The Good Dirt: Sustainability Explained

This is a free preview of the full paid episode described below. To hear more, visit https://ladyfarmer.substack.com/t/seasonal-livingWelcome March and welcome spring! Even with the unpredictable and sometimes extreme weather, we can see life returning to the landscape. In this episode, we will hear the story of Demeter and Persephone, the ancient Greek myth that explains why we have four seasons. We'll also explore the cultural significance of St. Patrick's Day and consider the deeper impact of its origins. Planting begins this month for many, so we'll discuss the moon calendar for getting the growing season off to a good start. We'll learn how the tradition of Hot Cross Buns blends both pre-Christian and Easter traditions, and how the return of the spring peepers brings joy and hope in a time of eco-anxiety.Takeaways March is a month of anticipation for spring, with its unpredictable weather and the return of life. Cultural narratives and traditions can shape our relationship with the earth and impact our collective responsibility. Climate change is affecting gardening practices, with earlier seasons and the need for adaptation. The unity of pre-Christian traditions and Easter can be celebrated through the tradition of Hot Cross Buns. The return of the spring peepers brings hope in a time of environmental challenges. Resources Mentioned2023 Updated USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 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 have bodies that we carry with us throughout our entire lives, but how do we take care of ourselves as we get older? Educator, Business Mentor, Coach, and soon-to-be Physical Therapist Sharon Bailey is here to discuss how she approaches her body and her life as she ages, and her advice will apply in your 20s to your 90s. Here on International Women's Day, we are diving into Nature’s Rhythm of the female and menstruating body, and how we are each effected when we go into perimenopause and menopause. Sharon dives into her journey towards becoming a Physical Therapist, strength training, and coaching healers. She touches upon the challenges that healers often face in running their businesses, including frequent burnout and compassion fatigue. This is all about exploring the intersection of lifestyle habits, physical health, shifting hormones, and business sustainability — leaving you filled with joy and hope by the end.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· International Women’s Day· Getting Divorced· Changing Business Names· Moving to Grand Junction· The Transformation of Physical Fitness· Pursuing a Doctorate in Physical Therapy· Movement as Medicine· Strength Training’s Effect on Perimenopause/Menopause· Regenerative Business & Regenerative Business Practices· Coaching Healers· Centering Mental Health as a Business· Compassion Fatigue and Burnout in the Healthcare Industry· Hormonal Cycles and the Rhythm of Work· Allopathic Medicine· Remembering that We are the Earth· The Magic in the MundaneEpisode Resources:· Lady Farmer’s Guide to Slow Living by Mary E. Kingsley· Join Us on SubStack for Our Slow Living Challenge· Listen to The Good Dirt “Living in Rhythm: Women’s Well Being with Sharon Bailey”· Adam Grant· Natasha Oceane· Dr. Mary Claire Haver, MD, author of The New MenopauseConnect with Sharon Bailey:· Website: https://sharonbailey.co/· Instagram @sharonsharesjoy: https://www.instagram.com/sharonsharesjoy/━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 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 last saw Stephanie in Episode 110, “Designing the Life of Your Dream in a Consumer Culture with Stephanie O’Dea of The Slow Living Podcast” and it was an absolute hit with our listeners. Now a few years out of the pandemic, and dozens of episodes of the Slow Living with Stephanie O'Dea Podcast out, Stephanie comes back onto The Good Dirt to dive into how her definition of slow living has changed. She discusses the nostalgia her clients have felt for the slower pace of life during Covid-19 lockdowns and the difficulty of maintaining that slowness when life returns to normal. She also shares her take on the idea of manifestation contrasted against the desire for immediate gratification, and practical tips for achieving long-term goals. If you have been searching for a way to find personal contentment in your life, Stephanie’s advice will give you a starting place to view your aspirations in a completely new light.Topics Discussed· Welcoming March - AKA Emma’s Birthday Month. the spring equinox and Easter· Manifesting What One Wants in Life· SMART Goals· SLOW - Simply Look Only Within· Care Tasks vs. Chores· The Great Resignation & Finding Fulfillment Outside of Work· Maintaining a Lifestyle Balance· Preparing for the Future· Looking at the Length of a Lifetime· Taking Action & Making Consistent Moves Towards Goals· Mindset & Outcomes· Societal Expectations on Success & Hustling· Consumerism· Focusing on Liking How Your Life Feels· Decluttering, both Mentally and Physically· Intentional Goal Setting· How Life & Individual Goals have Evolved Since the PandemicEpisode Resources:· Join Us on SubStack for Our Slow Living Challenge· Listen to The Good Dirt “Designing the Life of Your Dream in a Consumer Culture with Stephanie O’Dea of The Slow Living Podcast”· Listen to the Slow Living Podcast “Manifestation vs. Magical Thinking”· Watch The Secret· Read How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by KC DavisConnect with Stephanie O’Dea:· Website, stephanieodea.com· Podcast - Slow Living with Stephanie O'Dea· Slow Living with Stephanie O'Dea - Apple Podcasts· Stephanie's Books· On Instagram @stephanieodea━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 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.

