Grounded in Maine

I'm so thrilled to have Carol Connare back on the pod again, just about 2 years later - I'm a big fan of Carol, and The Old Farmer's Almanac. The team at The Old Farmer's Almanac recently started their own podcast, AND the 2027 Almanac just came out in September, so I'm excited to hear all about what to be looking for. 2027 is the 235th anniversary of the Almanac, so there...

Rachel Marcus reached out to me on Linkedin with something I wasn't aware existed - except for solar panels. Rachel is the Head of Platform Operations for Flip Energy - they manufacture low cost, whole home batteries and create the technology to operate it as well. I only knew about batteries to capture excess solar power, but anyone can use these! Flip is not new, but they are working on bui...

Hannah Foster is my cousin's daughter (my 2nd cousin?), and I happened to see a post on Instagram where she was an intern this summer, and I felt first, SO proud, and also like we could all learn something from this. I haven't seen Hannah or my cousin in a few years, since before she graduated high school, so I missed what she was focusing on - and totally missed what an avid learner she...

I'm taking a week-ish away from podcasting, but wanted to share an episode or 2 that I love. One of my fave experiences was "meeting" Amy Dolan. We talked back in 2024, and her message has cemented a lot of my thoughts about feeding people as truth, and also the way she walks in the world is just so inspiring to me. I love that we are still connected, and that, even though her podca...

I was an easy sell, being offered a conversation with a Funeral Director. I'm unsure if it's morbid that I am so interested in the death process, or if it's part of the healing grief  journey, but Timothy Schramm was exactly who I needed to talk to. Tim has been with Howe-Peterson Funeral Homes and Cremation Services for 38 years, and that funeral home has existed since 1873; there&...

I was really excited to talk with Kim Lundgren, Founder and CEO of Kim Lundgren Associates, or KLA, when I was pitched that she worked with cities and regions to help them put together a sustainability plan. Kim is a dynamic entrepreneur with a deep rooted passion for helping others see patterns and small shifts that can create big changes - her story is exciting!  When Kim said they go by KLA, my...

I first learned about Linda Ugelow when she was a guest on my friend Ande Lyons's podcast Don't Be Caged By Your Age in 2025 and she was just so graceful about everything. Then she was invited to be the guest speaker at the New England Podcasters' Meetup. Then I got to meet her in person at NEPG, where she said, "you know... I used to have an organic CSA and currently am growin...

Nothing makes me happier than a conversation that goes deep unexpectedly... and Cameron Ungar delivered! Trash and Stash is a cleanout and downsizing service based in North Carolina. They are the first B-Corp Certified Junk Removal business in the US, and Cameron takes that certification very seriously. He talks about being thrifty - not like cheap, but about putting value on the effort made. He t...

Asia Sharif Clark messaged me that she's starting a new program just for mid-life women to bring back their creative spark, and I just couldn't wait to share all we got up to, talking about it, so this is a bonus! Asia was a guest over 3 years ago, talking about her burnout, and how she turned to planting herbs to give her that needed distraction. It seems that time frame may have been a...

I approached Kelly Weger through a newsletter we both subscribe to - her bio was too intriguing to resist - and I wasn't disappointed at all! I want you to look carefully at her profile- I complimented her on her hair highlight color, and she said she just braids in YARN - genius! Natural fibers and low maintenance! Kelly was a LEED Certified Architect in her previous career, and now is the H...

Anyone who knew me as a young person I think will have a giggle at this conversation with Toni Buzzeo, because I was terrified of pretty much all flying things - yes, chickens, too... I've been stung once, and I can tell you where it happened, and on what part of the body when I was around 8 years old. My sister is very much the same, but I'm much better than I used to be - working in a...

It's been bugging me that there hasn't been an episode devoted to composting in 4 years! In March of this year, I think, there was a compost week, and friend of the podcast Alexa Pavan did a post about it, and it wasn't hard to convince her to come back Her first episode was # 107 in August of 2024 - link here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/admin/1952444/episodes/15591760-107-go-green-...

