The Good Dirt: Sustainability Explained

In this conversation with best selling author and activist Paul Hawken, we discuss the reframing of our relationship with nature by moving away from the concept of "othering" ourselves, and more towards the integration of our interconnectedness. Paul speaks of the cultural disconnect, the role of language in shaping our perception of the environment, and how crucial it is to engage directly with the natural world. Hawken's vast experience, including starting the first natural food company (Erewhon) in the U.S. and working with Martin Luther King Jr., as well as his involvement in founding Regeneration and NEXUS, are all a result of a lifetime of pursuing solutions to our climate crisis. He shares how he views carbon and climate change through a lens of interconnectedness and flow rather than as isolated problems. He also talks about his upcoming book, 'Carbon, the Book of Life,' the significance of soil regeneration, societal shifts and the connection between joy and sustainability as well as the power of individual and community action in the face of environmental challenges.🌿 This episode is sponsored by Neptune’s Harvest Organic Fertilizer. Use code GOODDIRT at checkout for 5% off your order for products from the ocean to set your plants in motion 🌊Topics Discussed· Opening Reflections: Embracing Nature and Conversations on Disconnection· Insights from Paul Hawken: Bridging the Gap Between Humanity and Nature· Organic Food Pioneer· Finding Your Environmental Voice· Exploring the Language of Nature and Indigenous Wisdom· The Power of Language in Healing Our Relationship with the Planet· Redefining Success and the Essence of Soil· The Transformation of Soil and Agriculture· Ultra Processed Food· Soil's Organism and Its Impact on Plant Health· The Haber-Bosch Process· Exploring Soil Acoustics and Its Significance· The Power of Community and Individual Action· Reconnecting with Nature Outside of the Internet· Sensationalism in Media· Indigenous Voices & Decolonizing Our Perspectives· Innovative Solutions for a Sustainable Future· Joy and Sustainability· Carbon & The Myth of Carbon Neutral· Empowering Actions Through Nexus and Regeneration.orgEpisode Resources:· Listen to The Good Dirt Podcast “Reimagining Our Place in the Landscape: Eco-Spirituality and Rewilding with Mary DeJong”· Listen to The Good Dirt Podcast “The Urgent Need for Restorative Gardening with Mary Reynolds”· Read “Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation” by Paul Hawken· Read “Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming” by Paul Hawken· Read The Guardian’s Article “Vegetables are losing their nutrients. Can the decline be reversed?”· Read “Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn't Food” by Chris Van Tulleken· InventWoodConnect with Paul Hawken:· Website: https://paulhawken.com/· Climate One Website: https://www.climateone.org/people/paul-hawken· Project Regeneration Website: https://regeneration.org/about/paul-hawken· Instagram @paulhawken: https://www.instagram.com/paulhawken/· Paul’s Newsletter: https://regeneration.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ebb591cd0ef4ad186dcf2cd3f&id=8f12b90f3e· Nexus: https://regeneration.org/nexus━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 About Lady Farmer:· Subscribe to The ALMANAC, a Lady Farmer Newsletter & Community· Visit Our Website· Follow @weareladyfarmer on Instagram· Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail!Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you!Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production.🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:· Wendy Gray

We all know about Earth Day, but when and how did it begin, and how has it evolved over it's 54 year history? In this special Earth Day episode, we are interviewing Emily Walker who is the education coordinator at the nonprofit that started it all: EarthDay.org. We are diving into the significance of Earth Day, its 1970 origin, and its evolution over the years towards addressing contemporary environmental issues. Each year they chose a new focus, and the theme for this year's Earth Day is 'Planet vs. Plastics,' emphasizes the urgent need to decrease plastic production and usage. Emily explores how EarthDay.org's education drives aim to incorporate climate education into school systems worldwide, the challenges and successes of implementing such programs, and the organization's efforts to influence environmental policies at various levels. In this conversation, we talk about the importance of individual action, community involvement, and the need for systemic change to address environmental issues. Emily also talks about the hope she sees in the younger generation's enthusiasm for finding solutions to the environmental issues we are now facing.🌿 This episode is sponsored by Neptune’s Harvest Organic Fertilizer. Use code GOODDIRT at checkout for 5% off your order for products from the ocean to set your plants in motion 🌊Topics Discussed· Celebrating Earth Day: Origins and Impact· The Evolution of Environmental Awareness· From Litterbugs to Environmental Advocates· Earth Day's Mission: Combatting Plastic Pollution· Inside EarthDay.org: Its Missions Today· Emily Walker's Journey from Teacher to EarthDay.org Education Coordinator· The Expanding Role of Earth Day in Education and Policy· Current Initiatives and Future Plans for Earth Day· The Challenge of Eliminating Plastics· Reflecting on Past Environmental Efforts and the Path Forward· The Problem with Plastic Packaging· Slowing Down & Making Sustainable Choices· The Hidden Dangers of Plastics for Babies· Sustainable Clothing and Health Impacts· Demand for Sustainable Alternatives· The Role of Consumers and Institutions in Sustainability· The Importance of Policy Change and Education· Global Perspectives on Earth Day Initiatives· Inspiring Hope Through Youth Advocacy· Planet vs Plastics· Climate Education· Mindset Shift to Earth Day Every Day· Take Action Global Tag & Coding for Climate· Ending Plastic in Cafeteria Initiative· Taking a Moment to Reflect on Our Purchasing Choices· Consequences of ConvenienceEpisode Resources:· Baby vs Plastic - Earth Day Article· Hierarchy of Needs· Climate Ed 101 - Earth Day Article· Planet vs. PlasticsConnect with Emily Walker:· Website: https://www.earthday.org· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earthdaynetwork/· Earth Day Educators Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earthdayeducators/━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 About Lady Farmer:· Subscribe to The ALMANAC, a Lady Farmer Newsletter & Community· Visit Our Website· Follow @weareladyfarmer on Instagram· Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail!Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you!Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production.🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:· Wendy Gray

In Part 2 of the Slow Kitchen Bonus, Mary and Emma discuss ideas for simple, real food prep and their favorite kitchen equipment. They cover the process of making one whole chicken into several nutritious meals, using dried garbanzo beans for a variety of different dishes, and simple but delicious salad ideas. You'll also hear about the use of fermenting for kefir, sourdough and a variety of vegetables. Their go-to kitchen tools include the immersion blender, the Chemex drip coffee maker, a bamboo bread slicer and slow cookers. The goal is to demystify the slow food practices and gradually implement them into your daily life until those techniques are what you'll choose-- because they become the "convenience" foods.Bread Slicers: Emma's bread slicer Mary's bread slicer Vitaclay Cookers 🌻 About Lady Farmer: Our Website Follow @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Join The Lady Farmer ALMANAC Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail! Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you! Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production

How do you pursue your passions even as life throws you curveball after curveball? Los Angeles actor, Creator of One Broke Actress, owner of Fast Forward Productions, and Co-Owner of The Membership Sam Valentine comes on to share her story of learning to pivot to the next right thing for her in her career in her pursuit of her art. In this solo interview, Emma and Sam delve into their personal journeys, challenges, pivot points, and the nuances of leading a multi-hyphenate career in a rapidly evolving industry. Sam shares her experiences moving from the Midwest to Los Angeles, grappling with the realities of the acting business, learning to run her own ventures, and finding fulfillment beyond traditional career paths. They touch on embracing how success changes with age, avoiding burnout, and the complexities of social media's role in creative careers. Sam also shares her vision for a more inclusive and dynamic future in entertainment and beyond, and leaves us all feeling inspired to pursue our inner artist.🌿This episode is sponsored by Neptune’s Harvest Organic Fertilizer. Use code GOODDIRT at checkout for 5% off your order for products from the ocean to set your plants in motion 🌊Topics Discussed· Being a Multihyphenate· Moving from Small Midwestern Towns to a Big Urban City· Acting & Slow Living· Surviving Your Early 20’s· Art and Lived Life Experience· Defining Success· The Future of Fast Forward Productions· Giving Back with One Broke Actress· Mentoring in The Membership· The Fluidity of Dreams· Burnout in the Pursuit of Many Goals· Actor to Producer Pipeline· Nature, Jealousy, and Comparison· Relationship to Social Media· Creating Content of Service· Investing in the Good, not the ToxicEpisode Resources:· Read Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention--And How to Think Deeply Again by Johann Hari· Listen to One Broke Actress “Actor & TIkTok Star Drew Talbert on Advice for Actors on the Internet, Finding Success, and the SAG Influencer Contract”Connect with Sam Valentine:· Fast Forward Productions Website: https://fastforwardproduction.com· Fast Forward Productions Instagram @thewomenarespeaking https://www.instagram.com/thewomenarespeaking/· One Broke Actress Website: https://onebrokeactress.com· One Broke Actress YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLLnIi2v_7sxQIEzaHra4Ug/videos· One Broke Actress Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1R0Vcnx2XdBgbi73EWLtsK · One Broke Actress Instagram @onebrokeactress: https://www.instagram.com/onebrokeactress/ · Links: https://onebrokeactress.com/links· Sam’s Personal IG @samvalentine: https://www.instagram.com/samvalentine/· The Membership @themembership.co: https://www.instagram.com/themembership.co/━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 About Lady Farmer:· Subscribe to The ALMANAC, a Lady Farmer Newsletter & Community· Visit Our Website· Follow @weareladyfarmer on Instagram· Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail!Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you!Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production.🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:· Wendy Gray

