At no point in human history have we been more disconnected from the growing of our food than we are today. Labels and certifications are designed to help establish transparency with consumers, offering insight into how our food was grown, what it’s made of, and where it’s from. This week, for our final episode of the season, we’ll learn how to tease out as much information about our food as possible before we buy it. Tune in to learn more from our incredible guests - Jeff Ktach from the Rodale Institute, Sophie Hieke from Munich Business School, Will Harris from White Oak Pastures, Kate Stritzinger from Fair Trade, John Wood from US Wellness Meats, and Erika Feller from the Marine Stewardship Council.

This week we’ll be cooking up a bonus to follow up on our last episode - Almonds, Bees, and Drought. Zach shares his reflections on an extremely relevant read, The Dreamt Land - Chasing Water and Dust Across California, which touches on the history and tradeoffs of California’s increasing water use.

Almond milk, almond crackers, roasted almonds, almonds in chocolate - this beloved nut is found in dishes the world over. But for the last couple of decades, the industry has been a key point of criticism amongst environmentalists and sustainable food advocates for its effects on wild and managed bee populations, and for the water requirements of such a thirsty crop during some of California’s worst droughts ever recorded. Tune in this week to learn about the pros, cons, and everything in between of growing and consuming so many almonds. A huge thank you to our incredible guests - Denise Qualls from Bee Hero, Ron Miksha from the University of Calgary, Lauren Ponisio from the University of Oregon, and Brittney Goodrich from UC Davis.