The Good Dirt: Sustainability Explained

Latest Episodes:

Juneteenth: A History and Reflection on Emancipation with Tony Cohen (ENCORE) Jun 19, 2025

Show notes

This bonus episode originally aired on June 19th, 2021

We have a special bonus episode for you this week in celebration of our newest national holiday-- Juneteenth! Mary and Emma reunite with author, historian and farmer Tony Cohen for an exploration into the history of Juneteenth and the holiday’s complex folklore and origins. Tony takes us back in time to examine how this monumental declaration of freedom spread in a variety of ways depending on the geographic, economic and social landscape of the time.

Mary, Emma and Tony pause to reflect upon what freedom means and looks like in the modern era and why society continues to resist a hard look at injustice. Tony points to how altering behavior can feel like giving up our own freedoms and comforts and reminds us that the fair trade movement has deeply historic roots. He also reflects upon the transition from enslavement to the tenant farming system and points to how that system affects us still today. The trio grapples with some hard truths about freedom itself and acknowledges the work still left to be done.

Tony shares how he celebrates Juneteenth at Button Farm and rejoices in community as he reflects upon the precious ability to gather and take new found enthusiasm into the world.

Let’s get into the episode:

1:30 - Emma introduces this week’s special episode

3:00 - Tony Cohen on the history of Juneteenth

15:00 - The transition into freedom

20:00 - The shift to “waged” labor and the evolution of slavery

28:00 - Fair trade

31:00 - Local emancipation

41:00 - Celebrating Juneteenth

42:30 - The happenings at Button Farm

48:00 - Creating Community

Things Mentioned:

🌻 About Lady Farmer:

· Subscribe to The ALMANAC, a Lady Farmer Newsletter & Community

· Visit Our Website

The Lady Farmer Guide to Slow Living

· 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

Read less

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Encore: Curiosity, Creativity and Community with Eva Kosmas Flores Jun 13, 2025

Show notes

This episode was originally published on June 25th, 2021

This week, Mary and Emma have a wonderful conversation with photographer, chef, cookbook author, educator and entrepreneur turned homesteader, Eva Kosmas Flores. Eva shares her journey to the slow living lifestyle, led by an ancestral pull and deep familial ties that have guided her back to a connection with home, the garden, food, family and community. Always leading with curiosity, Eva talks about her new adventures as a homesteader and what she’s learning from the land.

Throughout the episode, Mary, Emma and Eva talk about the pursuit of the creative life and how to make it work, native species, permaculture gardening and the complexity of our forest ecosystems. They also discuss their sustainable home projects, creating beautiful and enduring interiors, and the complicated decisions involved in the process. Eva reminds us that real life is an intersection of all the things we love, and we have permission to pursue all the parts of ourselves.

1:25 - Mary and Emma catch up and talk berries!

5:00 - Eva Kosmas Flores

Let’s get into the episode:

6:20 - Eva introduces herself

15:50 - Finding and creating a homestead

21:00 - Forestry and restoring the soil

22:30 - The importance of native species

29:00 - Breaking ground

33:00 - A sustainable home

39:30 - Timeless, natural interiors

52:00 - Loving lots of things

57:30 - What does the Good Dirt mean to you?

Things Mentioned:

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

229. Discovering the Spiritual Wisdom of Trees with Leah Rampy and Beth Norcross Jun 06, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of The Good Dirt Podcast, we delve into the profound connections between spirituality, ecology, and our natural world with Leah Rampy and Beth Norcross, co-authors of 'Discovering the Spiritual Wisdom of Trees.' The discussion explores how trees can teach us about relationships, gratitude, reciprocity, and resilience. The authors share personal experiences and practices for deepening our connection to nature and discuss the importance of understanding and preserving our natural ecosystems. They also touch on the environmental and emotional impacts of deforestation, the significance of native versus invasive species, and how small personal actions can contribute to ecological and spiritual wellbeing. The episode invites listeners to slow down, observe, and embrace a deeper harmony with the natural world.

00:00 Introduction to the Hidden World Beneath Our Feet

00:31 Welcoming June and Embracing Slow Living

02:49 Introducing Leah Rampy and Beth Norcross

04:17 Beth Norcross: From Politics to Spiritual Ecology

06:10 Leah Rampy: A Journey of Ecology and Spirituality

07:04 The Spiritual Wisdom of Trees Course and Book

11:58 The Importance of Connection and Kinship with Nature

19:20 Language and Reciprocity in Our Relationship with Nature

38:53 Introduction to Personal Reflections

39:52 Shifting Perspectives on Invasive Species

47:31 The Complexity of Tree Replacement

51:20 Understanding Tree Sentience

54:48 The Concept of Teacher Trees

58:50 Reflections on Slow Living

01:03:45 The Importance of Good Dirt

01:09:07 Final Thoughts and Hope for the Future

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

🌻 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 Lady Farmer.

The Good Dirt podcast is proudly part of the Connectd Podcasts network.

🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:

• Wendy Gray

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Encore: Seeking Sustainability in Life, Work and Flowers with Bex Partridge of Botanical Tales May 30, 2025

Show notes

This episode was originally published on June 2, 2022

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.

Topics Covered:

Planting by the Moon
The Winding Road of the Lady Farmer Lifestyle
Floral Artistry and Dried Flowers
The Benefits of Local Flowers
Floral Design and the Wedding Industry
World Events as Catalysts for Paradigm Shifts
Rethinking Slow Living as “Full Living”
Our Interconnectedness with Nature

Resources Mentioned:

Bex’s First Book: Everlastings
Bex’s Upcoming Book (Available for Pre-Order): Flowers Forever
Wilding by Isabella Tree

Guest Info:

Follow Us:

Original music by John Kingsley @jkingsley1026

Statements 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.

Read less

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

228. Adventures of a Bad Naturalist with Paula Whyman May 23, 2025

Show notes

This episode delves into the journey of Paula Whyman, author of Bad Naturalist: One Woman's Ecological Education on a Wild Virginia Mountaintop. Paula discusses her transformation from a nature enthusiast to a dedicated ecological restorer. The conversation touches on the diverse challenges and rewarding experiences of managing invasive species, the necessity of well-considered ecological interventions, and the intricate balance required to support native plants and wildlife. Through her personal anecdotes and expert insights, Paula illustrates the importance of connecting with nature right where you are and the impact of slow, deliberate efforts in ecological restoration.

00:00 Discovering Nature Close to Home

01:30 Traveling with a Baby: Tips and Experiences

04:19 Gardening Adventures and Native Landscaping

05:29 The Irony of Mowing Less

07:54 Introducing Paula Wyman and Her Book

09:35 Paula Whyman's Journey to Becoming a 'Bad Naturalist'

10:34 Challenges and Rewards of Land Restoration

24:46 The Importance of Native Plants and Ecological Balance

33:55 Invasive Species Statistics

35:09 Tree of Heaven: A Persistent Problem

39:10 Spotted Lantern Fly Invasion

40:15 The Origin and Spread of Tree of Heaven

42:49 Autumn Olive: A Regrettable Introduction

45:45 Challenges with Multiflora Rose

48:20 The Importance of Native Plants

50:13 Creating Habitats for Declining Bird Species

52:07 The Concept of Slow Living

01:00:08 The Good Dirt: Restoring Soil Health

01:01:04 Ongoing Projects and Future Plans

01:03:06 Final Thoughts and Resources

Resources:

Paula Whyman's Website

Bad Naturalist

Wilding by Isabella Tree

Nature's Best Hope by Doug Tallamy

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

🌻 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 Lady Farmer.

The Good Dirt podcast is proudly part of the Connectd Podcasts network.

🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:

• Wendy Gray

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Encore: Attainable Sustainability the 80/20 Way with Stephanie Miller May 16, 2025

Show notes

This episode was originally published on May 6, 2022

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.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podchaser, Podtail, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Topics Covered:

The 80/20 Way - Perfection is not the answer
Sustainability in Food Choices
The greenwashing of “plant-based.”
Sustainable meat production vs standard industrial CAFO operations
The problem of food waste
Purge Plastic / Easy Alternatives
Recycle Right/ the problem of “Wish-Cycling”
The community-building aspect of cultivating a more sustainable lifestyle
Finding joy in sustainable living

Resources Mentioned:

Stephanie’s Book: Zero Waste Living the 80/20 Way
Ernest Hemingway in The Sun Also Rises

Connect with Stephanie Miller:

Zero Waste in DC
Instagram @zerowasteindc

Follow Lady Farmer:

Original music by John Kingsley, @jkingsley1026

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

227. Exploring Nature Based Land Care with Edwina von Gal May 09, 2025

Show notes

This episode delves into the evolving art of ecological gardening and landscaping with Edwina von Gal, founder of the Perfect Earth Project. Edwina shares her journey from traditional landscape design to championing nature-based solutions, recounting her 'aha' moment with chemical-free gardening. The conversation broadens to discuss the cultural shifts in gardening aesthetics and the move towards living lands. Key topics include challenges and strategies for managing meadows and various invasive plants without chemicals, and the importance of community and professional education in ecological landscaping. Edwina also highlights upcoming events and resources offered by the Perfect Earth Project to support ecological land care.

