Salt Bridge Farm Podcast

Dennis hosts the Salt Bridge Farm podcast with the summer video production intern team—Marissa Lane, Ryan Damiani, Alexandra “Alex” Roushinko, Colin Kraft, and Ryan Nemec—who share their roles and what they learned about camera work, B-roll creativity, editing, teamwork, problem-solving, patience, and people skills while using new gear and software like DaVinci. They discuss the first three weeks of equipment training and tutorial-making, B-roll competitions, and favorite projects including interviews, a hydroponics trailer visit, intern recruitment videos, and a website video. The team introduces their documentary project “Chrysalis,” comparing Salt Bridge Farm’s transformation to the butterfly life cycle, and highlights Bright Harbor HealthCare’s mission to support young adults through mentoring, skill acquisition, and hands-on workforce development.

Host Dennis welcomes repeat guest Kelli Chiarello, Chief Development Officer at Bright Harbor Healthcare, to reflect on Salt Bridge Farm’s rapid progress since January and the teamwork driving its growth from an initial grant-funded vocational program for young adults (18–24) into a broader, life-changing community model. They discuss overcoming barriers through persistence, asking tough questions, and keeping the mission central: mentoring, skill acquisition, hands-on workforce development, and supportive housing to break cycles tied to homelessness, substance use, and mental health challenges. Dennis shares a teaser trailer for a documentary framing the farm’s transformation through the stages of a butterfly’s life, inspired by monarch butterflies and milkweed on the land, with plans for a professional release and film festivals. Kelli notes the project lacks operational funding and emphasizes building an accessible ecosystem of supports, growing volunteers, upcoming community access, and future events like a ribbon-cutting.

Host Dennis welcomes sustainability intern Ann Del Prete to the Salt Bridge Farm podcast to reflect on her completed internship. Ann shares how the experience exceeded her expectations, from feeding the farm cat Felix and caring for birds to building goat habitats, planting flowers, creating beds, hauling wood chips, and learning to drive a tractor—her favorite memory and a confidence booster. She describes her family’s farming connections, including her nanny’s mushroom farm background and her papa’s family’s long-running Moore's Farm Market in Beachwood, New Jersey, which Dennis visited and discussed collaboration ideas with her family. Ann also highlights working with other interns, helping plan equipment for the remodeled red barn, returning to the University of Delaware for her senior year, and encouraging future interns to savor the fast-moving, hands-on learning.

Host Dennis welcomes Saltbridge Farm intern Dustin Wilf for a semester wrap-up conversation about the non-clinical internship program with Bright Harbor Healthcare. Dustin reflects on joining the project from “ground zero,” combining academics, hobbies, and hands-on plant work in Toms River, and enjoying the intern team and video production crew. They discuss aligning interns with their passions, being communicative and “nerdy” about interests, and how the internship strengthened Dustin’s teamwork skills as a sustainability student. Dennis notes interviewing over 100 candidates, thanks Glen and Rebecca, and highlights plans for summer growth, including a documentary, new programs, and interns from multiple universities. Dustin advises future interns to take advantage of the project’s many paths, shares lessons on spreadsheets, breaking big projects into manageable work, and creating documents to “pass the torch,” and they close on staying in touch and returning for a July ribbon cutting.

Dennis hosts Salt Bridge Farm Podcast and interviews intern Dani Vajtay as he finishes his semester, reflecting on hands-on work clearing trees and brush, learning chainsaw safety, and seeing the property’s transformation. They discuss mushroom log inoculation at a volunteer event and plans to grow oyster mushrooms plus varieties like lion’s mane, reishi, and shiitake. Dani shares how the internship inspired him about sustainable greenhouses, aquaponics, and the farm’s potential to feed many people with the right plan, team, and funding. Dennis explains how they pursue grants by staying plugged in through LinkedIn, using tools including AI, researching funders’ language, and creating pitch-style videos like a recent Kubota grant application. They also cover networking, mentorship, entrepreneurship, and advice for future interns to work slowly, deliberately, and find fulfilling roles.

Host Dennis welcomes special guest Pat Lewis, former homeowner of the 1525 blue farmhouse and red barn property, to share the farm’s history and its new chapter. Pat explains the house was built in 1928, how her family bought the small farmhouse after seeing it for sale in 1976, moved in during 1977, added two wings, and raised the roof in 1990 as their family grew. She describes their early commitment to organic gardening, becoming Rutgers-certified to run an organic herb farm, and how friends helped build the barn behind the house. Pat recounts selling the property after being approached through connections involving her daughter Heather and Kim (CEO of Bright Harbor Healthcare), and expresses gratitude that the current project aligns with what her family hoped for. Dennis shares updates on barn repairs, plans for a butterfly garden, produce sales space, workforce skills for young adults, greenhouse restoration, a roadside sourdough “bread shed,” and upcoming events including a July grand opening.