This is a free preview of the full paid episode described below. To hear more, visit https://ladyfarmer.substack.com/t/seasonal-livingATTENTION GARDENERS! To get your safe, non GMO seeds, go to Pine Tree Garden Seeds at superseeds.com and use our promo code: GOODDIRT2024 for 20% off your entire seed order!In this PREVIEW, Mary discusses the arrival of spring and the human connection to nature. She highlights the disconnect between humans and the natural world, emphasizing the need to reclaim our cooperative place on the planet. Mary also explores the significance of Earth Day and the importance of environmental action.In the full episode, available here with a paid subscription, Mary discusses gardening by the signs of the moon in April and talks about embracing weeds as a way to reduce work and support biodiversity. She also explains why she is not partaking in a big garden center shopping haul this spring. The episode concludes with a recipe share and a reminder to live in harmony with the Earth.Takeaways We are nature and the same with all of the natural world. Earth Day is an important event that raises awareness and promotes environmental action. Gardening can be done in a low-waste manner, reducing plastic waste and promoting sustainability. Gardening by the signs can help optimize planting and harvesting times. Embracing weeds can support biodiversity and provide nutritious additions to meals. ChaptersPREVIEW Introduction to Spring and Human Connection to Nature The Disconnect Between Humans and the Natural World Earth Day and Environmental Action FULL EPISODE (available here) Gardening and the Low-Waste Garden Challenge Gardening by the Signs of the Moon in April Embracing Weeds Bringing violets into your kitchen with Violet Lemon Crisps ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 About Lady Farmer: Subscribe to The ALMANAC, a Lady Farmer Newsletter & Community Visit Our Website Follow @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail! Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you! Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production.🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:• Wendy Gray

In part two of this episode the conversation with Danielle Schwab, creator of Illuminate Food, continues. Danielle discusses the influential role of policy and larger institutions in forming the public's food choices, emphasizing the importance of transparency in supply chains to combat climate change's negative effects. She delves into the benefits and challenges of transitioning to plant-based diets and expresses her advocacy for beans as a sustainable food source instead. We explore consumer responsibility, the impact of food service choices on sustainability, and the complexities involved in shifting our cultural approach to certain foods. Danielle also shares her personal journey from corporate to creating content that sheds light on food system issues, and offers guidance on how to influence positive change in the food chain in our own kitchens.🌿 This episode is sponsored by Neptune's Harvest Organic Fertilizer. Use code GOODDIRT at checkout for 5% off your order for products from the ocean to set your plants in motion 🌊Topics Discussed· Polices and Optimism in Food Chain Change· Climate Beneficial Meat· Benefits and Challenges of Transitioning to Plant Based Meats· Monocultures· Supply Chain Transparency· Responsibility of Consumers in Educating Themselves· Sustainable Food Practices· Why We Should All Eat Beans· Diverse Food Sources· Overfarming & The Exploitation of Humans and Land· Societal Pressure to Eat or Avoid Certain Foods· What’s Going on with Soy & Soybeans· Responsible Ways to Eat Protein· Being Openminded with Food· Treating Cooking as a Pleasure over a Chore· Creating Content to Share FoodEpisode Resources:· Kiss the Ground· Primary Beans· Rancho Gordo Beans· Listen to The Good Dirt “Eating for the Future with Danielle Schwab of Illuminate Food Part 1”Connect with Danielle Schwab:· Website: https://illuminate-food.com· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/illuminate_food/· Links: https://linktr.ee/illuminatefood· Substack: https://illuminatefood.substack.com━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 About Lady Farmer:· Subscribe to The ALMANAC, a Lady Farmer Newsletter & Community· Visit Our Website· Follow @weareladyfarmer on Instagram· Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail!Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you!Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production.🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:· Wendy Gray

In this Episode, Danielle Schwab , founder of Illuminate Food discusses her journey from the corporate world to the food industry and her current work in the mushroom meat sector. She has dedicated her career to helping consumers understand our food system so as individuals making personal food decisions we can shift to a more sustainable way of feeding ourselves. In this discussion we explore the complexities of global supply chains and the need for more depth in consumer discussion and understanding. Danielle highlights the importance of individual choices in driving change and the challenges of convincing consumers to try unfamiliar foods, difficulties in innovating the food system, and the tendency to embrace simplistic solutions to the problem of ensuring our food supply for the future.This Episode is Sponsored by Pinetree Garden Seeds!Order their seeds today from superseeds.com and use our promo code: GOODDIRT2024 for 20% off your entire order!Topics Discussed· Spring Cleaning· Mushroom Meat: What It Is & Its Benefits· Foraging & Global Food Systems· Journey from the Corporate World to Food Industry· Starting a Farm Box Business· Structure & Operation of the Farm Box vs. CSAs· Accessing Local, Sustainable Food· Global Food Supply Chains· Viral Content, Awareness, and Social Media Trends· Writing About Food· The Soybean Industry· Innovating Our Food Systems· How We Make Our Food Choices· Commodity Crops· How Policy and Institutions Shape Our Food Choices· Challenges in Local & Commodity Scale Production· The Struggle with Getting Good Quality Food· Being a FlexitarianEpisode Resources:· Illuminate Good Article “Does Being Resourceful Lead to Destruction?”Connect with Danielle Schwab:· Website: https://illuminate-food.com· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/illuminate_food/· Links: https://linktr.ee/illuminatefood· Substack: https://illuminatefood.substack.com━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 About Lady Farmer:· Subscribe to The ALMANAC, a Lady Farmer Newsletter & Community· Visit Our Website· Follow @weareladyfarmer on Instagram· Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail!Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you!Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production.🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:· Wendy Gray

In the first of this two-part series on how to achieve a slow and sustainable kitchen, Mary and Emma discuss their own experiences with sustainable food sourcing, including tips for how to find local food and how to shop more sustainably in the grocery store when local food is less available. They also talk about packaging considerations as a guide for sustainable food shopping, and some unique ideas for low waste kitchen storage. More to come in Part 2!Topics Discussed There are many things to discuss on the topic of the slow kitchen Start with local food when possible Tips for food sourcing when local food is less available Shopping tips Packaging and lower waste considerations Sustainable kitchen storage--mason jars and more! Links Find your local food sources HERE For sustainable and slow food shopping--Eating on the Wild Side/ The Missing Link to Optimum Health by Jo Robinson 🌻 About Lady Farmer: Our Website Follow @weareladyfarmer on Instagram Join The Lady Farmer ALMANAC Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail! Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you! Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production.

