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Wine. Tomatoes. Green beans. Tofu. What may sound like a menu is actually what this Maryland farmer grows. Jennie Schmidt shares why her farm transitioned from organic to conventional to be more sustainable, how she produces such a wide variety of crops,  and what food bullying terms like factory farming mean to her family farm. Jennie is a dietitian turned farmer, so she’s a great #featuredfarmer during National Nutrition Month a National Agriculture Month. She grows corn for chickens, soybeans for tofu and oleic oil, grapes for wine, tomatoes for a canning company, green beans for the fresh market and other crops on their farm in Maryland. Jennie gives great insight on why she uses chemicals on all of her products, the positive environmental impact she works toward, and how some of the products can be a pain in the butt to grow and even smell really bad. Listen in to go inside a 'grocery store' farm. Key points Wine, grapes, and chemicals. The technology and intensive hand labor involved in a vineyard. How weeds are a pest in a farm field and what farmers do about them. The transition away from organic farming to conventional - and why . How weeds take moisture and nutrients from crops. How farmers protect topsoil, the value of tillage, and farming in the unique Chesapeake Bay environment. The trade-off of diesel fuel, man hours and equipment versus the use of herbicides. Why tillage is used in some areas, but not in others. There’s no singular right way to farm. How 3.5 million pounds of tomatoes are harvested and why they can stink Tips to overcome food bullying: don’t be afraid of your food Family farms, factory farms, and misperceptions. Fabulous quotes “Chemicals naturally occur in all foods. And you and me “ “Where foods grows, bugs go.” “When you plow your field, you’re burying the organic matter you’ve built up from the previous year.” “There are different types of farming practices that work for different parts of the country that work for different crops.” “There’s no cookie cutter system – no one system works perfectly across all growing regions.” Links Twitter @farmgirlJen Facebook: The Foodie Farmer Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook page