In this episode I talk with a remarkable panel of local food activists working to strengthen Spartanburg's food system from multiple angles. From farmer development to access to healthy food to cooking classes and learning kitchens, the Spartanburg Food System Coalition seeks to improve community wellness. We talk about their work, and about how they each learned to cook. 

Links to things we mentioned:

Spartanburg Food Coalition

Ruth's Gleanings

Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Heart Resource Center

Wholespire Spartanburg County

In this epsiode, we talk with Susan Dunlap, chair of the Board of Directors of the Trees Coalition, a Spartanburg non-profit dedicated to saving native trees and eradicating invasive plant species. We talk about why it's important to plant native plants and how to get involved with the Trees Coalition. And did I mention the goats?

In this episode, PAL ED Laura Ringo, County Assistant Administrator Kevin Stiens and I trade questions and answers about the County receiving a $23.8 million grant from the US Department of Transportation. We talk about why we applied and how the money will impact our the Daniel Morgan Trail System.

In this episode, I talk with Wofford College students Drew Wilson and Wade Wood about their experiences gathering data for the Spartanburg Parks Equity Study, and what they found by looking at our trail count data. Drew and Wade talk about why they think their work is important, and about the value of outdoor recreation. 

Listen to episode 35 for more information about the Spartanburg Parks Equity Study.

In this episode I talk with Dr. Jennifer Bradham and Dr. Laura Barbas Rhoden of Wofford College about their study of park use in Spartanburg. Combining qualitative and quantitative data approaches, the research team looked at both use and users of all of Spartanburg's parks in the City and County. We talk about what they discovered, and how the pandemic prompted their work. 

Find out more on the Digital Commons @ Wofford and in this interview Dr. Bradham and Dr. Barbas Rhoden with Upstate Forever. 

In this episode we talk with Todd Stephens, Spartanburg County Librarian, about the effort to save the old iron bridge at Glendale. Along with his father BG Stephens, Todd spearheaded the campaign to raise the necessary funding to renovate the bridge, and in the process discovered the importance of bridges and community. 

In this episode, I talk with local historian Brad Steinecke about the role that the Fairforest Creek has played in Spartanburg's history, from before Europeans to the present. Join us as we "float" downstream in anticipation of trail being developed there, highlighting particular places that help us understand our place in time. 

In this episode I try to tell the story of Spartanburg BCycle, the PAL bike-share initiative that launched in 2011 and celebrate ten years in operation this year. I talk with some of those who were involved in the launch, and those who are still with the program as we look back and look forward at Spartanburg BCycle. 

In this episode, I talk with Kelly Thorvalson and Joyce Harrison of the South Carolina Aquarium about the Aquarium's Litter Free Digital Journal, an app being used statewide to allow volunteers to keep track of what kinds of trash they are picking up. There are all kinds of uses of the data, including influencing policies around plastic. And of course we talk about how you can get involved.

Litter Free Digital Journal

South Carolina Aquarium

Contact Joyce Harrison: [email protected] 

Keep One Spartanburg Beautiful

In this episode I talk with Jennifer Candler and Tariq Caudle. Jennifer is the Communication Manager at Spartanburg Water. We talk about World Water Day and all the reasons why water is such an important part of any community. Tariq teaches Physical Education at Dawkins Middle School in District 6. He is also the Health Coordinator at Dawkins. We talk their Rethink Your Drink campaign, an initiative of the Eat Smart Move More Spartanburg chapter, and how they replaced all their conventional water fountains with bottle fillers as a result of its success. We talk about the ways in which the Dawkins community has found water to be important in their lives.