The Good Dirt: Sustainability Explained

Today's guest is Kyle Lybarger, a forester and conservationist from north Alabama. His passion is identifying, protecting, and managing the overlooked grassland ecosystems in his region and educating the public about the environmental value and climate benefits of these native plants. Most people don't realize that so many of our forested areas were once actually native grasslands that were maintained by the grazing of native animal life and the management practices of the native people. In this conversation, Kyle also explains the importance of fire in land management, both the naturally occurring fires and those that indigenous people practiced to sustain local food systems. Tune in to hear Kyle's take on Smokey the Bear, rewilding and the "no-mow" movement, how our domestic landscape has shifted here in the United States and what we can all do to reinvigorate our land and secure our food system. Topics Discussed:Join the Lady Farmer Slow Living Challenge! (Starts 2.6.23) How Kyle got to the Native Habitat Project and how that evolved Grassland ecosystems The need for education about native plants The ecological role of grasslands Why the grasslands have disappeared Kyle discusses "rewilding" Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee  The role of burning in maintaining grasslands How Native Americans utilized the grassland ecosystems How Smoky the Bear and growing populations changed land management practices Porter's Goldenrod Hartselle Sandstone Barren How Kyle established an outdoor classroom in his hometown How forestry competes with biodiversity Grasslands are valuable for sequestering carbon Birds for Beef Jenny Harris of White Oak Pastures Grazing Gone Native with The American Forage Council Discretionary use of sprays to restore grasslands Restoring lawns to native habitats for wildlife diversity and for creating reliable food sources Connect with Kyle: Native Habitat Project's website Kyle's FB page, Native Habitat Managers On Tik Tok @nativeplanttok On Instagram @nativehabitatproject The Native Habitat Podcast This Episode is Sponsored by Havelock Wool: Visit https://havelockwool.com/gooddirt to learn all about wool insulation!About Lady Farmer: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Join The Lady Farmer ALMANAC Leave us a voicemail! Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you! Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com Original music by John Kingsley. The Good Dirt podcast is edited and engineered by Aleksandra van der Westhuizen and produced by Mary Ball. The Good Dirt is a part of the Connectd Podcasts Network.Statements in this podcast have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not to be considered as medical or nutritional advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and should not be considered above the advice of your physician. Consult a medical professional when making dietary or lifestyle decisions that could affect your health and well-being.

Today's episode is with Julia Blandford, a recent graduate from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Fashion Marketing and Management, and host of the Seeking Sustainability Podcast. Join us for this fun and refreshing conversation with one of the younger voices within our community. Julia identifies herself as on the cusp of the Millennial and Gen Z generations, openly sharing about her passion as a self-proclaimed environmentalist as well as the doubts and frustrations along her own sustainable living journey. We find it hopeful and enlightening to hear how Julia and her contemporaries are approaching the challenges that face us in our world today.Topics Discussed:Join the Lady Farmer Slow Living Challenge! (Starts 2.6.23) Julia's story as a Gen Z environmentalist How she started her podcast--Seeking Sustainability ESG: Environmental Sustainable Governance Environmentalism in hard times How Julia's personal struggles informed her environmentalist views  Privilege and sustainability  How Julia felt like she failed at sustainability  There's no formula for what it means to be an environmentalist  Julia's experience with being a vegan Small steps to getting around degenerative systems Accountability and empathy Sustainability and consumerism Intersectional environmentalism Cottage core Gen Z and sustainability  "Trends don't exist outside of social media for my generation." What does slow living mean outside of social media? Julia's slow-living stew Connect with Julia: On Instagram @seekingsustainability.pod Seeking Sustainability Podcast This Episode is Sponsored by Havelock Wool: Visit https://havelockwool.com/gooddirt to learn all about wool insulation!About Lady Farmer: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Join The Lady Farmer ALMANAC Leave us a voicemail! Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you! Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com Original music by John Kingsley. The Good Dirt podcast is edited and engineered by Aleksandra van der Westhuizen and produced by Mary Ball. The Good Dirt is a part of the Connectd Podcasts Network.Statements in this podcast have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not to be considered as medical or nutritional advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and should not be considered above the advice of your physician. Consult a medical professional when making dietary or lifestyle decisions that could affect your health and well-being.