Dennis hosts the Salt Bridge Farm Podcast with guest Bob Opitz, owner of Spire Coffeehouse, discussing Spire’s origins after he and his wife left corporate careers to build a community-focused business. Bob shares how they opened Spire in December 2022, chose the name and lighthouse-inspired logo, and partnered with roasting company Crimson Cup. They discuss Spire’s involvement with the Toms River Chamber of Commerce, its two locations (Hooper Avenue in Silverton and a grab-and-go Main Street shop), and events like chamber meetups, networking, live music, and community festivals. Dennis announces a partnership where Spire donates used coffee grounds for Salt Bridge Farm to grow culinary mushrooms and then compost, plus a mushroom workshop on Saturday, April 25th, 12–4, at saltbridgefarm.org. They also cover staffing youth, Bright Harbor Healthcare’s programs, and upcoming farm events including “One Night On the Farm.”

Spire Coffeehouse: https://www.spirecoffeehouse.com/

https://www.facebook.com/SpireCoffeehouseTR

https://www.instagram.com/spirecoffeehousetr

One Night on the Farm: https://onenightonthefarm.org/

Host Dennis welcomes Jack Harris, an assistant teaching professor and sustainability program director at Rutgers’ School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS), to discuss SEBS as Rutgers’ land-grant unit and its mission to serve New Jersey communities through teaching, research, and extension. They describe how their connection began through grant work and led to placing two Rutgers interns at Salt Bridge Farm to fulfill SEBS’ required experiential learning credits. Jack outlines SEBS history from the Morrill Act and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, plus career paths for students in policy, planning, nonprofits, business, government, law, marine science, biotechnology, environmental and plant sciences, and animal sciences. He shares internship advice focused on clear goals, openness, and adaptability, and they explore expanding collaboration via internships, community-engaged projects, and grants, along with Rutgers’ statewide experiment stations and extension presence.Learn more about the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences here: https://sebs.rutgers.edu/

Host Dennis welcomes Susan Emhardt-Servidio, Senior Horticulturist and Rutgers Master Gardener Program Coordinator for Ocean County, to discuss Rutgers Cooperative Extension services in Toms River, including agriculture, 4-H, marine, and family and consumer health sciences, plus gardening education. Susan explains how to become a Master Gardener through at least 60 hours of training and 60 hours of volunteer service, with ongoing annual requirements, and describes volunteer roles such as the helpline, tick identification, and “Ask a Master Gardener” library tables. They highlight upcoming events including an August butterfly tent, a May plant sale featuring annuals, vegetables, native plants, and blueberries, and local outreach across the county. Susan emphasizes starting gardens with soil testing, offering in-office pH tests and Rutgers lab kits with detailed recommendations, and shares seasonal spring garden cleanup and soil improvement tips.Visit their Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MGOCinc

Host Dennis welcomes Dennis Morolda to the Salt Bridge Farm Podcast to discuss Morolda’s nonprofit, Stay in the Fight, created in honor of his late brother Anthony Morolda. Anthony, a fitness trainer who struggled with anxiety, depression, and depersonalization/derealization disorder (DPDR), sometimes couldn’t afford therapy and relied on lifestyle practices like sleep, hydration, journaling, meditation, sunlight, and exercise. Anthony died on September 26, 2024 after being hit by more than one vehicle while heading to a rideshare following a Giants–Cowboys game. The nonprofit provides free counseling/therapy—offering 10 sessions to those without insurance or financial resources—and is developing mental-health resource materials based on what Anthony believed in. Morolda shares upcoming fundraising plans including a golf outing on September 10, 2026 at Galloping Hill in Kenilworth, with proceeds supporting therapy, and notes inspiration from the organization Bigger Than the Trail, which raises money for free therapy through running initiatives and partnerships like BetterHelp and Calmerry. The conversation also focuses on reducing stigma around mental health—especially for men—highlighting the importance of connection, mentorship, and intergenerational community. Dennis and Morolda discuss mentoring young men, the need for role models, and statistics about screen time versus time spent in conversation with adult male role models, and they explore collaborating through Salt Bridge Farm volunteer projects and events. Morolda explains the charity’s name came from a “stay in the fight” tag found on Anthony’s keychain, and he outlines the nine-person board, including family members and professionals contributing events, communications, mental-health expertise, legal, accounting, and public service support.

Stay In The Fight: https://www.stayinthefight.am/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stayinthefightajm