Best GIY Podcasts (2025)

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S3 Ep27: Tom Keogh talks spuds, snacks and food security 1:07:23

5d ago1:07:23

1:07:23

Tom Keogh has a great story to tell. Their family has been farming the land for over three generations, supplying the fresh produce market with potatoes grown on the farm in North County Dublin. Faced with falling demand for fresh spuds, Tom took a bold step, he began making crisps by hand in a shed on the farm. That small experiment became Keogh’s…

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S5 - E11: Common Ties: Cooperation and Sustainability with Elizabeth McMullen and Garland Mason of Organic Valley, Pt. I 18:29

5d ago18:29

18:29

Public Relations Specialist Elizabeth McMullen and Sustainability Funding and Communications Specialist Garland Mason of Organic Valley Cooperative join Mary and Eric to share about the common ties that are essential to the farmer-owned cooperative. Cooperation and a strong commitment to the sustainability of small and mid-size family farms, local …

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S3 Ep26: Beyond Carbon Neutral: John Gilliland’s approach to Sustainable Farming 1:01:03

19d ago1:01:03

1:01:03

John Gilliland is on a mission to transform how we think about food, farming, and the environment. At Brook Hall Estate, his family’s historic farm in Derry, John began by trying to lower his farm’s energy bills, but his changes grew into a model for climate-friendly farming that’s now guiding policy in Northern Ireland and beyond. An award-winning…

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S5 - E10: Farmers Talking with Farmers with Anthony Beery of Beery Farms, Part II 16:53

19d ago16:53

16:53

Farmers talking with farmers is key to building soil health, encouraging innovation, and expanding peer-to-peer mentoring. Anthony Beery of Beery Farms and Cumberland Hay and Straw LLC shares his journey of learning, mentoring, and on-farm experimenting with Mary Sketch Bryant and Jeff Ishee. In the previous episode, Anthony talked about how he ben…

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S3 Ep25: From Surf to Turf, with Fergal Smith 49:11

1M ago49:11

49:11

Having spent over a decade as an international pro surfer, Fergal Smith made the life-changing decision to return home to the west of Ireland and follow in his father’s footsteps as an organic farmer. Starting with just half an acre of land, Fergal has slowly grown his innovative food business, Moy Hill Farm, into a 120-acre certified organic farm,…

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S5 - E9: Soil Health is Attainable with Anthony Beery of Beery Farms, Part I 16:16

1M ago16:16

16:16

Soil health is attainable. Anthony Beery of Beery Farms and Cumberland Hay and Straw LLC shares that message with Mary Sketch Bryant and Jeff Ishee based on his farming experience and journey. Anthony grew up in the Shenandoah Valley where he and his father Danny raised dairy cows and poultry. Anthony benefitted from his father's mentorship and enc…

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S5 - E8: Ins and Outs of Compost Tea with Nicky Schauder of Permaculture Gardens, Part II 18:40

2M ago18:40

18:40

In this episode, Nicky Schauder of Permaculture Gardens continues the conversation about permaculture and the ins and outs of compost tea with Mary Sketch Bryant, Marian Dalke, and Jeff Ishee. Nicky received two USDA-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Producer Grants to specifically research the benefits of compost tea and its ef…

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S3 Ep24: Farming in a conflict zone - Dr Ollie Moore’s journey through the West Bank 1:02:28

2M ago1:02:28

1:02:28

Dr Ollie Moore is an expert in the sociology of farming and food, and one of Ireland’s leading experts on food systems and champions of food justice. As a member of Talamh Beo, Ollie was invited by a farming development and advocacy organisation in Palestine to visit the West Bank and learn about what life is like for food producers in an area that…

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S3 Ep23: From Chef to Seed Saver: The Journey of Mitch McCullough 37:35

2M ago37:35

37:35

Mitch McCullough’s journey into the world of heirloom seeds and heritage vegetables is anything but ordinary. A former chef turned grower, Mitch explores the fascinating stories behind the plants we eat. His book, ‘The Seed Hunter: Discover the World's Most Unusual Heirloom Plants’, is more than a gardening guide - it’s a deep dive into rare and un…

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S5 - E7: Grow-It-Yourself (GIY) with Nicky Schauder of Permaculture Gardens, Part I 16:37

2M ago16:37

16:37

Nicky Schauder and her family started Permaculture Gardens to make permaculture and growing food accessible to everyone - especially families and children. Nicky shares her story and experience with learning, researching, and growing food with Mary Sketch Bryant, Marian Dalke, and Jeff Ishee. Nicky is constantly learning by experiment. Nicky is a t…