In this episode, Mary and Emma discuss the meaning of January 6th as the Feast of Epiphany. According to the Christian Liturgical Calendar, this day commemorates the three Magi's visit to the scene of the nativity and marks the end of the Christmas season. In the Appalachian tradition, Epiphany was known as "Little Christmas" or "Old Christmas," hearkening back to Old World traditions of extending the Christmas season over 12 days as an extended period of celebration and rest, ending with "Little Christmas" on January 6th. This episode concludes with Mary's telling of an Epiphany story from Italy, the Legend of Old Befana, which is a replay from two years ago.Topics Discussed: Epiphany Little Christmas or Old Christmas The Legend of Old Befana About Lady Farmer: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Join The Lady Farmer ALMANAC Leave us a voicemail! Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you! Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com Original music by John Kingsley. The Good Dirt podcast is edited and engineered by Aleksandra van der Westhuizen and produced by Mary Ball. The Good Dirt is a part of the Connectd Podcasts Network.Statements in this podcast have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not to be considered as medical or nutritional advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and should not be considered above the advice of your physician. Consult a medical professional when making dietary or lifestyle decisions that could affect your health and well-being.

Tune in as Mary and Emma each discuss and review their picks for the most impactful episodes from 2022. The year has been so full of fun, informative and inspiring interviews, it's hard to narrow it down, but here are just some of the conversations that stand out as they look back on another year of The Good Dirt.Episodes Discussed: #101 Andrew Schwartz of EcoCiv #104 Heidi Barr and Emma DeLong of the PA Flax Project #80 Lincoln Smith, Forested LLC #96 Marti Buckley #88 Rose and Doug Phillips #110 Stephanie O'Dea #94 Bex Partridge #84 Eliza Greenman About Lady Farmer: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Join The Lady Farmer ALMANAC Leave us a voicemail! Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you! Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com Original music by John Kingsley. The Good Dirt podcast is edited and engineered by Aleksandra van der Westhuizen and produced by Mary Ball. The Good Dirt is a part of the Connectd Podcasts Network.Statements in this podcast have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not to be considered as medical or nutritional advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and should not be considered above the advice of your physician. Consult a medical professional when making dietary or lifestyle decisions that could affect your health and well-being.

Tune in for this special winter episode, featuring a holiday reflection and a favorite traditional song, sent to you with love from Mary and Emma. Happy Holidays everyone!Special thank you to The Longest Johns for sharing their cover of Bright Morning Star. About Lady Farmer: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Join The Lady Farmer ALMANAC Leave us a voicemail! Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you! Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com Original music by John Kingsley. The Good Dirt podcast is edited and engineered by Aleksandra van der Westhuizen and produced by Mary Ball. The Good Dirt is a part of the Connectd Podcasts Network.

Our guest today is Christa Norman, a fine artist whose photographic medium is cyanotype. Her work reflects seasons and explores seasons of the human experience. Christa creates floral artwork with flowers grown in her own garden and conceptual collections inspired by her personal life seasons. We covered a number of topics in this interview, including the dilemma that comes up so often in our conversations regarding the conflict between pursuing our creative passions and making a living, a common theme for creatives in our current economic system. Christa points out that one of our fundamental roles as humans is to be creators of things, but to a certain extent, we've forgotten that role and we've defaulted into our role as consumers. Join us in this conversation as we discuss, among other things, how this affects us as individuals and in our culture as a whole.Topics Covered: Christa's journey with photography, and the path to cyanotype Bringing together creative passion with the need to make a living  What is cyanotype? Louis-Jacques Daguerre Floret Flowers  Our phones, capturing the present moment or taking us out of it? The cost of fine art How Christa's patronage works/ Creating sustainability as an artist Sustainability of Cyanotype as an art medium Cyanotype as a seasonal art What is culture? The role of art in our culture Rae Dunn pottery New York Magazine/ The Cut Article on Rae Dunn Julia Watkins of Simply Living Well Creativity as fundamental to all human Connect with Christa Christa's Website, christanormanstudio.com On Instagram @christanormanstudio This episode is Sponsored by True Leaf Market:Use our promo code: TGD10 - for $10 off an order of $50 or more (expires June 15th. Limit to one use per customer) at https://www.trueleafmarket.com/About Lady Farmer: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Join The Lady Farmer ALMANAC Leave us a voicemail! Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you! Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com Original music by John Kingsley. The Good Dirt podcast is edited and engineered by Aleksandra van der Westhuizen and produced by Mary Ball. The Good Dirt is a part of the Connectd Podcasts Network.Statements in this podcast have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not to be considered as medical or nutritional advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and should not be considered above the advice of your physician. Consult a medical professional when making dietary or lifestyle decisions that could affect your health and well-being.

