As summer draws near and the call of nature beckons, campers are looking for ways to elevate their outdoor dining experience beyond the standard fare of hot dogs and s’mores.

On this episode of Big Blend Radio, Linda Kissam "Food, Wine & Shopping Diva," talks with Robert Schueller about how Melissa’s World Variety Produce is changing the game with their innovative approach to upscale campsite cuisine. Melissa’s diverse selection of fresh produce and culinary inspiration is a beacon for outdoor enthusiasts seeking flavorful and nutritious meal ideas to fuel their escapades. 

Read Linda's article featuring 10 cuisine-inspired things to stock up on that go beyond hot dogs and s’mores, and check out some of Melissa's camping recipes, here: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/an-upscale-taste-of-adventure 

Travel writer Linda Kissam appears on Big Blend Radio every first Saturday. Follow her podcasts here:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzIUCV2e7qm1LoD5wiSJu4NM4KZxuJYoj 

Follow Diva Linda's adventures here: https://allingoodtaste.info/ 

This episode is also being shared and featured on Big Blend Radio's "Eat, Drink & Be Merry" channel and "Parks & Travel" Channel. Check out our network of podcasts: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/bigblendradionetwork 

In honor of Black History Month, we're revisiting this Big Blend Radio interview with Dana Dierkes, former Public Affairs Specialist for Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, who shares the history of Brigadier General Charles Young, Charles Young, who was appointed acting superintendent of Sequoia and General Grant national parks in 1903, becoming the first black superintendent of a national park.  Learn more about Charles Young and the Giant Sequoia Tree named in his honor, here: https://www.nps.gov/seki/learn/historyculture/young.htm 

From Alaska to Hawai'i and California, this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Lost Angel Travel Adventures with Linda Ballou" podcast focuses on the life of famous writer Jack London.

Linda's essay "Jack London and Me" is included in the 2024 San Francisco Writer’s Conference Anthology. In it she shares her deep connection to a man considered to be our nation’s greatest adventure writer. As Linda shares, "Our lives intersected in mysterious ways that leave me feeling a special connection with him." The anthology "How We Change" is available on Amazon in e-book and print format here: https://www.amazon.com/How-Change-Foundation-Conference-Anthologies/dp/1647150116/ 

Follow Linda Ballou's adventures at https://lostangeladventures.com/ and learn more about her books at http://www.lindaballouauthor.com/ 

This special live stream (Aired Feb 13, 2025) of Big Blend Radio’s ADVENTURES IN ASHEVILLE Show with Steve and Karen Wilson, owners of The Lion and The Rose Bed & Breakfast, focuses on the rebuilding of Asheville, North Carolina, post-Hurricane Helene, and the many experiences you can enjoy today as visitors to region. 

Big Blend Radio hosts Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith are currently in Asheville and during their stay at The Lion & The Rose B&B, took a driving tour of Downtown Asheville and the Riverside Arts District with Steve & Karen. There is still evidence of destruction from the hurricane however as you can see in the short video, the city is open with a strong and vibrant resiliency, and welcoming visitors with open arms. Video: https://youtu.be/XnXh3aEslZQ  

Traveling to Asheville directly helps support the local businesses and regional community, and there is so much to do from brewery hopping and rooftop cocktails to public art viewing and shopping, chasing waterfalls and hiking, and visiting some of the area’s iconic attractions like the Biltmore Estate, Pisgah National Forest, and the North Carolina Arboretum. The Lion & The Rose Bed & Breakfast is a stunning pink lady in the Montford Historic District. This charming lodging destination is back open and welcoming visitors.  More: https://www.lion-rose.com/ 

Plus, watch for drone photographer Jay Schulz’s “Rekindle the Love” video project that will showcase several of Asheville’s local business. It be featured on Feb 14 on his site, https://www.sidebysidedrone.com/ 

It's all about Parks, Plantations, and Gardens in Charleston, South Carolina, on this episode of Big Blend Radio's JO GOES EVERYWHERE! Podcast with travel writer and photographer Jo Clark. 

