BATCH, A Bitter Southerner Podcast

In our second BATCH (5 episodes called "Earth Stories"), we're digging into fragile, precious, and sometimes surprising places across the South. In Episode 7, writer Jim Barger reads his piece "The Untold Story of Hibiscus Grandiflorus." Listen as Jim takes us deep into the interior forest of a barrier island, where he witnesses a grove of gigantic prehistoric flowers - flowers the world had thought lost.

Jim is an outspoken advocate for conservation and protecting the Georgia coast. His magical story and conversation with our host, Kyle Tibbs Jones, make for an entertaining episode. 

Original Story

The Untold Story of Hibiscus Grandiflorus

Credits

Hosted by Kyle Tibbs Jones

Produced by Ryan Engelberger

Engineered by Anthony Stubelek (who is a real treasure) and Thomas Sully Allen

Featuring original music by Curt Castle

Recorded at Tweed Recording and Chase Park Transduction in Athens GA, and Rockstudio in Brunswick, GA

Made possible by the support of the Southern Environmental Law Center

in Episode 6, "Okefenokee Heavy & Precious," Janisse Ray almost whispers her cautionary tale. Her voice is mesmerizing, her writing takes our breath away, and the message of her story sets our hearts on fire to save the swamp. Janisse is an acclaimed author and environmental activist whose first book, the memoir Ecology of a Cracker Childhood won the American Book Award. Since then, there have been many books and stories, some in The Bitter Southerner. We launched "Okefenokee Heavy & Precious" on our website this past week. Now, on our BATCH podcast, you can listen to Janisse read her inspiring words.

Original Story

Okefenokee, Heavy & Precious

Credits

Hosted by Kyle Tibbs Jones

Produced by Ryan Engelberger

Additional engineering by Thomas Sully Allen

Featuring original music by Curt Castle

Recorded at Tweed Recording and Standard Electric Recorders in Scottdale, GA

Made possible by the support of the Southern Environmental Law Center

In our new BATCH of episodes - "Earth Stories" - we've recorded some of our favorite contributors reading their stories about special and fragile places across the South. Listen to these wonderful writers read their powerful words and then talk with our host, Kyle Tibbs Jones.

We’re so excited to bring y’all our grand finale for this first BATCH: a conversation with writer and TV host Sheri Castle as she talks us through her piece, “The Seven Essential Southern Dishes.”

This is a good one y’all - it’s the Bitter Southerner’s second most read, discussed, shared and argued over story of all time. We’re talking about highly contentious stuff here. Sugar in cornbread. Cream cheese in poundcake.

Thank y’all so much for listening to this first BATCH of stories! We are so grateful for all of the feedback you’ve given us and time you’ve spent with us. We’re taking just a few weeks to get the next BACTH of stories together; we’ll be back soon!

Original Story

The Seven Essential Southern Dishes

Credits

Hosted by Kyle Tibbs Jones

Produced by Ryan Engelberger

Engineered by Kayla Dover, Thomas Sully Allen and James Phillips

Featuring original music by Curt Castle

Recorded at Tweed Recording and Chase Park Transduction in Athens, GA and at James Phillips’ studio in Old North Durham

This weekend, the Bitter Southerner is back with a real peach of an episode.

If you are listening for the first time, at BATCH, we have our favorites read some favorites. What we mean by that is that we dig around in our archives and record readings of the stories y'all love. In our first batch of episodes, we're sharing some of our most popular food stories.

In episode 4 of BATCH, James Beard Award winning author Shane Mitchell reads her piece on peaches; their beauty, what makes a good one, the people who grow them, the pageants(!) and the story of how they got here.

Welcome back to BATCH, y’all.

Original Stories

The Queen of Delicacies

Credits

Hosted by Kyle Tibbs Jones

Produced by Ryan Engelberger

Engineered by Thomas Sully Allen, Kayla Dover and Evan Kleinecke

Featuring original music by Curt Castle

Recorded at Tweed Recording and Chase Park Transduction in Athens, GA and 5th Street Studios in Austin, TX

This weekend, the Bitter Southerner is back with a real peach of an episode.

