Why Seasonality (Really!) Matters in the Food System
with JM Fortier
About this episode
In this solo episode, Jean-Martin Fortier celebrates his 48th birthday by reflecting on his 24-year journey as a market gardener. He revisits the foundational influence of Eliot Coleman’s The New Organic Grower, emphasizing how the “agricultural craftsmanship” of small-scale farming offers a meaningful alternative to industrial food production. The core of the episode outlines three guiding “North Stars” for the movement: reclaiming the integrity of the organic label, strengthening local food sheds to keep money in the community, and embracing seasonality as a social value. Jean-Martin argues that eating in-season from local greenhouses and root cellars creates a “good food revolution” that is impossible for industrial systems to replicate. He concludes by calling on farmers to stay rooted in their communities and fight for a food system defined by proximity, ecology, and joy.
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[0:00] Intro
[04:18] Birthday reflections: 24 years of hustling, dreaming, and the “Good Food Revolution”
[06:33] Current projects: Research at FQT farm and the Old Mill garden
[08:58] Returning to the source: The enduring influence of Eliot Coleman’s The New Organic Grower
[12:24] Trends in the movement: From the pressure to scale up to mastering the small-scale model
[14:10] Agricultural Craftsmanship: Why growing food is a practice of presence, not industry
[19:43] North Star #1: Reclaiming “Organic” and fighting off the dilution of the label
[27:32] North Star #2: The power of locality and keeping wealth within the community
[33:21] North Star #3: Seasonality as a tool for health, ethics, and community celebration
[41:27] Summary: Building a future of proximity, ecology, and back-to-basics joy
Mentioned Links & Resources
JM Fortier
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