In this episode we welcome back Dave and Nicky Schauder to The Good Dirt to reconnect and update our listeners on what’s been happening with their business project, Permaculture Gardens. We talked to them almost four years ago now, in June of 2020, early in lockdown when the buzz about growing your own food was really getting ramped up. Nicky and Dave started Permaculture Gardens to make permaculture and growing food accessible to everyone - especially families! They specialize in education for backyard vegetable gardens, small-space permaculture and indoor gardening solutions. For several years, they grew hundreds of pounds of their own food for themselves and their six children on a small suburban townhouse lot. In this conversation we'll hear about their new location and the innovative new gardening app, Sage, designed to simplify and streamline sustainable gardening practices. Tune in to Dave and Nicky for inspiration on growing your own food, even with limited time and space.This Episode is Sponsored by Pinetree Garden Seeds!Order their seeds today from superseeds.com and use our promo code: GOODDIRT2024 for 20% off your entire order!Topics Discussed· A Peak Behind the Scenes: Google Drive Problems· Slow Living Challenge Takeaways· The Permaculture Principle of 'The Problem is the Solution'· Evolution of Permaculture Gardens.· The backstory of the Schauders' journey into permaculture f· Children's health challenges and their commitment to organic food.· The Launch & Impact of Afterschool Permaculture Programs· Starting a Personal garden· Their Approach to permaculture education.· Transition to a larger space for both their family and permaculture projects· The development and features of the new app SAGE· Community Engagement, Education, and their Observation of Climate Changes on Gardening Choices.· Balancing Raising Kids and Permaculture· The Kickstarter for their SAGE· Fences as a Living Basket· Harvesting Your Own Food· Native vs. Nonnative Plants· Favorite Things to Grow Including: Bananas, PawPaws, Blackberries, Perennials, and more· “Lazy Gardening”· The Gradual Evolution of Your GardenEpisode Resources:· How to Grow More Vegetables book· SAGE: https://www.permaculturegardens.org/sage· GIY: https://www.permaculturegardens.org/giy· Listen to Nicky and Dave’s First Episode “Grow Your Own Food in 15 Minutes”Connect with Nicky & Dave Schauder:· Website: **https://permaculturegardens.org/**· Instagram @permaculture_garden: https://www.instagram.com/permaculture_garden/· YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PermacultureGardens· Links: https://linktr.ee/permaculturegardens━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 About Lady Farmer:· Subscribe to The ALMANAC, a Lady Farmer Newsletter & Community· Visit Our Website· Follow @weareladyfarmer on Instagram· Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail!Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you!Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production.🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:· Wendy Gray

Spiritual Ecologist and Eco-Theologian Mary DeJong presents her perspective on how we can each reconnect with the sacred Earth through rewilding our inner selves. DeJong works with Waymarkers, guiding others through retreats and pilgrimages, with an emphasis on placing Earth first in each decision we make. In this conversation we explore Celtic tradition and the primacy of creation, how the language we use shifts the various hierarchical ladders in our society, and the way that different spiritualities have more in common than we think. We discuss themes of change, belonging, the importance of reimagining our understanding of divinity in relation to the earth, and the power of stories and language in shaping human experience and perception of the natural world.This Episode is Sponsored by Pinetree Garden Seeds!Order their seeds today from superseeds.com and use our promo code: GOODDIRT2024 for 20% off your entire order!Topics Discussed· Exploring Eco Spirituality· Impact of Rapid Development on Personal Beliefs· Exploring Indigenous Cultures and Traditions· The Importance of Reconnecting with Earth· Sacred Soil & Putting the Earth First· Rewilding Our Inner Selves· The Impact of Language on Our Perception of Nature· Land Restoration and Living in Harmony with the Seasons· The Origin of Our Disconnection from Nature· The Power of Local Action· Restoration and Reclamation of Urban Landscapes· The Transformation of a Landscape· Exploring Celtic Spiritual Traditions· The Celtic Imagination and Connection to the Divine· The Natural World and Spiritual Practice· Reading Wisdom in the Wild· The Impact of Language on Our Perception of Nature· Reimagining the Divine and the Role of Imagination· Seeing the Earth as God's Body· Our Heroic Journey, Mythology, and PilgrimageEpisode Resources:· Read “The Dance of the Dissident Daughter: A Woman's Journey from Christian Tradition to the Sacred Feminine” by Sue Monk Kidd· Read “ The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd· Listen to The Good Dirt “183. Manifesting the Life You Want with Stephanie O'Dea of the Slow Living Podcast”· Read “The Alphabet Versus the Goddess: The Conflict Between Word and Image” by Leonard Shlain· Read “Hagitude: Reimagining the Second Half of Life” by Sharon Blackie· Listen to The Lady Preacher Podcast “Rewilding Our Souls with Mary DeJong”Connect with Mary DeJong:· Website: https://www.waymarkers.net/aboutmary· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waymarkers/· WayMarkers Book: https://www.waymarkers.net/waymarkers-book· WayMarkers, Wild Winter - Your Seasonal Journey: https://waymarkers.teachable.com/p/wild-winter-your-seasonal-journey25% Discount on Wild Spring Online Course with coupon code: WILDLADYFARMER *coupon code does not apply to the monthly pricing plan. Learn more here: ***https://www.waymarkers.net/wild-spring━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 About Lady Farmer:· Subscribe to The ALMANAC, a Lady Farmer Newsletter & Community· Visit Our Website· Follow @weareladyfarmer on Instagram· Email us at thegooddirtpodcast@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail!Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you!Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production.🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:· Wendy Gray