Working With and Learning From Nature
The Edible, Medicinal Thistle
Episode 24: Thistles! To many of us, they are those annoying, prickly plants that “bite.” Classified as a noxious weed in many areas, thistles are the topic of this podcast with Thistle admirer Katrina Blair, author of the book The Wild Wisdom of Weeds, 13…
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Marvelous Mallow
Episode 23: Katrina Blair, author of the Wild Wisdom of Weeds, shares the many medicinal, culinary, and cosmetic uses of Mallow. We focus on Malva neglecta, a common weed found around the world. In many places, Malva is known as an invasive species, so why not utilize…
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Durian: The Aromatic King of Fruits
Episode 22: Imagine leaving your regular life behind and traveling for a year in search of a ripening fruit. This is what Lindsay Gasik did and it changed her life. The fruit she was searching for is Durian. One of the largest tropical fruits, Durian…
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Relax and Calm With Lemon Balm
Episode 21: Lemon Balm, Melissa officinalis, is an easy to grow herb with many uses. To learn about Lemon Balm, I spoke with Kami McBride. Kami is an herbalist, herbal medicine instructor, and creator of the Living Awareness Institute. Kami has 27 years of…
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The Power of Pulses
Episode 20: Have you heard about Pulses? The edible seeds of legumes, Pulses are, in the words of my guest Dan Jason, a “simple, beautiful, nutritious, and versatile crop”. Easily grown without herbicides or pesticides, pulses are resilient, need little water, and increase soil…
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Paw Paw- The Forgotten Fruit
Episode 19: Have you ever eaten a paw paw? If you haven’t, you’ll probably want to, after hearing this interview with Andrew Moore, author of the book, Paw Paw In Search of America’s Forgotten Fruit. Paw Paws are North America’s largest, edible, native fruit. Growing wild…
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The Beautiful Rose
Episode 18: Our plant for this episode is the Rose. Roses are edible, medicinal, and therapeutic. To learn about this beautiful plant, I spoke with Linda Buzzell Saltzman, an Eco-Therapist and Rosarian who grows roses in and around her backyard food forest. Linda talks about…
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The Amazing Yeast: Tiny, Ubiquitous, and Invaluable
Episode 17: Our plant for this episode is not a plant. It’s yeast. Tiny in size, huge in utility, yeast is all around us. Found in the Ecuadorian Rainforests, the Arctic, and on our skin, this single-celled member of the Fungi Kingdom is part…
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Kalo (Taro)- An Important Hawaiian Plant
Episode 16: In this episode we talk about Kalo or Taro, Colocasia esculenta. To learn about this staple of the Hawaiian diet, we visit the Maui Nui Botanical Gardens located in Kahului on the island of Maui. At Maui Nui, we speak with Tamara Sherrill and John…
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The Magic of Mulberries
Episode 15: Loren Luyendyk has been working with Mulberry Trees for over 15 years. In this episode Loren talks about why more people should be growing this incredibly versatile plant. Did you know that Mulberry Trees can adapt to almost any soil type? That…
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The Winter Squash Fan Club
Episode 14: Are you a winter squash fan? If not, you may become one after hearing organic farmer and seedsman Justin Huhn talk about one of his favorite crops- Winter Squash or Cucurbita. In this episode, Justin gives us his tips on growing this beautiful and productive plant….
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Thistles- The Prickly Plant With An Important Job
Episode 13: Ecological Designer and Permaculture Instructor Larry Santoyo talks about thistles. More interesting than you might think, thistles play an important role in soil restoration. Larry tells us about the intrinsic characteristics of thistles, why the Earth calls them in, and what effect they…
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Chaya: The High Protein Greens You’ve Never Heard Of
Chaya (Cnidoscolus chayamansa) commonly called Tree Spinach is a very nutritious plant with high protein, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins. Reaching 3 meters (10 feet high) Chaya has maple-shaped leaves that are delicious steamed or cooked. Chaya is resistant to disease and pests, is highly productive,…
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Pineapple Guava- The Affable, Edible Plant
Episode 8: Feijoa, Acca sellowiana, popularly known as pineapple guava is an easy to grow shrub with beautiful edible flowers and fruit that tastes like the tropics. To learn more about this delicious temperate sub-tropical plant, I spoke with Mark Albert, an expert in all…
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