The Good Dirt: Sustainability Explained

Learn to make space for what truly makes you happy using the power of refusal and conscious choice, with Danielle Alvarado of Sustainably Kind Living. Danielle’s educational online collective for the conscious consumer provides alternative resources to the harmful fast fashion, home, and beauty industries. Moved by the horrific stories she heard first hand from garment workers in Southeast Asia, Danielle found her calling by advocating for sustainable fashion and for a rejection of harmful and toxic industrial systems. After making the move to Italy to begin her family, Danielle found herself in a small Italian village where sustainable slow-living was simply the norm. Amazed by this new way of life and inspired by her experience in Asia, she began a blog to educate and advocate for a paradigm shift towards simple living. She now preaches about the power to bypass consumerism by asking, “What truly makes us happy?” and “What defines actual need?” Danielle knows that beneath all of the things we think we want, we are really longing for acceptance and connection back to each other and the Earth. She also knows that if we have the privilege to consider sustainable options, then we have the responsibility to select those options. Ultimately, she argues that slow living is, at its core, a call to show ourselves and the world greater empathy.  Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podchaser, Podtail, or on your favorite podcast platform.Please be advised, this episode contains mention of sexual assault and sexual violence. Topics Covered: Sustainable Fashion  Consumer Culture  Fast Fashion  Child Labor  Social Inequality  Minimalism  Conscious Consumerism  Slow Fashion  Slow Living  Resources Mentioned:  Elizabeth Kline Good Dirt Episode  Fashion Revolution  The True Cost Documentary  Wildling Shoes  The Foresting School  Guest Info Connect with Danielle Alvarado at www.sustainablykindliving.com Instagram @sustainablykindliving and @sustykindliving  Facebook, Sustainably Kind Living Facebook, Danielle Alvarado  Pinterest, Sustainably Kind Living Follow Us: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Original music by John Kingsley @jkingsley1026Statements 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. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Slow sustainable fashion meets yoga in this heart opening episode with our dear Lady Farmer friend, Amanda Agricola. A true renaissance woman, Amanda is the creator of Flowy, a sustainable slow fashion brand providing comfortable, naturally dyed garments for yoga and life, using materials that bring a consciousness to how we cover our bodies. As an artist and entrepreneur, Amanda brings a thoughtful and intentional eye to her products, empowering her customers energetically while also supporting mother earth. A disheartened consumer herself, frustrated by the systemic failures of the apparel industry, Amanda created Flowy out of a desire to cultivate a deeper appreciation for the materials that cover our bodies. Not only does she make her products herself, but Amanda invites participation in the making process through natural dye workshops and by distributing seeds for customers to grow their own dye gardens. She also offers a do-it-yourself dye kit to further encourage awareness of this sustainable process. Working with nature through these hands-on, intuitive methods, Amanda integrates her lifestyle and work with her goal to create a little love and comfort in the world.Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podchaser, Podtail, or on your favorite podcast platform.Topics Covered: Yoga  Kundalini yoga Natural Dyes Conscious Closet  Slow Fashion  Recycled Materials  Natural Materials  Sustainable Undergarments  Resources Mentioned:  Maryland Institute College of Art  Ishamel by Daniel Quinn Tomorrow will be Better by Betty Smith  A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith The ALMANAC  Guest Info Connect with Amanda at www.flowylife.com  Instagram @flowy.life Amanda’s blog  Follow Us: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Original music by John Kingsley @jkingsley1026Statements 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. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tune in to this weeks bonus episode with Mary & Emma in our discussion of “product fatigue,” that feeling of overwhelm with all the things on our shelves and under our sinks requiring end-of-use decisions about the packaging and containers. Despite our efforts to purchase sustainably and reduce waste, things seem to pile up and we are left wondering what to do with the remains. With “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle” being the mantra for sustainable waste management, how do we decide which is most appropriate for so many products, every day? Join us as we give a couple of examples of our own struggles and solutions, and invite listener input as well!Follow Us: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram The Lady Farmer ALMANAC Original music by John Kingsley @jkingsley1026Statements 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. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Join this "fruitful" and enlightening conversation with tree crops specialist, horticultural historian and agroforestry practitioner Eliza Greenman as she explains the evolution of the apple, horticultural tree crop history and shares her love for fruit exploring. A creator of niche products, Eliza is passionate owner of charcuterie company, HogTree, and is working towards the goal of creating orchard systems that function symbiotically with livestock to replace costly livestock feed. After a time pruning apple trees on an island off the coast of Maine, paired with her time abroad in Germany in apprenticeship with an apple grower and a formative research trip to Asia, the homeland of fruits and nuts, Eliza found her calling and became single- mindedly obsessed with apples. Now she is an advocate for natural wildlife practices and indigenous systems, stressing the importance of eating in season and shying away from global commodities. The conversation includes various types of fruit and nut trees such as pawpaws, mulberry trees, hickory walnuts, acorns, autumn olive and the infamous Bradford Pear, exploring all the ways these beautiful gifts can be nurtured and enjoyed. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podchaser, Podtail, or on your favorite podcast platform.Topics Covered: Agroforestry  Agroecology Permaculture  Food Forests  Perennials  Fruit and Nut Trees  Bradford Pear  Red Delicious  Fire Blight  Heart Rot  Pollarding Autumn Olive Silvopasture agroforestry  Resources Mentioned:  US Apple - Lobbying  Back River Market  “Of New York” Series - Catalog of Fruit Varieties  The National Soil Fertility League  North American Fruit Explorers - NAFEX  John Bunker, Fedco Trees Francis Fenton  Silvopasture is the deliberate integration of trees and grazing livestock operations on the same land. These systems are intensively managed for both forest products and forage, providing both short- and long-term income sources.  Source: https://www.fs.usda.gov/nac/practices/silvopasture.php  Guest Info Connect with Eliza at elizaapples.com  HogTree charcuterie company  Fruit and Fodder  Instagram @elizaapples  Follow Us: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram The Lady Farmer ALMANAC Original music by John Kingsley @jkingsley1026Statements 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. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Step into the world of collaborative art, natural textiles, plants, botanicals and slow fashion with owner entrepreneur and artist Megan Borukhovsky of Sister Nettle. As a mother and artist living in the hills of Tennessee, Megan’s work centers around natural textiles using botanicals, creating slow fashion with a “collaboration over competition” mindset. Sister Nettle strives to offer products that are fulfilling to both the makers and the recipients, creating a beautiful and reciprocal relationship that honors all of the women a part of the process. A community minded business woman, Megan discovered block printing and natural dyeing as an accessible, inclusive and sustainable art form. After a time living off grid as a homesteader, Megan found herself called to a return back to self and to the natural world and continues to embrace the values of slow living in her life and her work. Valuing her fellow artists and makers, Megan believes in sourcing from people who feel valued and called to the work that they do. The end product results in a beautifully slow garment that is created from a place of passion and positivity that sustains both planet and people. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podchaser, Podtail, or on your favorite podcast platform.Topics Covered: Natural Textiles  Slow Fashion  Local Sourcing  Embroidery  Entrepreneurship  Women Artisans and Makers  Stinging Nettle  Oeko-tex Linen  Hemp  Resources Mentioned: Events Sunchaser Retreats, violaine.orban@gmail.com Books Our Wild Farming Life Pre-Order and Author Meet and GreetAdditional Resources: Cinnamon Ginger Oat Cookie Recipe inside The ALMANAC  The ALMANAC Online Community Membership  Sister Nettle  TS Designs Solid State Clothing Guest Info Connect with Megan at sisternettle.com Instagram @sister.nettle  Follow Us: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Original music by John Kingsley @jkingsley1026Statements 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. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Discover the power of the potluck as a community forum for the New Agrarian Revival, a movement based in the Bedford, Va. area that offers inspiration for deeply rooted living, cultivating the local food economy and community connection. Our guest today, Jason Fowler, is founder and organizer of Land and Table, an organization that sponsors a monthly potluck event for farmers and like-minded local food enthusiasts, and offers a unique opportunity to gather for a shared meal in an evermore disconnected world. Jason found that not only were these gatherings great opportunities to eat delicious local food, but were formative community building events. Ten years on and the tradition is alive and well, and functions as a time for meaningful connection in reverence for the land, local food, and one another. Throughout the episode, Jason tells his own story of seeking a different way of life for himself and his family, his journey back to the land and his role as community leader in the New Agrarian Revival.Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podchaser, Podtail, or on your favorite podcast platform.Topics Covered: Local Food Local Food Movement  Agrarian Philosophy  Community Building  Resources Mentioned: Books “The Omnivore's Dilemma” by Michael Pollan “Farming as a Spiritual Discipline”  “Making Peace with the Land”  "The Art of the Common Place" by Wendell Berry  Podcast Episodes Great Day Gardens - The Good Dirt Episode 5Other: Mountain Run Farm  Terra Numa - Nonprofit Organization The Parable of the Good Soil  The Stone Soup Story  New Agrarian Revival Guest Info: Connect with Jason at landandtable.com  @land_and_table on Instagram  Merch shop: @newagrarianrevival Follow Us: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Join The Lady Farmer ALMANAC Original music by John Kingsley @jkingsley1026Statements 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. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Discover author Julia Watkins' light and loving approach to gardening and to slow living as she shares her perspective on parenting, work, and finding joy and compassion in the midst of it all. As an author, photographer, fellow slow living enthusiast, and Lady Farmer friend, Julia has a wealth of knowledge about how to cultivate a slow and beautiful life in a way that is honest and approachable. Her new book, Gardening for Everyone is a beautiful guide to planning, planting and playing in the garden, that is sure to be a foundational reference for gardening year after year. During this catch-up conversation, Mary and Emma discuss with Julia how life has unfolded during the pandemic, how to find balance as a parent and as a creative, and how to use social media in ways that bring light and connection. In this honest and joyful conversation, Julia inspires an approach to life filled with happiness, grace and grounded in a love for good dirt.Topics Covered: Slow Living Social Media  Gardening  Perennials  Parenting during a Pandemic  Small Space Gardening  Resources Mentioned:  Pre-Order, Gardening for Everyone  Simply Living Well  Subscribe to the Lady Farmer Newsletter  The ALMANAC  Alys Fowler, "The Edible Garden"  The Fisherman and His Wife, Brothers Grimm  Julia Watkins Episode 31  Guest Info: Connect with Julia at simplylivingwell.com  @simply.living.well on Instagram  Follow Us: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram The Lady Farmer ALMANAC, our online community Original music by John Kingsley @jkingsley1026Statements 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. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week we spoke with historian, nonprofit founder, and author Tony Cohen, who operates Button Farm,  Maryland’s only living history center depicting 19th-century slave plantation life and the heroic story of the Underground Railroad. Tony has dedicated his studies and work to preserving the Underground Railroad’s history, historic sites and environments. In this episode, he  shares with us stories of his own travels along the Underground Railroad on foot, in an effort to recreate some of the original travelers' sensory experience of the landscape and the monumental physical challenges they endured in the pursuit of freedom. Tony also shares the story of meeting Oprah Winfrey and working with her in preparation for her starring role in the film, BELOVED, based on the book by Toni Morrison. Tony is founder and director of the Menare Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to the creation of cutting edge educational programs, including an Underground Railroad immersion experience based on the work he did with Oprah Winfrey.  1:20 - Mary and Emma check in with the Slow Living Challenge7:10 - The Spring Grow Your Own Food IntensiveLet’s get into the interview!8:40 - Tony introduces himself and The Menare Foundation12:50 - Why start a nonprofit?17:00 - Tony’s experience walking the route of The Underground Railroad20:00 - Mary’s land and its connection to The Underground Railroad27:00 - Tracking down your roots along The Underground Railroad36:00 - Tony’s connection to the Harriet Tubman Museum38:00 - How Tony got involved with Oprah Winfrey49:00 - What is Button Farm?57:00 - Tony’s work in relationship to Good Dirt Mentions:  Slow Living Challenge Grow Your Own Food Intensive Workshop The ALMANAC Button Farm Living History Center The Menare Foundation The Underground railroad in Montgomery County, Maryland: A history and driving guide Chesapeake Tours The Chesapeake Fibershed Beloved by Toni Morrison Mentioned in this episode:Join The ALMANAC CommunityALMANAC TGD Discount Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Discover the wonders of forest agriculture and agroecology with our guest Lincoln Smith, founder of Forested, an edible food forest devoted to sharing research and knowledge surrounding forest gardens through tours, classes and forest to table dinners. As a champion of good dirt, Lincoln believes that growing forest gardens as a form of environmentalism can reintegrate our lives with nature, and reestablish a connection to the forest as a food source. Having trained in landscape design, Lincoln brings his expertise to food forest projects in and around the DC area, and has seen first hand the effects an edible forest garden can have on a community. Forest agroecology is a slow but rewarding process, that can produce vibrant, delicious and often overlooked foods from native species. He knows that like the forest, humans are interconnected and when we rethink our approach to food and to nature, we can rethink our approach to life. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podchaser, Podtail, or on your favorite podcast platform.Topics Covered: Edible Food Forests  Forest Gardens  Agronomic Science  Agroecology  Sustainable Landscape Design  Regenerative Agriculture  Rapid Land Development  Permaculture  Resources Mentioned:  Lady Farmer Slow Living Challenge  Forested   University of Maryland The US Botanic Garden  Maryland Master Gardeners Conference  Groundnut  Black tea chamomilla  Yaupon Holly  Yerba Mate Holly  Trugreen ChemLawn  Hyattsville Public Works, Emerson Street Food Forest Langley Elementary School Food Forest  Capital City Public Charter School Food Forest  Ddot  The Conway School  Yarrow  Nature by Design  American Native Plants  Chesapeake Natives  Persimmon Spice Latte - sub the pumpkin for persimmon! Guest Info Connect with Lincoln at Forested, LLC  Instagram @forested.us Newsletter  Youtube  Follow Us: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Join The ALMANAC Original music by John Kingsley @jkingsley1026Statements 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. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tune in today for a brief check-in & wrap up from Mary & Emma on the progress of the Lady Farmer 2022 Slow Living Challenge, and to discuss this week's final focus and theme.Sign up for the Slow Living Challenge HERE.Follow Us: Our Website @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Original music by John Kingsley @jkingsley1026Sowing seeds of slow living is our mantra at Lady Farmer. Simplifying our belongings, prioritizing good choices in food and clothing, and choosing sustainable habits wherever we can all have a positive impact on ourselves, our community and our planet. Every winter for the past few years we’ve taken on a Slow Living Challenge together as a community to bring these ideas into action little by little, day by day, week by week.This year, we’re excited to offer this free challenge for four weeks, kicking off Monday, January 31st. Each week you will receive a downloadable calendar in your email inbox that includes daily prompts centered around a theme. We’ll be able to share our experiences together in community, with all of us walking alongside you, through #slowlivingchallenge on Instagram or within our private online membership, The ALMANAC. If you’re not yet a member, participation in the challenge gets you a free trial in this community! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy