Regenerative Farming, American Climate Corps plus Astrology and more with Eco-activist, Artist and Sexy Astrologist Charlotte Ghiorse

The farmer in the dell, The farmer in the dell, Hi-ho, the derry-o, The farmer in the dell. The farmer takes a wife, the wife takes the child, the child takes the nurse, the nurse takes the cow, the cow takes the dog, the dog takes the cat, the cat takes the mouse, the mouse takes the cheese, and the cheese stands alone.

It would take some time to analyze this song by the Mother Goose Club that we sang as kids in school back in the day. I never quite understood why the nurse took the cow, and don’t get me started on the cheese! In Kindergarten and First grade, we would gather in a circle and do this performance piece as if we were on a farm. Kids were picked to be the farmer, the wife, the dog and so on, but you NEVER wanted to be the CHEESE who stood alone, because your classmates would make fun of you. So who is standing alone now in the farm world? Small farmers have to compete with BigAg, which has turned modern farming into big business.  Industrialization after WWII popularized the use of machinery, pesticides and herbicides in agriculture and suppliers of tanks and chemical weapons looked to pivot to a different business model. While it is important to feed the populous, it is also important to keep the populous safe from chemicals which can cause cancer and other illnesses. The AgriChemical industry has a large lobby and has overwhelming pull on politicians and researchers who get their way in keeping chemicals that should be banned in the agribusiness (Monsanto/RoundUp). Small farmers generally cannot compete on many levels, and they want to reduce the use of chemicals and fertilizers. They are also feeling the effects of climate change. So enter a new, yet old method of farming called Regenerative Agriculture, which is on the rise. It is actually based on both Indigenous and modern farming practices which abides by four principles: no tillage, no chemicals, herd grazing and use of cover crops. There have been recent documentaries like Kiss the Ground, Biggest Little Farm and most recently Common Ground, which focus on regenerative farming and the need to implore that these practices be used to keep the earth fertile for farming instead of scorching the ground. We have spoken on past shows about this farming technique with Farmer and Founder of DIG Farm, Allison Turcan, and on this episode we continue that discussion with our resident Eco-activist and Sexy Astrologist Charlotte Ghiorse, who gives us some more insight into the importance of regenerative farming. We also touch on President Biden’s Conservation Corps, a/k/a American Climate Corps, and Charlotte delves a bit into October Astrology with Mars going into Scorpio. Please check out House of ChoCLet and Sexy Astrology on Facebook and YouTube. For information on the American Climate Corp go to https://www.whitehouse.gov/climatecorps/ Also check out farmaid.org

For past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com, MalcolmPresents.com and follow us @tmshadesofgreen on FaceBook, Instagram and Threads! Subscribe to TMSOG podcast on all major podcast apps. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Farm Aid 2023, Support Local Farms, Help Our Farmers with Allison Turcan Founder of DIG Farm and host of the podcast Getting Dirty

“Family farmers have the solutions to some of our toughest challenges. As we face a changing climate, farmers in Indiana, across the Midwest and all over the country are farming in ways that create more resilient farms to build healthy soils and protect our water.” — Willie Nelson Farm Aid

The development of agricultural took place about 12,000 years ago and changed the way humans lived. The nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle switched to permanent settlements and farming. The earliest farmers lived in the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East (near what is now Turkey) and grew crops like peas, lentils and barley. As humans learned to control their sources of food, they no longer had to be nomads, as they could settle in one place.  Forward to 2023, and there are 2 million farms in America, 98% of which are operated by families, family partnerships or family corporations. Farmers are the backbone of America, as they provide food for the citizens of the US and the globe. But more than 9,000 farms were lost between 2021 and 2022.  Data from USDA’s Economic Research Service indicates that Michigan led the list with 1,700 fewer farms, Texas lost a thousand, and Kansas fell 900. California, Kentucky, and New Mexico each lost 600 farms, and there were 500 fewer farms in Nebraska. Farmers play an integral role in feeding the populous, and many need economic assistance to keep afloat. Small farms are an important part of the agricultural system, as they promote locally grown food which brings communities together. Our guest on this episode is Allison Turcan, a Farmer and the Founder of DIG Farm, a local farm in North Salem, NY. Allison recently attended the Farm Aid event in Noblesville, Indiana and met with farmers, organizers and some legendary music artists. She is the host and producer of the podcast Getting Dirty on HRR, and she works with Westchester Land Trust as the farmer for their food bank garden. I am proud to call her my friend:) For more info go to farmaid.org, Digfarm.org, Homegrown.org. For more shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. TMSOG is available on all major podcast apps (Spotify, Apple, Amazon, iHeart, Spreaker.com and more). Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @tmshadesofgreen #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

