Herbalist, artist, and cookbook author Spencre McGowan tells us about her herbal allies and the ways that living in relationship with plants has shaped her slow living journey. After receiving informal training in cooking with herbs in Sweden and attending herb school in California, Spencre began exploring her own personal relationships to herbs through writing and creating zines, one of which became her first book (Blotto Botany, a guide to herbal infusions and cordials).Spencre is passionate about the accessibility of herbal medicine, and encourages listeners to get to know a few herbs personally, whether or not they have access to their own garden. She also advocates for the use of herbs within their cultural context. Her honesty about her slow living journey has gained her a large following on TikTok, where she works to share openly about the difficulties and joys of living closely with herbs and plants.

Marti Buckley captivates us as she portrays the rich culinary traditions of the Basque country of Spain, where slow living and seasonal eating are key ingredients to community life. Marti fell in love with Basque culture when she studied abroad in college, and has now lived in San Sebastian, Spain, for over ten years, where she has written two cookbooks about Basque cuisine. She hopes to give visibility to the little-known food, history, and culture of Basque country.Marti takes us on a journey through the way to eat in Basque country - from pintxos (similar to tapas) to dining societies, Basque traditions around eating provide inspiration and creativity to those of us looking for ways to slow down, eat closer to home, and delve deeply into community life.

Lizzie Horvitz started Finch, a browser extension that rates products on their environmental and social impact as you shop online, in order to empower customers to make informed, conscious choices as they consider the impact of what they buy. She is hopeful about the ways data and technology can address greenwashing and begin to shift our paradigm of unconscious over consumption.

Despite her life being as busy as ever, Bex Partridge tells us about the ways it feels full of better, more fulfilling things since she made the shift from a corporate job to working as a full-time flower farmer and floral designer. Bex is the founder of Botanical Tales, a dried flower installation business based in Devon, England, where she provides beautiful, low-waste floral designs to her community from her own garden. Since moving to Devon, her family has enjoyed being part of a close-knit community which supports local makers and growers. She encourages listeners to trust the process as they seek to pursue a more sustainable lifestyle, and to remember that we are not separate from nature - we all come from the good dirt.

In this bonus episode, Mary and Emma chat about greenwashing in food, fashion and cleaning products. What do we mean by greenwashing, and how does an informed consumer know when a so called "green" product is really better for the planet, or when they're being pulled in by marketing strategies that don't tell the whole story? Listen in and see what we have to say about it, and let us know what you think!

Mairin Wilson talks about the ways that Christy Dawn, a dress company based in Los Angeles, California, is transcending sustainability and seeking to create garments that regenerate land, businesses, and communities from the soil up. Rather than being satisfied with a net-neutral outcome when it comes to their agricultural, manufacturing, and employment practices, Christy Dawn is working towards a positive impact through innovative fundraising campaigns, regenerative farming methods, and high standards for transparency throughout the entire process of making clothes.As the Director of Regenerative Practices at Christy Dawn, Mairin has the privilege of visiting and working alongside farm and textile partners in India who are returning to traditional methods of farming, printing, and dyeing cotton cloth. She loves the way her job allows her to connect with the abundant life present in healthy soil, and is excited to continue working towards increasingly positive outcomes through regenerative practices.

April Gargiulo, founder of the skin-care company Vintner's Daughter, closes the loop between winemaking, soil health and sustainable skincare, as she tells the story of the slow beauty company she created to reflect her desire for quality, love for the earth, and production with an old-world mindset. April works from the foundation that fewer and better products are the remedy to a market built for overconsumption, and approaches skincare with the attitude of a winemaker: focusing on whole plants, active ingredients, quality sourcing, and soil health, resulting in a product made to an exacting standard of quality.

Fiber farmer Lisa Mitchell encourages listeners to embrace a beginner’s mindset and connect to the earth through handwork and making as she tells us the story of her major life shift, from striving for success as an art therapist in the suburbs, to slow living on a guanaco farm in the Pacific Northwest. Guanacos, the undomesticated ancestors of the alpaca, produce a unique and high-quality wool, but are often challenging to work with, and are not commonly farmed in the United States. In the absence of mentors and educational resources, Lisa and her husband set about spending significant time learning how to care for these special animals through experience, trial, and error, resulting in a fiber farm producing the highest quality wool on the market. Lisa seeks to “live with her hands” as she creates, and to practice making as an act of love - for the animals she lives alongside, for other people, and for the earth.

Learn about individual actions you can take to mitigate climate change and make sustainability attainable for everyone, with Stephanie Miller, author of Zero Waste Living the 80/20 Way and founder of Zero Waste in DC. Stephanie left her job as a climate change specialist for the World Bank in order to simplify her own life, confront the disconnect she felt between her life and her work, and to take personal steps toward sustainability. She now empowers others in her community to examine their waste practices and connect with local resources for low-waste living.Stephanie recognizes how paralyzing it can be to think about climate change, and encourages listeners to focus on what she calls the “magic three”: focus on food, ditching plastic, and recycling right, growing more confident and conscious with each choice. The joy and connection that result from low-waste living are paradigm shifting in themselves.

