Salinity Presents: A Podcast

Join SeaEO & host Emily Wilder as she talks with Salinity's suppliers, artists, and friends to find out what kind of presence they bring to the world, and why.

In this episode, Emily speaks with Davion T. Brown, a theatre artist, educator, and researcher who traded a PhD in astronomy for the stage. Davion shares how his "Independent Theatre Crusade" research led him to a funding model that connects artists directly with donors, and how that has brought his plays to audiences from Ohio to Japan. He talks about landing the role of Robin Hood at Island Shakespeare Festival (ISF) this summer, what makes ISF so special for traveling artists, and why he's committed to teaching other artists how to make a living. He also covers the physical theatre behind his play "Anxiety," which he staged in Japan, and writing his own response to Titus Andronicus, called "Marcellus Andronicus: The Curse of House Andronici."

Update: Davion's tour of "Marcellus Andronicus" runs October 9 through November 1 on Whidbey Island, with performances in Tokyo, Japan, November 14 through 23. His play "40 Acres" comes to Outcast Productions in Langley in May 2027.

Come hear why theatre depends on its community with Salinity Presents!

Host: Emily Wilder, Salinity Seafood & More SeaEO

Special Guest: Davion T. Brown

Edited by Luc Hagopian

Music by Barbara Dunn

Links:

Independent Theatre Crusade: https://ko-fi.com/independenttheatrecrusade

Island Shakespeare Festival: https://islandshakespearefest.org/

Outcast Productions: https://www.outcastproductions.net/

Salinity Seafood & More is a locally-sourced gift shop & online store, oyster education center, and sustainable marketing consultancy based on Whidbey Island, WA. Behind every present on Salinity's shelves are people with stories! Join SeaEO & host Emily Wilder as she talks with Salinity's suppliers, artists, and friends to find out what kind of presence they bring to the world, and why.

In this episode, Emily speaks with Callie Sirak of Tru Tallow, a small-batch, hand-rendered tallow skincare business sourcing suet from local, grass-fed, grass-finished animals on Whidbey Island. Callie shares how a mother's search for a natural remedy for her son's eczema turned into a full-fledged skincare line, and walks through the whole nose-to-tail philosophy behind her products, from her bestselling Tru Blu face moisturizer to Fleece Grease, a beard balm made from sheep tallow. She digs into the ancestral roots of tallow-based skincare, why sourcing and a low-and-slow rendering process matter so much, and why she's committed to staying small and local rather than scaling up.

Come explore the world of tallow-based skincare with Salinity Presents!

Host: Emily Wilder, Salinity Seafood & More SeaEO

Special Guest: Callie Sirak at Tru Tallow

Edited by Luc Hagopian

Music by Barbara Dunn

Links:

Tru Tallow

3 Sisters Farm

NW Local Meats

Puget Sound Restoration Fund

Lavender Wind Farm

Anacortes Farmers Market

Skagit Valley Farmers Markets

3 Sisters Market

Salinity

Skagit Valley Food Co-op

Lettered Streets Coffeehouse

Living Pantry

Salinity Seafood & More is a locally-sourced gift shop & online store, oyster education center, and sustainable marketing consultancy based on Whidbey Island, WA. Behind every present on Salinity's shelves are people with stories! Join SeaEO & host Emily Wilder as she talks with Salinity's suppliers, artists, and friends to find out what kind of presence they bring to the world, and why.

In this episode, Emily speaks with Kai Fletcher of Mutiny Bay Blues, an organic and sustainable blueberry farm on Whidbey Island, WA that has diversified its farming far beyond blueberries. While blueberries are the heart of the farm, it continues expanding to include growing mushrooms, growing hay, and rearing sheep and a flock of pasture-raised chickens. In this episode, Kai shares how the farm transforms the blueberry harvest into value-added products, from granola with dried blueberries to blueberry hot sauce, sustaining a year-round business of farming to produce food and to partner with other local food producers.

Come explore the world of organic blueberry farming with Salinity Presents!

Host: Emily Wilder, Salinity Seafood & More SeaEO

Special Guest: Kai Fletcher from Mutiny Bay Blues

Edited by Luc Hagopian

Music by Barbara Dunn

Links:

Whidbey Island Fairgrounds Commercial Kitchen Rental

PCC Community Markets

Greenbank Pantry & Deli

Orchard Kitchen

Payless Foods

Whidbey Island Grown Food Hub

Osprey Fish Co.

