Podcasts about New York Botanical Garden

Emma Grover and Dr. Mauricio Diazgranados discuss a new program from the New York Botanical Garden to unite the thousands of botanical gardens worldwide in devoting their shared knowledge and resources for a coordinated, plant-based effort to combat the consequences of global climate change.

This summer at the New York Botanical Garden, visitors are invited to bask in peace, love, and psychedelia of the hippie culture of the 1960s and 70s, symbolized so strongly by flowers. Flower Power opens to the public on May 23 and runs through October 18. Patrick Nowak, NYBG's Manager of Exhibition Operations, discusses what visitors can expect from the show, ranging from archival photos and paintings from the 1960s, and of course a variety of psychedelic flower displays.  Image courtesy of the New York Botanical Garden Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thomas Rainer is an ecological landscape architect who has designed landscapes for the US Capitol grounds, the MLK Jr. Memorial, the New York Botanical Garden and more. What is ecological design? And how are our plants talking to each other? He's the keynote speaker at Tower Grove Park's sold-out Flower Power event this month. With Debbie Mont

April 9, 2026 Everything Co-op continues its observance of the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 (IYWF 2026) with distinguished guest, Karen Washington, farmer, food justice activist, and co-owner of Rise & Root Farm in Chester, New York. Vernon and Karen discuss her journey as a farmer and food justice activists, the vital role women play in agriculture, and how initiatives like Black Urban Growers are empowering communities to build equitable and sustainable food systems. Karen is a passionate food advocate who co-founded Black Urban Growers (BUGS) in 2010, an organization dedicated to supporting growers in both urban and rural communities. Her impact and leadership have earned her widespread recognition, including being named one of Ebony magazine's 100 Most Influential African Americans in 2012, receiving the James Beard Leadership Award in 2014, and most recently, the James Beard Humanitarian Award in 2023. Karen also contributes her time and expertise as a board member of the New York Botanical Gardens, the Mary Mitchell Center, Soul Fire Farm, and the Black Farmer Fund. The United Nations has designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, recognizing the vital yet often underappreciated contributions of women across global agri-food systems. From production and processing to distribution and trade, women farmers play a central role in advancing food security, nutrition, and economic resilience. IYWF 2026 aims to elevate awareness and drive action to close gender gaps and improve livelihoods worldwide.

Send us Fan MailThis week on The Fresh Bunch, we're joined by Rebecca Merritt, Founder & CEO of Beyond Merritt Events. Rebecca's firm delivers creative direction, strategy, interior design, branding, room planning, and extraordinary florals for corporate, agency, and private clients across the country.Ryan first met Rebecca at the Orchid Dinner at the New York Botanical Garden, where the two instantly connected over design and event production. In this episode, they revisit that moment and dive into Rebecca's unique path in the industry.Often referred to as the “Racquet Queen” (even though she insists she's not exactly sporty), Rebecca has carved out an impressive niche producing events in the worlds of racquet sports (Padel, pickleball, tennis) and culinary clients. She shares stories from working in TV floral production, discusses how to transform practical production challenges into something magical, and offers insight into executing high-profile events from New York City to Miami.From orchids and arenas to television sets and unforgettable dining experiences, Rebecca explains how thoughtful design and strategic production can turn any event into something extraordinary. 

Over the last several years, I have been thinking about food waste and food loss a lot. It's been a topic that we've seen in many spaces in the US and around the world. And it's interesting to compare how the US handles food waste with other countries. To that end, we will learn more about how Belgium addresses food waste in a conversation with an anthropologist and journalist, Dr. Kelly Alexander from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her book, Truffles and Trash: Recirculating Food in a Social Welfare State, explores community driven solutions and policy around food waste. And Belgium's capital city of Brussells. Interview Transcript Let's start with your research in Brussels at a high end truffle restaurant... but you ended up in food banks and social restaurants and community kitchens. Tell us a little bit about the evolution. How did this project evolve to finding yourself in these new places? Yeah, it's a, a strange trajectory. I did not start out to be a food waste researcher. But how it started and how it's going, you know, that meme from 2018? This is like what I love to talk about when I talk to my food study students, because I started out, as a researcher, very interested in the development of haut cuisine. I had worked in a lot of restaurants. I had worked as a journalist for several food magazines. And the question that really animated me was how a truffle, this little spore on a fungus, has become one of the world's most expensive ingredients. And so I was doing ethnographic research in the kitchen of a Michelin starred truffle restaurant. And there is not that many of those, and one of them happens to be in Brussels, Belgium. And I'm in the kitchen there and I'm working on the line. And I usually have to specify to my students like it wasn't a stunt. Like you can't write to a Michelin star restaurant and say, 'Hey, can I come on in and work in your kitchen?' I had a lot of credentials as a journalist and as a chef first. What I did have going for me is that I was in a funded doctoral dissertation program, actually the anthropology program at Duke. So, I had funding to go and do that research in this kitchen. And there's probably no restaurant in the world, no matter how high end, that is not willing to accept some free labor. So, I'm working in that kitchen. I'm working with fantastic chefs. And what happens when you work at a super high-end restaurant is that is aesthetics are valued above all else. The food has to be really, really beautiful. And this restaurant charges extraordinarily. It's called La Truffe Noire. It's still in Brussels now. It's a truffle restaurant. The black truffle. Super high prices for very, very refined food. And in order to do that, a large part of my job was brushing priceless truffles, throwing away an unbelievable amount of very beautiful produce that would otherwise have been exceptionally valued in other contexts. And I come from a background - my grandmother was a Russian Jewish woman. She grew up in Brooklyn. She moved to Atlanta, Georgia after World War II. She taught me to cook, and she never threw anything away. And when I say that to people, I think they're like, oh yeah, I have a grandmother like that. But she really never threw anything away, like can of grease under the sink. The whole thing. Every little butt of a vegetable was saved for stock for later. And I was throwing away so much good food working in La Truffe Noire just making beautiful garnishes and vegetable carvings and things like that, that I started following the food waste around the city. I was wondering where all of this went. And I actually asked the chef in the restaurant, you know, we throw away so much food, would it be possible to give some of it to people who could really use it? And his response really interested me and changed the whole course of my research because he said, I am really willing to do that. However, I pay chefs to cook food and not to give it away. So, if somebody was willing to come here and pick it up, I'd happily give it to him. But I'm not going to pay people to go and do that. And I thought, well, I wonder what else is going on in this city in terms of this. Like where does all this food go? And I discovered I was doing this research at a fortuitous moment in the EU when the EU had just made this compulsory policy aimed at supermarkets. So, all large scale supermarkets across the EU were suddenly required to donate all edible but unsellable food. And the EU didn't give a lot of direction about how they could do that, and also didn't give the supermarkets any money. So, what happened as a result of that? Well, there were lots of local grassroots efforts communicating directly with supermarkets who were like, 'Hey, we're over here. We'll come pick up the food that you don't want to sell that's still good to eat. And we'll use it in our food banks and in our zero food waste popup restaurants.' And all the supermarkets had to do was get the food waste off their books. So, while I was there working in this truffle restaurant, all this other food waste activity was going on. And I discovered that's really what I wanted to be doing. I loved working as a chef, but I wanted to see what the possibilities were for recuperating food around the city. So, I changed. I changed everything I was doing pretty quickly. Oh, this is really fascinating. Thank you for sharing that. I know that the field of anthropology and other fields, you can start off on one project and discover that there's this whole new world that you didn't even realize until you started down the path. This is fascinating and I'm sure your advisor was thrilled to know that you wanted to change topic midstream. But it worked out. It worked out beautifully, it seems. It is true. I couldn't look away from the food waste to the point where I was taking pictures of the garbage can in the restaurant every day. And this big industrial garbage can filled with like priceless wild mushrooms. And a big part of my job is the restaurant made this dish. This is what changed my life. There's like a series of food journalists who talk about the dish that changed my life and what they're talking about is when you eat something super delicious and you have some kind of awakening, this is like the opposite of what happened to me. I am making this dish called Salad Stephanie. It's like a 40-euro salad that has a lobster tail in it and all these beautiful wild mushrooms, and it has eight spinach leaves. So, a big part of my job when I worked at La Truffe Noire was to hold up individual spinach leaves up to the light, and if they had any blemish or like a broken vein in them to throw it away. So, this is beautiful, this is like the best spinach that you could get. The best produce in all of Europe was coming to this restaurant and I was throwing it away. And I started taking photographs just to document all the food I was throwing away. And I couldn't look away. And actually my advisor, Dr. Anne Allison, in cultural anthropology at Duke, was really excited because I had been doing a project on aesthetics and now I was proposing a total change to do this much more political project about where food waste goes. So, she was like, yes, let us follow the food waste. This is so much more interesting. So that was kind of a nice nod that I was thinking in the right anthropological direction about food and value. Thank you. This is such an important uncovering that, you know, research isn't static. It's not linear. It takes deviations and it's in those deviations that you find the real truths. The real exciting things. Let's continue the conversation because I think there's so much more to uncover. In your book, Truffles and Trash, you describe a particular day of field work at a Brussels food pantry. It was a really powerful moment. And I will say, having worked at food pantries in different parts of the US, I recognize this story in a serious way. You mentioned that this moment turned into a tense moment around fish and pork. Can you describe this to our listeners and why did this experience stick with you? What did it teach you about the hidden social politics of food waste and redistribution? Yeah. I often frame, you know, I did this work back and forth to Brussels for about six years and certain moments just absolutely have stayed with me and haunted me in a lot of ways. And one of them was working at this food bank in a former hospital. So, there's a former hospital that had shut down. It was still like a hospital with rooms for sick people in a giant sick bay. And it had been turned into a kind of community residential center where people could rent rooms, they could use the kitchen to prepare their food. That had been the hospital's kitchen. And the bottom floor of it, which had been the whole emergency triage center, was turned into a thrice weekly food bank. So, I'm volunteering at this food bank and there's tons of food coming in from grocery stores. And this is Brussels in the summer. It's pretty hot outside. A lot of people go on vacation. There's a lot of expensive food coming in, including fish and pork, fresh fish and fresh pork. I am assigned to work on this station. The person who usually runs the station, who is my boss, is an older Vietnamese woman who's an immigrant herself to Brussels. And she is kind of giving me the ropes. And she has figured something out where she says, you know, we have to give equal things to equal people, right? And she's telling me this before anybody comes in the food bank. Yes, sure. We will give one to one to each person as the people are coming through the food bank. Brussels has a very high population of Moroccan immigrants, and this is due to historical factors. The Nation of Belgium invited Moroccan immigrants to help them build their subways in the '50s and '60s with the promise of citizenship, including they have an amazing educational system. It's a whole social welfare state, healthcare, everything. So, this is guaranteed to those Moroccan immigrants. What the Belgian government didn't do, and has been pretty clear on admitting, is create any social programming around those assimilation efforts. So, the generations of those people who came to build the subways are now a lot of them living on social assistance. That is who is coming through. A lot of Moroccan people who are Muslim, into this food bank. Muslim people typically have prohibitions against eating pork. So, we have fresh fish and fresh pork. There are women coming through, they're in hijabs, they're obviously presenting as Muslim and they are asking, could I have the fish please? And we were told to give the pork first and then the fish, because the fish is considered more valuable. And I am thinking, in my own head, oh, I'll just be an amazing social innovator here. Yes, of course. If you don't eat pork, please let me give you this fish. It is not occurring to me that other people coming through the line are considering this preferential treatment. So, I am giving fish to these Muslim women. One of them sees me in line and says, my friend is back there. Can you put aside a piece of fish for her? Yes, sure, no problem. I set it aside. A woman who is Flemish is coming through and she's speaking to me in Dutch and I'm handing her pork. Pork is super popular amongst Flemish diners. No problem. And she's pointing down and she had seen me put the fish away and said, can I have that fish? Well that fish is for someone else and she absolutely threw a fit. No, you can't do that. It's not fair. It's not just, you must give me a fish. Long story short, there's a whole tug of war between this package of fish. There's a security person at the food bank, which I had not considered why there would need to be a security person at the food bank who has to come in, break up this fight. It was, it was so humbling. I had not considered these factors. It's really on me. It's like you as a social scientist who's thinking it's not on me to innovate this food bank's pantry. I didn't follow directions. I thought I was doing a good thing. You know, the whole war over this fish. And when you see what it means to someone's culture to eat the foods that are appropriate to your culture, I would fight if someone was like, you can't have that matzo ball soup again. I'm going to take it away from you. There's no telling what I would do to get my hands on it. And I just felt in that moment, like I had done it all wrong. Like I had really misunderstood food waste distribution. But more than that, of course, I'm not the star of this story. If you are at the mercy of what is available and without choice... anthropologists spend a lot of time talking about the good life and what constitutes the good life and studying the good life. I would define the good life as being able to eat the food that you wish when you wish for it. If you don't have that and you are at the mercy of the state to decide what is appropriate for you, then you find yourself in these kinds of conflicts. And you see them, you said you could relate, you see them in food banks playing out all over the world. Yeah. First, Kelly, thank you for sharing that because I know that wasn't a fun story. I mean, I can only imagine the, the, the pain of you watching this scene unfold. I mean, that must have been difficult. Especially when the security guard is called in. Okay, that's tough. And realizing that there were differences in cultures that were clashing. All of that happening at the same time. And one of the things I pick up out of this story is that which is considered food that could be wasted, that could be redistributed, is not acceptable for all people. And like, how do we then make sense of that? Because you're in a culture where something is considered a good product...pork, but it's not considered a good product for other people. And so, you know, our food system, and I always say this about food banking in general, people complain about the foods that show up in food banks, in sort of a traditional sense. But it's just a reflection of the food system of that country, right? It just looks like what we have. And we may think that's not good, but it's, it's what you see in the grocery store often. And for all those reasons, I think there's such a richness to this story. So, thank you for sharing and also the humility it takes for telling that story too. I wanted to not be intrusive like any social scientist. I was there to share my time to do some participant observation research. Suddenly I had ignited this culture war amongst these two women, which is the least population I would want to affect. And you know, the security guard turned to me at the end of it, which is in the book and said, you get what you get. That is the policy. Yeah. If they want to trade when they get outside, you do not decide. You get what you get. That's how we do it. And I saw the wisdom of it in that moment. But at the same time, to your point, you see, sort of, like there have been much bigger tensions in Europe, especially around halal meat. You see it in France all the time, should McDonald's serve halal meat. And there's a certain very conservative contingent of Flemish people who are like, you can't tell us what we can eat. You can't tell us how we have to butcher our meat. And that's what I had seen firsthand happening in a food bank, which you think of as a place of lack where politics don't come, and politics are there. Yes, very much so. And the idea of equitable distribution; it can feel restrictive in some ways, but it serves a purpose. And like I said, I really appreciate you sharing that, and I think it's an important thing for all of us to understand the complexity of those environments. I want to move on and ask about sort of regulatory and legislative realities in Europe. So, Europe, as you mentioned, has this compulsory legislation requiring supermarkets to donate edible but unsellable food. While in the US food redistribution is often framed as charity. How does this policy difference shape what's possible? Yeah. This is the question. So, you know, one of the things I learned, even in that example. I always highlight like my worst, hardest, saddest day of participant observation in six years, which was that one. Which shows a kind of flaw in a food bank model. And sometimes I have students who say, oh, you hate food banks. I don't hate food banks. I think food banks have a lot of flaws. And what they do is continue to reproduce this structure of givers and receivers, right? Like there's, on one hand, one side of the equation are people who are giving food and on the other side who are people who were receiving food. And one thing this policy did this, like compulsory policy of forcing supermarkets... and you can't really force them, you can only levy huge fines with them. Which is... I am a big fan of policy with teeth, not just policy, but policy with teeth. You will have to pay a huge fine as a supermarket if you don't want to do this. And very few supermarkets have had to pay that fine as a result of this. There was massive compliance. But one thing I discovered was really better ways than food bank models, or that I think are better ways. In part because they're more equitable. And one of them is this concept of a social restaurant, which is very European, although you're seeing them spring up in the US more and more. So, a social restaurant, according to this model, is a government institution. It's funded by the government. And it has internship programs that people who are job seekers can apply to. They can learn skills on the job to work in restaurants, to work in the service industry. This is really important in a place like Belgium where there are two official languages, French and Dutch, but most immigrants come with only one, if any. And to be bilingual in a job market makes you far more competitive. So, you can learn this in these restaurants. You have language lessons. And then you also learn how to run a restaurant. The restaurant is entirely powered by this surplus distributed food from supermarkets, which gives you an idea of the scale. In my thinking, I was like, how can a couple of supermarkets possibly be giving an institution so much food that it could run a restaurant? The restaurant where I worked called Bel Mundo had four gigantic rooms of freezers, all of which had been donated, and they were turning away supermarkets. So that's how much food was coming in every day, just to say that. And so my greatest day of field work was called Steak Night. You wouldn't believe that you could find steak that was coming from a supermarket into a zero-food waste restaurant. And by the way, the restaurant sells meals at a lower cost. A lot of the meals were for pensioners. And also sliding scale. So, you know, one day I walked into the kitchen and there were 25 steaks, and they were fresh and they were going to expire in the next couple of days. And we needed to make them. The chefs were so excited. The chef trainees were so excited that diners were so excited about Steak Night. It was easily the happiest day of field work I'd ever had. People were dancing in the kitchen, we're playing music. It felt like we were doing something that was really luxurious and that's what that kind of policy can enable, right? There was a freezer full of unsold Christmas gooses from December that were then served for spring for Easter. That was like amazing. It's just another model. It's another way of doing things, right? That that policy made possible. Yes, and that's a great set of examples of how we can think about new ways of meeting these needs, using the surplus of our food system in creative and innovative spaces. And there's this possibility of training and development. I think there's something valuable there. You report that people in the US who talk with you about food waste, including your students, often ask, why don't we do this here? After everything you've seen, what's one realistic lesson or one small shift that communities in the US could adopt, right here, right now to rethink food waste? This the best question, and it is the number one question I get. Why don't we have this here? And we have seeds of some of it here already. I always point that out. One of the best programs I've ever seen is a program that is associated with the city's abattoir, which is a huge outdoor market that runs only on the weekends. And this grassroots group got together and said, you know, nobody's ever hanging out in this market during the week, we want to revitalize it. And one of the ways that they did it, just to get people to use the space more, was to take all the unsold produce. So instead of having vendors at the end of a market, and I think of my Carborro, NC farmer's market like this, at the end of the market, which is a pretty bougie farmer's market lots of chefs go there and get local produce. But at the end of the market instead of having farmers and produce vendors take home what they couldn't sell, they have an aftermarket. And the aftermarket turns that produce into edible meals. Everybody pays $5. There are people who come and cook the meal. If you cook the meal, you get to work for free, and it's a whole community workforce. It has had a tremendous effect. So, 60% of that market's food waste is now consumed. That's a big shift and it's happening at a local level. So, one thing, I think Michael Pollan's an amazing food journalist, but one of his great conclusions is that people need to grow their own food. And I'm critical of this. I don't think that's appropriate. I don't think that's a sustainable solution for a lot of people. But what I do think is sustainable in a market like that where there's food that doesn't sell, instead of throwing it away or taking it back or letting it rot, we could do something with it on the spot. And that's a little thing that makes a big difference. So, I am a fan of that. Food waste is one of the problems that is actually, in my view, best solved by local efforts because it's there, it's just sitting there. If you can move it around before it spoils you have won. If the ultimate goal is to just not throw away food. Now I do have students, I will say who are brilliant, who say stuff to me like isn't that neoliberalism? Look, yes. The answer's, the answer's yes. The answer's yes. If what your goal is, is to make sure that more edible food is not buried in landfills, which is bad for the environment and is not helping hungry people, it can be really effective. It can be really effective to say we don't actually have to overthrow the whole system while we're looking for better solutions. We can work within it. And that's probably my biggest takeaway is that even within a global industrial food system, there are lots of ways of moving food around from people who choose, who opt, who have the luxury of opting against it to people who would really like to have it. And it actually creates more equity instead of a culture of lack. I love your enthusiasm, and I love your vision of how we can work within the system to make it better for all people. Kelly, thank you so much for this engaging conversation. BIO Dr. Kelly Alexander is an assistant professor and George B. Tindall Fellow of American Studies in the University of North Carolina's College of Arts and Sciences, where she also co-directs the minor in Food Studies. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism and a doctorate in cultural anthropology from Duke University. She is a James Beard Award-winning writer and former editor at Saveur and Food & Wine magazines. Dr. Alexander's work has appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek, and O: The Oprah Magazine. She is also co-author of The New York Times best-selling barbecue cookbook Smokin' with Myron Mixon. Her research has been supported by the Mellon Foundation, the New York Botanical Gardens, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Send a textWe've had a busy 2 weeks here at Jet Fresh. SAF's Next Gen Live in Raleigh, NC, the New York Botanical Garden's annual Orchid Dinner in NYC, Fleurs de Villes latest show unveiled in Miami, and the WFFSA (Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association) conference all fell within the same 2 weeks.  So the team divided and conquered to make sure each event was a success.Join Jimi the Tulip, Mimi, Ryan and Joel as we recap each show, and the fun and challenges that came with them. Watch the video highlights on our social media!

Deborah Goodrich Royce, author of literary psychological thrillers and a former actor, unpacks how she builds tension without forcing the outline. You will hear how sensory observation from her New York Botanical Garden work feeds scene-level detail, why she prefers a "reveal" that feels earned over a twist that feels gimmicky, and how an actor's training translates into characters with layered motives and believable self-deception. What you will learn How to pace a psychological thriller so the reader feels pulled forward, not pushed. Character-first plotting: letting voice, backstory, and contradictions shape the turns. Designing "good reveals" and planting signals that pay off cleanly later. Key topics Botanical observation as a storytelling skill (attention, pattern, detail). Character development through lived experience and emotional memory. Organic plot development: earning twists through setup, not shock value. Chapters  00:00 Introduction and Deborah's background 01:00 Why the New York Botanical Garden matters to her creative life 01:57 Creative growth through lived experience 03:09 The Lincoln quote and what it signals in the book 03:37 Identity, deception, and what thrillers let us examine 04:55 Using "signals" from real life to build believable turns 05:46 The actor's lens on role, emotion, and subtext 07:10 Writing thrillers in a fast-paced media environment 07:48 "Organic" plotting: how reveals get earned 09:18 Creative community and collaboration 12:31 Openings, pacing, and keeping readers in the scene 14:59 Starting a new project: practical tools and habits 17:30 Visualizing the story with notes and systems 18:09 Readers, book clubs, and what she learns from conversations   Want to learn with Tricia this April? Learn more: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/empathy-as-interface-rethinking-ai-in-education-tickets-1630138009669?aff=oddtdtcreator  

Dr.  Kathleen "Kat" Cruz Gutierrez (Ph.D. Southeast Asian Studies, Berkeley) is Assistant Professor of Southeast Asian history and the history of science at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She writes on the history of botany, botanical taxonomies, and the recent scholarly "plant turn." Her research has been generously supported by the Social Science Research Council, the Henry Luce Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Her previous affiliations include De La Salle University, Manila, the Humanities Institute of the New York Botanical Garden, and the Oak Spring Garden Foundation. She presently serves as co-Principal Investigator for a community-engaged research initiative on Filipino agrarian labor and migration titled "Watsonville is in the Heart." For her work, she was awarded in 2024 the Richard E. Cone Award for Emerging Leaders in Community Engagement by LEAD California, a biannual honor that recognizes a single individual in higher education evidencing steadfast commitment to community engagement in their early careers.  In today's conversation we discuss her latest monograph Unmaking Botany: Science and Vernacular Knowledge in the Colonial Philippines where she traces a history of botany in the Philippines during the last decades of Spanish rule and the first decades of US colonization.  Through this history, she redefines the vernacular, expanding it to include embodied, cosmological, artistic, and varied taxonomic practices. 

The cold isn't letting up anytime soon. New Yorkers can expect more frigid temperatures this weekend. Activists gathered in front of the National Football League headquarters in Midtown Manhattan on Tuesday. They delivered a petition protesting potential Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence at Sunday's Super Bowl. However, NFL officials said there is no planned ICE presence at the big game. WFUV's Jordan Donegan reports. Despite the cold, the New York Botanical Garden is in full bloom with its annual orchid exhibit. WFUV's Mia Barth reports. In Music News this week, WFUV's Livia Regina shares some of Jeff Tweedy's interview with the station. Plus, Paul Simon is going on tour, and there's new songs from Hayley Williams. Host/Producer: Xenia Gonikberg Editor: Lainey Nguyen Reporter: Mia Barth Reporter: Jordan Donegan Reporter: Livia Regina Theme Music: Joe Bergsieker

What It Feels Like to Lead the World's Most Successful Musical with Maggie Brohn ---------------------------- She started answering phones. Now she runs Broadway's biggest global hit. Meet Maggie Brohn, the powerhouse behind Hamilton. In this episode of Heartbeat for Hire, host Lyndsay Dowd sits down with Maggie Brohn, Chief Operating Officer of Adventureland and the powerhouse Executive Producer of Hamilton across Broadway, the West End, Disney+, multiple global tours, and international productions. Maggie shares the remarkable story of how she went from answering phones in a theatrical office to becoming an owner, producer, and one of the most influential leaders in modern theater. She breaks down how Hamilton transitioned from a groundbreaking production into a global business — operating more like a major corporation than a traditional Broadway show. We explore the art of leading creatives, building trust, setting authority, navigating strong emotions, and making mission-critical decisions. Maggie reveals what it takes to guide artists while staying grounded in business realities and cultivating a team capable of worldwide excellence. She also opens up about listening, cultural sensitivity, DEI conversations, building long-term contracts, and why the industry needs a full reset. Plus, Maggie shares what Broadway needs most right now — and how audiences can help.
   
 Timestamps
 00:00:00 Intro: The Audience's Desire for Delight in Theater
 00:01:00 Introducing Maggie Brohn: Broadway's Executive Producer and COO
00:01:58 Maggie's Journey: From Answering Phones to Producing Hamilton
00:03:23 Leading Creatives: Setting Authority and Navigating Feelings
 00:04:30 The Power of Trust and Delegating to Expertise
 00:06:00 The Biggest Lesson: Moving Theater from "Show" to Global Business
00:08:15 Adapting Hamilton for International Audiences
 00:11:59 The Current State of the Broadway Business
 00:18:24 Setting Boundaries as a Manager
 00:20:32 An Early Leadership Test: The Jack Daniels & Massage Request
00:23:46 Leading as an Outsider and a Woman in a Male-Dominated Group
00:24:49 Listening & Hard DEI Conversations
 00:26:50 Maggie's Legacy: Leading an Industry "Reset"
 00:30:22 Union Negotiations & Long-Term Contracts
 00:33:26 How to Support Theater & Broadway Today
 00:34:18 Conclusion & Final Thoughts
   
 About the Guest
 Maggie Brohn is the Chief Operating Officer of Adventureland and the Executive Producer of Hamilton on Broadway, the West End, the international tour, UK/Ireland Tour, and Disney+. Her recent credits include The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail at New York Botanical Garden, the 2023 Sweeney Todd Broadway revival, Hamilton in Hamburg and Australia, Derren Brown: Secret, and The Cher Show. Previously a partner at Bespoke Theatricals, Maggie general-managed major plays and musicals for over a decade. She serves on the Board of Governors and Executive Committee for The Broadway League and is a former Co-Chair of the Labor Committee. She resides in New York City with her husband and two children. 
 About the Host – Lyndsay Dowd is a Speaker, Founder, Author, Coach, Podcast Host—and unapologetic Disruptor. With 30 years of leadership experience, including 23 at IBM, she's built and led high-performing teams that consistently delivered results. She also served as a Guest Lecturer at Harvard University, sharing her insights on modern leadership and culture transformation. 

 As the founder of Heartbeat for Hire, Lyndsay helps companies ditch toxic leadership and build irresistible cultures that drive performance, retention, and impact. She's been featured in Fortune Magazine, HR.com, ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, and over 100 podcasts. 