In this episode, Shannon Lohr, sustainable fashion expert and founder of Factory 45, discusses her own journey in apparel production and her subsequent launch of Factory 45 as an online business school for entrepreneurs launching ethical, sustainable fashion brands.

Challenge yourself to think a little deeper about what you buy with Rose and Doug Phillips of Conscious Clothing as they talk slow fashion, conscious consumption, staying authentic as business owners, and the “hearts and minds campaign,” encouraging consumers to delve into the impact of their purchasing power.

It’s #fashionrevolutionweek! We have a special bonus episode up for you today where we're chatting about our own personal stories regarding shopping, clothing, and the slow fashion journey. Tune in to listen to us chat about the ongoing fight against fast fashion, the beacon of hope that is slow living, and how to get in on the fashion revolution movement! Never miss an episode of The Good Dirt! Opt-in HERE to get a text from us whenever a new episode drops ✨ 🌿

What do heritage livestock breeds have to do with sustainable and regenerative farming practices? For Aliza Eliazarov, photography was the discipline that helped her to confront the disconnect she felt with her relationship to her food sources and the land, and opened the door to the importance of preserving heritage breeds and supporting the regenerative farms that are raising them. Join us as we talk with Aliza, author of “On the Farm” a photo book about heritage livestock breeds, about her stunning livestock portraiture, our shared love of animals, and the benefits of raising heritage and rare animal breeds in contrast with conventional farming practices.

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.

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.

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. 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!

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, Eliza found her calling and became single-mindedly obsessed with apples. Now she is an advocate for natural wildlife practices and indigeous systems and stresses the importance of eating in season and shying away from global commodities.

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 sustainable products that are fulfilling to both the makers and the recipients creating a beautiful and reciprocal relationship that honors all the women a part of the process.

Discover the power of the potluck as a community forum for the New Agrarian Revival, a movement cultivating connections that are deeply rooted in the land, local food, our health, and one another. Our guest today, Jason Fowler, is founder and organizer of Land and Table, an organization that sponsors a monthly potluck event to network with farmers and like-minded local food enthusiasts; offering a unique opportunity to gather for a shared meal in an evermore disconnected world.

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 profoundly honest and approachable.

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 Challenge 7:10 - The Spring Grow Your Own Food Intensive Let’s get into the interview! 8:40 - Tony introduces himself and The Menare Foundation 12:50 - Why start a nonprofit? 17:00 - Tony’s experience walking the route of The Underground Railroad 20:00 - Mary’s land and its connection to The Underground Railroad 27:00 - Tracking down your roots along The Underground Railroad 36:00 - Tony’s connection to the Harriet Tubman Museum 38:00 - How Tony got involved with Oprah Winfrey 49:00 - What is Button Farm? 57:00 - Tony’s work in relationship to Good Dirt Mentions: https://almanac.lady-farmer.com/plans/120369?bundle_token=d3b036682ef29046465cd91797244ddeandutm_source=manual (Slow Living Challenge) https://www.lady-farmer.com/upcoming-events/intensive-workshop/ (Grow Your Own Food Intensive Workshop) https://almanac.lady-farmer.com/plans/120369?bundle_token=d3b036682ef29046465cd91797244ddeandutm_source=manual (The ALMANAC) https://buttonfarm.org/ (Button Farm Living History Center) https://menare.org/ (The Menare Foundation) https://www.amazon.com/underground-railroad-Montgomery-County-Maryland/dp/0960109404 (The Underground railroad in Montgomery County, Maryland: A history and driving guide) https://chesapeaketourplanner.com/ (Chesapeake Tours) https://fibershed.org/affiliate/chesapeake-fibershed/ (The Chesapeake Fibershed) Beloved by Toni Morrison Mentioned in this episode: Join The ALMANAC Community https://the-good-dirt-sustainability.captivate.fm/almanac (ALMANAC TGD Discount)

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 incredibly positive effects an edible forest garden can have on a community.

Tune in today for a brief check-in and wrap up from Mary and 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 https://my.captivate.fm/www.ladyfarmer.com/slowlivingchallenge (HERE). Follow Us:https://lady-farmer.com/blogs/the-good-dirt-podcast (Our Website)@weareladyfarmer on https://www.instagram.com/thegooddirtph/ (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!

Join us for this conversation with author, mother, model and beauty entrepreneur Jesse Golden of The Golden Secrets, as she shares her story of creating a sustainable skincare product line, and her tools for creating self love and healing, all while living with chronic illness. Jesse has created a multifaceted career with integrity by embracing natural products, ancient folklore and a soulfully slow approach to beauty. From seed to skin, Jesse has fostered a brand around making conscious choices at every stage of her business and sees her products as a tool to cultivate rituals of self love and healing. With chronic illness as her greatest teacher, Jesse has learned to embrace her hardships and built a life and business full of light and inspiration.

Tune in today for a brief check-in from Mary & Emma on the progress of the Lady Farmer 2022 Slow Living Challenge, and to discuss this week's focus theme.