Getting modern humans out of our house-car-school-work boxes is no small feat. But whenever that may occur, our tall, spreading, leafy neighbors have what it takes to help our kind be more of our best selves. Potentials are TREE-mendous!

                       

Writer Andrea Sarubbi Fareshteh enjoys "Forest Bathing" and researching good stories, facts and quotes. She has composed a gorgeous new book In The Company of Trees - Honoring Our Connection to the Sacred Power, Beauty and Wisdom of Trees (Adams/Simon and Schuster, Jan. 15 2019).  Each tree tale is illustrated with a color photograph, print or woodcut - in a work of art published in accord with Sustainable Forestry Initiative guidelines.

Earthworms is proud to host the first interview for this book!

If you are hearing this podcast in St. Louis before February 12, mark that date to learn about Calculating Tree Benefits in a free program at Missouri Botanical Garden in the BiodiverseCity STL Wild Ideas Worth Sharing Speaker Series. Tree Data is MOTIVATING!

THANKS to Andy Heaslet, Earthworms True-Green Engineer

Music: Bitter Root, performed live at KDHX by Matt Flinner

Related Earthworms Conversations: Urban Forests: Seeing the Benefits from Trees - Oct 2016

PawPaw: Reviving America's Forgotten Fruit (Tree) - Sept 2015

Renegotiated by Congress every 5-7 years The Farm Bill impacts food production, nutrition assistance, habitat conservation, international trade, and much more. But try digging into its 1,000+ pages! 

Christina Badaracco, a registered dietician, dug deep into this topic  for her new book (with researcher and author Daniel Imhoff) The Farm Bill: A Citizen's Guide (Island Press, Jan 2019). She brings perspective from this accessible, graphics-rich book to this Earthworms conversation. 

With a new farm bill just signed into law, we all need to understand the implications of food policy. What’s the impact of crop insurance? How does SNAP actually work? What would it take to create a healthier, more sustainable food system? 

Eaters, taxpayers, sustainable food system advocates: listen up!

Music: Who Gives, performed live at KDHX by Brian Curran

Thanks to Andy Heaslet, warmly welcomed back this week as Earthworms' engineer.

Related Earthworms Conversations: 

Urban Agriculture Guide: a New Tool for City Farmers (June 2016)

Citizenship: Responsibility is our Civic Ability to Respond (Nov 2018)

People's Pocket Guide to Environmental Action with Caitlin Zera (July 2017)

Kirsten Lie-Nielsen lives her dream of self-sufficiency in rural Maine - and shares the experience in her new book, So You Want to be a Modern Homesteader? (New Society, 2018). 

From finding the home place to prioritizing work and funds to enjoying the community flow when neighbors drop in, Kirsten covers options with practicality and a smile in her voice. Her goats are never far from the phone! Check out Kirsten's blog at hostilevalleyliving.com. 

Music: Cuttin' at the Point, performed live at KDHX by The Freight Hoppers. 

Special THANKS tonight to Anna Holland, Earthworms audio engineer for the past year+. We say farewell with this edition, Anna, appreciating the media professional you already are, and wishing you the BEST in your next round of College work. It was especially fun to have your perspectives on Citizenship on the show we produced right after the 2018 Election. 

Related Earthworms Conversations: Green Finned Hippy Farm: Purpose, Passion, Perspective, Hogs (Aug 2018)

Keeping Geese with Kirsten Lie-Nielsen (Nov 2017)

Crystal Moore Stevens: Grow, Create, Inspire (Oct 2016)