082: Ryan Watson - Building Community and Social Fabric Through Urban Farming

<p><strong>Guest Overview</strong></p><p>Serendipity brought Ryan Watson and Henry Sweets together, unified by their vision of the power of urban farming to improve the health of local communities, they spent seven years nurturing and building North Brooklyn Farm, on the banks of the East River in Brooklyn, nestled under the Williamsburg Bridge.&nbsp;</p><p>This extraordinary oasis, a gathering place for the local community amid the New York metropolis, recently closed due to the real-estate development. However, in this two-part episode, we discover that Ryan’s vision remains evident in the role and need for urban farming.&nbsp;</p><p>In Part One, we discuss Ryan’s upbringing, education, and what influenced him to walk away from a career in Corporate Law to pursue his love or agriculture and farming, and the genesis of North Brooklyn Farms.</p><br><p>In part two, Ryan and I discuss his experience and learnings from running an urban farm and community gathering space for seven years and the impact the Farm had on the community in Brooklyn. We discuss his current rural farming adventure at Wild Russet Farms in the Catskills of NY State, how a new generation of millennial farmers could create a more sustainable future beyond industrial agriculture.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>In this honest and wide-ranging discussion, we also cover his views on ducation, technology, curiosity, risk-taking, failure, persistence, work ethic, values, and the future.&nbsp;</p><p>I hope you enjoy the contemplative perspectives social impact, and community-minded spirit of Ryan Watson.&nbsp;</p><br><p><strong>What we discuss:</strong></p><p>Growing up in Venice Beach California as a single child in a part Jewish and Catholic household.</p><p>The differing roles of his parents and the influences.</p><p>His fathers affect his work ethic, leadership skills and being in the Zone.&nbsp;</p><p>The diversity and world view that developed from his Jewish and Catholic parents and befriending Cuban and Mexican friends.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;Studying poli