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S3 Ep22 - Exploring Ireland’s Culinary Past, with Mairtín Mac Con Iomaire 1:11:55

3M ago1:11:55

1:11:55

We talk a lot about the future of food on this podcast, but what about the past? Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire is on a mission to uncover and celebrate Ireland’s deep-rooted food history. From the earliest evidence of dairy farming over 5,000 years ago to trade networks that shaped our cuisine, he explores how food connects us to our past. An award-winni…

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S5 - E6: Education first and foremost with Nicole Shuman of Cornerstone Farm, Part II 18:04

3M ago18:04

18:04

Nicole Shuman is a community agriculturalist and educator at Cornerstone Farm at Fairfield Middle School in Henrico County, VA. Nicole shares that education is the first and foremost goal of Cornerstone Farm. As a functioning farm, students and the school community learn what and how food is grown, while also gaining hands-on knowledge and experien…

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S3 Ep21 - The power of organic fitness, with Colman Power 50:13

3M ago50:13

50:13

Colman Power’s mission is a simple one – to help people become happier and healthier through good food, regular movement, and spending time in nature. Having studied horticulture at third level, Coleman became a skilled organic grower and a personal trainer. He has combined his twin passions into a career as an educator and author, self-publishing …

1
S5 - E5: Hands-On Community Agriculture Work with Nicole Shuman of Cornerstone Farm, Part I 18:13

3M ago18:13

18:13

Context is foundational to authentic, experiential learning, and understanding how to build soil health within a landscape context. Hands-on educational activities and programs help students of all ages better understand the context and real-life application of learning objectives, principles, and practices. Nicole Shuman is a community agricultura…

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S3 Ep20: How small scale farming can make a big impact, with Kevin Wallace 1:08:26

3M ago1:08:26

1:08:26

Kevin Wallace had no farming background at all, yet he has become one of Ireland’s most successful small-scale producers, growing a range of produce including salad greens, summer crops and speciality products for hotels, restaurants and cafés. Kevin is passionate about soil health and microbial balance, implementing practices such as the ‘no-dig’ …

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S5 - E4: Cultivating Wellness from the Soil Up with Farmer Cee of Green Heffa Farms, Part II 18:23

3M ago18:23

18:23

Clarenda "Farmer Cee" Stanley of Green Heffa Farms is someone who does not take health and wellness for granted but actively seeks to catalyze and cultivate wellness from the soil up. Farmer Cee is the founding CEO and owner of Green Heffa Farms, a black woman-owned Certified B Corporation, wellness brand, and herb farm based in North Carolina. Far…

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S3 Ep19: Taking a zero tolerance approach to food waste, with Conor Spacey 1:21:19

4M ago1:21:19

1:21:19

When Conor Spacey was working in his first kitchen he was shocked at the amount of perfectly good food being thrown away. He convinced his boss to let him save it, cook it, and use it to feed all of his colleagues. It was a small change that made a big difference to the kitchen’s sustainability and its bottom line. Ever since, Conor has dedicated h…

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S5 - E3: Defying Obstacles, Bringing Voices to Sustainability with Farmer Cee of Green Heffa Farms, Part I 17:18

4M ago17:18

17:18

Defying obstacles, honoring the land, and giving voice to sustainability and business ethics requires commitment and dedication to a vision. Clarenda "Farmer Cee" Stanley is a visionary entrepreneur, farmer, herbalist, and advocate for ethical business and sustainable living. Known affectionately as "Farmer Cee," she is the founding CEO of Green He…

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S3 Ep18: Baking bread, building community with Ciara O hArtghaile 54:15

4M ago54:15

54:15

When Ciara O hArtghaile returned home to Co Antrim, after a year living in New Zealand, she and her husband had a clear mission: to build a community around love of good food, in their home town of Ballycastle. They started to bake high quality sourdough bread in the small domestic oven of their rented apartment, just three loaves at a time. Today,…

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S5 - E2: Understanding Context, Establishing Baselines with Rick Clark of Farm Green, Part II 19:08

4M ago19:08

19:08

Understanding context and establishing baselines are critical for developing systematic approaches to change for the right reasons. Rick Clark of Clark Land & Cattle and Farm Green Consulting is a fifth-generation farmer who farms 6,000 plus acres of certified organic crops in Warren County, Indiana. In addition to cash, oilseed, and cover crops, R…

