Digging in the Dirt - Archives

Gloria Frazee joins me as a regular monthly guest on Digging in the Dirt. Gloria is co-chair of the Social Media & Web Committee and co-leader of the ReWild/South Fork chapter and its Summer Program for high school students. She is also the founder of ReWild/East Hampton Compost…. in collaboration with the Town of East Hampton.

I want you to welcome back Gloria Frazee of ReWild Long Island. At ReWild, Gloria is co-chair of the Social Media & Web Committee and co-leader of the ReWild/South Fork chapter and now is a regular contributor to this program. Gloria will be joining me every 2nd Thursday of the month during the 12 noon hour.

Diego Osses is an Agricultural engineer with an MBA and a Masters degree in Finance who has extensive experience in farm management, international business development, and diplomacy. He brings over 25 years of experience developed in both his home country of Chile and abroad in countries such as China and Thailand. During his first year working with GVI, Diego was responsible for coordinating the 3 main GVI programs: Reservoir Community Farm, Community Gardens, and Youth Leadership; contributing to the GVI mission of creating a more just food system in Bridgeport. Currently, Diego is actively planning the extension of GVI programs throughout 2024 and exploring innovative methods of community engagement through urban gardening and farming.

Up next on Digging in the Dirt is a local, guy Joe Gloria. Joe works for one of the gardening establishments just about everybody in the area has been to one time or another and that's Gilbertie's. They've always been at the forefront of organic from the beginning. Joe Gloria is a garden guru of plants, shrubs, and perennials alike. Joe Gloria has a passion for caring for plants and the people who love them! We going to learn about vermicompost teas.

My guest now is Raju Rajan. Raju describes himself as a technologist with a strong communitarian ethic. Raju is one of the founders of ReWild Long Island and currently serves as Board President. Raju is an avid gardener and amateur tree-enthusiast, he also owns and manages a small agroforest in India dedicated to rewilding and permaculture.ReWild Long Island is accepting applications from community groups to join their ReWild LI Gardens program.

My guest today on Digging in the Dirt is Monique Bosch. Monique has designed and built over 40 edible school and community gardens and farms throughout New England, including a 2-acre urban farm in Bridgeport CT. She works with CT. NOFA as a Soil Health Technician as well. She has founded and run… for profit and non-profit entities, including Green Village Initiative (GVI) and Wiggle Room LLC. Monique teaches ‘How to Grow Your Own Food’ classes and speaks on healthy soil and community gardening, sharing her knowledge of regenerative agriculture practices, and community building. I invited her here today to talk about what we can do now… here in the fall, to better our soil so we can have successful results next spring and summer.

My guest this afternoon is Save the sounds Soundkeeper Bill Lucey. Bill is a fish and wildlife biologist with more than two decades of experience studying and conserving marine life. He is also an experienced commercial fisherman and environmental educator.As your on-the-water watchdog, Bill upholds Save the Sound’s mission to protect and restore Long Island Sound. Bill is backed by Save the Sound’s expert legal team and water monitoring program to help identify polluters and hold them accountable.The Soundkeeper is your eyes and ears on Long Island Sound.Long Island sound

My guest this episode of DITD is Vice-President of Novamont N.A. Dan Martens. Not only are Dan and Novamont great friends of WPKNNovamont is a leader in the world of bioplastics and a long time supporter of WPKN radio. Novamont promotes a new model of bioeconomy in the logic of the circular economy, not only based on efficiency and sustainable use of renewable resources, but also as a factor for territorial regeneration.

My guests on DITD today are Robert Peck and students Kimberly and DJ. Robert manages Green Village Initiatives Youth Leadership Program, which has a summer employment program in which they employ Bridgeport High School students to work and learn about how to operate an urban farm. Participants spend 8 weeks through the summer at Reservoir Community Farm learning in workshops and thru hands-on experience on the farm. , Kimberly, and Dejhanae are 2 students who are in the program under Robert.Green Village Initiative’s mission is to grow food, knowledge, leadership and community, through urban gardening and farming, and to create a more just food system.

My guest on this show is Linley Dixon back to DITD. Linley serves as a Farmer representative and Co-Director of the Real Organic Project. Linley owns a vegetable farm (marketing through a CSA, farm to school, and at farmers markets) in Durango, Colorado, with her husband and daughter. She holds a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the University of Florida.

My guest today is Tianna Kennedy. She has been farming in the Northern Catskills for over a decade. She is the executive director of Catskills Agrarian Alliance, a multi-stakeholder food sovereignty project working on many food related issues in the NY Catskills foodshed. Tianna, Amanda Wong and Walter Riesen also own and operate Star Route Farm, LLC, a diversified vegetable and small grain farm growing exclusively for mutual aid. The CAA evolved from The 607 CSA, an 800+ person multi-farm Community Supported Agriculture Project supporting 45 farms and food businesses in Otsego, Schoharie, and Delaware counties. Tianna is a member of the Watershed Ag Economic Viability Committee and is Treasurer for Draft Animal Power Network. In 2022, she was awarded a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition by Rep. Antonio Delgado. She started the Catskills Chapter of the National Young Farmers’ Coalition. She is also a founding member of Delhi’s Bushel Collective and the Schooner Apollonia, a Hudson Valley Sail Freight venture.

My guest today is a highly successful insurance agent Maureen Gallagher. I wanted to get Maureen's perspective on the the rise in Extreme weather events and the effects they have on the Insurance industry covering the losses incurred.Maureen Gallagher is the Risk Management Group Agency President. Gallagher specializes in insurance placement, risk management consulting and expert opinions. She began her career almost 50 years ago and has held the titles of insurance underwriter, broker, claims consultant, expert witness, keynote speaker, historian, and teacher. She has been featured and profiled in numerous publications and was named by Crain’s Detroit Business as one of the “Best and Brightest” and as one of “Detroit’s Most Influential Women.” Risk and Insurance recognized Gallagher as a Workers Compensation and 2020 At Large “Power Broker” which identifies the best brokers in the country.Extreme weatherHurricane insurance coverageFlood coverageInsurance costsShow more