Food Freedom Radio
Food Freedom Radio envisions a food system respectful of water, soil, planet and people. We work towards a historic transformation. How do we move from food production being a source of economic, social and ecological destruction? How do we move towards a food system which is a source of clean water, healthy soil, and a toxin-free environment? Host Laura Hedlund. Laura earned a certificate in Urban Farming from PRI Cold Climate, helped to start a community garden in 2008 which is now part of the Open Door Pantry and grows blueberries, hazelnuts, gooseberries and more. She has worked at AM950 since 2004. She served as Deputy Press Secretary for Paul Wellstone’s 1990 US Senate campaign, Press Secretary for David Minge’s 1992 US Congressional Campaign, Public Relations Director for a 25,000 member Girl Scout council and she worked as television reporter.
Episodes
Join Laura Hedlund and Laurie Fitz for a chat with the owners of Mastel’s Health Foods, a beloved local wellness staple since 1968. We’re diving deep into the wild world of natural supplements, women’s health, and the absolute importance of being your own best medical advocate. Tune in for an empowering conversation about building a…
The post Food Freedom Radio – June 6, 2026 first appeared on AM 950.
After a relentless ten-year battle against city pollution, a group of stubborn utopians in Minneapolis finally secured the funding to turn an old warehouse into a massive indoor urban farm. Laura Hedlund chats with Dean Dovolis from the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute to hear the incredible grassroots story behind this hard-won community victory. Get ready…
The post Food Freedom Radio – May 29, 2026 first appeared on AM ...
Lily Gross as a teenager wrote about Factory Farms, as a college student she studied declining bee population and today she is opening Minnesota’s first Farm Stop. Radish Farm Stop sells only local food. Laura talks about the intentional destruction of 420,000 Peach Trees in California and says humans need a new operational system -one…
The post Food Freedom Radio – May 23, 2026 first appeared on AM 950.
Join Laura Hedlund as she dives into the delicious world of the Farmers Kitchen + Bar, a Minneapolis gem that’s bringing the farm right to the heart of the city. She sits down with Gary Wertish from the Minnesota Farmers Union to chat about why supporting our local growers is about so much more than…
The post Food Freedom Radio – May 16, 2026 first appeared on AM 950.
Laura Hedlund digs into the idea that what we do to the earth, we ultimately do to ourselves, while highlighting some incredible local efforts to build a more resilient food system. Urban farmer Elyssa Eull of California Street Farms shares the realities of feeding a neighborhood from a tiny city plot, and Chef Lachelle Cunningham…
The post Food Freedom Radio – May 2, 2026 first appeared on AM 950.
Laura Hedlund welcomes James Kaechele from The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation (https://www.ftpf.org) to discuss the “Fruitful Minnesota” initiative, a massive project planting 1,000 fruit and nut trees across the Twin Cities to provide fresh food and environmental benefits. We also hear from Clara Lewis at the Northside Economic Opportunity Network (NEON) (https://www.neon-mn.org/) about the grand…
The post Food F...
Laura Hedlund is joined fellow AM 950 host Philip Anthony of the Downright Upright Show to swap stories about their “lazy yards” and the magic of freezing garden raspberries for that perfect summer smoothie. They don’t shy away from the heavy stuff either, digging into how heart-centered economics and local farming can help fix a…
The post Food Freedom Radio – April 18, 2026 first appeared on AM 950.
Laura Hedlund takes us behind the scenes of the “People Not Polluters” coalition to reveal why it might cost a staggering billion dollars a year to clean up Minnesota’s nitrate-contaminated water. She’s joined by Laura Schrieber of the Land Stewardship Project to explore the terrifying link between groundwater pollution and health, plus how the “Oat…
The post Food Freedom Radio – April 11, 2026 first a...
If you’ve ever felt like your kitchen cabinets are secretly judging you, Laura Hedlund and guest Colleen Waterston (host of Sorting Through Life Sundays at noon on AM950) are here to tell you that it’s time to drop the shame. They dig into the emotional baggage we keep in our junk drawers and share why…
The post Food Freedom Radio – April 4, 2026 first appeared on AM 950.
