Podcast appearances and mentions of Melanie Cheng

Award-winning author Melanie Cheng joins James and Ashley to discuss her writing practice, her pet rabbit, and The Burrow, her 'most personal book' and its many parallels to her own life.  She also shares her experience of writing toward her greatest fear, coming to terms with her cyclical writing process, and how teaching narrative to medical students can help increase communication between doctors and patients.  Melanie Cheng is a writer and general practitioner. She was born in Adelaide, grew up in Hong Kong and now lives in Melbourne. Her debut collection of short stories, Australia Day, won the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript in 2016 and the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Fiction in 2018. Room for a Stranger, her highly acclaimed first novel, was published in 2019. The Burrow was published in 2024, and has since been shortlisted for numerous major Australian prizes, including the Stella Prize, the Age Book of the Year and the Miles Franklin Award. Read the Kill Your Darlings interview with Melanie discussed in this episode here.  Books & authors discussed in this episode: The Burrow by Franz Kafka Tender Is the Flesh by Augustina Batzerrica  Helen Garner Maxine Beneba Clarke Tony Birch Alice Pung Hilton Koppe (from ep 70)  The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler  Sanchana Venkatesh (from ep 75) and #MyYearWithAnneTyler Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, translated by Oliver Ready Bat Eater (and other names for Cora Zheng) by Kylie Lee Baker, recommended by @EmilyEatsPages  Laura McClusky  Riley James Jacinta Dietrich Upcoming events: Ashley is part of the Sisters in Crime – Death in a Cold Climate panel, Friday 27 June, 7-10pm, South Melbourne Ashley will be doing an in-conversation in Meeniyan with Jacinta Dietrich, Saturday 28 June, 6.30-7.30pm Ashley is speaking at Bendigo Library, Monday 30 June, 1-2pm Ashley is teaching a multi-day memoir masterclass as part of the Writers at the Woolshed Winter Writing Retreat in the Southern Highlands, 13-18 July Join Ashley and podcast fav Hayley Scrivenor for the Mystery and Mayhem Readers Retreat at the 5-star Tamborine Mountain Glades, 3-5 October James is launching Matt Rogers' highly anticipated debut thriller 'The Forsaken' at Harry Hartog Mosman, Wednesday July 9 Learn more about Ashley's thrillers, Dark Mode and Cold Truth, and get your copies from your local bookshop or your library. Plus check out Like, Follow, Die from Audible.  Learn more about James's award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy from your local bookshop or your library. Get in touch! ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson

Astrid Edwards interviews Melanie Cheng about her novel The Burrow, which is shortlisted for the 2025 Stella Prize. Become an FW member to join the movement and fast-track your professional development Keep up with @futurewomen on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Threads See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, a conversation with author Melanie Cheng, a winner of the Victorian Premier's Literary Award, and author of the book, The Burrow. Amy, Jin and Lucie are leading isolated lives in their partially renovated, inner city home. They are not happy, but they are also terrified of change. When they buy a pet rabbit for Lucie, and then Amy's mother, Pauline, comes to stay, the family is forced to confront long-buried secrets. Will opening their hearts to the rabbit help them to heal or only invite further tragedy? The Burrow tells an unforgettable story about grief and hope. With her characteristic compassion and eye for detail, Melanie Cheng reveals the lives of others – even of a small rabbit.