Our discussion today is with Mary Ellen Dowd, a Communications Associate at TerraCycle, Inc. TerraCycle is an international leader in innovative sustainability solutions, creating and operating first-of-their-kind platforms in recycling, recycled materials, and reuse. Across 21 countries, TerraCycle is on a mission to rethink waste and develop practical solutions for today’s complex waste challenges. The company engages an expansive multi-stakeholder community across a wide range of accessible programs, from Fortune 500 companies to schools and individuals, and has raised over $44 million for schools and nonprofits since its founding more than 15 years ago. In this conversation, we talk about how the Terracycle services can bring our home recycling practices to a new level. To learn more about TerraCycle and join them on their journey to move the world from a linear economy to a circular one, please visit www.terracycle.com.Topics Covered: Mary Ellen's background What is Terra Cycle and how they take recycling to the next level The Zero-Waste Box Free Recycling Programs Recycling is a process that is governed by economics What happens to the contents of Zero-Waste Box  Bausch and Lomb partnership Origins of Terracycle The value of trash Eliminating the idea of waste The Loop circular shopping system, or the modern milkman How the good dirt connects to waste and the economy  How can the zero-waste box be more accessible to the individual?  What happens when the Zero Waste Box is returned to Terracycle How Terracycle addresses microplastics  The problem of cigarette butts  Actionable steps for individuals "Wish-cycling" How Terracycle addresses scale Connect with Terracycle: Terracycle's website, terracycle.com On Instagram @terracycle On Facebook @TerraCycle This episode is Sponsored by True Leaf Market:Use our promo code: TGD10 - for $10 off an order of $50 or more (expires June 15th. Limit to one use per customer) at https://www.trueleafmarket.com/About Lady Farmer: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Join The Lady Farmer ALMANAC Leave us a voicemail! Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you! Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com Original music by John Kingsley. The Good Dirt podcast is edited and engineered by Aleksandra van der Westhuizen and produced by Mary Ball. The Good Dirt is a part of the Connectd Podcasts Network.Statements in this podcast have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not to be considered as medical or nutritional advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and should not be considered above the advice of your physician. Consult a medical professional when making dietary or lifestyle decisions that could affect your health and well-being.

Our guest today is Jeremy Lang of Pela, the company that started with a product that you hold every day - the world’s first compostable phone case. Jeremy had the courage to spend years experimenting with new materials to try and find an alternative to plastic that could be used in everyday products.Pela’s mission is to make sustainable products the new normal and they recently launched another product, a home countertop composter called Lomi to help solve the food waste and plastic problem. Lomi became the most successful cleantech crowdfunding campaign of all time, raising over $9M. Pela and Lomi are now creating a waste innovation category with a goal of eliminating 10 billions pounds of waste on their mission to create a waste-free future, a testament to Jeremy’s belief in creating businesses as a force of good– to leave the world a better place. We are so much in awe of Jeremy and the innovative technologies he has spearheaded through his company and products. In this episode, we're hearing and talking about new technologies that are already addressing some of our most pressing problems and have given us real hope that some things are moving in the right direction.Topics discussed: The story of Pela and how it started with compostable phone cases  How Pela came up with a home composter The problem of food waste Food waste as a valuable natural resource "Wasting food" vs food waste or food scraps The Lomi home composter From food waste to good dirt Home composter reduces the weight of food waste by 70%   Trials with taking the Lomi compost dirt straight to farms  Demographics of those using the home composter  How the home composter is carbon neutral  End-of-life plan for the home composter Responsibility Economy Cutting out the compost facilities with the home composter The Lomi-approved certification program Compostable materials for everyday life increasing with consumer demand Responsibility of the consumer vs. responsibility of the manufacturer The issue of plastic water bottles being recycled into clothing Can technology help with the current problem of plastic on the planet? Connect with Jeremy: Pela's Website Get your own Lomi Composter! On Instagram @pelacase and @getlomi This episode is Sponsored by True Leaf Market:Use our promo code: TGD10 - for $10 off an order of $50 or more (expires June 15th. Limit to one use per customer) at https://www.trueleafmarket.com/About Lady Farmer: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Join The Lady Farmer ALMANAC Leave us a voicemail! Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you! Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com Original music by John Kingsley. The Good Dirt podcast is edited and engineered by Aleksandra van der Westhuizen and produced by Mary Ball. The Good Dirt is a part of the Connectd Podcasts Network.Statements in this podcast have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not to be considered as medical or nutritional advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and should not be considered above the advice of your physician. Consult a medical professional when making dietary or lifestyle decisions that could affect your health and well-being.

Our guest today is Laurell Sims, Co-Founder & CEO of Urban Growers Collective in Chicago, here to talk about food accessibility and the development of community-based food systems. Urban Growers Collective (UGC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that was co-founded by Laurell Sims and Erika Allen in the fall of 2017. Working closely with community partners, their approach is to demonstrate and to support communities in developing systems of their own where food is grown, prepared, and distributed within the community itself.Urban Grower's Collective operates 8 urban farms on 11 acres of land, predominantly located on Chicago’s South Side. These farms are production-oriented but also offer opportunities for staff-led education, training, leadership development, and food distribution. Each farm utilizes organic growing methods, intensive growing practices, and year-round production strategies to best maximize growing space.In this conversation, we talk about the numerous programs operating within UGC that are helping not only to bring food to underserved areas but to facilitate youth involvement and outreach programs for positive community impact. Laurell is active in the Chicago Food Policy Action Council and formerly served on the Board of Directors for Slow Food Chicago and Green City Market. In 2011, Laurell was selected as a Bold Food Fellow, a State Department exchange with farmers from Uganda and Kenya, and has managed development projects with urban farms in Haiti. In her spare time, Laurell is a volunteer magician for Open Heart Magic which provides bedside magic for hospitalized children.Topics Discussed: How Laurell came to the Urban Grower's Collective ReVision Urban Farm in Boston The impact of the urban farming movement  The eight farms and programs within in the Urban Grower's Collective Healing aspects of community spaces Fresh Moves Mobile Market Linkup Illinois for food assistance Dr. Geeta Maker-Clark Prescription for Health, Howard Brown Health Center Food Justice and privilege  Food waste in Chicago How policy and racism affect grocery store access Farm Bus in Richmond, Mark Lilly Midwest Foods Wholesaler USDA Food boxes April Jones on The Good Dirt Julia Skinner on The Good Dirt The challenge of land access, particularly for BIPOC growers Green Era Urban Farm in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood in Chicago The anaerobic digester as mitigation for food waste Soil contamination and remediation Wasted! The Story of Food Waste Chicago Food Policy Action Council Connect with Laurell & the UGC: Urban Grower's Collective website On Instagram @urbangrowerscollective Donate or Volunteer with the Urban Grower's Collective! This episode is Sponsored by True Leaf Market:Use our promo code: TGD10 - for $10 off an order of $50 or more (expires June 15th. Limit to one use per customer) at https://www.trueleafmarket.com/About Lady Farmer: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Join The Lady Farmer ALMANAC Leave us a voicemail! Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you! Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com Original music by John Kingsley. The Good Dirt podcast is edited and engineered by Aleksandra van der Westhuizen and produced by Mary Ball. The Good Dirt is a part of the Connectd Podcasts Network.Statements in this podcast have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not to be considered as medical or nutritional advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and should not be considered above the advice of your physician. Consult a medical professional when making dietary or lifestyle decisions that could affect your health and well-being.

In celebration of the holiday this week, and upcoming "Black Friday", we're re-airing our favorite slow-living take on the matter...Slow Friday!RE-AIR FROM 11/26/21You're in for something a little different this Friday...it's a solo show with Mary and Emma!At Lady Farmer, we're always thinking about ways to shift our thinking to live into a more slow and sustainable lifestyle, and today is a great opportunity to do just that. What if Black Friday became Slow Friday, and what would that look like?Join us on this week’s episode of The Good Dirt as we share a bit about our own Christmas memories and experiences with gift-giving as well as how we're thinking about being more mindful with our consumer habits during the holiday season.Enjoy this week's episode, let us know what you think, and we'll be back with another interview next week!Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podchaser, Simplecast, Podtail, or on your favorite podcast platform.Topics Covered: The negative impacts of consumerism and how to think differently about our consumer habits The importance that we have placed on gift-giving and receiving during the holiday season Slow Friday Challenge Resources: Unplug the Christmas Tree Christmas by Peter Spier Follow Us: Our Website Instagram Original Music by John Kingsley @jkingsley1026