A Big Green Office Plant, plus Rotational Grazing, Regenerative Farming and some Sexy Astrology with Charlotte Ghiorse

From office plants to meadows to farming, we must work to be resilient and sustainable and help things grow in a more environmentally friendly manner. There is a newer method of farming called Regenerative farming, which is an approach to agriculture that focuses on restoring and improving the health of the soil, enhancing biodiversity, and promoting long-term sustainability. It is often considered a holistic and ecological approach to farming. The movie Biggest Little Farm and GrassRoots Farmers Co-op give insight into the practice of regenerative farming as a more sustainable way to grow produce, raise animals and be better stewards of the land. Regenerative farming involves agricultural methods that are more sustainable and work to heal the land and soil. Farmers and ranchers grow a diversity of plants and trees, establish cover crops and use no-till methods for planting, and incorporate grazing animals that naturally produce compost. We talk with our resident artist, eco-activist, Sexy astrologist Charlotte Ghiorse about the rotational and regenerative farming and agriculture practices that are used on some farms and ranches to bring more sustainability to the land. We also chat about a famous office green plant and play Mitch Margo’s tune ‘Green Plant’ (#TheTokens) plus July’s astrology chart and Charlotte’s upcoming art projects/shows. For more info go to https://www.houseofchoclet.com/ and check out Charlotte’s Facebook and Youtube pages Sexy Astrology. For past shows go to HudsonRiverRadio.com and Malcolmpresents.com. Follow TMSOG on Instagram and Threads @tmshadesofgreen. Subscribe to The Many Shades of Green podcast on all major podcast apps. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: Burning Forests, Food Waste, June Astrology and more with Charlotte Ghiorse

Do we ever think how far our food has traveled to be on our plate, and what it took to grow? Our mom’s used to yell at us “ don’t waste your food and clean your plate, there are kids who go hungry!” Mom of course, was right, and today, hunger is more widespread than ever, and more food is wasted which could be used to feed those in need. Food waste already accounts for roughly 8 percent of the world’s greenhouse gases. According to a UCLA study, 26% percent of the United States’ total greenhouse gas emissions comes from food production and consumption. Therefore, the choices we make when deciding what to eat really can have an impact. If all of the 80% of Americans who eat the standard American diet shifted their habits to eat fewer animal products, even if just a few times a week, the difference could be significant. On this episode our resident artist, filmmaker, astrologist, mother of three awesome kiddos, and Earth activist Charlotte Ghiorse joins us to discuss the problems and solutions of food waste, forests burning in Canada causing hazardous air quality, as well as how the astrological connections of the planets in June affect us.  For more info go to https://www.houseofchoclet.com/ You can find Sexy Astrology on YouTube and Facebook. Subscribe to TMSOG on all major podcast apps, on Instagram @tmshadesofgren and on HudsonRiverRadio.com and MalcolmPresents.com. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness SaveButtonhookForest.org

New Castle Healthy Yards Native Plants with Rene Artale and Karen Bazik

 Our guests this week  Rene Artale, Karen Bazik  Leadership Team Members at NC Healthy Yards on Native Plants are forging the movement for more gardens, meadows, native plants and trees, and less lawn.  We talk about the importance of native plants, one of which is poison ivy, which is beneficial to the ecosystem, but not to humans… think rash. There are other wonderful native plants that can make your land both beautiful and eco friendly (Summersweet; highbush blueberry, packera auera, coral honeysuckle   Leucothoe – provides 4 season appeal, Fringe Tree, and Oak trees to name a few. Other tips, don’t use leaf blowers or pesticides and plant original species that keep your land sustainable. Gardens and Meadows are beautiful and are more beneficial to Earth’s creatures and they create pollinator pathways. For more info follow New Castle Healthy Yards on FaceBook and email them at [email protected]. For past shows go to hudsonriverradio.com, malcolmpresents.com. Subscribe to The Many Shades of Green Podcast and tune in on Spotify, Apple, Google Play Spreaker, and ask Siri or Alexa to play our podcast. #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Listen to “Rene Artale and Karen Bazik, Leadership Team Members at New Castle Healthy Yards” on Spreaker.

Are we all EcoSexuals? Guests Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens give us insight into the field of Ecosexolgy

In this episode, we will explore the Ecosexuality movement, a relatively new sexual identity which connects environmental activism based around nature, and promotes the idea of the earth as a lover. It invites people to treat the earth with love rather than see it as an infinite resource to exploit. It was founded by our guests, Elizabeth Stephens and Annie Sprinkle, who describe themselves as “two ecosexual artists-in-love”, whose manifesto is to make environmental activism “more sexy, fun, and diverse”. Their new book, is titled, Assuming the Ecosexual Position: The Earth as Lover. Annie and Beth give us insight about how they came together to collaborate on this latest work, how they took a stand against homophobia, xenophobia, and how this union led to the miraculous conception of the Love Art Laboratory.

Check out their new book Assuming the Ecosexual Position:The Earth As Lover
https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/collections/arts-humanities-2021
  and go to sprinklestephens.org to get more about the EcoSexual movement and films Water Makes Us Wet and Goodbye Gauley Mountain. For past shows go to hudsonriverradio.com and malcolmpresents.com. Follow us on FaceBook and Instagram, tweet us @tmshadesofgreen. A shout out to my Green Diva Sistas at thegreendivas.com

Listen to “Annie Sprinkle & Beth Stephens and The Eco Sexual Movement” on Spreaker.

The Many Shades of Green ZoomCast with guests Courtney Gravenese and Kevin Egolf

Finance and food are connected in various ways, as we need to have a healthy diet filled with good fruits and veggies to keep us fit, and we need to make sure the small farmers who grow our food locally, have the financial backing to keep them sustainable. Our guests Courtney Gravenese and Kevin Egolf bring their expertise to this episode, and give us insight into food and finance. Courtney is a Registered dietician, nutrition consultant and health educator. Kevin is the VP of Investor Relations at Capital Good Fund and founder of Local Farms Fund. For more information go to capitalgoodfund.org, localfarmsfund.com, malcolmpresents.com, thegreendivas.com and HudsonRiverRadio.com Follow Courtney on instagram @clgwellness and LinkedIn. Check us out on FaceBook, tweet us @tmshadesofgreen #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

The Many Shades of Green ZoomCast with guest Allison Turcan of DIG Farm

Our guest this week is Allison Turcan, the Founder and Farmer at DIG Farm, in North Salem, NY. She is also the host of the podcast, Getting Dirty, on HudsonRiverRadio.com. We chat about how small farmers are dealing with the pandemic, and the importance of educating students about growing food. Our conversation leads us to Dick Button, who is an environmental philanthropist, and we chat about her work with Farm Aid, specifically her interview with Lukas Nelson, Willie’s son. We also talk about chili peppers, and the wonderful medicinal benefits from adding spice into your life. So tune in and find your shade of green. For more info go to digfarm.org, farmaid.org. malcolmpresents.com, Hudsonriverradio.com, thegreendivas.com #RaiseYourEcoConsciousness

Food Systems, Community Gardens, and the pandemic

The current pandemic has highlighted problems with our food system, as food waste and food insecurity must be addressed more than ever. On this show Green Divas Meg, Max, Lisa and Elly delve into topics about food, how to get fresh food to communities in need, and how Community Gardens help in that area. We also discuss the need to build your immune system in the era of COVID, the Drawdown Project (drawdown.org), cows emitting methane (and no, it’s not cow farts), and the importance of growing your own food. Guest Dr. Susan Rubin talks about teaching children to garden, food pantries, gorilla gardens which helped start the Community Garden movement, and more. Check out the 50 Shades of Green Divas Podcast on Spotify, Buzzsprout, Stitcher, Apple Music, iHeart, and HudsonRiverRadio.com. Ask Alexa or Siri to play The Green Divas podcast, and check out the webpage thegreendivas.com

1713 Project Farmhouse, GrowNYC with guest Amanda Gentile

Our guest this week on 50 Shades of Green Divas is Amanda Gentile of GrowNYC. We discuss Project Farmhouse, a beautiful new LEED certified facility, which brings farming  and sustainable education into the heart of NYC. The space contains a full kitchen, conference area, and it has a Green Hydroponic wall which contains freshly grown herbs and greens. Amanda explains the importance of this new facility, and the need to educate citizens of NYC and beyond, about healthy eating, being more sustainable and practicing the three Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle) within one’s daily routine. Changing our habits just a little bit will make Mother Nature and all Earth’s creatures breathe easier.

For more information go to: projectfarmhouse.org, grownyc.org and thegreendivas.com. Tweet us your thoughts @tmshadesofgreen

 

Deep Roots

IMG_2966What do organic tomatoes, horn worms and Olympic figure skating legend Dick Buttons have in common? To find out, tune into this week’s show, as Allison Turcan, Stormie Velarde-Hamill and Scott O’Rourke of Deep Roots and DIG Farms, discuss what it takes to run a suburban farm. Learn about WOOFING, and no it doesn’t involve dogs howling, as well as what the difference is between organic and certified organic products. We chat about creepy, crawly and utterly gross worms which attack tomatoes and turns them truly rotten. Local farms supply the booming green markets in the NY metro tri-state area, and Scott, Allison and Stormie are not only growing amazing produce, they are working with kids, via food literacy programs, to educate them about growing delicious and healthy food. For more info go to facebook.com/DIGFarm

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Women Farmers Turn Over the Land with Success

By Susan Lutz

The roles of farmers often seem to go to men. Perhaps rooting from generations of roll assignments – the men work the land, the women raise the children and support their husbands. My family’s roots stretch back to farming. I remember the stories of my grandmothers supporting their husbands, doing the chores, and feeding the family and the extra farm hands. Without these women, the farms wouldn’t run. As times change, the farm is changing, too.

Organic lifestyles are creating demands for less pesticides, more local crops, and food grown without GMOs. Farms used to rely on the next generation of children, usually the son, to step up and take over. As large corporations took over acres, they created a mass production and marketing system and small farms couldn’t compete. We watched family farms collapse in the ’80s. Today, women are finding ways to farm with new insight and success.

The US Department of Agriculture reports that, beginning in the 1980s, women farmers were the “fastest-growing sector of the country’s changing agricultural landscape” and they will continue to be well into the next 25 years. The number continues to rise and women farmers are gaining visibility. The economic challenge for farmers has shifted from the tradition of turning the farm over to their children, especially to the boys, to the unknown. Many families turn away from the farm for work, but today more girls and women are choosing to stay. Some enter farming for reasons such as wanting to raise children in the rural lifestyle while others may see it as a profitable way to live. Some simply want to promote organic living. Some women choose sustainable farming and some undertake a larger scale.

Where does a woman, either working alone or with a partner, turn for resources? The growing number of women farmers has created new opportunities in education, management, production, and financial resources. The Internet, blogging, and social media have opened up a new avenue of community to women farmers. With a quick click, any woman can look up how to attack a cucumber beetle without pesticides or when the best time to plant a certain crop is, and they can share stories and develop friendships with other farmers.

Women are taking back the earth. Not from men, but together as partners. My grandmother and grandfather left the farm even before the economy suffered. Over time they gravitated closer to factories and industries offering steady pay. I wonder, if the resources today were available to them, would they have had a chance to grow their farm and adapt with help rather than flee in the hopes of just staying alive and making ends meet. The organic movement is so important to so many women I know. One farm at a time, we may see the land and its caretakers turn over a whole new leaf.