If you are listening for the first time, at BATCH, we have our favorites read some favorites. What we mean by that is that we dig around in our archives and record readings of the stories y'all love. In our first batch of episodes, we're sharing some of our most popular food stories.

In episode 4 of BATCH, James Beard Award winning author Shane Mitchell reads her piece on peaches; their beauty, what makes a good one, the people who grow them, the pageants(!) and the story of how they got here.

Welcome back to BATCH, y’all.

Original Stories

The Queen of Delicacies

Credits

Hosted by Kyle Tibbs Jones

Produced by Ryan Engelberger

Engineered by Thomas Sully Allen, Kayla Dover and Evan Kleinecke

Featuring original music by Curt Castle

Recorded at Tweed Recording and Chase Park Transduction in Athens, GA and 5th Street Studios in Austin, TX

This weekend, the Bitter Southerner is back with - can you believe it? - the third episode of BATCH!

If you are listening for the first time, at BATCH we have our favorites read some favorites. What we mean by that is that we dig around in our archives and record readings of the stories y'all love. In our first batch of episodes, we're sharing some of our popular food stories.

And in today's episode, we're actually sharing two stories: a tale of love and a tale of… well, also love, but with some hate mixed in too.

First, a story about a food that we sometimes disregard. For one reason or another, we can be unfair to beans. You'll see what I mean when writer Nikesha Elise Williams in Jacksonville, Florida reads her story “Beans and Rice: More than a Poor Man’s Meal”

Next, Kathleen Purvis reads a story about a food she just hates, and how family can get you into, and out of, sticky situations. “Lemon Meringue Pie: A Lesson In Love, Hate and Bravery.”

Welcome back to BATCH, y’all.

Original Stories

Lemon Meringue Pie: A Lesson in Love, Hate and Bravery

Beans and Rice: More than a “Poor Man’s” Meal

Credits

Hosted by Kyle Tibbs Jones

Produced by Ryan Engelberger

Engineered by Thomas Sully Allen, Kayla Dover and Daniel Clarkson

Featuring original music by Curt Castle

Recorded at Tweed Recording and Chase Park Transduction in Athens, GA; Studio Evolution Sound in Charlotte, NC; and at Nikesha Elise Williams’ home studio.

Take a road trip through the Mississippi Delta eating fried olive po'boys, pound cake, tacos and tamales, all served up --- at gas stations. That's right, if you grow up in the South, you know there's some good eating at service stations down two lane highways. From Lula to Leland to Alligator, Mississippi, in Episode 2 of BATCH, Kate Medley shows us how to truly get to know a community.

The Bitter Southerner returns to your ears, your mind, your heart… with the second episode of BATCH.

We’re digging into our archives to read and record batches of our favorite stories; the stories you all love. In BATCH #1, we’ll focus on food - how we make it, how we feel about it, and in episode #2, where we eat it. This weekend we’ll head to the Mississippi Delta with Kate Medley.

Coming this Sunday, listen to “Meat and Three & 10 Dollars Worth Of Regular” - Written and read by Kate Medley.

Welcome back to BATCH, y’all.

Credits

Hosted by Kyle Tibbs Jones

Produced by Ryan Engelberger

Engineered by Thomas Sully Allen and James Phillips

Featuring original music by Curt Castle

Recorded at Tweed Recording and James Phillips’ Studio in Old North Durham, North Carolina.

Finally, The Bitter Southerner returns to your ears, your mind, your heart… with BATCH.

Yep, we’re digging into our archives to read and record batches of our favorite stories; the stories you love.

In BATCH #1, we focus on food - how we make it, how we feel about it, and in episode #1, how a meal can change or sometimes save a life. Travel with us to Brewton, AL and a restaurant unlike any other, run by an incredible woman doing everything she can to make a difference.

Listen to “The Difference Between Happiness and Joy” - Written and read by Jennifer Kornegay.

Credits

Hosted by Kyle Tibbs Jones

Produced by Ryan Engelberger

Engineered by Kayla Dover and Kyle Gassiot

Featuring original music by Curt Castle

Recorded at Chase Park Transduction, Troy Public Radio and Tweed Recording