REV On Air: The Power and Peril of the Seed with Dan Barber of Blue Hill Farm

Our conversation with Dan

Today’s guest is the amazing Dan Barber. He is the Chef of Blue Hill Restaurant in Manhattan’s West Village and Blue Hill at Stone Barns. His views on food and agricultural policy have been featured in the New York Times along with many other publications. Dan has received multiple James Beard awards including Best Chef: New York City (2006) and the country’s Outstanding Chef (2009). In 2009 he was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.

Barber draws on the knowledge of chefs, farmers, and seed breeders worldwide. He suggests a new way to define ethical and tasty eating. Barber paves a hopeful path for both eaters and chefs. He encourages everyone to envision a future where our national cuisine is delicious and sustainable.

Dan also applies his passion to work outside his establishments’ walls. He co-founded Row 7 Seeds with vegetable breeder Michael Mazourek. Their goal is to create tasty and nutritious foods. They offer seeds like citrusy Patchwork Peppers and nutty Upstate Abundance Potatoes to the public. He also hosts educational programs. One is WastED, a pop-up at Manhattan’s Blue Hill in 2015. It served tasty dishes made from ingredients many people wouldn’t think to use. He has also done a lot of recognition for compost which we love.

“Dan and I discussed what lead him to create Row 7 seeds. Just FOUR companies own over 60% of the world’s seed crops. This means that most of our food sources are controlled by a few corporations. These companies are agribusinesses, such as Bayer. They design seeds to be genetically modified. These seeds only thrive when a specific pesticide is applied. Bayer produces that pesticide, which can be used generously from the time the seeds are planted. Meaning our food contains chemicals from it’s inception in many cases. As disease rises in many populations, I think about the link to pesticides and toxic fertilizers. Our food often absorbs chemicals even before it grows. Not to mention what it means to have businesses hold the rights to something as fundamental as the seeds that grow our food.” – Cora Hilts

Merci To Our Sponsor For This Episode!

The REV team loves mushrooms, and DIRTEA makes wellness products infused with them. These products are carefully designed for the best results. We want to keep our energy high all day and we prefer natural methods to avoid jitters from too much coffee. We were thrilled to find DIRTEA’s Mushroom Coffee. It boosts your energy without crashes. Plus, it supports your immune system, sharpens your focus, and helps improve sleep.

It’s no secret anymore that you can get incredible health benefits by harnessing the power of mushrooms. In fact, it’s been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Did you know every breath we take, we actually inhale mushroom spores? DIRTEA has worked hard to test and develop its mushroom drinks. They offer a pure formula that helps with sleep, focus, and overall well-being.  Their newest blend that you have to try is their DIRTEA Matcha. If you start your morning with DIRTEA Matcha, you can truly experience all-day calm energy and heightened focus. Not to mention it tastes incredible as well. Serve hot or on ice during the summer months for a refreshing treat.

For a limited time our listeners get an exclusive 10% OFF offer! Just head to dirtea.com and use the code ‘REV10’ to get 10% off your first order.