1
S3 Ep17: Turning unused city spaces into thriving farms 55:36

5M ago55:36

55:36

Brian McCarthy founded innovative urban farming project Cork Rooftop Farm during the first covid lockdown in March 2020. Situated on a rooftop in Cork city centre, the farm started off as a personal project to grow fruit and vegetables. But Brian started to see the potential for something much bigger and, today, Cork Rooftop Farm is a thriving busi…

1
S5 - E1: Commitment and System Balance with Rick Clark of Farm Green, Part I 18:30

5M ago18:30

18:30

Building soil health and finding system balance requires commitment, fortitude, adaptability, and working with Mother Nature. Rick Clark of Clark Land & Cattle and Farm Green Consulting is a fifth-generation farmer in Warren County, Indiana. Rick farms corn, soybeans, wheat, milo, cover crops, small grains, and other oilseed crops using regenerativ…

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S4 - E26: A Regional Food System Perspective with Maureen and Mo of LEAP, Part II 19:14

6M ago19:14

19:14

Our conversation with Maureen McNamara Best and Maureen "Mo" McGonagle on regional food system development and networks continues this week with a specific focus on food as medicine. Maureen McNamara Best is the executive director of LEAP (Local Environmental Agriculture Project) and Maureen "Mo" McGonagle is the director of the Roanoke Foodshed Ne…

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S3 Ep16: From Plant to Plate, with Darryl Gadzekpo and Ella Phillips 59:58

6M ago59:58

59:58

Darryl Gadzekpo and Ella Phillips are on a mission to get kids growing, cooking, and eating more plant-powered food. Having previously worked in the arts, Darryl and Ella have brought all of that creativity into what they do today: growing interesting veg in their urban garden, running cookery workshops and pop-up dining experiences, and packing as…

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S4 - E25: A Regional Food System Perspective with Maureen and Mo of LEAP, Part I 18:21

6M ago18:21

18:21

What does a regional food system network look like? Maureen McNamara Best is the executive director of LEAP (Local Environmental Agriculture Project) and Maureen "Mo" McGonagle is the director of the Roanoke Foodshed Network. Maureen and Mo provide a perspective lens into food system relationships and community collaborations emerging and developin…

1
S3 Ep15: Getting to the core of apple growing in Ireland with Con Traas 59:03

6M ago59:03

59:03

Did you know that Ireland is very well-suited for growing apples, but despite that, we import over 95% of the apples we eat? Irish apples can sometimes be difficult to buy, but when you do find them, there’s a good chance they were grown by Con Traas. Con has 40,000 apple trees on ‘The Apple Farm’ in Co Tipperary and he sells the fruit directly fro…

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Episode 24 - 24: Flavor and Sustainability with Nate Sloan of Bloom Restaurant and Wine Bar, Part II 17:04

6M ago17:04

17:04

Nate Sloan, executive chef and owner of Bloom Restaurant and Wine Bar in Roanoke, Virginia shares with Jeff, Mary, and Eric how restaurants can be a conduit of flavor, sustainability, health, and food security. Nate grew up on his parents' farm in Franklin County, Virginia and these roots inspired his vision as a restaurateur and commitment to loca…

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S3 Ep14: 20 years of The Happy Pear 1:00:41

7M ago1:00:41

1:00:41

In 2004, David and Stephen Flynn, aka The Happy Pear, opened a small fruit and veg shop in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, with a dream of helping people eat more veg. Now, two decades later, The Happy Pear is one of the best-known and loved brands in Ireland, and has scaled into a highly successful business comprising over 80 products, online courses, be…

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Episode 24-23: From Soil to Ingredient to Plate with Nate Sloan of Bloom Restaurant and Wine Bar, Part I 17:42

7M ago17:42

17:42

In this episode, we journey from soil to plate with Nate Sloan, the visionary owner and executive chef of Bloom Restaurant and Wine Bar in Roanoke, Virginia. Nate speaks with Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt about his journey from his roots in farming in Franklin County, Virginia to being a restaurateur committed to farm-to-table …

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S3 Ep13: Charles Dowding - The ‘No-Dig’ Guru 1:05:37

7M ago1:05:37

1:05:37

So is it possible that digging your garden is a total waste of your time? According to our guest on this episode, it may be time to put down that shovel and spend those precious hours doing something way more productive. Charles Dowding is best known as the ‘No-Dig Guru. He trained as a horticulturalist and became very interested in the links betwe…