Stanley Cups. We’ve all heard of it at this point. It’s impossible not to. When cars explode and ice remains and Target shelves are empty, it’s crowds seeking the latest edition of this product that was hyped on social media. But what does all of that hype get us? More and more products in production, leading to more waste. mary and Emma sit down to discuss the Stanley Quencher cup phenomenon and how it relates to slow living. They touch on how the cup is a status symbol more than it being associated with sustainability, how buying one also buys into 'perceived luxury', and the effect of a product going viral.Topics Discussed· Consumer Issues with Slow Living· The Stanley Cup· Status Symbol Materialism· Perceived Luxury· When Plastic Water Bottles Became Big· The Impact of Consumerism and Culture on the Stanley Quencher Cup Trend· Social Media & Overconsumption· The Culture of Scarcity· The History of Hydration· Role of Women in Driving Economy and Culture· Budgeting and Alternative Products· Making Conscious Choices When ConsumingEpisode Resources:· Listen to The Good Dirt “181. Mary & Emma Chat: What is Slow Living?”· Story of Stuff━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 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.

Where does our food come from, and what will happen when we have no farmers coming in to take over the legacy of the farmers of today? In this conversation with business executive, homesteader, and consultant Judith Horvath, Judith speaks extensively on the benefits of regenerative agriculture, her experience in agri-entrepreneurism, and her vision for the development of agrihoods — communities centered around functional farms that provide food for the community. Judith encourages a close connection to the food we consume, supporting local farming communities, and adopting sustainable and regenerative farming practices. Judith also highlights the significance of high-quality soil and efficient farming methods for successful results in small scale farming. She discusses her role as a mentor to aspiring farmers and helps develop plans for regenerative agricultural ventures and her vision for creating a resilient food supply chain through the small local farms.Topics Discussed· Slow Living Challenge & Daffodils· A Farmer’s Living Wage· The Agrihood Movement· Composting Waste· Growing Your Own Food and Knowing the Food Supply Chain· Convincing Local Grocery Stores to Provide Cast-off Produce· Challenges Faced in Obtaining Cast-off Produce from Grocery Stores· Benefits of Supporting Local Farms and Communities· The Need for Farmers to Engage in Ongoing Public Awareness Programs· Importance of Sustainable Farming Practices, Such as Interplanting and Companion Planting· The Value of Open-Pollinated and Heirloom Varieties of Vegetables· Encouraging the Acceptance of "Ugly" Produce· The Significance of No-Till and Low-Till Farming Practices· The Role of Composting and Waste Reduction in Sustainable Farming· Encouraging Youth and Individuals with Special Needs to Consider Farming as a Career· The Potential of Agrihoods and Eco-Communities in Promoting Sustainable Food Systems· The Need for Continued Documentation and Sharing of Experiences in Agrihood ProjectsEpisode Resources:· Join the Slow Living Challenge on Substack· Common Ground Film· Kiss the Ground· The FOOPConnect with Judith Farrell Horvath:· Website: https://www.fairhillfarm.com· Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judithhorvath/· Podcast: https://fairhillfarm.podbean.com━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 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 of The Good Dirt Podcast, Mary and Emma sit down for a deep dive as a duo into the concept of slow living and what their relationship is to it in 2024. We hear them discuss their philosophy and also the challenges they’ve faced in adopting a slow living mindset, and share how they’ve come to view it as a quest in life. They also answer some listener questions from Instagram, sharing their thoughts on slow living with full schedules, clutter, city living, cooking, and balancing lives as pet owners or parents. Strategies, tips and tricks are explored to overcome these barriers, highlighting the importance of mindfulness and appreciative living. You’ll leave this episode with a sense of how you can apply slow living to your everyday, but if you want an even more guided approach, become a part of the upcoming Slow Living Challenge taking place in March, where you will receive daily prompts and inspirations to help you live in the moment.Topics Discussed· Understanding Slow Living· Personal Experiences with Slow Living· The Impact of Life Phases on Slow Living· The Importance of Individual Experiences in Slow Living· The Role of Clutter in Slow Living· Defining Slow Living· The Evolution & Challenges of Slow Living· The Role of Nature in Slow Living· The Impact of Productivity on Slow Living· The Role of Mindfulness in Slow Living· The Importance of Balance in Slow Living· Clutter & Waste· The Role of Nature in Slow Living· The Impact of Anxiety on Slow Living· The Role of Food in Slow Living· The Impact of Takeout on Waste and Stress Levels· The Role of Conscious Consumption in Slow Living· Living Slowly in a Fast-Paced City· The Amazon Dilemma: Convenience vs. Sustainability· Pets, Slow Living and Sustainability· Introducing the 2024 Slow Living Challenge· The Joy of Libraries and Slow Living with Kids· Embracing Slow Living in Everyday LifeEpisode Resources:· Listen to The Good Dirt “Designing the Life of Your Dreams in a Consumer Culture with Stephanie O'Dea of The Slow Living Podcast”· The Libby App· Always Feeling Rushed? The Good Dirt Episode on Time with Mary & Emma━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 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.