   Lyndsay is a two-time best selling author of Top Down Culture and Voices of Women, and the host of the globally ranked and 2X awarded Heartbeat for Hire podcast—sitting in the top 2.5% worldwide. She is also the host of a weekly live show called THE LEADERSHIP LOUNGE. Lyndsay is a frequent speaker, moderator, and guest, known for her candor, humor, and ability to spark action.
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 To my loyal listeners - I love luxury and I love a great deal. 
 If you are looking for an amazing gift or a way to treat yourself, Go to https://cozyearth.com/ and use the code LEADWITHHEART and get 41% off. It's the deepest discount you will find anywhere and I get commission too! This brand has been on Oprah's Favorite Things 9 times!! Happy Shopping!   
 Connect with Lyndsay Dowd:  Website: https://heartbeatforhire.com
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   #Hamilton #Broadway #MaggieBrohn #HamiltonMusical #ExecutiveProducer #LeadershipPodcast #CreativeLeadership #TheaterBusiness #WomenInLeadership #BehindTheScenes #HeartbeatForHire

A new bill in the City Council could finally make bodega cats legal residents of New York's corner stores. WFUV's Xenia Gonikberg reports on what the change would mean for bodega owners and their feline coworkers. Across the country this week, hundreds of cultural institutions, artists, businesses, and organizers are joining a coordinated protest against rising authoritarianism. WFUV's Sienna Reinders explains the national “Fall of Freedom” action and why New Yorkers are participating. And in the Bronx, the New York Botanical Garden has opened its 34th annual Holiday Train Show, complete with miniature railroads weaving through handcrafted replicas of iconic city landmarks. WFUV's Joseph Vizza takes us inside the Garden's seasonal favorite. Host/Producer: Andrew McDonald Editor: Tess Novotny Reporter: Xenia Gonikberg Reporter: Sienna Reinders Reporter: Joseph Vizza Theme Music: Joe Bergsieker

About Robin Zachary Robin Zachary is a New York based prop stylist and creative director for over 20+ years, a styling educator and author of the book STYLING BEYOND INSTAGRAM. She is passionate about vintage collecting, shopping and being surrounded by flowers as much as possible. Her clients include national brands, magazines and social media accounts. She mentors stylists entering the field through The Prop Styling Experience® , The Fashion Institute of Technology and New York Botanical Garden. She spends her free time harmonizing and playing guitar with her husband and of course shopping.   Summary Desha Peacock and Robin Zachary explore the world of prop styling, the impact of writing a book, and the journey of personal growth. They discuss the importance of manifesting dreams, the challenges faced in their careers, and the excitement of upcoming workshops in Mexico. Robin shares her insights on building a creative business, the significance of community, and the power of specific goal-setting. The conversation is filled with inspiration, practical advice, and a tips on doing work that feeds your soul.    Takeaways The behind-the-scenes world of prop styling, not as easy as it looks Manifesting dreams while also managing challenging personal life circumstances The power of community + specific goal-setting Robin's secret to manifest your next big chapter It's possible to build a soul-fed creative business   Chapters 00:00 Connecting Through Creativity 03:56 Robin's Prop Styling Journey 07:19 The Impact of Writing a Book 12:40 Taking care of a parent with Dementia 16:12 Manifesting Dreams and Goals 24:41 Creating Content on the SheDESIGNS Mexico Retreat 27:54 Advice for Designing a Life You Love 30:39 Leave room for surprises 33:40 Thanks for listening!   Where to find Robin: The Prop Styling Experience Found Artists Robin's Website Robin Zachary on IG   Join our community! Follow this podcast and share with a friend! In the world of podcasts, reviews are everything! Please rate and review this episode on your favorite platform.  Visit our website to get the latest on episodes, behind the scenes info, and upcoming events & retreats.  Say hi on the gram!

This week, Joanne welcomes Ellen Zachos, author of 11 books on plants, including her latest, Mythic Plants: Potions and Poisons from the Gardens of the Gods. About Ellen A Harvard graduate, Ellen's first career was on Broadway (Les Miz), but the gift of a peace lily on opening night opened her eyes to the wonderful world of plants. Ellen taught at the New York Botanical Garden for many years and also served as Coordinator of the Gardening Department in Continuing Ed, before moving to Santa Fe, NM. She was named a Great American Gardener by the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival. Her 11th book, Mythic Plants: Potions & Poisons from the Gardens of the Gods, was published this year. Inspiration & Research Grew from Ellen's Greek heritage and lifelong love of mythology and plants. Greek mythology felt personally significant; she wasn't drawn to Norse or Indian myths. Extensive research across historical texts; citations couldn't fit in the print book, but are available online. Plant Stories & Mythology Connections Nepenthe (Poppy): In Homer's Odyssey, Helen of Troy prepared Nepenthe—an "anti-sorrow" drink of wine and opium poppy. Calmed grief temporarily. Linnaeus later named the tropical pitcher plant Nepenthes after this myth, believing its beauty could lift sorrow. Moly (Snowdrop): Hermes gave Odysseus "Moly" to protect him from Circe's spells. Described as a plant with black roots and white flowers—likely the snowdrop (Galanthus). Contains galantamine, which counters hallucinations—aligning with the myth's antidote effect. Modern research explores galantamine for Alzheimer's treatment. Fig: Valued food in ancient Greece, consumed fresh or dried before refrigeration existed. Special laws governed fig harvesting; penalties for theft were severe. Ancient figs required complex pollination (caprification). Some myths surrounding figs are notably "saucy." Pine Tree: Associated with violent origin myths, but also practical uses. Pine nuts were a staple food; pine resin sealed wine vessels, the origin of Retsina wine. Modern Retsina has a milder pine flavour, enjoyed especially in Greek summer settings. Aconitum (Monkshood): Misunderstood as poisonous to touch—false. Dangerous only if ingested. Blooms beautifully when few others do; it is resistant to deer and rabbits. Ellen wishes for a "Plant Mythbusters" show to debunk misinformation about plant toxicity. Daffodil (Narcissus): Linked to the myth of Narcissus falling in love with his reflection. Also central to the Persephone story, Zeus created a daffodil to lure her before Hades abducted her. Explains the origin of winter and spring cycles through Demeter's grief and renewal. Themes & Insights Plants in Greek mythology were deeply symbolic, medicinal, and magical. Many ancient uses align with modern scientific knowledge. The book groups plants thematically into short, easy-to-read chapters, ideal for bedtime or book clubs. Appeals to gardeners, historians, herbalists, and mythology enthusiasts. Ellen's Life & Work Today Now based in Santa Fe with a small, fully edible garden. Enjoys discovering new drought-tolerant plants in a vastly different climate. Former rooftop gardener in New York City; designed and maintained terrace gardens. Also teaches and speaks across the U.S.—including the upcoming Herb Society of America Conference in Texas (April). Other popular books: How to Forage for Wild Foods Without Dying, Backyard Foraging, The Wildcrafted Cocktail, The Forager's Pantry. Advocates for safe, informed foraging and appreciation of wild edibles. Mythic Plants features beautiful botanical illustrations by Lisel Ashlock. Mythic Plants makes a great gift and is available on Amazon! Find Ellen Zachos on Instagram. Other Resources Mentioned in the Show: Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden Down the Garden Path Podcast On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible.  In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon. Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

Governor Hochul has announced emergency funding for food assistance programs. WFUV's Xenia Gonikberg reports. Mayor Eric Adams unveils a news system aimed at improving school safety. Before today, New York City schools have had no quick line to call 911 in the event of a school shooting. WFUV's Nora Malone reports. A new poll from Quinnipiac University reveals Americans' attitudes towards the Superbowl. WFUV's Xenia Gonikberg reports. It's spooky season at the New York Botanical Garden! A new Halloween-themed light installation is open to the public — it's inspired by Tim Burton's film The Nightmare Before Christmas. WFUV's Andrew McDonald speaks with Davidson Boswell, a New York City Comedian and left-wing activist, about the evolving role of comedians in Politics.

Many communities face an uneven food landscape: plenty of cheap junk food, but few places to buy fresh, healthy food. This pattern—often called “food apartheid”—doesn't happen by accident; it grows from redlining, unfair rules, and corporate control. The impacts are steep: higher rates of type 2 diabetes, kidney failure, and learning problems in Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities, along with unsafe conditions for farmworkers. These harms have a long history, and government subsidies and convincing marketing keep ultraprocessed foods on top. However, we take practical steps to make change including investing in regenerative and community farms, protecting and fairly paying farmworkers, and enforcing civil-rights laws so public dollars support real food, healthy soil, and communities that thrive. In this episode, Leah Penniman, Dr. Rupa Marya, Raj Patel, Karen Washington, and I discuss why food injustices exist and how we can create regenerative food systems to serve everyone. Leah Penniman is a Black Kreyol educator, farmer/peyizan, author, and food justice activist from Soul Fire Farm in Grafton, NY. She co-founded Soul Fire Farm in 2010 with the mission to end racism in the food system and reclaim our ancestral connection to land. As co-Executive Director, Leah is part of a team that facilitates powerful food sovereignty programs - including farmer training for Black & Brown people, a subsidized farm food distribution program for communities living under food apartheid, and domestic and international organizing toward equity in the food system. Leah has been farming since 1996, holds an MA in Education and a BA in Environmental Science from Clark University, and is a Manye (Queen Mother) in Vodun.  Dr. Rupa Marya is a physician, activist, mother, and composer. She is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco where she practices and teaches Internal Medicine. Her research examines the health impacts of social systems, from agriculture to policing. She is a co-founder of the Do No Harm Coalition, a collective of health workers committed to addressing disease through structural change. At the invitation of Lakota health leaders, she is currently helping to set up the Mni Wiconi Health Clinic and Farm at Standing Rock in order to decolonize medicine and food.  Raj Patel is a Research Professor at the University of Texas at Austin's Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs, a professor in the University's department of nutrition, and a Research Associate at Rhodes University, South Africa. He is the author of Stuffed and Starved, the New York Times bestselling The Value of Nothing, co-author of A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things. A James Beard Leadership Award winner, he is the co-director of the award-winning documentary about climate change and the food system, The Ants & The Grasshopper.  Karen is a farmer, activist, and food advocate. She is the Co-owner and Farmer at Rise & Root Farm in Chester, New York. In 2010, Karen Co-Founded Black Urban Growers (BUGS), an organization supporting growers in both urban and rural settings. In 2012, Ebony magazine voted her one of the 100 most influential African Americans in the country, and in 2014 Karen was the recipient of the James Beard Leadership Award. Karen serves on the boards of the New York Botanical Gardens, SoulFire Farm, the Mary Mitchell Center, Why Hunger, and Farm School NYC. This episode is brought to you by BIOptimizers. Head to bioptimizers.com/hyman and use code HYMAN to save 15%. Full-length episodes can be found here:Why Food Is A Social Justice Issue Food Justice: Why Our Bodies And Our Society Are Inflamed A Way Out Of Food Racism And Poverty

This week on Cultivating Place, in honor of this first week of Autumn, and the idea of passing time, looking back, and the importance of memory and history, host Abra Lee welcomes someone whose work reminds us that gardens are not only grown in the soil but also in the stories we keep and share. Abra is in conversation with Rose Vincent, Resource Sharing Librarian at the New York Botanical Garden's renowned Mertz Library. Rose helps make one of the world's greatest collections of botanical knowledge accessible to people everywhere. Through her work, Rose ensures that plant lovers, researchers, and communities can connect, which links us through the living history of plants, gardens, and the people who tend them. She's also a curator and collaborator on creative exhibits, such as Dead Formats, which explore the various ways humans have recorded and shared their relationship with the plant world. Rose's work reminds us that libraries are not quiet, static spaces, but vibrant, growing gardens of knowledge — alive with connection, curiosity, and care. Rose is a librarian, a connector, a storyteller, and a keeper of botanical memory. Listen in! Cultivating Place now has a donate button! We thank you for listening over the years, and we hope you'll continue to support Cultivating Place. We can't thank you enough for making it possible for this young program to grow and engage in even more conversations like these. The show is available as a podcast on SoundCloud and iTunes. To read more and for many more photos, please visit www.cultivatingplace.com. All photos Courtesy of Rose Vincent & NYBG, all rights reserved.

Learn more at TheCityLife.org

Learn more at TheCityLife.org

Discount link for upcoming webinar Matrix Planting Made Easy on Monday August 4 at 6 pm CDT.CLAIRE CHAMBERS BIOClaire Chambers is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Meadow Lab, a public benefit company designing high-performance plant systems like native wildflower meadow sod inspired by nature. She is also the principal of Flowerlands, a small landscape design studio.After twenty years as an entrepreneur and executive in the world of digital commerce, Claire left to study at New York Botanical Garden's School of Professional Horticulture, where she received a certificate in landscape design. Today, Claire is focused on advisory, incubation and investment work that supports the broader mission of re-wilding the built world.Previously, Claire founded and operated Journelle, a woman's clothing start-up; she led a multi-billion dollar P&L within Walmart; and served as president at Food52, a private-equity backed media & commerce business, where she spearheaded growth across e-commerce, retail, marketing, merchandising, brand partnerships and community. Claire holds a degree in Economics & Studio Art from Wellesley College.Claire lives in the lower Hudson Valley with her husband and their two young daughters, where she enjoys cooking for family & friends, hiking, growing flowers, and riding horses.You can learn more about Claire and Meadow Lab at meadowlab.com and on Instagram at @meadowlab.THE PLANTASTIC PODCASTThe Plantastic Podcast is a monthly podcast created by Dr. Jared Barnes.  He's been gardening since he was five years old and now is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX.  To say hi and find the show notes, visit theplantasticpodcast.com.You can learn more about how Dr. Jared cultivates plants, minds, and life at meristemhorticulture.com.  He also shares thoughts and cutting-edge plant research each week in his newsletter plant•ed, and you can sign up at meristemhorticulture.com/subscribe.  Until next time, #keepgrowing! 

This week on Cultivating Place, guest host Abra Lee is joined in conversation by someone whose path into horticulture is both inspiring and honest—Richard M. Smith, director of the School of Professional Horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden. Richard grew up in Belle Glade, Florida—folks there call it Muck City, thanks to their deep, rich soil. And while Richard didn't start off in horticulture, that love for plants was always in him. Now his career is focused on helping people from all walks of life find their way into this field—building careers, finding purpose, and growing something meaningful. As someone who is growing more than just plants, Richard is all about access, mentorship, and ensuring the door stays open behind him. Enjoy! Cultivating Place now has a donate button! We thank you so much for listening over the years, and we hope you'll support Cultivating Place. We can't thank you enough for making it possible for this young program to grow and engage in even more conversations like these. The show is available as a podcast on SoundCloud and iTunes. To read more and for many more photos, please visit www.cultivatingplace.com.

Dan went to the New York Botanical Garden for a live taping of The Martha Stewart Podcast. He almost got to talk to Martha Stewart, but did come back with tape of her conversation with actress Jameela Jamil. In this episode, Martha shares the power of gardening, Jameela explains why Martha is her ultimate inspiration, and Dan reveals that if he were a tree, he'd be an oak, but not the sturdy kind! Got a burning question for Food Network stars Robert Irvine or Guy Fieri? Email it to howsuccesshappens@entrepreneur.com and Dan just might read it on the air. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A federal judge is ordering the Trump administration not to block or withhold funding for New York state as retaliation for the MTA's congestion pricing program. Plus, the panel that sets the rent for tenants in a million stabilized apartments held a rare "re-vote" on Tuesday. Also, electric bills for New Jersey residents are about to jump up around 20% next month. Meanwhile, bird lovers in Manhattan plan to turn Broadway malls into avian oases. And finally, the New York Botanical Garden's new exhibit pays tribute to Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh with botanical displays and large scale art.

Today's featured poet is Charise Hoge (0:03:35) whose latest collection, Inheritance of Flowers, came out this spring from Kelsay Books. Reflecting on her grandmother's legacy as a southern flower shop owner, Charise speaks with Ann about ancestry, belonging, and our internal connections with nature that are sustaining even in times of upheaval and hibernation.In the Ask Randi segment, Dr. Randi Eckel (0:29:27) dives into New Jersey's game-changing Bill S1029, which was just passed by the State Senate. This bill tackles the sale of invasive plants and creates an Invasive Species Council—huge wins for our native ecosystems. But this bill is not law yet. The New Jersey State Assembly still needs to pass Bill A4137 to seal the deal. So now is the moment to act: Call or email your State Assembly member and urge them to support A4137 or reach out to NPSNJ Advocacy with questions. Your voice can help protect the landscapes we love! Plus, Randi answers a listener question about living native Christmas trees—sharing her top picks for outdoor planting after the holiday season.Kim then talks with Ken Chaya (0:43:43) celebrated artist and New York-based urban naturalist. Ken shares why Central Park has become one of the premier birding spots in the United States. With its unique geography and rich canopy of over 20,000 trees, the park is a vital oasis for migratory birds—and a paradise for birders. Ken was instrumental in creating the Central Park Entire App, is the past President of the Linnaean Society and teaches at the New York Botanical Garden, where he helped design the Urban Naturalist Certificate Program. Most recently, he led a four-week deep dive into The Natural History of Birds for NPSNJ.Kim and Ann close the episode in conversation with the remarkable Mélina Mangal (1:11:32)—author of children's books that explore our deep connections between nature and culture. Her latest works, Birds Sing Their Words and Trees Stand Tall, are lyrical board books for young readers, published by Free Spirit Publishing. Mélina is also a school library teacher in Minneapolis, where she champions the joy of reading every day. Together, we discuss book censorship, the vital role of storytelling, and why the freedom to read and access information is essential to the health of our democracy.  Announcement from The WildStory: We will take a short hiatus this summer—offering regenerative time for gardening, writing, family, and more. We will be back with a new episode in September!

The fiercely hilarious actress and activist Jameela Jamil claims she doesn’t have a green bone in her body. But fear not. In this hilarious live podcast recorded at the New York Botanical Garden, Martha shares some beginner gardening tips, showing Jameela that there’s a place in the garden for everyone. Be prepared to laugh and learn. This episode is brought to you by Miracle-Gro.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This summer, the New York Botanical Garden is inviting you to enjoy the flowers of Van Gogh. In the exhibition, "Van Gogh's Flowers," the Botanical Garden has brought Van Gogh's paintings to life with flower installations. Joanna Groarke, NYBG's vice president for exhibitions and programming, speaks more about the show, and previews the "Starry Night evenings" that feature live music and performance art. "Van Gogh's Flowers" opens to the public on May 24 and runs through October 26.

According to new police data, subway crime in New York City is at historic lows. However, felony assaults on trains are up 20 percent. Meanwhile, a new exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx pays tribute to Vincent Van Gogh. Plus, forest fire season is underway in New Jersey. Major wildfires in both the north and south of the state over the past year have put large areas at risk. Eric Weber, assistant division fire warden for the state Forest Fire Service, joins us to talk about how to reduce that risk.

On this edition of Ask Joan, Joan explores two picturesque gardens in New York perfect for Mother's Day picnics and family activities. She highlights the events at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, which include live food, beautiful spring landscapes, games like Corn Ladder and Giant Jenga, with events running on Mother's Day weekend, May 10th and 11th. Admission details and offerings are provided. Additionally, she recommends Wave Hill Public Garden Cultural Center, also in the Bronx, with its 28-acre picturesque landscapes overlooking the Hudson River. Events include a special family art project, guided walks, free community yoga, and a tea service at the historic Wave Hill House, requiring reservations. Detailed information on both garden experiences, activities, and ticket pricing is shared for listeners looking for a perfect Mother's Day outing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a lot to learn from cacti in the desert of the New York Botanical Garden. Learn how to soak up your new surroundings first before making quick changes. #ThePitch #INICIVOX #VirtualMentorship

Ferns aren't quite as showy as flowering plants, but they are beautiful and their biology is fascinating, according to my guest this week, evolutionary biologist Dr. Emily Sessa of the New York Botanical Garden. She is here to teach us all about ferns, from their history to their unique properties. Podcast Links for Show notes Download my free eBook 5 Steps to Your Best Garden Ever - the 5 most important steps anyone can do to have a thriving garden or landscape. It's what I still do today, without exception to get incredible results, even in the most challenging conditions. Subscribe to the joegardener® email list to receive weekly updates about new podcast episodes, seasonal gardening tips, and online gardening course announcements. Check out The joegardener® Online Gardening Academy for our growing library of organic gardening courses. Follow joegardener® on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, and subscribe to The joegardenerTV YouTube channel.

Joining me in the first hour of the show is Barbara Bravo, CCE Master Gardener Volunteer and Garden Day Coordinator to talk about “Garden with Confidence” happening on April 5th at SUNY Ulster, Stone Ridge, New York. The Master Gardeners of Cornell Cooperative Extension are delighted to unveil Garden Day 2025 class offerings that are designed to inspire and equip both novices and experienced gardeners. This year's range of classes will provide hands on learning experiences, expert guidance, and practical tips to help attendees grow vibrant, sustainable gardens. From tackling garden challenges to enhancing your plant knowledge, these engaging classes will foster a deeper connection to nature and encourage ecological responsibility. This all-day gardening extravaganza, featuring 16 classes is taught by our dedicated Master Gardener Volunteers. Garden Day will take place on April 5, from 8:30 am to 4 pm at SUNY Ulster, Stone Ridge, NY. The day kicks-off with a Keynote Address that will be delivered by Michael Hagen, Curator of the Native Plant Garden and the Rock Garden at the New York Botanical Garden. In Michael's address, entitled “The Challenges of a Public Native Plant Garden: Maintenance, Interpretation and Compromise” he will explore the New York Botanical Garden's commitment to highlighting the native flora of northeastern North America, a vision that traces back to its founding Director and its evolution into a completely reimagined and significantly expanded native plant garden. This presentation will address some of the unexpected challenges, evolving maintenance strategies, and key lessons learned over the past decade since the garden's reopening. In addition to attending the Keynote address, you have the opportunity to choose four enriching classes out of the 16 available options, designed to elevate your gardening skills so that you will Garden with Confidence.Joining me in the second hour is musician and activist Rebecca Martin. She has shaped a singular career devoted to the beauty and possibility of pure creative discovery. After getting her start as co-founder of the pioneering jazz-pop duo Once Blue, the New York-based singer/songwriter went on to release a series of acclaimed solo albums animated by the quiet force of her captivating vocals, and collaborating along the way with her husband, the jazz bassist Larry Grenadier and luminaries Argentine pianist Guillermo Klein and legendary jazz drummer Paul Motian.Produced by Rebecca Martin and recorded in Portugal by Mário Barreiros, SHE features 13 original songs that blend voice and acoustic guitar to create a minimalistic yet powerful sound with deep emotional resonance. Exploring themes of identity, transformation, and the passage of time, the album fosters a reflective, meditative space that invites listeners to fully immerse themselves in its introspective atmosphere.In one of her boldest turns to date, Martin's new album SHE (Sunnyside Records) marks her first body of work made entirely on her own. Martin graces every moment of SHE with the clarity and character of her distinct vocal phrasing. As revealed throughout her new recording, Martin's commitment to creating space informs nearly all aspects of her artistry, including everything from the album's sparse orchestration to her underlying desire to summon a gratifying sense of stillness within all those who listen. Rebecca will be performing songs from the album joined by Clare Manchon and Anthea White on background vocals during the album's Release Party at The Local on February 28th in Saugerties.Today's show was engineered by Ian Seda from Radiokingston.org.Our show music is from Shana Falana!Feel free to email me, say hello: she@iwantwhatshehas.org** Please: SUBSCRIBE to the pod and leave a REVIEW wherever you are listening, it helps other users FIND IThttp://iwantwhatshehas.org/podcastITUNES | SPOTIFYITUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/i-want-what-she-has/id1451648361?mt=2SPOTIFY:https://open.spotify.com/show/77pmJwS2q9vTywz7Uhiyff?si=G2eYCjLjT3KltgdfA6XXCAFollow:INSTAGRAM * https://www.instagram.com/iwantwhatshehaspodcast/FACEBOOK * https://www.facebook.com/iwantwhatshehaspodcast

On this edition of Ask Joan, Joan highlights the Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden. This year's show, titled 'Mexican Modernism,' runs from February 15th to April 27th, 2025, and features stunning orchid displays inspired by architect Luis Barragan's designs. Visitors can explore diverse ecosystems and vibrant arrangements, with select 'Orchid Nights' for adults including music, dancing, and refreshments. For more details and tickets, visit nybg.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

20250103 Tom Harris On NYE Wrap And Kenia Pittman On The New York Botanical Garden by That KEVIN Show

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes food and nature writer Eugenia Bone to discuss her new book, "Have a Good Trip: Exploring the Magic Mushroom Experience." Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-280?ref=278 Drawing from extensive research, personal experimentation, and interviews, Eugenia shares insights into the world of psilocybin mushrooms, from cultivation to ceremonial use. She explores the intersection of citizen science and clinical research, the role of indigenous wisdom, and offers a balanced perspective on the current psychedelic renaissance. Eugenia Bone is food and nature writer whose work has appeared in many anthologies, magazines, and newspapers, including The New York Times, The National Lampoon, Saveur, Gourmet, BBC Science, and The Wall Street Journal, where she is a frequent book reviewer. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers and former president of the New York Mycological Society. She is faculty at the New York Botanical Garden where she teaches classes on psychedelic mushrooms and mycophagy. She is the author or co-author of nine books on food and biology, and has won or been nominated for a variety of awards, including the Nautilus Award, the Colorado Book Award and the James Beard Award. Eugenia has been featured on many dozens of radio shows and podcasts, lectured widely in diverse venues like The New York Public Library, the Denver Botanical Garden and The telluride Mushroom Festival where she is a regular presenter. She is featured in the documentary directed by Louie Schwartzberg, Fantastic Fungi (2019), and in the Netflix children's show about food, Waffles + Mochi (the mushroom episode) produced by Michele Obama's Higher Ground Productions. Highlights: Introduction to Eugenia's new book and her approach to writing about psychedelics  The process of researching and writing "Have a Good Trip" The "Noccers" of Seattle: Urban mushroom cultivation activists Experience with indigenous ceremonies and curanderas Personal journey with mushroom cultivation The role of citizen science in psychedelic research Insights from microdosing experiences Final wisdom about having a good trip Episode Links: Eugenia's website Eugenia's book, Have a Good Trip Instagram: @EugeniaGBone Eugenia's Substack These show links may contain affiliate links. Third Wave receives a small percentage of the product price if you purchase through the above affiliate links. Episode Sponsor: The Practitioner Certification Program by Third Wave's Psychedelic Coaching Institute.

Lillimure is a singer, songwriter, and producer based in NYC. Influenced by melodies of her multicultural upbringing, she draws from introspective lyricism and pulsing grooves for when you want to run away and find yourself at the same time. Lillimure's genre-bending sound can be described as pop with a heavy sensibility to musicianship influenced by sounds from R&B, jazz, and folk to the likes of John Mayer, Tom Misch, and Emily King.Her journey began as a songwriter with her first single “Summer Blues” in 2017. Her latest singles, "Lately" (2024)and "Favorite Song" (2023), debut her work as a producer as well as showcase the band she tours with. Lillimure's music has made its way to many stages including locally at the Pleasantville Music Festival, The Mercury Lounge opening for Kiltro and Eaglin, and her annual return to the New York Botanical Gardens, and internationally at The Forge in London and Salotto Di Alice in Naples, Italy.Her upcoming body of work surrounds the emotions of knowing people and places for a brief period of time, and keeping those memories close as the pages turn. Find her on all social media @lillimure to keep up with her latest projects! Lillimure's next upcoming goals are to focus on her show at the Mercury Lounge on December 15 as well as her upcoming music video and single "Slow Rider" releasing in 2025.

Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Support The Daily Gardener Buy Me A Coffee  Connect for FREE! The Friday Newsletter |  Daily Gardener Community Botanical History On This Day 1793 Archibald Menzies, the Scottish surgeon-botanist, reluctantly departs Santa Barbara aboard the HMS Discovery during Vancouver's expedition. 1810 Asa Gray is born. He was a figure who would become America's preeminent botanist and one of the most influential scientists of the 19th century. Grow That Garden Library™  Read The Daily Gardener review of New Nordic Gardens by Annika Zetterman  Buy the book on Amazon: New Nordic Gardens by Annika Zetterman  Today's Botanic Spark 1916 Renowned landscape architect Beatrix Farrand (FAIR-rand) creates a visionary rose garden plan for the New York Botanical Garden. Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor dive into the magical world of Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail. Hear all about Jim's recent visit to this dazzling event at the New York Botanical Gardens, where he experienced life-sized sculptures, fog-filled forests, and stunning light displays that bring Burton's eerie, whimsical vision to life. Also in this episode: The Wild Robot still dominates the box office, edging closer to $300 million worldwide. D23 Brasil's big animation reveals, including a new Ice Age film and Toy Story 5 updates. Behind the scenes on Skydance and Netflix's Spellbound promotion in Times Square. Updates on Marvel's animated lineup and what's in store for 2025. Get ready for all this and more on this week's Fine Tooning! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor dive into the magical world of Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail. Hear all about Jim's recent visit to this dazzling event at the New York Botanical Gardens, where he experienced life-sized sculptures, fog-filled forests, and stunning light displays that bring Burton's eerie, whimsical vision to life. Also in this episode: The Wild Robot still dominates the box office, edging closer to $300 million worldwide. D23 Brasil's big animation reveals, including a new Ice Age film and Toy Story 5 updates. Behind the scenes on Skydance and Netflix's Spellbound promotion in Times Square. Updates on Marvel's animated lineup and what's in store for 2025. Get ready for all this and more on this week's Fine Tooning! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey there, and Happy Friday! This is your Disney News for Friday, October 25th, 2024. I'm thrilled to bring a little Disney magic your way today! - Disneyland Park opens the newly rebranded Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree featuring a country bear theme with a new menu. - Disneyland Railroad reopens, alongside the grand opening of Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree. - Disney fans are excited for the possible return of the Paint the Night parade, teased by Disneyland Resort on social media, potentially coinciding with the 70th anniversary in 2025. - October marks a transition from Halloween to Christmas themes at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World, with festive decorations replacing spooky ones. - In New York City, the Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail at the New York Botanical Garden features Tim Burton-inspired displays for a unique Disney experience. Thanks for tuning in, and remember to check back tomorrow for more Disney delights. See you tomorrow!

Eugenia Bone is an expert in the world of nature and food, known not only for her writing but also for her deep passion for mushrooms, both culinary and psychedelic. She has a remarkable way of blending science and food culture into her work, which has earned her a dedicated following. As the author of nine books, she dives into the mysteries of fungi, food ecosystems, and preservation with curiosity and warmth. Her teaching at the New York Botanical Garden reflects her love for sharing knowledge, and her participation in mushroom festivals and clubs shows she has found her people—those as fascinated by the hidden world of fungi as she is. Eugenia's warmth and adventurous spirit are clear, whether she's writing for prestigious publications, appearing in documentaries, or cooking up something special. Connect with Eugenia Bone! instagram.com/eugeniabone Visit Her Website to learn more! eugeniabone.com Pre-order her book, Have a Good Trip: Exploring the Magic Mushroom Experience https://a.co/d/4qSjHHn CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Introduction 1:37 - Eugenia on foraging mushrooms in New York City 2:09 - Eugenia's newest book about Psilocybe mushrooms: Have a Good Trip 4:43 - Eugenia on how she began studying microbes and what they are 5:42 - Proper ways to dry and store psychedelic mushrooms 11:15 - Common methods people use when taking psychedelic mushrooms 13:58 - What does Eugenia's "Have a Good Trip: Exploring the Magic Mushroom Experience" book cover? 18:33 - What inspires Eugenia when writing a book? 21:41 - Autistic people using psychedelic mushrooms 24:41 - How microdosing with psychedelic mushrooms works and its effects 31:21 - Common bodily responses after taking psychedelic mushrooms 35:03 - Eugenia on the generally accepted dosage range for Psilocybin 41:12 - Why is setting intention important when taking Psilocybin 44:30 - How often should you microdose in a year? Is tolerance an issue with Psilocybin? 45:59 - Eugenia on why intention is important when taking Psilocybin 50:44 - Eugenia's experience during her Psilocybin trip in Jamaica 59:57 - What is Eugenia's purpose when going on a psychedelic trip? 1:01:44 - Eugenia on Andy's experience after taking Psilocybin 1:03:33 - Eugenia's approach to writing as a career 1:06:15 - Eugenia on writing the Fantastic Fungi Cookbook for the Fantastic Fungi movie 1:10:28 - What makes a good recipe? 1:11:59 - What makes mushrooms so unique and special that Eugenia wrote a cookbook about them? 1:16:19 - Eugenia on the nutritional benefits of mushrooms 1:19:00 - Lack of evidence supporting mushrooms as anti-inflammatory or dementia cures 1:20:38 - Foraged mushrooms vs. cultivated or supermarket mushrooms 1:24:17 - Eugenia's thoughts on Paul Stamet's viral Joe Rogan podcast about portobello mushrooms 1:26:21 - What is a truffle mushroom, and how does it differ from other mushrooms? 1:34:39 - Eugenia on how she became interested in studying bacteria and microbes 1:40:08 - Eugenia on preserving bacteria on her head by washing her hair once a month 1:44:25 - Eugenia's advice on Andy's eczema 1:45:36 - Eugenia on seasonal eating: consuming available food based on the season 1:50:44 - How does Eugenia preserve food in jars or cans? 1:56:50 - Eugenia's goals for the next six months 1:59:35 - How to connect with Eugenia Bone 2:00:58 - Eugenia on the importance of cookbooks vs. scraping recipes from AI or ChatGPT 2:06:55 - Outro

A fungus is any member of the group of organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as mushrooms. Fungi, like animals, acquire their food by absorbing dissolved molecules, typically by secreting digestive enzymes into their environment. Fungi do not photosynthesize. Growth is their means of mobility, with spores that may travel through the air or water. Fungi are known as the principal decomposers in ecological systems. When a tree falls in the forest, whether someone hears it or not, the fungi get in there and excrete enzymes to break down the building blocks of wood. As they do this, they are extending out through the wood, breaking down certain things that bacteria can't. Because of them we don't have big stands of dead wood in the forest. They excrete enzymes and break down wood and other things too. They can take our human waste products, like coffee grounds, and break them down. We can grow healthy food from things we throw away, like cardboard, coffee grounds, paper – any kind of wood-based material. What's left behind after the mushroom digests it is growable soil. There are more fungi than there are animals and plants combined. Ninety percent of plant roots have mycorrhizal fungi attached in a symbiotic relationship, where the fungi is mining nutrients that the plant roots can't reach and transferring those nutrients to the plant's roots in order to keep that plant alive. Not only are they doing that to one plant, but they're also interconnected between multiple plants. Understanding this is changing the way scientists look at evolution. We used to look at the trees and say they're fighting for sunlight, that they're individualistic. In reality, there is a lot more cooperation under the soil. The species that cooperate with the most with other species are the ones that are thriving. This changes the way we look at our forests as well as how we treat other species. A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. The name “mushroom” has been given to over 38,000 varieties of fungus that possess the same threadlike roots and cap. And, while mushrooms and toadstools (poisonous mushrooms) are not the most numerous or economically significant fungi, they are the most easily recognized. Self-described “mushroom guy,” John Michelotti's mission is to spread information about the incredible benefits of fungi, and their capacity to change the way we look at our relationships with each other and the world. He is the founder of Catskill Fungi, which produces the highest quality triple-extracted health tinctures from fungi that are wild-crafted or grown on the Michelotti family farm in Big Indian, NY. Their aim is to empower people to grow edible mushrooms as a source of fresh food, to heal themselves through utilizing health properties of fungi, and to explore the historical uses and present-day innovations of this exceptional fungi kingdom. As former President of the Mid-Hudson Mycological Association (MHMA), John co-founded the Catskill Regional Mycoflora Project as well as the Gary Lincoff Memorial Scholarship. He serves as Medicinal Mushroom Committee Chair and is a Poison Control Consultant for the North American Mycological Association. He is an instructor for the Wild Mushroom Food Safety Certification courses in NY. He was chosen by the Catskill Center as a "Steward of the Catskills" for his contribution to the environment. He served on the Mushroom Advisory Panel for Certified Naturally Grown to develop ecological standards in mushroom production. John has presented at the New York Botanical Gardens, Telluride Mushroom Festival, and North American Mycological Association Annual Foray, as well as several colleges and universities. Listen to John on Nature Calls: Conversations from the Hudson Valley, learn about mushrooms and get inspired to work with fungi to improve your health, community, and the environment. Hosts: Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas Guest: John Michelotti Photo by: Catskill Fungi Production Support: Linda Aydlett, Deven Connelly, Teresa Golden, Xandra Powers, Annie Scibienski, Robin Smith Resources

Knott's Scary Farm announces two new mazes for 2024; Sci-fi, Fantasy, Gaming, & Anime fans unite during Universal Studios Hollywood's new "Universal Fan Fest Nights"; SCarowinds will not require a separate ticket for 2024; Six Flags Great America announces three new IP-based mazes for 2024; Get a sneak peak of Six Flags' Texas Chainsaw massacre attraction; Go behind-the-scenes of the creation of this year's Disneyland Haunted Mansion Holiday gingerbread house; Pumpkin Spice season comes to Starbucks earlier than ever before; Horror director Darren Lynn Bousman presents a new immersive horror experience in Kansas with "EXILED: Crooked Rose Woods"; Tim Burton's "Nightmare Before Christmas" comes to the New York Botanical Garden this Fall; Read all the stories here.

NYBG lost one of its oldest oak trees in this week's storm. Eric Sanderson, vice president of urban conservation at The New York Botanical Garden, talks about why losing just one tree can seriously affect the broader ecosystem, and how the garden is caring for its trees as extreme weather and flooding becomes more common.

After Hurricane Ike destroyed thousands of homes and inflicted an estimated $30 billion in damages in 2008, engineers hatched an ambitious plan to protect southeast Texas and its coastal refineries and shipping routes from violent storms. The $34 billion collaboration spearheaded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is a harbinger of the type of massive public works projects that could be required to protect coastal cities like New York and Miami as sea levels rise and hurricanes become less predictable and more severe due to climate change.Smithsonian magazine contributor and Texas native Xander Peters reflects on his experiences growing up in a hurricane corridor and tells us how the wildly ambitious effort came together. Then, Eric Sanderson, an ecological historian, tells us how the project could be applied to other low-lying coastal cities.Read Xander Peters' Smithsonian magazine story about the Ike Dike here.Let us know what you think of our show, and how we can make it better, by completing our There's More to That listener survey here.Find prior episodes of our show here.Listen to the New York Botanical Garden podcast "Plant People" here.There's More to That is a production of Smithsonian magazine and PRX Productions.From the magazine, our team is Chris Klimek, Debra Rosenberg and Brian Wolly.From PRX, our team is Jessica Miller, Adriana Rosas Rivera, Genevieve Sponsler, Rye Dorsey, and Edwin Ochoa. The Executive Producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.Fact-checking by Stephanie Abramson.Episode artwork by Emily Lankiewicz Music by APM Music.

 Join us on a journey through the heart of New York's performing arts scene with Amelia Huckel-bauer, an actor and teaching artist who embodies the spirit of the city. In this episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, Amelia shares insights into her latest production 'All She Cares About is the Yankees,' her passion for method acting, and how her experiences have shaped her mental health journey. Whether you're a Yankees fan, a theater enthusiast, or someone interested in the resilience of the human spirit, this episode is a home run!

Food is not just something we eat to fill our stomachs; there is diversity, culture, and nutrition in every bite! This week on the show, host Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with Dr. Anna Herforth, senior research associate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. They discuss the importance of understanding the diversity of diets worldwide from a nutritional perspective and how different cultures' eating habits impact health. Dr. Herforth shares insights into the Global Diet Quality Project, which aims to conduct the first-ever global survey of what people eat, the challenges faced in gathering such data, and the innovative methods used to achieve it. The conversation reveals surprising findings about food diversity, the process of tailoring food surveys to different cultures, and the initiative's broader implications for nutrition and epidemiology research. They also talk about the upcoming launch of the World Food Map, a collaboration with the Periodic Table of Food Initiative, aimed at cataloguing the most common foods in every country and understanding their composition beyond traditional nutrients, emphasizing the critical role of food diversity in health. Happening this week (April 23-24), join Dr. Herforth and the PTFI team for a special symposium "Celebrating food diversity, scientific advances, and community innovation" (online or in person at New York Botanical Garden). More details and how to register at this link. This podcast is sponsored by The Periodic Table of Food Initiative in association with the American Heart Association. The views and opinions in this podcast are those of the presenters and represent the synthesis of science. For more information on the Periodic Table of Food Initiative, please visit https://foodperiodictable.org/ #nutrition #PTFI #foodways #foodmap #podcast

In this episode, award-winning landscape designer and horticulturist Wambui Ippolito highlights essential links between outdoor and indoor design. “It's the garden, the person, and the way that person lives.” Listen to today's episode here: https://spoti.fi/3I46Lve?
 Watch today's episode on YouTube: https://bit.ly/InsideDesignYouTube KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. Design is about the “totality” of a project. Bridging the inside and the outside creates the experience. 2.  If you don't know where to begin gardening, planting herbs such as sage, lavender and rosemary is a good place to start. 3. Nature is a great healer and having a beautiful garden creates a feeling of peace and calm. SPONSOR – This episode is sponsored by Thibaut Design. Established in 1886, they are the oldest continuously operating wallpaper company in the United States. Need wallcovering, fabric, or trim in a pinch? Thibaut maintains industry-leading inventory levels in their state-of-the-art Charlotte, North Carolina distribution center. With 95% of products in stock at all times, Thibaut account holders enjoy speedy shipments, with in-stock items shipping in two days. Make sure to go to their website and click the inspiration link and check out their amazing room styles!! To open a Thibaut trade account, visit www.thibautdesign.com/trade/podcast. KANDRAC & KOLE BIOVoted one of “Atlanta's Top 20 Residential Interior Designers” by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Kandrac & Kole Interior Designs is an acclaimed design firm with two decades of experience serving residential and commercial clients. Their work has been featured in leading publications across the US. Since 2005, Joann and Kelly have built a respected partnership. They are renowned for their dynamic personalities, distinctive use of color, and unique custom designs. Frequently invited to share their insights at industry events and on design panels, they are recognized as diligent business operators who remain approachable and genuine, radiating constant positive energy. In 2018, they used their infectious energy to launch their podcast, “Inside Design with Kandrac & Kole.” This lively, weekly conversation, where Joann and Kelly share design and industry insights, became so popular that they introduced a series of bonus episodes, “The Inside Scoop with Joann and Kelly,” in 2024. Their dedication to the power of interior design also extends to their charity work throughout the U.S. and Guatemala.  WAMBUI IPPOLITO BIOWambui Ippolito is an award-winning landscape designer and horticulturist who in 2021 was named one of “11 Revolutionary Female Landscape Designers and Architects Everyone Should Know" by Veranda Magazine. Heavily influenced by her early years in Kenya and a life filled with worldwide travel, Wambui has become one of the most sought-after garden designers in the country. In addition to her landscape design work, she lectures widely both in the United States and internationally. Wambui specializes in fine estate gardening, with an emphasis on designing for humans and their pets. She views Nature as the greatest healer and seeks to make her gardens elegant and curative. Wambui is also a trained horticulturist, having graduated from the New York Botanical Garden's School of Professional Horticulture. SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES https://www.facebook.com/kandracandkole/ https://www.instagram.com/kandrackole/ 
 https://twitter.com/KandracKole 
https://www.pinterest.com/kandrackole/  QUOTES 1. Funny quote: “Once you've seen a woman take her bra off without removing her shirt, it makes sense why they should be in charge of things.” – @thisislibertyroad on Insta 2. Serious quote: “I am woman – hear me roar!... Nature gives to us all in equal measure.” – Wambui Ippolito

This week, we are exploring the underground and invisible networks of Colombia – along with some of its strangest and least-understood creatures: fungi. We'll be talking about zombie fungi, shamanic fungi and magic mushrooms, the Wood Wide Web, sunscreen spores, makeup fungi, and eco-warrior fungi – plus why this fascinating mega-science has been so neglected, and why it's more urgent than ever that mycology gets the awareness, resources, and respect that it deserves. Emily Hart interviews two of Colombia's top scientists and leaders in their fields: mycologist Aida Vasco is Assistant professor at the School of Microbiology at the University of Antioquia and Co-Chair of the Colombian Association of Mycology; botanist Mauricio Diazgranados is Chief Science Officer and Dean of the International Plant Science Center at the New York Botanical Garden. Mauricio led the Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia project, including the development of the Colfungi portal and the Catalogue of Fungi of Colombia, on which Aida also worked. There are an estimated 300,000 species of fungi in Colombia, the huge majority of which are unstudied. In fact, fungi in general remains one of science's great mysteries: it is known as a ‘neglected mega-science'. They change animal behaviour, connect the forests, feed humans and animals, and may even be a key weapon in the fight against climate change. Battling this vast gap in knowledge is the Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia project - an initiative led by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in collaboration with the Humboldt Institute. The projects aim to increase, consolidate, and make accessible the knowledge of the country's useful plants and fungi for the benefit of local communities. Fungi have played a vital role in shaping the Earth's biosphere, and have directly impacted human society and its cultural evolution for the past 300,000 years - used as food, for ritualistic purposes, or as medicinal products. In Colombia, fungi - in the form of wild edible mushrooms - are primarily used as a nutritional source, having long played a role in the food security of indigenous people and local communities: representations are found in the iconography of several pre-Hispanic cultures throughout the country, showing knowledge and a close cultural relationship with fungi. Shamanic and spiritual uses are also common in the country. Habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, overuse of pesticides and fungicides, and of course climate change affect fungi as well as fauna and flora, but fungi are not explicitly included in biodiversity legislation, biodiversity action plans, and conservation policies in Colombia. The Colombian government only recognises three components of biological diversity: Fauna, Flora, and microorganisms. But there is cause for hope – we are only just starting to understand fungi but the field is gaining momentum, and experiments show their potential is even grander than we have imagined – they are not only a sustainable food source to fight hunger and the industrial food which accelerates climate change: mushrooms can also decompose waste – including nappies and cigarette butts, and can be used in ‘myco-fabrication' - manufacture of e.g. architecture and furniture. They are incredibly adaptive, and provide ways for plants and animals to survive even in extreme and degraded environments.

Continuing our exploration of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) at its 50th anniversary, we'll look at how it has helped protect a group of at-risk plants: orchids. Eight species of orchid are recognized as endangered under the ESA—and all of the world's approximately 30,000 species are considered threatened, and entitled to trade restrictions. Ira speaks with Dr. Matthew Pace, orchid scientist and assistant curator of the Steere Herbarium at the New York Botanical Garden, about threats to orchid conservation.And finally, Ira speaks with Dr. Ron Sutherland, chief scientist at the Wildlands Network in Durham, North Carolina. Sutherland has an extensive background in red wolf conservation in the southeastern United States.Red wolves are one of the most endangered mammals in the world, with only an estimated 20 living in the wild and 267 in captivity. They discuss the dramatic swings in federal conservation efforts for red wolves, and why Sutherland isn't ready to give up on this endangered species.Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.  To stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.

A ProPublica investigation found that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has secretly been taking luxury vacations on a billionaire Republican donor's dime for more than two decades. We'll explain why these undisclosed gifts could be a serious ethical breach. Plus, guest host Sabri Ben-Achour, our resident plant expert, shares news of a rare corpse flower bloom in New York City. And, a Lizzo cameo. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Clarence Thomas Secretly Accepted Luxury Trips From GOP Donor” from ProPublica “Airbus to Double Production in China as It Moves Ahead With New Orders” from The New York Times “Airbus widens its lead over Boeing in China with plans for second finishing line there” from CNN Business “Corpse flower blooms at New York Botanical Garden” from CBS News “Lizzo ‘Cried All Day' After Nabbing ‘The Mandalorian' Role” from Billboard “Make Me Smart” has been nominated for a Webby Award! We are honored, but we can't win without your support. You can vote for Make Me Smart from now until April 20 by going to webbyawards.com.