Top 10 Green Farmers
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1. Joel Salatin (Polyface Farm)
Often dubbed the “world’s most famous farmer”, Joel Salatin’s Polyface Farm is a model for regenerative farming. Salatin has written multiple books and speaks about sustainable agriculture, focusing on grass-fed livestock and direct-to-consumer sales.
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2. Will Allen (Growing Power)
A former professional basketball player, Will Allen turned a city lot in Milwaukee into a farming powerhouse called Growing Power. He’s known for his urban farming model and dedication to community development through food production.
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3. Eliot Coleman (Four Season Farm)
Eliot Coleman, based in Maine, is a pioneer in year-round vegetable production. His techniques, shared through books and lectures, have inspired countless farmers to extend their growing seasons, even in colder climates.
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4. Vandana Shiva (Navdanya)
A global activist for food rights and biodiversity, Vandana Shiva founded Navdanya, an initiative to protect native seed diversity. She’s been a vocal critic of industrial agriculture and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
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5. Masanobu Fukuoka (Natural Farming)
The late Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese farmer and philosopher, was a pioneer of “no-till, no-herbicide” grain cultivation, which he termed “Natural Farming” or “Do-Nothing Farming”. His methods have inspired farmers worldwide.
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6. Ron Finley (Gangsta Gardener)
Known as the “Gangsta Gardener”, Ron Finley initiated an urban farming revolution in South Central Los Angeles. He transformed a city-owned parkway into a vegetable garden, sparking a movement towards urban green spaces and community revitalization.
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7. Temple Grandin
Temple Grandin is renowned for her work in animal welfare. She has revolutionized livestock handling facilities with her designs and concepts, ensuring animals are treated with respect and minimizing stress during their life and processing.
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8. Jean-Martin Fortier (Les Jardins de la Grelinette)
Fortier is known for his small-scale, high-yield organic farming methods. He has shared his expertise through his book “The Market Gardener” and promotes sustainable and profitable community-supported agriculture.
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9. Karen Washington (Rise & Root Farm)
A leading figure in urban farming, Karen Washington co-founded Rise & Root Farm in New York. She advocates for food justice, community engagement, and the empowerment of marginalized populations through agriculture.
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10. Wes Jackson (The Land Institute)
Wes Jackson is a visionary in sustainable agriculture. He founded The Land Institute to research and promote natural systems agriculture, focusing on perennial grain crops and polycultures to mimic natural ecosystems.