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Episode 24 - 22: Finding Your Agroecological Voice and Lens with Nicole Masters of Integrity Soils Part II 19:52

7M ago19:52

19:52

Are you interested in community collaboration and finding your agroecological voice and lens? Nicole Masters, founder of Integrity Soils and author of For the Love of Soil, discusses how an agroecological lens is used to view entire farm systems and value human dynamics with Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt. Nicole has a love and …

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S3 Ep12: How a passion for growing became a successful career 58:32

8M ago58:32

58:32

Lynsay Orton always had a passion for growing rare and exotic fruit and veg until unexpected family circumstances turned that passion into a very niche and successful business. Operating out of just six polytunnels on Ross Hazel Farm, Lynsay grows over 1500 plants exclusively for chefs that cook for some of the world’s biggest companies. On this ep…

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Episode 24 - 21: A Love and Fascination for the Soil with Nicole Masters of Integrity Soils Part I 18:48

8M ago18:48

18:48

How do we create a love and fascination for the soil to better fit into the landscape? Nicole Masters, founder of Integrity Soils and author of For the Love of Soil, shares with Jeff Ishee, Mary Sketch Bryant, and Eric Bendfeldt how central people are to agroecology. Nicole grew up in New Zealand and developed an early love and fascination with soi…

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S3 Ep11: Fighting for a Fairer Food System, with Pete Russell, Ooooby 55:08

8M ago55:08

55:08

Pete Russell was running a 12m dollar-a-year food company when, suddenly, he had a “road to Damascus” moment. Pete realised that he was a part of a broken food system that was loaded against small food producers, and he knew that he wanted to be part of the solution rather than the problem. So he launched Ooooby, a platform that connects small food…

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Episode 24 - 20: The Promise and Potential of Biochar with Dr. Wayne Teel of James Madison University Part II 16:41

8M ago16:41

16:41

Are you interested in improving the water and nutrient-holding capacity of your soil? Have you heard about biochar as a soil amendment? Dr. Wayne Teel of James Madison University has studied and researched biochar for more than 15 years. Wayne discusses the promise and potential of biochar with Mary Sketch Bryant and Jeff Ishee as a follow-up to th…

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S3 Ep10: The Power of Permaculture, with Perrine Hervé-Gruyer 55:48

9M ago55:48

55:48

When we work with, rather than against nature, great things can happen: soil is healthier, biodiversity richer, and crop yields higher. Perrine Hervé-Gruyer learned this first-hand when she and her husband created The Bec Hellouin farm in Normandy, France in 2006. Determined to work in harmony with nature, and with no previous farming experience, t…

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Episode 24 - 19: Reconnecting through Stories and Agroforestry with Dr. Wayne Teel of James Madison University Part I 17:20

9M ago17:20

17:20

We all could benefit from reconnecting to soil, land, trees, and where our food comes from and how food is produced. Dr. Wayne Teel is a professor of geography at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He shares with Mary Sketch Bryant and Jeff Ishee how he works with his students at JMU to connect them to a farmer or field experience …

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S3 Ep 9: Mark Diacono – from River Cottage to his own ‘climate change farm’ 1:02:25

9M ago1:02:25

1:02:25

Mark Diacono found his life’s purpose and direction through food and he has dedicated his life to growing, cooking and writing about it. Having been involved in the early days of River Cottage, Mark went on to pursue his dream of creating his own farm, turning two blank fields in southwest England into 17-acres of diverse fruit and veg plots, orcha…

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Episode 24 - 18: Volunteering and Getting Your Hands Dirty with Tim Ohlwiler of VCE Fauquier Part II 16:37

9M ago16:37

16:37

Do you like to volunteer, dig in the soil, and get your hands dirty? Planting and harvesting vegetables, experimenting with cover crops, and reducing tillage can be great fun as well. Virginia Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and the Fauquier Education Farm offer two tangible ways to volunteer, dig in the soil, get your hands dirty, …

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Episode 24 - 17: Horticultural Realities and Soil Health with Tim Ohlwiler of VCE Fauquier Part I 18:16

10M ago18:16

18:16

What are the realities for building soil health in orchards and vineyards? Tree fruit and grapes require different strategies for reducing competition from other woody perennials and weeds. Tension can exist between balancing crop needs and building soil health in orchards and vineyards. Tim Ohlwiler is an extension agent for horticulture with Virg…

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Episode 24 - 16: Managing Risks, Beginning a Movement with Robert Waring of Brandon Farms Part II 17:19

