In this episode of The Good Dirt Podcast, Mary & Emma discuss the common struggles of clutter and its impact on daily life with special guest Dana K. White, author of 'Decluttering at the Speed of Life.' Dana shares her unique five-step decluttering method tailored for creative minds who often find themselves overwhelmed by clutter. She emphasizes the importance of understanding one's personal clutter threshold, the distinction between organizing and decluttering, and the mental freedom gained from consistent decluttering habits. Dana also discusses the emotional challenges tied to sentimentality and inherited items, offering practical, guilt-free strategies for managing household clutter. Tune in to learn actionable steps for creating a more functional and joyful living space.

00:00 Introduction to Creativity and Clutter

01:29 Excitement for Today's Episode

02:06 The Impact of Clutter on Life

05:04 Introducing Dana White

06:12 Dana's Journey to Decluttering

12:26 The No Mess Decluttering Process

17:59 Emotional Challenges of Decluttering

26:48 Finding Your Clutter Threshold

30:53 Sustainable Decluttering Practices

35:08 Maintaining a Functional Home

35:27 The Five-Minute Pickup Strategy

36:06 Understanding Clutter Thresholds

37:12 Effective Decluttering Techniques

38:14 Dealing with Sentimental Items

41:25 The Container Concept

51:16 Sustainability and Slow Living

58:47 Final Thoughts and Reflections

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🌻 About Lady Farmer:

Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production.

🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:

• Wendy Gray

This episode was originally aired April 26, 2024

In this conversation with best selling author and activist Paul Hawken, we discuss the reframing of our relationship with nature by moving away from the concept of "othering" ourselves, and more towards the integration of our interconnectedness. Paul speaks of the cultural disconnect, the role of language in shaping our perception of the environment, and how crucial it is to engage directly with the natural world. Hawken's vast experience, including starting the first natural food company (Erewhon) in the U.S. and working with Martin Luther King Jr., as well as his involvement in founding Regeneration and NEXUS, are all a result of a lifetime of pursuing solutions to our climate crisis. He shares how he views carbon and climate change through a lens of interconnectedness and flow rather than as isolated problems. He also talks about his upcoming book, 'Carbon, the Book of Life,' the significance of soil regeneration, societal shifts and the connection between joy and sustainability as well as the power of individual and community action in the face of environmental challenges.

🌿 This episode is sponsored by Neptune’s Harvest Organic Fertilizer. Use code GOODDIRT at checkout for 5% off your order for products from the ocean to set your plants in motion 🌊

Topics Discussed

· Opening Reflections: Embracing Nature and Conversations on Disconnection

· Insights from Paul Hawken: Bridging the Gap Between Humanity and Nature

· Organic Food Pioneer

· Finding Your Environmental Voice

· Exploring the Language of Nature and Indigenous Wisdom

· The Power of Language in Healing Our Relationship with the Planet

· Redefining Success and the Essence of Soil

· The Transformation of Soil and Agriculture

· Ultra Processed Food

· Soil's Organism and Its Impact on Plant Health

· The Haber-Bosch Process

· Exploring Soil Acoustics and Its Significance

· The Power of Community and Individual Action

· Reconnecting with Nature Outside of the Internet

· Sensationalism in Media

· Indigenous Voices & Decolonizing Our Perspectives

· Innovative Solutions for a Sustainable Future

· Joy and Sustainability

· Carbon & The Myth of Carbon Neutral

· Empowering Actions Through Nexus and Regeneration.org

Episode Resources:

· Listen to The Good Dirt Podcast “Reimagining Our Place in the Landscape: Eco-Spirituality and Rewilding with Mary DeJong”

· Listen to The Good Dirt Podcast “The Urgent Need for Restorative Gardening with Mary Reynolds”

· Read “Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation” by Paul Hawken

· Read “Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming” by Paul Hawken

· Read The Guardian’s Article “Vegetables are losing their nutrients. Can the decline be reversed?”

· Read “Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn't Food” by Chris Van Tulleken

· InventWood

Connect with Paul Hawken:

· Website: https://paulhawken.com/

· Climate One Website: https://www.climateone.org/people/paul-hawken

· Project Regeneration Website: https://regeneration.org/about/paul-hawken

· Instagram @paulhawken: https://www.instagram.com/paulhawken/

· Paul’s Newsletter: https://regeneration.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ebb591cd0ef4ad186dcf2cd3f&id=8f12b90f3e

· Nexus: https://regeneration.org/nexus

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🌻 About Lady Farmer:

· Subscribe to The ALMANAC, a Lady Farmer Newsletter & Community

· Visit Our Website

· Follow @weareladyfarmer on Instagram

· Email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail!

Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you!

Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production.

🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:

· Wendy Gray

In this episode of the Good Dirt Podcast, hosts Emma and Mary return from winter break with a special interview featuring repeat guest Paul Hawken, the acclaimed environmentalist, author, and activist. They discuss Hawken's new book, 'Carbon, the Book of Life,' which explores the multifaceted role of carbon in our universe, challenging the prevailing view of carbon as merely a climatic culprit. Hawken shares his profound insights on the interconnectedness of all life and how shifting our perception of carbon can foster a deeper understanding of our relationship with where we live. Key themes include the limitations of current climate messaging, the emotional and intellectual journey of understanding carbon, and the need for a holistic approach to resolving environmental crises.

📖 Preorder Carbon:The Book of Life → Click here (Available in the U.S. on March 18, 2025)

00:00 Introduction to Carbon and Climate Messaging

01:50 Welcome Back to Good Dirt Podcast

03:56 Introducing Paul Hawken and His New Book

06:29 Paul Hawken on the Inspiration Behind His Work

07:37 The Role of Carbon in Climate Change

12:48 Challenges in Climate Messaging

17:21 The Interconnectedness of Life and Carbon

24:06 Stories of Connection in the Natural World

29:29 Elephant Mourning Rituals

29:45 The Intelligence of Animals

30:20 Understanding Our Place in the World

31:41 The Interconnectedness of Trees

33:33 Indigenous Knowledge and Environmental Awareness

35:59 The Role of Science in Rediscovering Nature

46:35 AI and Environmental Impact

54:01 The Importance of Grief and Heartbreak

01:00:48 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Books/Articles

Bill McKibben/ Global Warming's Terrifying New Math

Lawrence Anthony/ The Elephant Whisperer

Frans De Waal/ Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?

Karen Bakker/ The Sounds of Life

Zoe Schlanger/ The LIght Eaters

Suzanne Simard/ Finding the Mother Tree

Dara McAnulty/ Diary of a Young Naturalist

Ed Conway/ Material World

📖 Preorder Carbon: The Book of Life → Click here (Available in the U.S. on March 18, 2025)

🌎 Connect with Paul:

🔗 Website: paulhawken.com

📘 Facebook | 📷 Instagram | 💼 LinkedIn | 🐦 Twitter

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🌻 About Lady Farmer:

Original music by John Kingsley.

🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:

• Wendy Gray

Mary & Emma are on a brief hiatus and plan to return next spring. Please enjoy this episode that was originally aired on March 3rd, 2023

This week we are talking to writer, creator and self proclaimed life-long learner, Hillarie Maddox, founder of Black Girl, Country Living. Hillarie preaches the idea that slow living in a lifestyle anyone can live, and focuses her encouragement specifically on the BIPOC community. She climbed the big tech corporate ladder, then ditched the city for slow living and finding her love of nature, and she found herself in the process.

Topics discussed

Connect with Hillarie Maddox

About Lady Farmer:

Original music by John Kingsley. Our technical partner for this series is CitizenRacecar, Post-Production by Alex Brouwer and José Miguel Baez, Coordinated by Gabriela Montequin and Mary Ball. The Good Dirt is a part of the Connectd Podcasts Network.

Statements in this podcast have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not to be considered as medical or nutritional advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and should not be considered above the advice of your physician. Consult a medical professional when making dietary or lifestyle decisions that could affect your health and well-being.

Mary & Emma are on a brief hiatus and plan to return next spring. Please enjoy this episode that was originally aired on 07/22/22.

What does it mean for humans to live sustainably on the earth? Andrew Schwartz, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of The Institute for Ecological Civilization, a non-profit promoting long-term solutions for the wellbeing of people and the planet, helps us pull apart that question. Andrew is also the Executive Director of the Center for Process Studies and Assistant Professor of Process and Comparative Theology at Claremont School of Theology. In this conversation, we’re talking about fundamental shifts in many of our most basic assumptions about our relationship with each other and the environment, and the role each of us plays in the way forward towards a worldwide, life-supporting community.  

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podchaser, Podtail, Youtube, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Topics Covered:

Resources Mentioned: 

Connect with Andrew and the Institute for Ecological Civilization:

About Lady Farmer:

Lady Farmer is a sustainable apparel and lifestyle brand, with education around sustainability and sustainable living at the forefront of our mission. Lady Farmer is proud to produce The Good Dirt podcast.

Support your Good Dirt at home with BIOS Nutrients! Listeners of The Good Dirt podcast can enjoy 15% off BIOS Nutrients organic, natural fertilizers using the code LADYFARMER15 at checkout.

Original music by John Kingsley @jkingsley1026

Statements in this podcast have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not to be considered as medical or nutritional advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and should not be considered above the advice of your physician. Consult a medical professional when making dietary or lifestyle decisions that could affect your health and well being.

Mary & Emma are on a brief hiatus and plan to return next spring. Please enjoy this episode that was originally aired in June, 2023

Emma and Mary are back from Emma's wedding, and they are spreading the joy with The Good Dirt. This episode features Maureen "Mo" Moutoux of Moutoux Orchards in Purcellville, VA. Mo has a Masters Degree in Anthropology, and farms with her husband Rob Moutoux, a 3rd generation farmer at Moutoux Orchards. They currently live on the family farmland with their two children, continuing the over 50 year legacy of the Moutoux family. In 2011, they opened their first CSA program, growing vegetables for dozens of family members (including Mary's household), and it has continued to grow each year. Their mission is to feed wholesome and nutrient-dense farm food to their community, because good food comes from good dirt. Mo shares her journey to becoming a farmer and reclaiming food from field to kitchen. She also discusses what a CSA is, how it has evolved over the years to reduce waste while providing a living wage for her family and team members, and the benefits of eating locally for both nutritional value and the environment as a whole.

Topics Discussed

• Slow Living Consult

• Journey to Becoming a Farmer

• Anthropology & Farming

• Creating a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Program

• Investing in Your Local Farmers

• Sustainable & Regenerative Growing Methods

• How Systems Favor Multinational Corporations over Local Growers

• Romanticization of Farm Life vs. Reality of Running an Farm

• Commodity Farming vs. Sustainable Farming

• Reclaiming Food from Field to Kitchen

• The Food Offered in a CSA

• The Exploitation Behind the Cost of Affordability at Supermarkets

• Removing Guilt Around “Perfect” Sustainable Practices

• Food and Livestock Throughout the Seasons

• Reducing Waste in a CSA Program

• Transparency of Cost 

• Pesticides, Choosing Not to Be USDA Organic Certified, and Outsourcing For Specific Products 

• Preservation of Soil Throughout Every Harvest

• The Economics of Running a Farm

• Knowing Your Food Comes From

• A Farmer's Good Dirt

• Social Justice & Farming

• Maintaining Optimism as a Farmer 

Episode Resources:

• Mo's Interview with "Grounded Women: Stories of Women who Farm"

• Moutoux Farm's Whole Diet CSA Membership

• Rob and Mo's Story & the History of Moutoux Farm

• Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan

• Food, Inc. (2008)

• Arcadia Center for Sustainable Agriculture

• The Rodale Institute

• Essex Farm

• CSA Directory

Connect with Maureen "Mo" Moutoux:

• Website: https://www.moutouxorchard.com/

• Instagram: @moutouxorchard

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🌻 About Lady Farmer:

• Our Website

• Follow @weareladyfarmer on Instagram

• Join The Lady Farmer ALMANAC

• Email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail! Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you!

Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production.

Mary & Emma are on a brief hiatus and plan to return next spring. Please enjoy this episode that was originally aired on 7/21/23.

Did you know that in this country, we have an area totaling the size of Washington State that is mowed lawns? Our guest is Owen Wormser, author of Lawns Into Meadows, who helps to weave people and the natural world back together through his work building regenerative landscapes. In this conversation, we discuss how meadows offer a compelling solution in a world where lawns have an enormous detrimental impact on our ecology and have wreaked havoc on our natural ecosystems. Owen was born and raised off the grid in rural Maine, surrounded by the natural world, with nature being his greatest teacher. Influenced by his study of horticulture, permaculture, organic agriculture, and ecology, Lawns Into Meadows is a how-to guide on growing your own wildflowers and native grasses. Owen offers approachable, simple steps for anyone and everyone to create sustainable and regenerative landscapes, starting with even a few square feet of land. 

Topics Discussed

• Connection to the Natural World

• Building Low-Maintenance Ecologically Focused Landscapes

• How Lawns Are Damaging the Planet

• Growing Up in Rural Maine & Off the Grid

• Living a Simple Life in a World We've Made Difficult

• Convenience & Its Impact on Lifestyle

• What Counts Toward a Life Full of Satisfaction, Abundance, and Fulfillment?

• Applying Academic Knowledge to Real World Practice

• Why We Want to Turn Laws into Meadows

• What Makes a Meadow a Meadow

• Dealing with Home Owner Associations

• Humans are Traditionalist

• Lawns & Status

• Steps to Start & Maintain a Meadow

• What to Plant in a Meadow

• The Lifelong Learning Process of Healing the Earth

• How Stillness Sustains Us

• Plants as Our Birthright

Episode Resources:

•If You Stop Mowing This May, Will Your Lawn Become a Meadow?

•Owen Wormser Massachusetts Department of Higher Education

•Lawns Into Meadows: Growing a Regenerative Landscape by Owen Wormser

•Lawns Into Meadows, 2nd Edition: Growing a Regenerative Landscape by Owen Wormser

•The Road Washes Out in Spring: A Poet's Memoir of Living Off the Grid by Baron Wormser

•The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art Bobbie's Meadow Museum

•Listen to The Good Dirt "The Urgent Need for Restorative Gardening with Mary Reynolds"

•Listen to The Good Dirt "Seeking the Wisdom of the Earth with Maria Rodale, author of Love, Nature, Magic: Shamanic Journeys into the Heart of My Garden"

Connect with Owen Wormser:

• Website: Abound Design https://abounddesign.com/

• Instagram: @lawns_into_meadows

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🌻 About Lady Farmer:

•Our Website

•Follow @weareladyfarmer on Instagram

•Join The Lady Farmer ALMANAC

•Email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail! Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you!

Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production.

Mary & Emma are on a brief hiatus and plan to return in the spring. Please enjoy this episode that was originally aired on 2/24/23.

Our guest today is someone who began her plastic-free journey in her kitchen, and has now become the renowned Zero Waste Chef, Anne-Marie Bonneau! Starting as a Zero Plastic Chef, she took the next step in her sustainability journey and became the Zero Waste Chef working towards producing zero waste in her own kitchen and inspiring others to do the same. She talks about how to shop differently, buy differently, and cook differently to reduce waste in the kitchen!

Topics Discussed:

Connect with Anne-Marie Bonneau

About Lady Farmer:

Original music by John Kingsley. Our technical partner for this series is CitizenRacecar, Post-Production by Alex Brouwer and José Miguel Baez, Coordinated by Gabriela Montequin and Mary Ball. The Good Dirt is a part of the Connectd Podcasts Network.

Statements in this podcast have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not to be considered as medical or nutritional advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and should not be considered above the advice of your physician. Consult a medical professional when making dietary or lifestyle decisions that could affect your health and well-being.

Mary & Emma are on a brief hiatus and plan to return in the spring. Please enjoy this episode that was last aired on 1/31/2023

Today's episode is about Brigid, saint and legend, known for her skills at the hearth, the loom, midwifery, healing, poetry and animal husbandry. Kathy Spaar, spiritual director, pilgrimage leader and nature educator shares many of the folklore and stories of this legendary figure from Celtic tradition. As a figure of feminine wisdom and power who presides over the land and the homestead, we consider Brigid the quintessential Lady Farmer, our guide, protector and inspiration for slow living through the seasons.

Intro:

Follow Kesslyn @gemwellnessofficial for more about her journey as a midwife and her exploration of St. Brigid.

Episode Reprise:

Mentions:

The Almanac Brigidine Sisters Children's Book “Brigid’s Cloak: An Ancient Irish Story” by Bruce Milligan. "Symbols of Plenty" by Ruth Bidgood "Rekindling the Flame " by Rita Minehan

About Lady Farmer:

Original music by John Kingsley. Our technical partner for this series is CitizenRacecar, Post-Production by Alex Brouwer and José Miguel Baez, Coordinated by Gabriela Montequin and Mary Ball. The Good Dirt is a part of the Connectd Podcasts Network.

Statements in this podcast have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not to be considered as medical or nutritional advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and should not be considered above the advice of your physician. Consult a medical professional when making dietary or lifestyle decisions that could affect your health and well-being.

Mary & Emma are on a brief hiatus and plan to return next spring. Please enjoy this episode that was originally aired on 10/20/23.

How can we reconnect ourselves to nature, to the plants and animals around us, and the very Earth we walk upon? This is the topic of discussion with our guest Asia Suler, writer, teacher, mother, earth intuitive, ecological philosopher and author of Mirrors in the Earth: Reflections on Self-Healing from the Living World. Asia has taught her principles to over 20,000 students in 70+ countries, and constantly sees how going on a journey of self-healing and acceptance is the key to being able to heal both ourselves and our place in the ecosystem. In this interview, Asia brings us into the ecological history of the Appalachian mountains, the magic and healing potential of the natural world, and the interconnectedness of our personal healing with the healing of the whole world. She believes that when we embody the belief that we are enough as we are, we then we ourselves embody the healing of the Earth.

Topics Discussed

• What comes to mind with when we think of mirrors in the earth?

• Asia's Background and Experience Leading to the Writing of her Book.

• Joyful Engagement with the Living World

• Vulvodynia, Lyme Disease, and Chronic Pain

• Western Herbalism

• Finding Your Place in Nature

• Creating One Willow Apothecary

• Flower Essences & The Power of the Violet

• Psycho-emotional States and Inner Blockages

• Intellectual Rationalism

• Growing up In-between Philadelphia and New York

• Watering Plants throughout New York

• Re-connecting with Magic

• Cultivating a Love of Earth in Urban Spaces

• The 10 Year Process Behind "Mirrors in the Earth"

• Self-Realization & Self-Compasson

• The Influence of Indigenous Beliefs

• Earth as a Sentient Being

• Empaths & Sensitives

• Humanity's Place on Earth & The Proclivity towards Narcissism

• Gardens, Boundaries, and Social Media

• The Magic within the Appalachian Mountains

Episode Resources:

• Join Us in The ALMANAC 

• Mirrors in the Earth: Reflections on Self-Healing from the Living World by Asia Suler

Connect with Asia Suler:

• One Willow Apothecaries Website: https://onewillowapothecaries.com/

• YouTube @AsiaSuler : https://www.youtube.com/c/AsiaSuler

• Instagram @asiasuler : https://www.instagram.com/asiasuler/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asiasuler/

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🌻 About Lady Farmer:

• Our Website

• Follow @weareladyfarmer on Instagram

• Join The Lady Farmer ALMANAC

• Email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail! Call 443-459-1950 and ask a question or share what the good dirt means to you!

Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production.