Conversation Mill

Many of us have a favorite coffee shop or cafe, we probably have our favorite drink and a spot we hope is open because it is our favorite place to sit. We build relationships over cups of coffee, close deals, and more; but we don't spend much time talking about how the coffee gets from the farm to our cup.

In this episode, Heather Brisson-Lutz shares her journey to coffee and her continued journey to bring Maui-grown coffees to prominence. Heather walks us through the roasting process and the process of creating the Origin cold brew that you can find in drink coolers on Maui and O'ahu.

Join us in conversation as we go to origin.

Buy a bag (or 4) of Origin Coffee.

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Interested in being a guest on the show? Contact Rebecca at [email protected]

New Hudson Inn is Michigan's oldest bar, established in 1831, and is much more than the town watering hole. Owner, Chris Stone, is striving to cultivate a place where everyone feels welcome, the staff is valued, and the community is served.

New Hudson Inn has a storied history that includes being a stagecoach stop, a hotel, part of the underground railroad, and a run as a rough-and-tumble biker bar. 

This premier episode of season 3, embodies the essence of what the Conversation Mill podcast was created for: to celebrate local small businesses and the impact they make on our local economies and communities. 

If you are planning a trip to Michigan, make sure you add a stop at New Hudson Inn for a drink and some BBQ! 

Visit New Hudson Inn

Amory Mowery MPH | CSAC | CRPA | CARC, Executive Director of Maui Recovery breaks down the mission of Maui Recovery and shares his own personal journey. "Amory believes in a person-centered, strengths-focused treatment model that meets clients exactly where they are while also providing the tools to help them get where they want to be."

Shame is poison, self-love can be hard to find when you are not proud of your past, but hope is alive and recovery is possible. As Amory reminds us at the end of this episode 'It does get better.'

Join us as we talk about recovery goals, which are more than abstinence. 

https://mauirecovery.com/

Charlotte (Char) O'Brien, Executive Director of Food Security Hawaii, has dedicated her efforts to finding practical, long term solutions to climate change. On this episode we discuss how bamboo can offer a variety of benefits not only to the environment but to creating affordable and sustainable home solutions.

Char explains what bamboo can do for soil and erosion around the world, and how it has the potential to support local home building by being a local, sustainable supply source.

This episode was recorded in one of the Bamboo Living homes built on Maui and Char explains the craftsmanship that goes into each home.

Listen in to learn how the solutions to be better stewards of the earth are out there waiting for us to take action.

Interested in a bamboo home? Visit Bamboo Living

Resources:

https://www.judithdschwartz.com/

Bamboo Slide Show

Whispering Winds Bamboo Farms

See images of the home we recorded in and watch additional content from this episode at conversationmill.substack.com. Become a member to receive all bonus episodes and support the mission of Conversation Mill.

Kamalani Kawa'a's life is a miracle, as you will hear in the introduction. She has taken the gift given by using her talent, passion and hard work to excel in Hula. 

In this episode Kamalani gives us insight into her passion for hula, not just what it means for her but what it means for Hawaiian culture. 

Hula is more than a dance, it is a people's history. Starting in the 1830's public performances of hula were banned, this could have caused the disappearance of hula, but like their language and cultural knowledge Kumus kept hula alive.

Join Kamalani and I in conversation and learn how hula shapes people on and off the stage. 

To watch highlights from previous Merrie Monarch's follow the links below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65FzFb0rVTw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5b90G4Jy90

Follow Kamalani on Instagram at: Kamalovely

Mele- Song

Kumu- Teacher

Ai Kahiko- Ancient style hula

Oli- Chant

Hālau- Hula School/Group

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Sparky's is a family affair, their Ohana is at the heart of everything they do and the food they serve. That sense of family is much wider though than just blood. Duke Sparks shares how the community is part of that Ohana that makes Sparky's successful. 

We talk about Hawaiian food staples, the challenges of inflation and food costs, and the importance of supporting your local community. If you are thinking of starting a food truck or restaurant, listen in, Duke shares his and his brother's journey from 50 plate lunches to 2 food trucks and a restaurant. 

If you are on Maui and haven't yet, come in and try some of your favorite foods with a modern twist and if you are planning a trip to Maui add Sparky's to your dining list. You won't want to miss it! 

Home | Sparky's Food Co (sparkysfoodco.com)

Join us in conversation. 

After an experience with an individual experiencing psychosis, I became interested in how our cities, and our communities address addiction, severe mental illness, and homelessness.  

This episode is the first in a series to come throughout the next several seasons. In this first episode on the topic of addiction and how it impacts our communities, I lay a foundation for future conversations with guests that specialize in treatment for addiction and mental health. 

Addiction touches all our lives, but with addiction, overdoses, and homelessness on the rise and creating open drug scenes in some of our larger cities; the time has come to start talking about real solutions and learning about what drives members of our families and community to addiction and what keeps them in the prison of addiction. 

Resources for this episode: 

Four Corners Natural Area

San Francisco Citizen Reporting

Wilmington, NC OD Increase

Obama Conversation on Opioid addiction

Trump on Opioid Crisis

Verywellmind

Article from the Psychiatric Times, Allen Frances and Mark Ruffalo

San Fransicko: Why Progressives Ruin... book by Michael Shellenberger (thriftbooks.com)

Josh Bogle is an adaptive surfer and clean ocean advocate. In 2012 his life was forever changed, but that radical change also brought him to surfing.

Josh's story is one of remarkable resilience after both legs were amputated below the knee, his left hand amputated and most of the fingers on his left hand; he transformed his life and is now sharing his story.

Accidents, addiction, illness, and a coma could not break Josh's spirit, though he has seen his share of dark days. In this episode, he shares the moments that radically redefined life for him.

His story is being told through the in-production documentary 'Finding True North'; to help complete this project an Indiegogo campaign has been established, to contribute and get Josh's inspiring story out to the masses click HERE.

Chieko Garland is a mother, a wife, a yoga teacher, a serial entrepreneur, and so much more. She is a builder of community, who understands the importance of giving to receive. You may recognize Chieko from Episode 5, Welzie's Whimsy, when she joined us in conversation with her husband. 

Her latest endeavor, Island Power Yoga, has created a community of teachers that provides a space where members can come as themselves and practice in a way that meets their individual needs, while still including them in community. 

Chieko has been teaching yoga in Hawaii since 2014 she is certified with trainings in Vinyasa, Pre & Post Natal, HIIT and Sculpt. Her style has strength and ashtanga influence while using creative flows in her vinyasa classes. Her classes combine strength and flexibility while focusing on breath.  

In this episode, Chieko gives insight into starting and operating your own business by sharing her stories of success and failure. We talk about the need for community and how she built the community she needed. 

Scott Fisher, PHD is the Director of ʻĀina Stewardship at Hawai'i Land Trust. Scott was born and raised on Maui and after serving in the Gulf War he studied and received a M.A. in Peace Studies, with a focus on Hawaiian Strategies for Peace and Reconciliation. Scott also has a graduate degree in ecological restoration. Scott also farms on his own ‘ulu farm in Waikapū and shares that this is his happy place.

In this conversation, Scott walks us through how the history of the Native Hawaiian people and their kilo (observation) of the natural world is the key to how we regain our connection to the ʻĀina (land).

Scott explains ahupua‘a and moku districts, when they were created, and how this concept if applied to today's world could help be the answer to some of our ecological harm.

If you are a conservationist, love history, or learning about native cultures this is the episode for you. Scott is a wealth of knowledge and his passion for his work radiates through his stories and sharing of Hawaiian proverbs.

To click HERE to learn more about and support Hawai'i Land Trust.