10M ago17:19

17:19

Farming and market gardening require continually learning and appropriately managing risks. Robert "Bob" Waring of Brandon Farms in Essex County, Virginia is a proponent of cover crops, soil health, and on-farm research. Bob states he sees the beginning of a movement, particularly as farmers learn from other farmers. He has embraced cover crops, an…

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S3 Ep8: Karen O’Donoghue – my lifelong journey to a Happy Tummy 1:09:07

10M ago1:09:07

1:09:07

Cork-born Karen O'Donoghue is a woman with a mission: to improve people's gut health through the bread she bakes at The Happy Tummy Co. in Westport, Co Mayo. Her baked goods are the culmination of a long and sometimes painful journey involving the loss of her mother to cancer, years spent suffering through poor mental and physical health, and ultim…

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Episode 24 - 15: Growing Fertilizer and Farm Profitability with Robert Waring of Brandon Farms Part I 17:30

11M ago17:30

17:30

The economics of farming are always tenuous and subject to many market and climatic forces. Robert "Bob" Waring of Brandon Farms of Dunnsville, Virginia describes himself as a return-on-investment (ROI) kind of guy. With the tenuous, volatile nature of farming, Bob is constantly evaluating Brandon Farms' cropping system as a whole and looking for s…

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S3 Ep7: Sally Barnes - Ireland’s ‘Wild Salmon Warrior’ 1:07:38

11M ago1:07:38

1:07:38

Sally Barnes is both a force of nature and a champion for it. One of Ireland’s most iconic artisan food producers, Sally runs the last smokehouse in Ireland that deals exclusively with Ireland’s diminishing stock of wild fish. Sally started out by smoking fish in a tea chest in the early 1980s as a way of preserving unexpected gluts, and in the yea…

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Episode 24 - 14: A Farmer's Approach to Artisanal Baking with Nicolas Melas of Mill Song Bakery Pt. II 18:05

11M ago18:05

18:05

To know where our food comes from, we are encouraged to know the farmer who grew our food. Nicolas "Nico" Melas of Mill Song Bakery approaches his craft as a farmer-miller-baker in the tradition of the artisans he apprenticed to in France. Nico emphasizes that you should know your local baker to fully understand and appreciate the quality of wheat …

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Episode 24 - 13: Artful, Healthy Grains and Bread with Nicolas Melas of Mill Song Bakery Pt. I 17:11

11M ago17:11

17:11

Nicolas "Nico" Melas of Mill Song Bakery is a thought leader within Virginia's regional food systems and a catalyst with the expanding Common Grain Alliance. Nico and his family, along with a growing network of farmers, millers, bakers, and food businesses in Virginia and the greater Mid-Atlantic Region, are working through artful farming, milling,…

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S3 Ep6: Caitlin Ruth, Fermenting Change 1:12:01

11M ago1:12:01

1:12:01

Get the jars, vinegar and flavourings at the ready because Caitlin Ruth is about to inspire you to start pickling and preserving everything you can get your hands on. Caitlin worked as a professional chef in many kitchens in many places, but her childhood love of pickling and fermenting always came with her. She has now captured all of her favourit…

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Episode 24 - Special: Soil Health and Music for Everyone with Ennis and Phil Carter of the FlipCharts Part II 17:08

12M ago17:08

17:08

Ennis and Phil Carter of Flip Charts and Social Impact Studios bring together their expertise in social sciences and education to amplify a simple message that soil health and music are for everyone. We can all "literally" dig soil health and music in a multitude of ways. In part II, Ennis and Phil explain how memories and stories help us find comm…

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Episode 24 - National Soil Health Day Special: Music, Culture, and Action with Ennis and Phil Carter of the FlipCharts Part I 19:16

12M ago19:16

19:16

In anticipation of National Soil Health Day, Ennis and Phil Carter of Flip Charts and Social Impact Studios composed a fun 4 The Soil song to celebrate and emphasize how we can all take action for the soil and planet. Ennis and Phil bring together more than forty years of life and creative work. Their collaboration and creativity integrate music, c…

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S3 Ep5: Why size doesn’t matter! Huw Richards & Sam Cooper 1:06:19

12M ago1:06:19

1:06:19

They say that size doesn’t matter, it’s what you do with it that counts. And when it comes to growing our own food, that’s certainly the case. Renowned gardener Huw Richards and highly accomplished chef Sam Cooper have spent the last two years working out how we can all grow as much fruit and veg as we can eat, on just a small plot of land. They sh…

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