Cath and Sarah delight in sharing what they loved about Booker Prize winner Samantha Harvey’s short novel, “Orbital” + Cath then settles into a cosy chat to author Melanie Cheng. She’s created a delicate and wise novella in which a family’s grief is articulated and haltingly addressed with the adoption of a pet rabbit. + Michaela enjoys revisiting Margaret Atwood’s enigmatic classic “Alias Grace” with Flinders University Associate Professors, Kylie Cardell and Lisa Bennett. Guests Melanie Cheng, General Practitioner and author of “The Burrow”, “Room for a Stranger” and “Australia Day” Lisa Bennett is Associate Professor of Creative Writing and English at Flinders University. She’s the author of “Viking Women: Life and Lore”. The follow-up volume, “Viking Women: Myth and Magic” is due out this year. Kylie Cardell is Associate Professor of Creative Writing and English at Flinders University. She’s the author of “Dear World: Contemporary Uses of the Diary” and Editor (with Kate Douglas) of “Telling Tales: Autobiography of Childhood and Youth” and she is the essays Editor for the Australian scholarly journal, “Life Writing”. INSTAGRAM @lisalhannett @kyliesays @text_publishingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cath and Sarah delight in sharing what they loved about Booker Prize winner Samantha Harvey’s short novel, “Orbital” + Cath then settles into a cosy chat to author Melanie Cheng. She’s created a delicate and wise novella in which a family’s grief is articulated and haltingly addressed with the adoption of a pet rabbit. + Michaela enjoys revisiting Margaret Atwood’s enigmatic classic “Alias Grace” with Flinders University Associate Professors, Kylie Cardell and Lisa Bennett. Guests Melanie Cheng, General Practitioner and author of “The Burrow”, “Room for a Stranger” and “Australia Day” Lisa Bennett is Associate Professor of Creative Writing and English at Flinders University. She’s the author of “Viking Women: Life and Lore”. The follow-up volume, “Viking Women: Myth and Magic” is due out this year. Kylie Cardell is Associate Professor of Creative Writing and English at Flinders University. She’s the author of “Dear World: Contemporary Uses of the Diary” and Editor (with Kate Douglas) of “Telling Tales: Autobiography of Childhood and Youth” and she is the essays Editor for the Australian scholarly journal, “Life Writing”. INSTAGRAM @lisalhannett @kyliesays @text_publishingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A rabbit and a grandmother come to stay during lockdown. Will this help a grieving family heal in Melanie Cheng's ‘The Burrow'.Ginny Dilboong has a unique way of publishing her poetry. She plants her compositions in the earth and by so doing affirms her indigenous ties to the landscape in Nardi Simpson's book ‘TheBelburd'.  

KMUW's Beth Golay visits with author Melanie Cheng about her novel, 'The Burrow,' a beautiful look at a family dealing with grief.

Melanie Cheng is a writer and general practitioner. She was born in Adelaide, grew up in Hong Kong and now lives in Melbourne. Her debut collection of short stories, Australia Day, won the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript in 2016 and the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Fiction in 2018. Room for a Stranger, her highly acclaimed first novel, was published in 2019. Today we're discussing her new novel, The Burrow. Our interview begins at 31.00We've got a Substack publication now! On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all our old editions and comment on our episode updates to share your thoughts. Come say hi! Mini book club: Intermezzo by Sally RooneyOne of the most talked about books of 2024 and not one Michelle even finished. However, Caitlin explains why she enjoyed Intermezzo and who she'd recommend it to. In this interview, we chat about:The inspiration for The Burrow and choosing to explore grief several years on from a traumatic eventHow to strike the right balance between realism and hopeWhy Melanie is so fascinated by mothers and daughters in her writingMelanie's work as a GP and how she started writing Books and other things mentioned:Yellowface by Rebecca KuangRare Singles by Benjamin MyersThe Bee Sting by Paul MurrayAny Ordinary Day by Leigh SalesGary Lonesborough interviewLucy By the Sea by Elizabeth StroutThe Sitter by Angela O'KeefeFollow @cheng_melanie on InstagramThe Burrow is available in Australia and the US now. Thank you to the publisher for providing us copies of the book in preparation for the interview. Connect with us on Instagram: @betterwordspod

Melanie Cheng began her writing career as an author of short stories. Her first collection, Australia Day, was published in 2017 to much acclaim. Her second novel, The Burrow, follows a Melbourne family forced to confront the tragedy of their shared past. On this episode of Read This, Michael sits down for a conversation with Melanie about family, connection, and the power of narrative medicine.

Melanie Cheng reads from her novel The Burrow, published by Tin House in November 2024.

The Writers Advice Podcast is bought to you by Booksprout. Booksprout is my go-to platform to share my stories with readers to engage with reviewers before they are launched with the rest of the world. Head to booksprout to increase your online reviews today! and THE WRITERS JOURNAL. Grab your copy here. && The AUTHORS BUSINESS JOURNAL All my other downloadable writing resources This week on the Writers Advice Podcast I am joined by Author, Melanie Cheng: On this episode Melanie and I talk about: -Moving from short stories to novels -Breaking through creative blocks -The importance of having a creative outlet -How her story ideas are born -And all of Mel's advice for up and coming writers. -And her brand new book, The Burroe - Check it out here Grab a copy of my latest release - Adventure of a Lifetime HERE JOIN THE WRITERS ADVICE FACEBOOK GROUP Become a part of my ARC TEAM HERE Join us on Instagram: @writersadvicepodcast Contact Melanie:Instagram: @cheng_melanie Contact Me:Website: oliviahillier.comInstagram: @oliviahillierauthorTikTok: @oliviahillierauthor

Melanie Cheng began her writing career as an author of short stories. Her first collection, Australia Day, was published in 2017 to much acclaim. Her second novel, The Burrow, follows a Melbourne family forced to confront the tragedy of their shared past. This week, Michael sits down for a conversation with Melanie about family, connection, and the power of narrative medicine.Reading list:Australia Day, Melanie Cheng, 2017Room for a Stranger, Melanie Cheng, 2019The Burrow, Melanie Cheng, 2024Intermezzo, Sally Rooney, 2024You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and TwitterGuest: Melanie ChengSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Melanie Cheng began her writing career as an author of short stories. Her first collection, Australia Day, was published in 2017 to much acclaim. Her second novel, The Burrow, follows a Melbourne family forced to confront the tragedy of their shared past. This week, Michael sits down for a conversation with Melanie about family, connection, and the power of narrative medicine. Reading list: Australia Day, Melanie Cheng, 2017 Room for a Stranger, Melanie Cheng, 2019 The Burrow, Melanie Cheng, 2024 Intermezzo, Sally Rooney, 2024 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Melanie Cheng

WHY DOES MELANE CHENG WRITE? Twitter: @mslcheng Web: melaniechengwriter Publications: Australia Day, Room for a Stranger Noè Welcome to Why Write, a super short podcast that asks writers just that, why they write. Hi, I'm Noè Harsel, a writer and Chair of Writers Victoria, and I'm excited to chat to a diverse group of writers and simply ask, why write? I'm glad you're here with me. Today we have Melanie Cheng. Melanie is a writer based in Melbourne. Her debut short story collection, Australia Day, won the 2016 Victorian Premier's Literary Award for an unpublished manuscript and the 2018 Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Fiction. Her debut novel, Room for a Stranger was shortlisted for the 2020 New South Wales Premier Literary Awards, and Long Listed for the 2020 Miles Franklin Award. Her nonfiction has appeared in The Guardian, The Age, The Weekend Australian, Meanjin, the Griffith Review, Overland, and SBS online, among others. In 2021, she was a health columnist for The Saturday Paper. Why Write is a Writers Victoria podcast. All programs and information about becoming a member with us at writers Victoria is available at writersvictoria.org.au We hope you enjoyed Why Write and if you did, please tell your friends and don't forget to subscribe and leave a review on Apple iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Why Write was recorded at Brand Music and engineered by Michael Burrows. Original Music by Brand Music.

The pandemic has revealed the cracks in our public health system are gaping holes, with many health workers saying it has reached crisis point. From primary care, to emergency departments and climate change, our guest, GP and writer Dr Melanie Cheng discusses the key health issues that need addressing this election.

Only 15 per cent of medical students want to enter the field of general practice. How can we encourage more doctors to work in this critical part of our healthcare system?

The pandemic has kept many people separated from their homes and their loved ones for over 18 months. Lockdowns and border closures have led to a specific kind of grief and yearning - homesickness.Homesickness isn't an official medical condition but it was once, with soldiers fighting on foreign soil regularly diagnosed after suffering debilitating symptoms.Today, GP and health columnist for The Saturday Paper Dr Melanie Cheng on the origins of homesickness and whether there's a cure.Guest: Health columnist for The Saturday Paper, Dr Melanie Cheng See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Australia no longer has an official vaccination target, and one reason for the delay is our reliance on the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has been associated with health risks. Today, Dr Melanie Cheng, on weighing up the risks of the AstraZeneca vaccine, and what it all means for Australia’s rollout.Guest: Health columnist for The Saturday Paper Dr Melanie Cheng. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Alison Bell is the co-creator, co-writer, producer and star of the award-winning ABC and Netflix series 'The Letdown'. It explores the early years of motherhood in a way that's honest and moving as well as very funny - there's the mothers' group, the sleep training, the non-existent sex life and much more. Like the best writing, there's something universal, in which we can recognise our own experience. Alison and her co-writer Sarah Scheller won an AACTA Award for Best Television Screenplay, and for Best Comedy Program for both seasons one and two, and Alison herself won the AACTA award for best comedy performer for season two. Before 'The Letdown' Alison performed in various stage productions and television shows. You might have seen her in the series 'Laid', 'The Leftovers', 'No Activity' and Steven Spielberg's 'Amazing Stories'. Alison has also worked as a script editor and screenwriter for production companies such as Revolver and Madman. And she's got lots of exciting projects coming up which you'll hear about here.