Puget Sound Restoration Fund

The Star Store

Freeland Café & Bar

Jupiter Coffee

Foxtail Farm

Britt's Fermented Foods

Slangin’ Salmon

Foggy Hill Farm

Rowdy Sprout Farm

Hazelnut Hill Farm

Scratch & Peck Feeds

Ebey Road Farm

Salinity Seafood & More is a locally-sourced gift shop & online store, oyster education center, and sustainable marketing consultancy based on Whidbey Island, WA. Behind every present on Salinity's shelves are people with stories! Join SeaEO & host Emily Wilder as she talks with Salinity's suppliers, artists, and friends to find out what kind of presence they bring to the world, and why.

In this episode, Emily speaks with Nicole Beretha, co-owner and co-CEO of Cyrus Saffron, an organic saffron farm based in Chelan, Washington. Nicole shares the story behind the family-run business growing one of the world's most prized spices, and her husband's Persian heritage and a saffron-growing legacy that stretches back three generations.

Nicole explains why Central Washington's climate is uniquely suited to saffron cultivation, how each flower is harvested and processed entirely by hand, and what make saffron high- or low-quality. Cyrus Saffron is committed to organic farming, sustainable agricultural practices, and creating meaningful employment opportunities within the local community. Nicole discusses what's next for Cyrus Saffron, including educational farm tours, new collaborations, and buffalo!

Host: Emily Wilder, Salinity SeaEO

Special Guest: Nicole Beretha of Cyrus Saffron

Edited by Luc Hagopian

Music by Barbara Dunn

Links:

Cyrus Saffron

Seattle Cancer Care Alliance at Fred Hutchinson

Pike Place Market

Portland State University Farmers Market

Cyrus Saffron Instagram

PCC Community Markets

Metropolitan Market

Northbest

Fast Penny Spirits

McCormick Jam Co.

Hierophant Meadery

Taja Tea

Tipu’s Chai

Sfoglini Pasta

Seleušs Chocolate

Pike Place Market Foundation

[This is part two of a two part interview]

In this episode, Emily continues to talk with Rowan Jacobsen, an author and journalist whose books have shaped how people think about food, nature, and the places they come from. This time we dig into Rowan's truffle-hunting adventures, his latest book about the benefits of light, In Defense of Sunlight, and hear stories from his podcast & book Wild Chocolate, including the conservation efforts of Luisa Abram & SOS Amazonia. Tune in next week, and every week after that, for more conversations with friends of Salinity Seafood & More!

Host: Emily Wilder, SeaEO of Salinity Seafood & More

Special Guest: Rowan Jacobsen

Edited by Luc Hagopian

Music by Barbara Dunn

Links:

“Truffle Hound: On the Trail of the World’s Most Seductive Fungus, with Dreamers, Schemers, and Some Extraordinary Dogs” by Rowan Jacobsen

Oregon Truffle Festival

Truffle Dog Company

“In Defense of Sunlight: The Surprising Science of Sun Exposure” by Rowan Jacobsen

Kitt Peak National Observatory

Podcast: “Wild Chocolate” by Rowan Jacobsen

Book: "Wild Chocolate: Across the Americas in Search of Cacao's Soul" by Rowan Jacobsen

Luisa Abram Chocolates

SOS Amazonia

[This is part one of a two part interview]

In this episode, Emily speaks to Rowan Jacobsen, an author and journalist whose books have shaped how people think about food, nature, and the places they come from. We discuss what first drew Rowan to oysters and writing, his expedition to document a remote population of native Olympia oysters with the book The Living Shore, and some of the wilder moments from his reporting career, including an unplanned encounter with a black bear and a close pass from a sperm whale. We also cover his books on the BP oil spill, American food traditions, the future of bees, the diversity of apples... tune in next week for more from Rowan Jacobsen, and every week after that for more conversations with friends of Salinity Seafood & More!

Host: Emily Wilder, SeaEO of Salinity Seafood & More

Special Guest: Rowan Jacobsen

Edited by Luc Hagopian

Music by Barbara Dunn

Links:

Puget Sound Restoration Fund: https://restorationfund.org/

“The Living Shore: Rediscovering a Lost World” by Rowan Jacobsen

Outside Magazine - “An Ocean Plastics Field Trip for Corporate Executives” by Rowan Jacobsen

Outside Magazine - “What I Saw When I Came Eye to Eye with a Whale” by Rowan Jacobsen

Gaelin Rosenwaks: https://www.gaelinrosenwaks.com/

“Shadows on the Gulf: A Journey Through Our Last Great Wetland” by Rowan Jacobsen

“American Terroir: Savoring the Flavors of Our Woods, Waters, and Fields” by Rowan Jacobsen

“Fruitless Fall: The Collapse of the Honey Bee and the Coming Agricultural Crisis” by Rowan Jacobsen

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation: https://xerces.org/

“Apples of Uncommon Character: 123 Heirlooms, Modern Classics, & Little-Known Wonders” by Rowan Jacobsen

“The Essential Oyster: A Salty Appreciation of Taste and Temptation” by Rowan Jacobsen