Today's guest is Pamela Tanner Boll who is an artist, filmmaker, writer and activist. She is the Founder and CEO of Mystic Artists Film Productions, joining us to talk about her current project, a film called To Which We Belong which highlights farmers and ranchers leaving behind conventional agriculture and adopting regenerative practices that are improving the health of our soil and sea and saving our planet. Pamela shares with Emma and Mary the misconceptions regarding the climate impact of cattle and the untapped potential of ruminants in climate remediation, the importance of understanding the interconnectedness of every organism on earth, how we as individuals can reduce waste, and ways to foster community in order to better the planet.Join the Lady Farmer Slow Living Challenge!Topics Discussed· Valentine’s Day and Waste· Interconnectedness of Life· Connection to the Earth· Documentary Filmmaking· Cattle and Their Effect on Climate Change· Microbes, Fungi, and Bugs· The Effect of Our Actions on the Planet· Policy Changes· Power of Individuals· Sharing Stories of Sustainability· Creativity & The Power of Change· Individualistic Mindset· The Role of Love in Creating a Better World· Fixing Earth, not aiming for Mars· Embracing “Dirty” Aspects of Life· Supporting Non-profit Organizations· Gardens· The Business of Big Agro· Reversing Soil Erosion· Where Our Food Comes From· Seeing the Good· Being Mindful ConsumersEpisode Resources:· Join the Lady Farmer Slow Living Challenge!· Slow Living Through the Seasons January· Watch Allan Savory’s TED Talk “How to green the world's deserts and reverse climate change”· The Savory InstituteConnect with Pamela Boll:· Website: https://www.mysticartists.com/about· Instagram @pamelatannerb: https://www.instagram.com/pamelatannerb/· Born into Brothels: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388789/?ref_=nm_flmg_t_14_prd· IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2035066/· To Which We Belong: https://www.towhichwebelong.com/pamela_tanner_boll· Who Does She Think She Is: https://www.whodoesshethinksheis.net/pamela_tanner_boll━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 About Lady Farmer: Subscribe to The ALMANAC, a Lady Farmer Newsletter 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

