The Wizard's Corner Podcast

Time now for another local vendor edition! Ellen Victoria & Romell Luckey are The Owners of Victoria's Kitchen Cooking School, Commissary Kitchen & Event Space - as well as her NEWLY Launched line of Southern Side Dishes & Meals - Southern Spreads.

Ellen Victoria & Romell have 3 beautiful girls (Arianna, Jasmine & Rachel.) Ellen Victoria & Romell started Victoria's Kitchen in 2016 and since then has been able to expand her business
to reach several cities and counties in Virginia - offering Youth Enrichment Culinary Programs that focus on Life Skills in the Kitchen.

The Luckey’s have also expanded into their second location - which is conveniently located next door to their cooking school. This new space will be used as an Event Center and a Commissary Kitchen Pop Up Space for Chefs, Caterers, Bakers, Meetings, Workshops, Bridal & Baby Showers, etc.

Ellen Victoria & Romell are no strangers to media - as they also hold under their belts - an Executive Producer Title for her their local TV Cooking Show: Victoria's Family Kitchen Cooking with Love - which premiered on CW Richmond in 2019. The Luckey’s have also produced two tv spots with the local PBS/VPM Station on the subject of Family Cooking.

Ellen Victoria Luckey is the CEO of Victoria's Kitchen (Cooking School, Licensed Kitchen Rental & Food Manufacturer Facility & Event Space) as well as Southern Spreads (Premade Southern Side Dishes.) She has over 15 years of Corporate Experience in Legal, Finance & Public Speaking - & over 10 years of Entrepreneurship under her belt. Ellen Victoria's passions in life are her Family, Faith, Youth, Community, Teaching, Culinary Arts & Public Speaking.

Website ➡️ https://www.southernspreadsfoods.com/

IG ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/southernspreadsfoods/

FB ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/SouthernSpreadsFoods

The Good Foods podcast is hosted by Shardan Sandoval and it’s possible that you've heard my voice on a commercial here and there, particularly since I'm currently one of the many talented National Creative Production Designers for iHeartMedia and to date, I voiced and produced commercials that have aired from Hartford to Hawaii.

I created this podcast for Good Foods Grocery in March of 2023 and it is a joy to create this for you.

My IG ➡️ https://rb.gy/n60br

My LinkedIn ➡️ https://rb.gy/9d31vk

Buy Me a Coffee ➡️https://buymeacoffee.com/shardansandoval

Wilma is a graduate of Tuskegee University with a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s in education. She spent most of her working years at Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and retired after serving as Staff Vice President of Privacy and Compliance Education. Her passion for bread pudding stemmed from this delicious dessert served at the Old Country Buffet.

This started her journey to create the most amazing bread pudding in unique flavors, like Maple Sweet Potato and Banana Cream. She founded Lovell’s 31, LLC in 2021 during the pandemic.   The company’s name and logo honor her granddaughter, Angel Lovell, and her son Vaugn, who sadly passed away at age 31. The “angel wings’ honor her two biggest cheerleaders and reflect her love for family and community.

Today, her gourmet bread pudding is sold in boutique stores in the Richmond area. There are big plans for the company as they continue to create Bread Pudding, Reimagined!   Wilma is an avid cook and loves spending time at the beach, hanging with family, and letting her creative juices flow. She also spends time co-leading the grief support group at church and supporting community activities.

FB ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/Lovells31?mibextid=kFxxJD  

IG ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/lovells31?igsh=MWxhMWhkcm81eDZ5cg==     

TikTok ➡️ https://www.tiktok.com/@lovells31breadpudding?_t=8ooN5AS1bME&_r=1

The Good Foods podcast is hosted by Shardan Sandoval and it’s possible that you've heard my voice on a commercial here and there, particularly since I'm currently one of the many talented National Creative Production Designers for iHeartMedia and to date, I voiced and produced commercials that have aired from Hartford to Hawaii.

I created this podcast for Good Foods Grocery in March of 2023 and it is a joy to create this for you.

My IG ➡️ https://rb.gy/n60br

My LinkedIn ➡️ https://rb.gy/9d31vk

Buy Me a Coffee ➡️https://buymeacoffee.com/shardansandoval

Be safe. Be good. Be.

Time for another local vendor podcast!  This episode focuses on Essentially Chris, which started in 2022 back when my oily obsession truly began.  

Since then, her passion for all things natural has grown. Every item in Christine’s shop was created or handpicked by her to ensure that her customers get the BEST of the BEST.  

Essentially Chris is based in the heart of Midlothian, Virginia with a focus on ALL NATURAL. Christine’s small business is for people like her who have sensitivity to everyday products including room and linen sprays, fragrances, bath and body products, laundry items, all-purpose house hold cleaning products and MORE.  

Essentially Chris is for people who enjoy making their own one-of-a-kind blend you can't find in store. It's for people who love all things oil. ‘Essentially’, IT'S FOR EVERYONE!  

Website ➡️https://essentiallychris.com/password

FB ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/Essentiallychris/

IG ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/essentially.chris/

The Good Foods podcast is hosted by Shardan Sandoval and it’s possible that you've heard my voice on a commercial here and there, particularly since I'm currently one of the many talented National Creative Production Designers for iHeartMedia and to date, I voiced and produced commercials that have aired from Hartford to Hawaii.

I created this podcast for Good Foods Grocery in March of 2023 and it is a joy to create this for you.

My IG ➡️ https://rb.gy/n60br

My LinkedIn ➡️ https://rb.gy/9d31vk

Buy Me a Coffee ➡️https://buymeacoffee.com/shardansandoval

Donovan Apiaries is a family run apiary that focuses on honey production in Goochland County in Virginia. Donovan's Honey is owned by Megan and Peter Donovan and currently run approximately 275 colonies and produce local, raw and unheated honey and creamed honey.

Peter began beekeeping in 2011 with one hive which quickly multiplied into the hundreds they have now. You can catch Megan at the markets and special events and taking cares of their social media. They live on a farm with their four kids and numerous pets. The outdoors is a huge part of their life and they are constantly on a new adventure.   

FB ➡️ https://rb.gy/etpqb2

IG ➡️ https://rb.gy/y9egbz

The Good Foods podcast is hosted by Shardan Sandoval and it’s possible that you've heard my voice on a commercial here and there, particularly since I'm currently one of the many talented National Creative Production Designers for iHeartMedia and to date, I voiced and produced commercials that have aired from Hartford to Hawaii.

I created this podcast for Good Foods Grocery in March of 2023 and it is a joy to create this for you.

My IG ➡️ https://rb.gy/n60br

My LinkedIn ➡️ https://rb.gy/9d31vk

Buy Me a Coffee ➡️https://buymeacoffee.com/shardansandoval

It's berry season! Well, depending upon when you're listening to this, you might just be 'berry listening' season. I had the great fortune to sit down with Pierson Geyer and June Runion to talk about another one of our great vendors, Agriberry Farm. 

We talk about how the pandemic affected their work force, how Mother Nature never lets you take a day off and the importance of fruit in your diet.

They say apples don’t fall far from their trees, and that is surely true of Pierson Geyer, because he inherited a deep connection to farming and community from Anne and Chuck. Being the farm’s General Manager gives him an active role in all aspects of the farm, including the markets and CSA.

In addition, he oversees the field, kitchen, and warehouse activities at the farm. Pierson’s exceptional talents are recognized on and off the farm, as is evidenced by his selection for the peer-nominated “40 Under 40” Class of 2018 list of national leaders in agriculture.

This recognition is due in part to his role as the youngest-ever president of the North American Raspberry and Blackberry Association (NARBA.) Pierson has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Education from Virginia Commonwealth University, and he uses his teaching skills daily in the office and in the fields to help strengthen the Geyer family farm.

Juniper Runion started working at Agriberry as a Kitchen Associate in July of 2020, and stepped into the role of Kitchen Manager in April of 2021, and is now coordinating their CSA membership program, social media, as well as their educational tours, among other special projects.

Juniper brings a love of food in all its stages to her work and personal life – from planting seeds to tending crops to harvest, preparation, and preservation of many kinds.

When she is not leading tours or engaging with CSA members, Juniper can be found growing vegetables, flowers, and fibers from seed, as well as baking delicious gluten free sourdough bread and playing in the woods.

Website ➡️ https://agriberry.com/

Agriberry CSA ➡️ https://agriberry.com/fruit-csas/richmond-fruit-csa/

IG ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/agriberryfarm/

FB ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/agriberryfarm

The Good Foods podcast is hosted by Shardan Sandoval and it’s possible that you've heard my voice on a commercial here and there, particularly since I'm currently one of the many talented National Creative Production Designers for iHeartMedia and to date, I voiced and produced commercials that have aired from Hartford to Hawaii.

I created this podcast for Good Foods Grocery in March of 2023 and it is a joy to create this for you.