Laura Hedlund sits down with James Beard Award-winning food writer Beth Dooley to chat about why perennial foods are the “pioneer saplings” of a brand-new kind of integral living economy. From the deep, earth-healing roots of Kernza to the satisfying crunch of local hazelnuts, they explore how shifting our agricultural focus can actually restore the…
The post Food Freedom Radio – March 26, 2026 first appeared on A...
Laura Hedlund sits down with agroecologist Liz Carlisle and Aubrey Streit Krug from The Land Institute to dive into their new book, Living Roots: The Promise of Perennial Agriculture. You’ll hear all about how switching from short-lived annual crops to deep-rooted perennials like Kernza and fruit trees can actually heal our soil while feeding our…
The post Food Freedom Radio – March 21, 2026 first appeared on AM 950.
Laura Hedlund hosts a soulful roundtable discussion on how urban agriculture is literally planting the seeds of change across Minnesota. This episode features a deep dive with community heavyweights like Brett Olson, Michael Chaney, Britt Howell, Courtney Tchida, Dawn Lamm, Lane Brown, and farmer Jane Matayo Windsperger as they explore the intersection of food security,…
The post Food Freedom Radio – March 14, 2026 first appe...
Laura Hedlund sits down with Leena Pradhan-Nabzdyk, PhD, MBA—the CEO and co-founder of Canomiks and WhatToTrust.com—to pull back the curtain on the $60 billion supplement industry. They dive into how genomic science is being used to validate traditional Ayurvedic remedies like turmeric, helping you find products that actually do what they say. It’s an essential…
The post Food Freedom Radio – February 28, 2026 first appeared o...
Laura Hedlund sits down with Lucas Rhoads, Monta Hayner, and Lori Cox to dig into the heavy reality of how neonicotinoids are poisoning our bees, birds, and even our drinking water. They explore the systemic nature of these toxins and the frustrating reasons they’re still everywhere in the U.S. while other parts of the world…
The post Food Freedom Radio – February 21, 2026 first appeared on AM 950.
Laura is joined by Ayub (Yubi) Hassan of Blue Horn Tea and Bilal Madani of Crème Foods as they share their experiences as entrepreneurs navigating the social and economic landscape of Minneapolis. They discuss the deep connection between cultural heritage and community resilience, highlighting how Somali tea and Basque cheesecake serve as bridges for unity…
The post Food Freedom Radio – February 7, 2026 first appeared on AM 9...
Laura speaks with Teresa McCormick, the Executive Director of The Good Acre, to talk about how Minnesota’s largest non-profit food hub is shaking things up. Teresa explains their “farm to community” mission, which connects local farmers with schools and hospitals to ensure everyone gets a seat at the table with fresh, healthy food. We also…
The post Food Freedom Radio – January 31, 2026 first appeared on AM 950.
Laura Hedlund takes us inside Zion Community Church to meet the “brigade” of neighbors fighting a local humanitarian crisis with radical community love. You’ll hear how volunteers like Ryan and Kaylee are sourcing fresh produce from local farmers to pack hundreds of shelter-in-place kits for families terrified to leave their homes. It’s a moving reminder…
The post Food Freedom Radio – January 24, 2026 first appear...
Join Laura Hedlund as she explores the intricate connection between our microbiome, fermented foods, and overall well-being. Guest experts Andreas Gomez and Jonah Uyldert share their insights on how a healthy gut can bolster our physical and mental health. #FoodFreedomRadio #Microbiome #GutHealth #Fermentation #HealthyEating #WellnessJourney #Probiotics #NatureLedGardening #HealthAndWellbeing #PodcastLife
The post Food Freedom Radi...
Laura Hedlund explores the healing path of planetary health alongside Teddy Potter and Angelica Walton, moving from a culture of stress toward one of collective care. Together, they discuss how a planetary health diet and a shift in our core mindset can help us rebuild a more resilient and interconnected community. #FoodFreedom #PlanetaryHealth #SustainableLiving #EnvironmentalJustice…
The post Food Freedom Radio – January 10...
In this final 2025 episode of Food Freedom Radio, Laura Hedlund interviews activist Robin Greenfield about his journey toward personal agency and radical sustainability. Greenfield discusses his lifestyle pledges, including living below the poverty line and foraging 100% of his food, while offering practical tips on wild fermentation, DIY green powders, and the importance of…
The post Food Freedom Radio – December 27, 2025 fi...
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