00:00 Introduction to Gardening Philosophy

01:36 Exciting Symposium on Invasive Plants at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture

02:36 Understanding Restorative Landscaping

06:14 Meet Edwina von Gal: Landscape Designer

09:07 The Evolution of Gardening Practices

13:05 Challenges and Realizations in Eco-Friendly Gardening

16:39 Rewilding and Partnering with Nature

29:25 Closing the Loop: Sustainable Gardening Practices

34:48 Sustainable Seaweed Harvesting

35:15 The Importance of Natural Leaf Decomposition

36:23 Understanding Land Succession

37:11 Maintaining Open Spaces

39:10 Managing Invasive Species

39:42 Effective Mugwort Control Techniques

42:39 Event Announcement: Managing Meadows Symposium

46:17 Perfect Earth Project Initiatives

50:58 The Therapeutic Value of Gardening

53:07 Embracing Slow Gardening

55:28 Cultural Expectations and Natural Gardens

59:01 The Future of Sustainable Landscaping

The Perfect Earth Project

Doug Tallamy

Nature’s Best Hope by Doug Tallamy

Discovering the Spiritual Wisdom of Trees by Beth Norcross and Leah Rampy

Wilding: Returning Nature to our Farm by Isabella Tree

We Are the Ark by Mary Reynolds

Bad Naturalist by Paula Whyman

Carbon: The Book of LIfe by Paul Hawken

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

🌻 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 Lady Farmer.

The Good Dirt podcast is proudly part of the Connectd Podcasts network.

🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:

• Wendy Gray

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Encore: The Slow Living Shift- From Striving to Savoring with Fiber Farmer Lisa Mitchell May 02, 2025

Show notes

This episode was originally aired on May 13th, 2022. Visit A Fiber Life for shop and updates!

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.

Topics Covered:

Seeking a different life
Guanacos and Guanaco Wool
Learning to Work with Natural Fibers
Working with Natural Dye
Embracing Beginner’s Mind
Creating as an Act of Love
Connecting with Reality Through Hand Work

Guest Info:

Lisa Mitchell's Website and Online Store/ A Fiber Life

Instagram: @afiberlife

Podcast

Our Website: ladyfarmer.com

@weareladyfarmer on Instagram

The Lady Farmer ALMANAC on Substack

Original music by John Kingsley @jkingsley1026

Read less

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

226 Fashion Revolution Week: A Conversation with Congresswoman Chellie Pingree Apr 25, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of The Good Dirt Podcast, Mary & Emma discuss Fashion Revolution Week and its significance, referencing the Rana Plaza disaster as a catalyst for the movement.

The episode features Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, who discusses the impact of fast fashion on the environment, her advocacy for slow fashion, and the creation of the Congressional Slow Fashion Caucus. Chellie delves into her personal journey from local government to Congress, highlighting her efforts in sustainable and organic farming. The conversation explores bipartisan efforts to address environmental issues, the importance of soil health, and Pingree’s ongoing initiatives to promote sustainable practices in fashion and agriculture.

00:00 Introduction to Fashion Waste

01:30 Welcome to the Good Dirt Podcast

01:35 Fashion Revolution Week

02:33 Lady Farmer's Journey

03:49 Introducing Shelly Pingree

06:40 Shelly Pingree’s Background

15:08 The Slow Fashion Movement

22:03 The Role of Congressional Caucuses

28:30 Bipartisanship in Sustainable Policies

34:05 Shelly Pingree’s Farm and Regenerative Practices

37:46 Closing Remarks and Contact Information

Foxfire

The Good Life by Helen and Scott Nearing

DC Climate Week-April 28th-May 2nd, 2025

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

🌻 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 Mary & Emma Kingsley

The Good Dirt podcast is proudly part of the Connectd Podcasts network.

🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:

• Wendy Gray

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Encore: The Role of Activism in the Fashion Revolution with Elizabeth Cline Apr 18, 2025

Show notes

This episode was originally published on April 23, 2021

For updates on Elizabeth Cline's advocacy and policy work since this episode was recorded, go to her website at www.elizabethclinebooks.com

Our guest this week is Elizabeth Cline, a New York-based author, journalist, and expert on consumer culture, fast fashion, sustainability and labor rights in the apparel industry. She is the author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, which was published in 2012, and which laid the foundation for the modern global ethical and sustainable fashion movement. Her most recent book, The Conscious Closet, published in 2019, describes how consumers can transform the apparel industry and change the world for the better by making more informed decisions about what they wear every day. In this episode, Elizabeth inspires slow fashion enthusiasts to move beyond the response of merely modifying their purchasing decisions, to come together with other individuals in the wider community to impact policy change through social activism. Elizabeth discusses campaigns such as Pay Up Fashion for direct relief for garment workers that have not been paid by American companies during the pandemic, and the Garment Workers Protection Act that will provide minimum wage for garment workers in California. Elizabeth encourages consumers to embrace their civic right in bringing the malpractices and inequities of the fashion industry to light, holding brands accountable for their unethical practices and therefore affecting real change in this broken system.

1:30 - It’s Fashion Revolution week!

10:00 - Elizabeth introduces herself

11:00 - Has there been much change in the last two decades in the fashion industry?

20:00 - Why are corporations not paying their factories?

28:00 - The problems in your own closet

38:00 - The PayUp Campaign

42:00 - What does The Good Dirt mean to you?

50:00 - How Farmers in West Texas inspired Elizabeth

Things Mentioned:

🌻 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

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Good Dirt: Sustainability Explained

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected