Mr. Brown Thumb encourages people to come to the Chicago Flower and Garden Show to attend The Great Seed Swap. Jim Slama, president and founder of FamilyFarmed.org, and Vicki Nowicki of Liberty Gardens preview the 2012 Good Food Festival next week at the UIC Forum in Chicago. Karen Hudson from Illinois Citizens for Clean Air and Water talks about how so-called ag-gag laws are threatening to prevent whistleblowers from exposing abuses at CAFOs all over the country. LaSalle county resident John McKee has an update about the battle to keep an open pit sand mine from being dug next to Starved Rock State Park.

Mike talks to Cheryl Johnson, Executive Director of People for Community Recovery, about an ordinance proposed by Chicago 9th Ward Alderman Anthony Beale that would reverse a landfill dumping moratorium that was set to expire in 2025.

Sue Bresette, Carol Andrew and students from Joliet Montessori School invade the WCPT studios to teach Mike about running an organic-hydroponic-natural produce buying cooperative called Olive Living. Blake Davis, Tim Sparer and Carla McGarrah talk about how they are helping to create the future at The Plant on Chicago's south side.

Executive Director Carol Becker and board member Amy Beltemacchi from the Midwest Ecological Landscaping Association preview the MELA 10th Annual Conference. Noah Garrison from the NRDC talks about co-authoring a study called Capturing Rainwater from Rooftops. Chris Anchor, part of The Cook County, Illinois, Coyote Project, explains how the predators are more prevalent in urban settings than most people realize. Nancy Gonsiorek of the Wildlife Preservation and Propagation Committee, says that Anchor will be just one of the presenters at their 20th Annual Natural Landscaping Seminar in McHenry County.

Dan Kosta from Vern Goers Greenhouse in Hinsdale, Illinois previews next week's talk about bonsai. Jack Pizzo of Pizzo & Associates talks to Mike about the state of ecological restoration in 2012.