My IG ➡️ https://rb.gy/n60br

My LinkedIn ➡️ https://rb.gy/9d31vk

Buy Me a Coffee ➡️https://buymeacoffee.com/shardansandoval

Be safe. Be good. Be.

How much do you love coffee? If you do, you're going to thoroughly enjoy this conversation that Steven Dalton had about his story and his absolute love affair with coffee. Steven has loved coffee since his first cafe mocha when he was 12 years old. 

Through high school and college, he worked for a nationwide coffee company and dreamed of his own coffee shop "one day."  After college, Steven pursued his other passions in public safety and education, but opening his own coffee shop was always on his mind for "one day." 

Having taught through the COVID-19 pandemic and the "return to learn" period, Steven's eyes were opened to how much division and brokenness was left behind.  Driven by his personal faith, Steven felt a calling on his heart to create a shared experience around something he knew people from all walks of life loved- coffee!  In early 2021, he purchased his first at-home coffee roaster and began to play with different blends and roasting methods with the love and support of his wife, Melissa. 

By the summer of 2021, Steven and Melissa were joined by their friend and fellow church member, Tim Bynum, to launch the coffee company we now know as "Reviresco Coffee Co."   Company Story:  

"Reviresco" is a Latin word for the concept of "flourishing again."   

This name was chosen because it embodied their vision as a coffee company. The origins of Reviresco Coffee Co. are rooted in a chaotic time in modern history- the COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest of 2020. Steven and his team saw how these events divided, separated, and harmed so many around us, and we wanted to do something good in response. 

Roasting and sharing delicious coffee blends with family and friends was our humble attempt to grow something good out of these hard times.  What began as a hobby in early 2021 flourished into a small cafe roastery located at 710 Lafayette Street, where co-founders Steven, Melissa, and Tim are joined by a small team of dedicated baristas focused on providing a loving, inviting space for all of our family, friends, and neighbors to gather around delicious small-batch coffee blends freshly roasted on site.    

Website ➡️ https://www.revirescocoffee.com/

FB ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/revirescocoffee

IG ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/revirescocoffee

X ➡️ https://twitter.com/revirescocoffee

The Good Foods podcast is hosted by Shardan Sandoval and it’s possible that you've heard my voice on a commercial here and there, particularly since I'm currently one of the many talented National Creative Production Designers for iHeartMedia and to date, I voiced and produced commercials that have aired from Hartford to Hawaii.
I created this podcast for Good Foods Grocery in March of 2023 and it is a joy to create this for you.

My IG ➡️ https://rb.gy/n60br

My LinkedIn ➡️ https://rb.gy/9d31vk

Buy Me a Coffee ➡️https://buymeacoffee.com/shardansandoval

Be safe. Be good. Be.

One of our local vendors joins me on the podcast this week, Angie Heyming, co-founder of Blue Ridge Bucha, which you can find in many stores along the East Coast.

Founded in 2010 as Barefoot Bucha and rebranded in 2017, Blue Ridge Bucha has been owned by the Heyming Family since 2020, when they acquired the kombucha company from the original owners. 

Everyone in the family is involved in the business, with her husband Hank overseeing operations in Waynesboro and the kids jumping in for in-store demos and festivals. Angie has become the face of the business, managing marketing and sales from their Richmond home.   

A UVA grad (CLAS ’97), Angie met Hank at Vanderbilt Law School. They moved to Richmond in 2005.  Some Richmonders may recall their days owning These Four Walls in Shockoe Slip (2005-2012). 

With 3 kids, 4 dogs, and some chickens and ducks, life for Angie and Hank is busy and full. Angie and Hank jumped at the opportunity to own Blue Ridge Bucha.  Already well-known for its crisp, clean taste; smooth, refreshingly delicious finish; and mission of sustainability, the couple saw tremendous growth potential by simply introducing it to new customer segments. 

It was the perfect time, too, for Covid caused a heightened focus on health – particularly the overall effects of gut health on the entire body as well as ways to boost immunity. Packed with live probiotics and naturally occurring digestive enzymes, “functional beverages” like kombucha were thrust into the limelight.  With its superior taste and all-natural ingredients, Blue Ridge Bucha stood out as an easy way to incorporate kombucha into one’s daily routine. 

This has continued to be the case since Covid, with the brand gaining new customers with each sip.  (A team of brand ambassadors host in-store demo tables throughout the region on a regular basis.)  

Angie admits that her parents and many of her friends were kombucha naysayers before she owned Blue Ridge Bucha.  It is the experience of introducing these folks to BRB that has brought the most enlightenment and joy. 

Of course, accolades are always nice to hear, but it is especially great to hear stories of how the drink has helped them with health issues. Angie’s mom, for example, has struggled with hereditary high cholesterol her entire life, with her numbers never dropping to safe levels despite the medicines. 

Never, that is, until Blue Ridge Bucha entered her life.  Her cholesterol is now at a near-normal level, with the only thing changing in the last few years being the addition of the bucha.  

For Angie, the business allows her to tap into her creative side while letting her continue her healthy, active lifestyle.  Whether it’s going on long distance runs, playing tennis, or walking her beloved dogs, Angie rarely sits still and loves to be outside – all while fueled with energizing Blue Ridge Bucha. 

Website ➡️ www.BlueRidgeBucha.com

Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/blueridgebucha

IG ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/blueridgebucha/

The Good Foods podcast is hosted by Shardan Sandoval and it’s possible that you've heard my voice on a commercial here and there, particularly since I'm currently one of the many talented National Creative Production Designers for iHeartMedia and to date, I voiced and produced commercials that have aired from Hartford to Hawaii.

I created this podcast for Good Foods Grocery in March of 2023 and it is a joy to create this for you.

My IG ➡️ https://rb.gy/n60br

My LinkedIn ➡️ https://rb.gy/9d31vk

Buy Me a Coffee ➡️https://buymeacoffee.com/shardansandoval

Be safe. Be good. Be.

Amy’s Garden has been growing and selling great organic produce and cut flowers since 1995. What began as an ambitious backyard garden quickly blossomed into a full time farming career for husband and wife team Amy Hicks & George Ferguson.

Nowadays, with the help of a dedicated team of seasonal employees they grow an amazingly diverse selection of specialty vegetables, small fruits and cut flowers on their organic farm in historic Charles City county, VA.

The farm has been Certified Organic since 2000. Amy’s Garden sells their USDA Certified Organic produce and flowers at local farmers markets in Richmond and Williamsburg.  

Website ➡️ www.amysorganicgarden.com

IG ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/amysorganicgarden/

Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/Amys-Garden-10150105816060183/

The Good Foods podcast is hosted by Shardan Sandoval and it’s possible that you've heard my voice on a commercial here and there, particularly since I'm currently one of the many talented National Creative Production Designers for iHeartMedia and to date, I voiced and produced commercials that have aired from Hartford to Hawaii.

I created this podcast for Good Foods Grocery in March of 2023 and it is a joy to create this for you.

My IG ➡️ https://rb.gy/n60br

My LinkedIn ➡️ https://rb.gy/9d31vk

Buy Me a Coffee ➡️https://buymeacoffee.com/shardansandoval

Be safe. Be good. Be.

Mix in 2 biologist, spice it up with 4 kids, be sure to add 2 working acres as needed and that sounds like a recipe for Broadfork Farm.

In this local edition of the podcast, I had the pleasure of having a wonderful converstation with owners Janet and Dan of Broadfork Farm. As they describe it, they're growing 'intensively' on just two acres while harvesting and packing for 200 Farm Shares each week plus a robust farmers’ market stand, an on-site Farm Stand, and two local grocery stores.
 
Dan Gagnon has been growing vegetables for 25 years, first as a gardener and for the past 13 years as a professional market grower. Dan’s approach to teaching and presenting is to provide nuts and bolts tangible information that growers can apply to make their farm’s operations more profitable, efficient, and resilient.

Dan resists a one-size-fits-all approach to farming and tries to assist growers to leverage their gifts and resources while minimizing their deficiencies and liabilities. Dan has farmed as co-owner of Broadfork Farm with his wife and business partner Janet Aardema since 2011 in Chesterfield County, Virginia. Dan and Janet have worked to build a resilient farm business that can handle both an unpredictable climate and an uncertain economy.   

Janet describes farming success as 50% soil and 50% systems. Appropriately managing both allows one to meet their farming goals! As co-owner of Broadfork Farm with her husband and partner Dan Gagnon, Janet enjoys helping others learn practical farming information with her pragmatic approach grounded in realism.

Drawing on her experience growing vegetables for market customers since 2011, Janet teaches learners to adopt systems-based-thinking in order to apply knowledge to the unknown future events inherent in farming.

Learning from soil and plants while walking gently on the shared earth, living mindfully while surrounded by vegetables and flowers, and mothering four children in the context of both makes for a life simultaneously uber rich, challenging, and ceaselessly full of learning opportunities. With patient explanations and a strong attachment to honesty and integrity, Janet thrives on helping others learn about growing and selling vegetables and I was blessed to be able to share their story.

Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/broadforkfarmva

IG ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/broadfork_farm/

Website ➡️ https://broadforkfarm.net/

The Good Foods podcast is hosted by Shardan Sandoval and it’s possible that you've heard my voice on a commercial here and there, particularly since I'm currently one of the many talented National Creative Production Designers for iHeartMedia and to date, I voiced and produced commercials that have aired from Hartford to Hawaii.
I created this podcast for Good Foods Grocery in March of 2023 and it is a joy to create this for you.

My IG ➡️ https://rb.gy/n60br

My LinkedIn ➡️ https://rb.gy/9d31vk

Buy Me a Coffee ➡️https://buymeacoffee.com/shardansandoval

Be safe. Be good. Be.

There aren’t a lot of skincare product companies that can say that they're Vegan, Plant-based, non-toxic and cruelty free, but VegOut Organics can check off all those boxes.

It was my absolute pleasure to get to talk with Brad and Katie Wynne, co-founders of VegOut Organics, based out of Virginia Beach, Virginia. You'll learn how they met, how they started their company and how they seem to keep their sanity through the trials and tribulations. 

BRAD WYNNE: FOUNDER & CEO

Growing up in Virginia Beach, Brad was always outside in the yard and garden. At an early age,
he developed a true love of gardening from his grandfather. After graduating high school in
2000, Brad attended & graduated from Princeton University in 2004, where he also played on
the lacrosse team. He received his AB degree in Politics with a Certificate in Political Theory.

Brad went on to receive his MA from University of Virginia in 2005 in American Government and
Political Theory. He could have gone in any direction but decided he wanted to try and make a
difference. He became a middle school and high school history teacher and lacrosse coach for
the next eleven years. During this time, Brad married his wife Katie, and they had four
daughters relatively close together in age.

In 2015, he started Veg Out Gardens as a side project, which focuses on organic vegetable and
herb gardens. In 2016, Brad decided to follow his passion and work full time in Veg Out
Gardens.

In 2019, Brad founded Veg Out Pharm, which is a USDA certified organic hemp grower, USDA
certified organic hemp processor, and also able to provide USDA certified organic hemp extract
meant for human consumption.

In 2020, he then founded Veg Out Organics, which provides a full regimen of organic CBD and
plant-based skincare products. Veg Out Organics believes that if it's not safe to put IN your
body, it is not safe to put ON your body. Unbleached, unprocessed, skin nutrition that feeds the
skin and delivers. Veg Out Organics is "skincare that blooms."

KATIE WYNNE: CO-FOUNDER

Brad's wife Katie grew up in Savannah, Georgia. After high school in 1997, she attended The
University of Georgia and graduated with a degree in "Broadcast News" from the Henry W.
Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. During her years in college, Katie
interned for "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" as well as CNN in London, England.

After graduating in 2001, Katie was one of 50 college graduates to be accepted into the
esteemed NBC Page Program in New York City. So, Katie followed her journalism dreams and
moved to NYC, where she would stay for the next four years, landing jobs at William Morris
Talent Agency, ABC's "Primetime Live," and WNBC.

In 2005, Katie left NYC to pursue local on-air TV news gigs in her hometown of Savannah, GA
as well as Charleston, SC. It was during this time that Katie met Brad at a wedding, and the rest
is history.

Thanks to her background in television journalism and her outgoing personality, you'll often find
Katie helping with social media and serving as Veg Out's "Grammar Guru." Katie also focuses
on local sales in the Virginia Beach area as well as pop-up trunk shows throughout the country.

Website ➡️ www.vegoutorganics.com

Social ➡️ @vegout_organics & @OfficialVegOutOrganics

The Good Foods podcast is hosted by Shardan Sandoval and it’s possible that you've heard my voice on a commercial here and there, particularly since I'm currently one of the many talented National Creative Production Designers for iHeartMedia and to date, I voiced and produced commercials that have aired from Hartford to Hawaii.

I created this podcast for Good Foods Grocery in March of 2023 and it is a joy to create this for you.

My IG ➡️ https://rb.gy/n60br

My LinkedIn ➡️ https://rb.gy/9d31vk

Buy Me a Coffee ➡️https://buymeacoffee.com/shardansandoval

Comments, questions, partner, and topic suggestions can be sent to us below and we look forward to hearing from you!

Good Foods Grocery ➡️ http://www.goodfoodsgrocery.com/

X ➡️ @GoodFoodsGrocer

Email ➡️ [email protected]

Be safe. Be good. Be.