Rows of corn, red barns, men in overalls. This is definitely part of the story of food and farming in the Midwest, but it’s not the whole story. The Taproot Project digs deeper. In each episode, you’ll hear about people across the Midwest who are reclaiming farming as a connector— to the land, to ancestors, and to a sense of purpose.
We talk with farmers, brewers, ranchers, conservationists, and historians about land, legacy, and what sustains their work.
The Taproot Project is an initiative of the Midwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program, a project funded by the USDA National Organic Program to support transitioning and organic producers with mentorship and technical assistance, and to grow the greater organic community. Learn more at organictransition.org [https://www.organictransition.org/].
Hosted and produced by Kate Cowie-Haskell.
Podcast art by Geri Shonka.
All content for The Taproot Project is the property of Midwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Rows of corn, red barns, men in overalls. This is definitely part of the story of food and farming in the Midwest, but it’s not the whole story. The Taproot Project digs deeper. In each episode, you’ll hear about people across the Midwest who are reclaiming farming as a connector— to the land, to ancestors, and to a sense of purpose.
We talk with farmers, brewers, ranchers, conservationists, and historians about land, legacy, and what sustains their work.
The Taproot Project is an initiative of the Midwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program, a project funded by the USDA National Organic Program to support transitioning and organic producers with mentorship and technical assistance, and to grow the greater organic community. Learn more at organictransition.org [https://www.organictransition.org/].
Hosted and produced by Kate Cowie-Haskell.
Podcast art by Geri Shonka.
Synthetic fibers make up 70% of the current fiber market. Natural fibers like flax linen and wool were once produced domestically as a necessity for clothing families– but today natural fiber production is largely relegated to hobbyists. Today's guest is Charis Walker, a shepherd and sustainable wool advocate based in Southern Ohio. Charis and Kate talk about the motivation for organic practices in fiber farming and the place of fiber in US agriculture.
The Taproot Podcast is an initiative of the Midwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program, a project funded by the USDA National Organic Program to support transitioning and organic producers with mentorship and technical assistance and to grow the greater organic community. Learn more at organictransition.org [http://organictransition.org/].
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Guest Bios
Charis Walker is chief animal manager and shepherd of Tarheelbilly Farm in Willow Wood, Ohio. As a North Carolina native, is the Tarheel in Tarheelbilly Farm. A self-taught spinner, she also knits and weaves, and shears the flock. Her award-winning fleeces are sold to fiber aficionados far and wide, and her roving and yarn appreciated by fiber artists across the country.
Helpful Links
* Tarheelbilly Farm [https://tarheelbillyfarm.com/]
* Rustbelt Fibershed [https://rustbeltfibershed.com/]
* Is there hope for a wool market in US Agriculture? [https://www.agdaily.com/livestock/is-there-hope-for-a-wool-market-in-u-s-agriculture/]
* From Closet to Bloodstream: The Silent Microplastics Crisis in Fashion [https://www.forbes.com/sites/dianneplummer/2025/05/31/from-closet-to-bloodstream-the-silent-microplastics-crisis-in-fashion/]
Credits
This work was funded and supported by the USDA National Organic Program, Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) [https://www.organictransition.org/]
Hosted and produced by Kate Cowie-Haskell [https://airmedia.org/talent/kate-cowie-haskell]
Podcast art by Geri Shonka
Music:
* Chasin It by Jason Shaw, Free Music Archive
* Ghost Solos by Lucas Gonze, Free Music Archive
The Taproot Project
Rows of corn, red barns, men in overalls. This is definitely part of the story of food and farming in the Midwest, but it’s not the whole story. The Taproot Project digs deeper. In each episode, you’ll hear about people across the Midwest who are reclaiming farming as a connector— to the land, to ancestors, and to a sense of purpose.
We talk with farmers, brewers, ranchers, conservationists, and historians about land, legacy, and what sustains their work.
The Taproot Project is an initiative of the Midwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program, a project funded by the USDA National Organic Program to support transitioning and organic producers with mentorship and technical assistance, and to grow the greater organic community. Learn more at organictransition.org [https://www.organictransition.org/].
Hosted and produced by Kate Cowie-Haskell.
Podcast art by Geri Shonka.
