Organics Archives

Beyond Organic - GROW NOW by Emily Murphy

How to Go Beyond Organic Growing

March 26, 2022March 29, 2022 Mike Nowak beyond organic growing, Bob Benenson, Chicago's Green City Market, Emily Murphy, fighting climate change in your garden, GROW NOW, Local Food Forum, opening farmers markets in April, Peggy Malecki, regenerative gardening, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:57:23 — 55.6MB)

If it’s spring, it’s time to talk once again to Bob Benenson from Local Food Forum. He reports on as many issues as he can get to in about 20 minutes, They include the reasoning behind Chicago’s Green City Market’s decision to open a month earlier. Author Emily Murphy returns to the show to talk about her new book, GROW NOW. In it, she shares the gospel of regenerative gardening, no-till, and what it means to go beyond organic.

Climate change Farming Local food Native plants Organics

Green School Farms on the Front Line of Sustainability

March 19, 2022March 21, 2022 Mike Nowak climate change, Farmers Markets, farming in drought conditions, Green School Farms, growing with organic methods, local food, Partnership for a Healthy Lincoln, Peggy Malecki, planting a prairie, regenerative farming, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:58:00 — 56.7MB)

Farmer Gary Fehr returns to the show to give Mike and Peggy a tour of his small farm near Lincoln, Nebraska. He is a commuter farmer who believes in working to connect kids and adults with local, healthy food.

Biology Climate change Gardening Insects Natural sciences Organics

Phenology Is a Key Component of Life on Earth

March 12, 2022March 15, 2022 Mike Nowak Budburst, climate change, Fruition Seeds, gardening, growing tomatoes, heirloom seeds, Nature's Notebook, Peggy Malecki, Petra Page-Mann, The 606, The Mike Nowak Show, USA National Phenology Network

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:00:23 — 57.0MB)

If you’re not familiar with the concept of phenology, we hope to give you an introduction on today’s show. Alyssa Rosemartin from the USA National Phenology Network and citizen scientist Jean Linsner, who has worked on The 606 in Chicago, talk about the importance of keeping track of nature’s calendar. Petra Page-Mann from Fruition Seeds returns to explain why her company focuses on organic heirloom seeds.

Composting Gardening Organics soil health Tomatoes

Start the Best Fruits and Vegetables

February 26, 2022March 1, 2022 Mike Nowak Chicago Botanic Garden, Lisa Hilgenberg, organic gardening, Peggy Malecki, Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden, seed starting, sustainability, The Mike Nowak Show, The Orchid Show: Untamed

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:00:16 — 57.9MB)

Lisa Hilgenberg is horticulturist for the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden. There, she is responsible for some 50,000 plants, including 400 types of edibles. Today she has advice on when and how to get your seedlings started for the Midwest growing season. We also talk about The Orchid Show: Untamed at the Garden.