Last year, Phil Korman of CISA announced his retirement. And just recently, our friends at the organization have found someone to fill his shoes. We talk to the new director, Jennifer Core, to hear her connections to agriculture in western Mass. and beyond, and how her insights from her own farm help push the organisation’s mission further.

Our resident Word Nerd, Emily Brewster of Merriam-Webster, will have us salivating as we search for the origins of spit, spitting image, spit-take, and how clones are sorta connected to all three. Plus, how you can hang out with her in person this weekend!

And, we get our first-hand government rundown a day early as we speak with Rep. Jim McGovern about the nationwide protests this past weekend, the likelihood that his hunger-free future bill survives the rigors of both house and senate, tariff-aggedon 2025 and much more.

Oh plus, it's our 500th show. No biggie.