Hear all about Jo's adventures at Hampton Plantation State Historic Site, Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site, Magnolia Plantation, Middleton Place, and Hampton Park, plus, where to eat, sip, and stay. Check out her article about it all here: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/winter-in-charleston-south-carolina/ 

Jo Clark is a travel writer and photographer based on South Carolina’s Grand Strand. She has a thirst for knowledge, history, great food, and wine! Her Big Blend Radio podcast "Jo Goes Everywhere!" airs every 2nd Sunday at 7pm EST. Follow the show on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/yfkjm8sd 

This episode of Big Blend Radio's "Toast to The Arts & Parks" Show with the National Parks Arts Foundation features acclaimed illustrator Andrés Vera Martínez whose artistic focus is on illustrating and writing graphic novels for middle school and young adult readers. 

Andrés is best known for his work on his wife's graphic memoir, "LIttle White Duck: A Childhood in China," and Neal Shusterman’s YA graphic novel, "Courage to Dream: Tales of in the Holocaust." Watch for his middle grade graphic novel series with Jorge Aguirre, "Monster Locker" and the adaptation of "Esperanza Rising", plus, his illustrations in Marie Alohalani Brown’s "Hawaiian Myths, Gods, and Heroes." More at: https://www.andresvera.com/ 

Learn more about the National Parks Arts Foundation's unique artist residency programs in parks across the country at https://www.nationalparksartsfoundation.org/ 

It's all about the historic Petroglyphs of Pony Hills in remote Southwest New Mexico on this episode of Big Blend Radio's WORLD OF ART Podcast with artist Victoria Chick. Read Victoria's article about Pony Hills, here: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/petroglyphs-of-pony-hills/  

Along with a great discussion about the potential meanings and symbolism behind the petroglyphs, we also chat about the Southwest Regional Museum of Art & Art Center project that she has spearheaded in local Silver City. More here: https://www.southwest-art-museum.org/ 

Also see her stories and podcasts covering:

Victoria Chick is a contemporary figurative artist and early 19th/20th century print collector based in Silver City, New Mexico. Visit: https://victoriachick.com/ 

Victoria appears on Big Blend Radio every 3rd Saturday. Follow the podcast: https://worldofart-victoriachick.podbean.com/ 

This episode is also featured on Big Blend Radio's "Way Back When," "Toast to The Arts," and "Parks & Travel" Podcast Channels. Check out our network of shows: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/bigblendradionetwork 

From Yellowstone and Bryce to Death Valley and the Grand Canyon, this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Quiltripping Travel with Rose" Podcast with travel writer Rose Palmer focuses on the wonderful and different winter experiences you can in America's National Parks. Check out Rose's National Park Stories: https://quiltripping.com/category/travel/north-america/usa/national-parks/ 

Follow Rose's adventures on her site: https://quiltripping.com/  

Follow Big Blend Radio's "Quiltripping Travel with Rose" Podcast here: https://quiltripping-travel.podbean.com/ 

This episode is also featured on Big Blend Radio's "Parks & Travel" and "Vacation Station" Channels. Check out our Big Blend Radio Network of podcasts here: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/bigblendradionetwork 

This episode of Big Blend Radio's 1st Friday "Toast to The Parks & Arts" Show features Tanya Ortega, photographer and founder of the National Parks Arts Foundation (NPAF).

Hear about the organization's unique month-long artist residencies in locations like Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida, and Hawai'i Volcano National Park. Plus, this year's opportunities for park destinations and artists of all genres to be part of their programming. 

NPAF is a non-profit offering unique Artist-in-Residence Programs, Museum In-Loan Programs, and Workshops inspired by our National Parks, National Monuments, and World Heritage Sites. NPAF has supported over 300 programs, over 120 artists, and been the conduit for over a million dollars in artwork donations.  

Watch for Big Blend Radio's NPAF Retrospective, a digital publication featuring 8 years of podcast interviews with artists and park representatives! Keep up with us by getting our newsletter at https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/join-our-newsletter/ 

Learn more: https://www.nationalparksartsfoundation.org/ 

Are seeing those iconic Giant Sequoia Trees in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Giant Sequoia National Monument and Sequoia National Forest, on your bucket list? 

From hiking and wildlife watching to chasing waterfalls, this episode of Big Blend Radio's "California Sequoia Country" Podcast focuses on what you can experience in these must-visit parks and forests, as well as their charming local art and agricultural communities that make up Tulare County, California including Visalia, Tulare, Exeter, Dinuba, Porterville, Three Rivers, Lindsay, and Woodlake.  

Featured guests from the Sequoia Tourism Council include 

Plan your visit to Tulare County, at https://www.discoverthesequoias.com/