In this Conversations from Byron podcast, Mirandi Riwoe speaks with Melanie Cheng about her experience of researching and writing about the Australian gold rush. They discuss Chinese-Australian history and its place within our broader colonial literature, and explore how stories like this one can help bring the once invisible and voiceless to the forefront of our imaginations. About the book: Family circumstances force siblings Ying and Lai Yue to flee their home in China to seek their fortunes in Australia. Life on the gold fields is hard, and they soon abandon the diggings and head to nearby Maytown. Once there, Lai Yue gets a job as a carrier on an overland expedition, while Ying finds work in a local store and strikes up a friendship with Meriem, a young white woman with her own troubled past. When a serious crime is committed, suspicion falls on all those who are considered outsiders. Evoking the rich, unfolding tapestry of Australian life in the late nineteenth century, Stone Sky Gold Mountain is a heartbreaking and universal story about the exiled and displaced, about those who encounter discrimination yet yearn for acceptance.

Kate Grenville chats with fellow author Melanie Cheng about A Room Made of Leaves, her highly imaginative retelling of the life of Elizabeth Macarthur. This conversation was recorded online during the Covid-19 crisis.

Victoria Hannan’s - KokomoVictoria Hannan is a writer and photographer living in Melbourne. Kokomo, her first novel, was the winner of the 2019 Victorian Premier's Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript, and let me just give you a little context.The Victorian Premier's Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript over the last decade has seen the likes of Peggy Frew, Graeme Simsin, Maxine Beneba Clark, Jane Harper and Melanie Cheng take out the prize before going on to being some of our most successful and important writers.As we begin, Mina has lived in London for seven years. She’s got a good job, nice apartment and things are looking pretty good with Jack.Back home Mina’s mum Elaine hasn’t left the house for eleven years. That’s just the way things have been since Mina’s dad died. Mina’s life is looking pretty good until a call arrives from Melbourne “Mina it’s your mum, she’s left the house”.Mina returns to Melbourne. To a home unchanged and a woman who is closed off and taciturn; unwilling to share the pain she holds inside. Mina also returns to a world that believes she left it. Friends greet her with joy, but are unwilling to go too far to bridge the gulf that has opened up between them.In a scene in a karaoke bar, Mina cynically tells her ex-boyfriend Ben that the Kokomo the Beach Boys are singing about isn’t a real place. The Kokomo of the song is an industrial city in the middle of America but the band have crafted a beautiful illusion that allows us to float away to paradise if we simply suspend our disbelief.Hannan’s Kokomo similarly asks us whether we can live our lives in a fantasy land of our own making. The answer is not so simple as you might assume. We are shown lies propped up by the victims desire to believe and lies that exist only in the hearts and minds of the person being lied to. These comfortable lies that keep us going suddenly loom large when shown across the perspective of a lifetime.Kokomo shifts perspectives between Mina and Elaine, slowly unravelling their pasts and present. The effect is to complicate seemingly known events and challenge our assumptions of how love, family and trust work, even between people who have shared so much.The novel is heartbreaking, funny, gross and gorgeous. Hannan dares to show us those moments we’d prefer forgotten and that gives this book enormous heart.In a time where all our daily comforts are seemingly lost to a brave new world where our actions impact the health of the nation, Kokomo shows us that we must always be willing to stare truth in the face and hold true to ourselves...

Neglect of the elderly is rife in Australia. An ageing population also means an increase in dementia, with many saying they would rather end their life than endure the disease.

Neglect of the elderly is rife in Australia. An ageing population also means an increase in dementia, with many saying they would rather end their life than endure the disease.

Richard Ford's love of the Irish, Wai Chim and Melanie Cheng have a writers' hotline session and Jacqueline Woodson's growing list of awards.

Neglect of the elderly is rife in Australia. An ageing population also means an increase in dementia, with many saying they would rather end their life than endure the disease.

Khalid Warsame, Melanie Cheng and Omar Sakr at the Wheeler Centre Omar Sakr and Melanie Cheng are two very different voices with very different styles, but over the past few years both have blasted welcome fresh air into the Australian literary scene. Melanie Cheng is a GP as well as a writer and her debut short-story collection, Australia Day, won the 2018 Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Fiction. Her new book, Room for a Stranger, is a novel set in Melbourne, about the unlikely friendship between an older woman and a young student from Hong Kong. Omar Sakr's second book of poetry, The Lost Arabs, has been described as a 'seething, urgent collection' about sexuality, divinity and redemption. His debut collection, These Wild Houses, was critically acclaimed and shortlisted for several awards including the Kenneth Slessor Prize. Hosted by Khalid Warsame, the pair discuss their work at a lunchtime session. Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

William Faulkner thought so. Katherine Colette, Robert Lukins, and Jock Serong face Wayne Macauley, Melanie Cheng, and Angela Savage to decide.

Melanie Cheng, author and GP, reveals her Desert Island Books in conversation with librarian and host, Natalie Mason.

Stay in Stephen King's house and write! Meet Melanie Cheng, author of 'Room for a Stranger'. Discover the biggest mistake newbie travel writers make. And we have three copies of 'The Island at the Edge of the World' by Deborah Rodriguez to give away. Read the show notes Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com

Room for a Stranger is Melanie Cheng's follow-up to the prize-winning Australia Day. She has been lauded as “astonishingly deft and incisive” by Christos Tsiolkas and “sharp and sympathetic” by Jennifer Down. She speaks with Ailsa Piper about a novel that unfolds the seemingly ordinary lives of an elderly woman and struggling student living under the same roof to reveal the complex and important truths about connection and home. 

Sandi Parsons considers her guardianship of gifted lungs one of her many victories in her ongoing battle with Cystic Fibrosis. She was 38 when she underwent a double lung transplant. On 28 June 2018, Sandi shared her story at Bread & Butter. – COMING UP AT THE CENTRE FOR STORIES Fem Book Club – August 21, 2019 Fem Book Club is an introduction to a diverse range of texts by women about women. Through informal conversation about each text we will focus on the manifold experiences of being a woman through different moments in history and across varying communities. During this session of Fem Book Club, we’ll be discussing Melanie Cheng’s Room for a Stranger. RSVP: https://centreforstories.com/event/fem-book-club-room-for-a-stranger/

Room For a Stranger throws together an unlikely pair of characters in Melbourne’s outer suburbs. Meg Hughes is old. She’s feeling every bit of her age and doesn’t like where things are heading. As carer for her sister, she never married, and now she wonders if anyone will be there to hold her hand when her time comes. When her home in Melbourne’s suburbs is broken into, Meg joins a home share program to have some company and protection around the house.Andy is studying biomedicine. He lives in central Melbourne amidst a vibrant community of international students. When his father’s cleaning business in Hong Kong begins to struggle financially Andy has to give up his apartment and find cheaper accommodation. Andy’s also struggling to live up to expectation that he exceed and become a doctor. As exams approach he’s desperate to conceal the fact he feels in over his head and might fail.

'From Secret Ballot to Democracy Sausage: How Australia Got Compulsory Voting' is a fascinating book by Judith Brett, released by Text Publishing.Melanie Cheng highlights the social and cultural forces that influence our lives when two individuals share accommodation in her novel, 'Room for a Starnger'. It is  aText Publishing release.

Man Booker award-winning author Ian McEwan on his latest novel Machines Like Me, Australian writer and doctor Melanie Cheng on Room for a Stranger, and Alicia Sometimes and Thomas Caldwell are back to give their take on another book to film adaptation: The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir Who Got Trapped in an Ikea Wardrobe by Romain Puértolas.

On this episode of Backstory, Mel Cranenburgh chats to writer Melanie Cheng about her debut novel, Room for a Stranger Melanie is best known for her award winning collection of short stories, Australia Day. Then Julie Ganner and Sarah Runcie drop in to talk about the launch of Inclusive Publishing in Australia: An Introductory Guide.

Great Conversations features interviews with authors and writers, exploring books, writing and literary culture from Australia and the world.Today's episode features Melanie Cheng discussing her new novel Room For a Stranger.Room For a Stranger throws together an unlikely pairing in Melbourne’s suburbs. Meg Hughes is feeling every bit of her age and does like where things are heading. When her home in Melbourne’s suburbs is broken into, she joins a home share program so as to have some company and protection.Andy is studying biomedicine, desperate to conceal the fact he feels over his head and might fail. When his father’s cleaning business in Hong Kong begins to struggle financially Andy must give up his apartment and find cheaper accommodation.

Episode 9 Australia Today Katherine & Nisa review three recent books about Australia. A memoir/social commentary and short stories that seek to define us as a Nation. An irreverent look at our strengths and foibles. “The Land Before Avocado” by Richard Glover;  Australia Day by Melanie Cheng; My Country: Stories, Essays & Speeches Some of the books mentioned in this podcast include: The Land Before Avocado - Richard Glover Australia Day - Melanie Cheng My Country Stories, essays & speeches - David Marr

On this episode, host Mel Cranenburgh is joined by celebrated author, Rosalie Ham, whose book The Dressmaker was turned into a successful, international film. Her latest book, The Year of the Farmer, also explores the vageries of life in a small Australian country town. Mel is then joined by Melanie Cheng, author of 'Australia Day', and the facilitator of the opening event at the Brimbank Writers & Readers Festival, Celebrating Migrant Voices.The Festival is an annual event that encourages a love of reading and literature, celebrates creativity and diversity, and promotes lifelong learning. Read more about the festival here - https://www.brimbanklibraries.vic.gov.au/writersfestival

In this episode, Kate and Katherine discuss Author Talks. Katherine has to do one at the Word for Word festival at Geelong, but what is she even going to talk about? Then Kate speaks to author Melanie Cheng about writing her prize-winning debut collection of short stories, Australia Day, and how it came to be published. Mel also talks about how she prepares for speaking events, who helped her along the way and loads more! Check out show notes for this episode on our website www.thefirsttimepodcast.com or get in touch via Twitter or Instagram @thefirsttimepod and let us know what you think!

Melanie Cheng's award-winning collection of short fiction, Australia Day, is published by Text Publishing.Iain Ryan's noir journey, The Student, explores the criminal potential in every university student.

Deconstructing Dinner has long been exploring the many ways through which farmers, businesses, organizations and communities are accessing food using new and innovative models. On today's broadcast we hear more of those examples shared as part of the March 2010 panel - Produce to the People, hosted by the San Francisco based CUESA. The Produce to the People panel examined a few inspiring models for getting fresh, local food to residents in the San Francisco Bay area of California and featured Grayson James of Petaluma Bounty, Melanine Cheng of FarmsReach and Christine Cherdboonmuang of the Oakland Farms-to-Schools Network and Oakland FRESH School Produce Markets. Moderating the panel was Michael Dimock of Roots of Change. And closing out the broadcast - a new episode from Bucky Buckaw and his Backyard Chicken broadcast. Bucky discusses the pros and cons of eating raw eggs and provides suggestions on the safest source of those eggs to reduce exposure to the risks of salmonella. Voices Grayson James, executive director, Petaluma Bounty (Petaluma, CA) - Petaluma Bounty is a non-profit organization formed in 2006. The organization works to create a sustainable Petaluma food system with healthy fresh food for everyone by helping residents to grow their own healthy food, redistributing surplus food, and providing affordable fresh food to low-income families and seniors. Melanie Cheng, founder, FarmsReach (San Francisco, CA) - FarmsReach is an online farm food marketplace focusing on the San Francisco Bay area that connects farmers to business buyers. Their mission is to help businesses source fresher and healthier foods and put better food on more plates while supporting healthy farms. Christine Cherdboonmuang, coordinator, Oakland Farms-to-Schools Network (Oakland, CA) - The Oakland Fresh School Produce Markets is a program of the Oakland Unified School District Nutrition Services and the East Bay Asian Youth Center. The markets are set up to sell fresh, mostly locally grown and pesticide-free fruits, vegetables, eggs, nuts, honey and other foods at public schools. The produce is purchased from local family farms and distributors, and sold by parents and students during after-school hours every week at each school site. The markets, which operate at 12 schools are open to parents, students, staff and community residents. Their goal is to open 25 markets by 2012. Michael Dimock, president, Roots of Change (San Francisco, CA) - Roots of Change is a collaboration of community, nonprofit, philanthropic, government, and business organizations that seeks to accelerate the transition to more sustainable food systems in California. Bucky Buckaw - host, Bucky Buckaw's Backyard Chicken Broadcast (New York, NY) - Bucky Buckaw gives advice on raising backyard chickens as just one example of how a locally based economy can work. Through this segment, he informs listeners about the downside of factory farming and what kinds of toxic chemicals you can expect to find in the resultant livestock. He promotes organic gardening and composting, and supporting local farmers.