This conversation with Derek Haynes AKA The Chocolate Botanist was so fun! I "met" Derek as a participant of a workshop offered through the New England Botanical Gardens - they had him come talk about the Vanilla Orchid, and it was FASCINATING! Derek adds in some history we weren't (at least I wasn't) told, that opens up a whole different story... Derek has a Plant Biology degr...

Omar Al Shafie, Co-Founder of Teregen Ag digs into regenerative agriculture (pun intended)— specifically how mineralized worm castings and biodynamic farming practices are helping growers rebuild soil health and make their crops more resilient to increasingly volatile weather. We cover what's actually happening at the soil-biology level, how micronutrients play into natural pest resistance, a...

I loved getting to hear all about The Bloom Edit; a beautiful collaboration with Holly Berry's Floral Design Company, A Natural Design and Laura Grauer Photography to create a beautiful day of self appreciation! The Bloom Edit will be in person in the Seattle, WA area on July 17th - which is also around Lara's 50th birthday... Lara said she usually does a birthday selfie, and for her 50t...

I know I've said this before, but being asked if cat overpopulation was a conversation I'd be interested in was an easy yes for me! I'm so happy to share this conversation I got to have with Deborah Felin Magaldi. Deborah works with Helen Sanders Cat Paws in the Los Angeles area, where they're making progress, and have learned a lot to be able to teach others (us).  Deborah met...

First, I want to give a big fat thank you to our friend Joan Kanner who hooked me up with Hazel, knowing this would be a great conversation!  It's fun when things just line up really perfectly - for me, at least. Last week we heard from Austin French, of the More Than Outdoors podcast, and it was just chance that today we're learning from Hazel Stark, of The Maine Outdoor School - both i...

I want to just start by acknowledging that this is episode 200! If you've been here since the beginning of Grounded in Maine, bless you, and thank you! If you're new here, I'm so glad you're here! Let's learn to be better stewards of the land as we can! I only learned about Austin French and More than Outdoors podcast in March, I think, but I loved getting to know him. By...

I hadn't heard of Ethical Seafood Research until Wasseem Emam reached out to me, but I'm so grateful I know about it now! Drawing on his background in applied aquatic ecology, conservation, and sustainable aquaculture, Wasseem recognised a critical gap; aquatic animals are the most numerically exploited, and least protected animals in the food system. Wasseem started Ethical Seafood Rese...

I loved this conversation with Blair Northen Williamson, aka The Island Writer. Blair is a sailing Captain, dive instructor, ocean activist, global traveler, author and speaker, and she is talking to us about raising curious, empathetic global citizens with care and curiosity, instead of fear.  Blair has published 3 children's books so far about caring for the ocean: Island Girls, Birthday Ba...

*Please forgive my echoey audio in this episode! I had cleared out my office to move, and it was - well - echoey.* Vale Siegrist won a year of Public Relations work from Publicity for Good, who has been sending some pretty great podcast guests my way lately! I was watching their contest, so curious to see who won - and while talking with Vale, she let me know it was her! Vale started Circular Mom...

I've been bugging Elizabeth Bruckner for months to come back on the podcast, because I've been listening to her other podcast guest episodes and feeling like we've been missing out, and I finally wore her down. I'm kidding - she's been wanting to go deep about Kefir with someone, and I've been interested in learning about it, and finding a fermented food I can actuall...

I was so looking forward to talking with Susan Poizner - I've heard so many times that the first thing you should do on a homestead is plant perennial fruits, so I wanted to make sure we/I know the best practices, And Susan's story about learning about fruit tree care is so incredible. Susan planted fruit trees in her city park in an empty space, only to hear from some community people t...

I got an email asking if I'd want to have a conversation with GreenFi Banking very soon after talking with Maya Lily the filmmaker, who recommended knowing that who's holding our money is in alignment with our values, so that was a really easy YES! George Mazzella is the VP of Marketing for GreenFi - he was sought out for the position by Tim, the CEO, who had worked with George before, a...

I feel like this conversation with Mark Winters was so needed. Things feel so desperate and divided, and in comes Mark with his bubbly positive outlook to neutralize any heaviness. Mark Winters is an bonafide rocket scientist turned full time touring musician, spreading his positivity wherever he goes. He's currently on his Good Vibes Highway Tour of 120 cities and counting. For Mark, music i...