Plant Cunning Podcast

Queeba is a urban agriculturalist, community organizer and mother living in Pittsburgh, PA. In this episode, we speak with her about the wonder of bees,  how to engage children with growing their own food, working on collective projects, the importance of food access, working with heavy metal contamination in city soils, and starting a community food co-op in Homewood.  As she says, "I'm stubborn about my goals, but flexible about my methods."  You can find the Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers of Pittsburgh at https://bugfpc.com and Mamma Africa's Greenscouts at Facebook.com/MAGreenScouts and if you're in Pittsburgh, they're having a workday on April 10th from 12-4 pm! And you can find our Patreon at Patreon.com/PlantCunning

Check out Gordon at RuneSoup.com and become one of the first Plant Cunning Patrons at Patron.com/PlantCunning It was a lot of fun to get Gordon's takes on magic, animism, neoplatonism, materialism and permaculture in this conversation. We also talk about how he summoned a dragon to save his farm, which he's told before on his podcast but gives us chills, and asked him to recount it for us!1

Check out our new Patreon! And give a welcome to our guest this week, herbalist, educator and author Tammi Sweet. We talk about the endocannabanoid system, why it's so important, about the differences between "sativa" and "indica" (hint, they're both C. indica subspecies) , what "terpines" are (and why just hanging out with the plant is so amazing), what right relationship with Cannabis looks like, why it's a "master plant" and how to make your own medicine at home! Check her out at https://www.heart-stone.com/ and find her book The Wholistic Healing Guide to Cannabis at your usual book place, or directly from her. 

We welcome back JMG to the podcast in this joyful, historical, and advice packed episode. "In every person is the seed of some kind of magnificence," he says at one point encouraging our listeners to grab life by the horns and make it magical, interesting and meaningful in their own weird way. Johnny Appleseed was a person who did just that, planting seeds of magnificence and literal seeds every where he walked (usually barefoot). JMG tells us about his story including some parts that you don't hear about in the nursery rhymes. He talks about the importance of remembering and honoring those folks who came before us that held a vision for something different than the mainstream paradigm. We also talked about the vision of the 1970's appropriate tech movement and how those skills that scientists and homesteaders alike learned back then are still quite applicable today. We got into some of those tangible skills and techniques on consuming less energy and being self sufficient, for example solar ovens and insulated curtains. He offers a lot more in depth skills, resources, practices in his book Green Wizardry which we love. Isaac offers a little something special at the end for you too. Enjoy the show.  If you haven't already, check out our previous interview with John Michael Greer, Episode 4 on Natural Magic to learn more about his history and bio as we just dove right into the chat for this one.  We talked a lot about his book Green Wizardry but please check out his MANY other books here: https://bookshop.org/books?keywords=john+michael+greer He blogs at https://www.ecosophia.net/ and https://ecosophia.dreamwidth.org Also check out our shiny new Patreon Page and support the show with a monthly donation if you're willing and able to help us keep this going smooth as buttah. Our patrons will directly influence the direction of the show as we will have polls about who to have on next and what topics you'd like us to cover. Plus some other perks like members only episodes and classes on regenerative farming and herbalism. 

Amy Blackthorn, a Green Witch and author of three books on botanical magic was a blast to have on the podcast. She taught us lots about using plants in magical workings including as essential oils, smoke bundles and incense, tea and delicious elixirs. She tells us about keeping a magical diary with homemade poke berry ink. Try not to drool while she describes the recipe for Watermelon Cucumber shrub (cocktail or soda mixer). We look forward to hearing more about her book coming out this year on protection. Be sure to check out her current books, "Blackthorns Botanical Magic: A Green Witchs' guide to essential oils for spellcraft, ritual and healing," "Blackthorn's Botanical Brews: Herbal Potions, Magical Teas and Spirited Libations," and "Sacred Smoke: Clear away negative energies and purify mind, body, and spirit." Find her at on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter 

In this episode we speak with jim mcdonald, a folk herbalist and educator from Michigan about how he fell in love with plants, using pool noodles to teach complicated scientific concepts, "herbal energetics", the importance of using common plants and wildcrafting ethics, and how he found out new uses for New England Aster. You can find his website here: https://www.herbcraft.org/ and don't forget to sign up for his new classes at https://herbcraft.podia.com/

In this episode we are honored to speak with Stephanie Rose Bird, author of some of the most important practical guides to Hoodoo, including "Sticks, Stones, Roots and Bones" and "365 Days of Hoodoo." We speak with her about growing up in the country (her dad built their house!), what "Hoodoo" is, how to use roots, herbs, stones, sticks, candles, mojo bags and other elements of hoodoo to help yourself and your community, and about her new herbal product line she started with her daughter. Here's a link to her website.

We talk with esteemed permaculturist Michael Pilarski about Bill Mollison, science & "woo", working with nature spirits, "Restore the Earth" party, restoring the earth, and making $$$ from growing herbs in a regenerative way. https://friendsofthetrees.net/michael-pilarski-blog - Michael's site https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG4uqbuuwBGAgC02SHLTnXg - Anna Pallota Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCylekw2DaAsQHsIWaR-js_A - Friends of the Trees Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNPSTkjWIrl7FD31xbJ5STg - Global Earth Repair Channel

In this episode we speak with herbalist, permaculturist, blogger, artist and current Grand Archdruid of the Ancient Order of Druids in America, Dana O'Driscoll. The topics include growing up in the forests of Western PA, studying with herbalist Jim McDonald in Michigan, working with New England Aster to heal her own asthma, art, blogging and divination. You can find Dana's blog at: https://druidgarden.wordpress.com/, and her etsy shop at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Phyteasana

In this episode we talk to Kate Miller of Weathertop Farm about how she became a farmer, how to be adaptable, and what a "switchel" is. You can find her website at: https://www.weathertopfarmny.com/ And on IG at @weathertopfarmny