Here's a little chat with none other than my Mum, artist Annie Herron. I wrote about her for in the current issue of Country Style magazine and thought you guys might like to hear her voice, her thoughts on creativity, gardens, Instagram and inspiration. 

Bonus episode - Interview with artist Annie Herron

My Open Kitchen is a podcast celebrating great stories from behind the farm gate, inspiring people, seasonal produce and the power of social media to help us all connect, collaborate and build communities.

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I think we all need more things to be cheerful about - especially this year. So, that’s what this podcast will deliver; each episode we’ll chat with inspiring and clever people to find out what five things they are doing, cooking, reading, listening to and watching that week that are making them feel cheerful! And for episode one, we kick off with the very lovely Skye McAlpine. Skye grew up in Venice and now divides her time between that insanely beautiful city and London. She’s a food writer and the author of two beautiful books, her latest A Table For Friends being very much in my remit - all about making entertaining easy and all dripping with her signature elegance and incredible style. Here are the five things that are making Skye feel more cheerful this week. For all the show notes, please visit www.local-lovely.com

5 Things to be Cheerful About

Hello and welcome to the Basket by the Door podcast! This will be a special five part series released under our My Open Kitchen moniker - a collection of stories and celebrations of baskets by doors and love and stories of how food can heal and nourish and calm and comfort. Episode one features interviews with the lovely lovely Tessa Kiros and Emiko Davies. Plus a little cameo by Gillian Bell who tells a story that will probably make you cry and smile and want to rush into the kitchen and bake something. And a visit from bibliotherapist  Germaine Leece who suggests some books to pop into our baskets for extra comfort. I hope you enjoy listening to these stories AND music. So - the music in this podcast (except for the very first song I Like Pie I Like Cake, by the Four Clefs ) is by local duo, sisters Sophie and Abby from Smith and Jones. Their soulful mix of country, folk and jazz is nourishment for the ears and excellent cooking music! Please go over and check them out, have a listen and whenever you can - go and see them play live! Emiko Davies;   Here's the link to the banana bread from Trotski and Ash which Emiko mentioned.  Germaine Leece Bibliotherapist Germaine Leece offered up these book suggestions for books to nourish and comfort while we adjust to change  For a friend recovering from heartbreak - Tin Man by Sarah Winman; a poetic tale about first love, friendship and love, a book that celebrates the flip side of having loved. For a friend recovering from an illness or convalescing - when you want to remind your loved one that through the worst can come growth and resilience,  Maggie O Farrell’s memoir I am I am I am (17 brushes with death) a book filled with hope and wonder. And for new mums or anyone who needs to let the body rest while our mind is taken away to a different place -  Elizabeth Jane Howard's The Light Years     

A Basket by the Door ep 1 (a special series of My Open Kitchen!)

Hello and welcome to part two of our three part Gathering series! This one is a live recording of the second panel from this event, held in Orange back in May. The theme was Community, Collaboration and building connections and our panel was moderated by Barbara Sweeney. Barbara Sweeney - ModeratorLuisa BrimbleSara TaskerAnnabelle Hickson Creator of the wonderful Food and Words festival and events/talks series, Barbara is a food writer and contributor to Country Style magazine. A woman of many talents, she also writes about food, farmers and artisan producers, is a judge at The National Honey Show and is also a talking cookbook.  Sara Tasker of Me and Orla; In her own words, Sara “ 40% photographer, 40% writer, 30% creative coach and 10% cake.” Instagram expert and creative coach, Sara has come all the way from Yorkshire, England today and has much to share. Her podcast Hashtag Authentic, blog Me and Orla, Instagram account and e-courses are hugely popular, she is endlessly generous with her knowledge and experience and again in her own words, she is “passionate about helping other women and creatives find their online voice, because I know first-hand all of the huge and brilliant changes it can bring.” Annabelle Hickson; Annabelle is a writer, photographer, stylist, podcaster and columnist for Country Style magazine. Her clean, bright social media feed has resonated with over 60k followers who come back for the flowers, stories and snippets of life she shares in such a beautiful way. With her partner and three kids, Annabelle lives on a pecan farm in Australia.  Luisa Brimble; Luisa is a photographer, publisher and queen of collaborations and one of the most generous and talented creatives in this country.  Luisa brings life to the ideas of dreamers and doers through fresh, natural photography and her documentary-style of shooting gives her subjects soul and captures beauty in the everyday. Luisa has worked with some of the world’s biggest publishing houses and her photos bring to life some of our favourite books from Community and Neighbourhood by Hetty McKinnon, to  Real Food by Australian Women’s Weekly and her passion project  WILD Adventure Cookbook (with Sarah Glover).

Gathering recordings, episode two (of three)

It is with GREAT excitement that we finally pressed publish today on the first of a three-part podcast series featuring all the panel discussions we recorded from the My Open Kitchen Gathering held at the Old Conventhere in Orange in May 2018. Having just re-listened to all of them, I was reminded of all the incredible insight, inspiration, generosity and friendship shared and had over this day. Hope you enjoy these chats - each episode is around 1 hour each, so perfect for car trips, long walks, gardening or cooking sessions! Sophie x So here's panel one, panels two and three will be published next week and the week after. All images below by Pip Farquharson. How social media can help turn your passion into a business.  Penny Hanan from 1803 Artisan Deer Design- moderator Pip Brett, The Sonic (Jumbled and Igloo) Fiona Weir Walmsley, Buena Vista Farm Megan Trousdale from Odgers & McClelland Exchange Stores, Nundle 

Gathering recordings, episode 1 (of 3)

What inspires our favourite food podcaster Lindsay Cameron Wilson? What are the best podcasts, apps and pieces to read for peak social media and community building inspiration? It's all here in this episode of My Open Kitchen. We hope you like this one and thank you so much Lindsay for chatting with us, Sophie and Skye xxx Ps please check out our show notes for all the links and things we talked about. 

Bonus episode - Interview with artist Annie Herron

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