The Produce Industry Podcast w/ Patrick Kelly

Why did Cleopatra demand the balsam groves of Jericho as the price of financing Marc Antony's wars — and what does it mean that a plant worth twice its weight in gold was guarded day and night by Roman soldiers after the conquest of Jerusalem? What was the balm of Gilead, the most expensive agricultural commodity in the ancient world, and why did it grow nowhere on Earth except the shores of the Dead Sea? And how does a thousand-year-old seed, germinated in a Jordanian valley in 2024, connect the ancient world to the present?
Join John and Patrick as they tell the story of Jordan — the asphalt wars, Cleopatra's monopoly, and the extinct plant that Roman soldiers fought to protect...
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In Sponsorship with J&K Fresh.
The customs broker who is your fruit and veggies’ personal bodyguard. Learn more here!
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Why has the argan tree — which grows nowhere else on Earth — survived for 65 million years in the mountains of Morocco, and why are the women who have tended it for centuries now earning two euros sixty for a litre of oil that sells for a hundred in Paris? Who was Zoubida Charrouf, the chemist who gave scientific language to what Amazigh women had always known, and built a cooperative movement that changed thousands of lives — only for the global market to arrive and take almost everything? And what does liquid gold look like from the bottom of the supply chain?
Join John and Patrick as they tell the story of Morocco and the argan tree — the performance goats, the women's cooperatives, and the ancient knowledge that the world monetised without ever properly paying for...
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In Sponsorship with Cornell University: Dyson Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
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Join the History of Fresh Produce Club for ad-free listening, bonus episodes, book discounts and access to an exclusive chatroom community.
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Why did a Valencia orange, abandoned on a tiny arid Caribbean island, transform into a new species that nobody could eat — and how did that inedible fruit end up in cocktail bars on every continent? What made the harbour of Willemstad one of the most consequential trading posts in the Atlantic world, and what does the story of Sephardic refugees, the slave trade, and a language assembled from seven others tell us about how Curaçao became Curaçao? And why does the blue liquid in most bottles labelled "curaçao" contain nothing from the island at all?
Join John and Patrick as they tell the story of the laraha — the accidental species, the Dutch distillers, and the smallest nation ever to qualify for a World Cup...
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In Sponsorship with J&K Fresh.
The customs broker who is your fruit and veggies’ personal bodyguard. Learn more here!
-----------
Join the History of Fresh Produce Club for ad-free listening, bonus episodes, book discounts and access to an exclusive chatroom community.
Support us!
Share this episode with your friends
Give a 5-star rating
Write a review

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Subscribe to our biweekly newsletter here for extra stories related to recent episodes, book recommendations, a sneak peek of upcoming episodes and more.
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@historyoffreshproduce
Email: historyoffreshproduce@gmail.com

Join host Patrick Kelly as he sits down with Antoni Porowski , beloved Queer Eye chef and food storyteller, at the CPMA 2026 Annual Conference.
Discover how Antoni Porowski bridges the produce supply chain and culinary worlds, shares fresh salad inspirations with Fresh Express, and reveals simple yet exciting ways to elevate your meals with produce.
Whether you're a food enthusiast or industry insider, this episode offers fresh perspectives and delicious ideas you won't want to miss!

This week on Fresh from the Field Fridays, Dan the Produce Man welcomes Dr. Joel Fuhrman, board-certified family physician, seven-time New York Times bestselling author, and internationally recognized expert in nutrition and disease prevention.
In this thought-provoking conversation, Dr. Fuhrman explains what it means to be a Nutritarian, the importance of nutrient density, the health benefits of his famous "G-BOMBS" foods, and why fruits and vegetables play such a critical role in longevity and disease prevention. Dan and Dr. Fuhrman also discuss modern eating habits, food addiction, chronic disease, and whether many of today's most common health problems are linked to the foods we choose to eat every day.
Whether you're in the produce industry or simply looking to improve your health, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.
Learn more about Dr. Fuhrman's books, podcast, nutrition programs, and educational resources at DrFuhrman.com.
It's all right here on Fresh from the Field Fridays from the Produce Industry Network, powered by AgLife Media. Visit AgLifeMedia.com to discover more podcasts, videos, industry news, and fresh produce content.