22:52 The Communal Culture of Lunchtime on the Farm 25:44 Diverse Lunchtime Routines and Reflections 26:31 Where to Find More Content Featuring Amelia Amelia turned 30 in a New York City art‑world consulting job and realized she wanted a life that actually matched her values. On company time, she started Googling “farming apprenticeships near me”—and that search led her to Amber Waves, a 35‑acre teaching farm on Eastern Long Island.In this Farmcast episode, Amelia shares how she went from no agricultural experience to becoming a farm manager at Amber Waves, what it felt like to arrive as a 30‑year‑old apprentice, and how hard, physical days in the field forged lifelong friendships. You’ll hear:- How growing up with food‑photographer parents and being surrounded by vegetables planted early seeds of curiosity- The moment she realized that farmers at NYC greenmarkets were “real people with real jobs” she could imagine herself doing- The freezing, windy row‑cover day with Mari that turned into a “May 9th” story they celebrate every year- Why she says farming is mostly “moving things from one place to another over and over and over again”- How an all‑women management team at Amber Waves built a culture of emotional attunement, care, and conflict resolution- What peak‑season lunch really looks like when 22 people share one kitchen and everyone’s running on 4,000 calories and weird snacksThis story also lands as the United Nations prepares to observe **2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer**, highlighting how crucial women are in food systems and how often their contributions go unseen.[[1]]({{https://www.fao.org/woman-farmer-2026/en}})[[2]]({{https://www.fao.org/family-farming/detail/en/c/1682465/}}) Amelia’s experience at Amber Waves shows what happens when women farmers not only grow food, but also grow each other—through mentorship, shared work, and a culture that keeps people on the land.---👉 Learn more about Amber Waves Farm and the apprenticeship program: https://www.amberwavesfarm.org/👉 Support farmer training and local food access: https://amberwavesfarm.networkforgood.com/projects/261881-2025-end-of-year-gift?hid=NTYxNDk4MDc%3D&utm_campaign=dms_email_blast_4325715👉 Subscribe for more stories from women farmers during the International Year of the Woman Farmer: https://www.youtube.com/@amberwavesfarmNY#InternationalYearOfTheWomanFarmer #WomenInAg #AmberWavesFarm #Farmcast #FarmingApprenticeships

EP 17 How We Built A Community Farm

Join us for part two of our year-end conversation as we reflect on 16 years at Amber Waves Farm – from crawling with extension cords and a single outlet to training the next generation of farmers, building soil health, and proving that small farms have a vital place in our food system and our communities.In this episode, we dive into:- Our humble beginnings: one outlet, a toaster oven, and 300-foot garden hoses- The best early advice we got: "Don't spend money on anything" and "Do three things well"- Why we're "organic practicing" but not certified organic- What regenerative farming actually means (and how it differs from organic)- Carbon sequestration, soil health, and the challenge of low-till vegetable production- Why we grow 60 different crops (spoiler: it's like having 60 children)- Our partnership with Rodale Institute on farmer training curriculum- Small farms vs. large farms: the Main Street bookstore vs. Amazon analogy- Why only 1% of Americans are farmers – and how you can support the ones who are- What we're most grateful for after 16 yearsResources:- Apprenticeship program: Still accepting applications! https://www.amberwavesfarm.org/our-programs- Visit us: www.amberwavesfarm.org- Support our work: https://www.amberwavesfarm.org/giving-1Credits:Hosted by Katie and Amanda, co-founders of Amber Waves FarmProduced by Peconic PicturesAmber Waves Farm is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community farm in Amagansett, NY