Mike, Lisa Albrecht and Sarah Batka talk to Niki Jabbour, author of The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener; Deborah Niemann, author of Homegrown and Handmade and EcoThrifty; Barbara Wise, author of Container Gardening for All Seasons; and Helen Yoest, author of Gardening with Confidence. Engineers John McDowell and Thomas Gratz of Eisenmann Corporation explain why an anaerobic digester is being constructed at The Plant in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.

Dr. Rex Bastian from The Care of Trees explains why 2012 was such a difficult year for trees and offers advice on how to prepare them for the next growing season. Kim Marsin from Sweet Home Organics stops into the studio to talk about how her organic farm faired this year and to encourage people to join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Jennifer Walling, Executive Director of Illinois Environmental Council, reports on two victories in Springfield during the General Assembly veto session.

Mike reports on the latest setback for opponents of an open pit frac sand mine on the eastern edge of Starved Rock State Park. Matthew Alschuler with HOMES (Helping Others Maintain Environmental Standards) and attorney Danielle Diamond with Illinois Citizens for Clean Air & Water (ICCAW) tell the story of how a proposed megadairy in Jo Daviess County was defeated by the efforts of a coalition of local citizens and environmental groups. Then, Mike, Lisa Albrecht and Sarah Batka welcome Rich Christakes from Alsip Home and Nursery, who answers questions about holiday plants.

Mike reports that the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Mines and Minerals approved Phase I of the Starved Rock mine on Tuesday, November 13th, and what that means in the effort to keep that frac sand pit from being dug on the eastern edge of the state park. Matthew Alschuler from HOMES (Helping Others Maintain Environmental Standards) and Daniell Diamond from Illinois Citizens for Clean Air and Water (ICCAW),explain how a megadairy in Jo Daviess County that was already under construction was shut down thanks to the combined efforts of concerned citizens and environmental groups.

As Chair of Chicago Wilderness, Arnold Randall talks to Mike about the upcoming Chicago Wilderness Congress 2012. Then he puts on his hat as General Superintendent of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and he and Mike talk about the progress made in the past couple of years in upgrading these important natural areas in the Chicago region.