Organic Farmer and herbalist Jane Hawley Stevens discovered the magic of natural remedies in her personal life before establishing Four Elements Organic Herbals and developing a complete herbal wellness line. Jane and her husband have a 130 acre farm where they have been certified organic since 1990, and take great care to cultivate their plants sustainably. In her new book “The Celestial Garden” Jane shares the wisdom of planting by the moon and by the zodiac, relying on the earth's natural rhythms for guidance not only in the garden but in so many aspects of life. She explains how the movement of the moon through the constellations of the zodiac provides a detailed calendar of optimal times for planting seeds, roots, and transplants, as well as for pruning, weeding, propagation, harvesting, and even starting new projects or taking a rest. In this conversation, we talk about the different methods and traditions of astrological gardening, the importance of listening to your inner guidance, grounding ourselves in the wisdom of elders and living in harmony with the moon and the Earth.Topics Discussed· Introduction and Weather Talk· Celebrating the Festival of Imbolc and St. Bridget· St. Bridget's Influence on Lady Farmer· Jane's Journey into Organic Farming and Herbalism· Horticulture & The Old Farmer’s Almanac· Traditional Medicines· The Story of Finding the Farm· Exploring Celestial Gardening· Planting by the Signs· The Rhythms of Gardening and Life· Comparing Different Systems of Celestial Gardening· Adapting to Changing Seasons and Climate· Winter Activities, Wreath Making, and Holiday Preparations· Embracing the Non-Gardening Months· Outdoor Winter Fun· The Impact of Marketing on Common Sense· The Importance of Trusting Inner Guidance· The Shifting Baseline Phenomenon· The Magic of Plants Choosing You· The Good Dirt and the Importance of Soil· Promoting Home Remedies and Reducing Plastic UsageEpisode Resources:· Listen to The Good Dirt “The History and Folklore of Brigid: Saint, Legend and Lady Farmer with Kathy Spaar”· Listen to Slow Living Through the Seasons· Read “The Celestial Garden: Growing Herbs, Vegetables, and Flowers in Sync with the Moon and Zodiac” by Jane Hawley Stevens· Old Farmer’s AlmanacConnect with Jane Hawley Stevens:· Website: https://fourelementsherbals.com· Instagram @fourelementsherbals: https://www.instagram.com/fourelementsherbals/━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 About Lady Farmer: Subscribe to The ALMANAC, a Lady Farmer Newsletter 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

Welcome to the cross-quarter between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, a time to celebrate the promise of spring through many cultural traditions. February 1st is the Feast of St Brigid and the Celtic Festival of Imbolc, which overlap with our Groundhog Day and Candlemas, each acknowledging the return of light and life that is beginning for all living things in this hemisphere. As for Gardening by the Signs this month, it's a perfect time for microgreens! Tune in to hear about this easy way to get a jump on growing your own food this season, plus an irresistible Valentine treat from the seasonal kitchen!Episode Resources• Some of the linked articles will only be available to current members of The ALMANAC. If you are not currently a member and are interested in subscribing, check out this page for more information.Chocolate Ganache Brownie Cakehttps://lady-farmer.com/blogs/news/6-low-waste-nutrient-dense-valentines-gift-ideasA Guide to Microgreenshttps://lady-farmer.com/blogs/news/a-guide-to-microgreensSupport this podcast and get your own downloadable planting by the moon calendar by becoming a member of The Good Dirt Supporters!🌻 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.🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:• Wendy Gray

Hustle culture and pressures to accomplish, achieve and produce can result in personal and widespread burnout. Mary and Emma sit down for a deep dive discussion around the idea of "radical rest" and what that might look like in practice. They touch on their personal experiences with rest, acknowledging the exhaustion and burnout many people experience, especially in the wake of a challenging winter season. Together they explore ways to incorporate more resting into daily life through examples of long walks, nourishing food, and intentional, rejuvenating activities. They acknowledge it's not solely about physical rest, but mental and spiritual rest as well. If you've been struggling with rest, this episode will leave you with practical tips to try to incorporate in your daily lives.Topics Discussed· The Importance of Rest· Reflecting on Personal Experiences· Understanding Radical Rest· The Intersection of Rest and Social Issues· The Impact of Culture on Rest· The Pressure of Productivity· The Importance of Slowing Down· Rest and Nature's Rhythms· Exploring the Nap Ministry and Rest as Resistance· The Intersection of Rest and Racial Equality· Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture· Understanding the 5 Different Types of Resters· Practicing Radical Rest· Burnout· The Effect of the Pandemic· Working from Home· Feeling Lazy or Unworthy of Rest· How Rest Helps GriefEpisode Resources:· Listen to The Good Dirt “Slow Living Through the Seasons: December”· Read Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey· The Nap Ministry· Read Rest Easy: Discover Calm and Abundance Through the Radical Power of Rest by Ximena Vengoechea· Read Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🌻 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.