Jìgìjìgì: Africulture Podcast

Che Axum – JP020 We are honored to have today Mchezaji “Che” Axum, the Director of the Center for Urban Agriculture and Gardening Education in the College of Agriculture Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). This is the most practical and poignant episode we have recorded thus far. Take notes! Works Reference...

Silver Sprung – JP019 Silver Sprung, or Jon, is one of the first friends with whom I could get really heavy into plants. We get kinda silly. We ramble a bit, there is a lot of information covered in this episode. It’s kinda EsoTerric. Works Referenced Candler Oak Angel Oak I misspoke, I meant Dr. William Albrecht , not Albert Ehrlich. Electroculture When Weeds Talk Weeds Control Withou...

EsoTerracisms: Time – JP018 Today we cover two new conceptions of time to help you garden. Separately, we recently took a tour of an embassy garden and were informed by the Head Gardener that when Holly Trees are very “berried” then that implies we will have a particularly harsh winter. This is one of the cycles we help you identify in today’s episode. Works Referenced: Cir...

EsoTerracisms: Beekeeping – JP017 We travel to the beginning of time to learn about Keeping the Tears of Ra (Beekeeping), while reflecting on our own experiences with keeping bees in college. Works Referenced Tears of Re – Gene Kritsky Jìgìjìgì EP 006 – Compost   457: Dave Hunter on Native Bees Smoke Conditions Affect the Release of the Venom Droplet Accompanying Sting Extension i...

Farmer Gigi – JP016 Farmer Gigi is an urban no-till farmer in Old Town Gaithersburg, MD. We discuss her lifelong journey of having her hands in and out of the soil, harlequin beetles and bugs, no-till tools, and her experience running farmers markets! Enjoy! Works Referenced: Montgomery County Land Link J.M. Fortier’s Youtube Interview with Michael Carter Jr of VSU Richard Perkins No-T...

Esoterracisms : Nu Healing Arts – JP015 We are pleased, proud, and excited to share a very different type of interview today with Geo of Nu Healing Arts. Very quickly we get into the hidden side of garden, feeling and getting felt by plants, the soil, and all sorts of hardly quantifiable connections that we experience(d) with our hands in the soil. Enjoy! Works Referenced The One-Straw Revol...

Mosadi – JP014 In this episode we interview Mosadi, founder of Rooted and Sustained, LLC . We originally met at the Black Urban Growers Panel in DC in 2018. He was the first person I mentioned this podcast to, and now we are extremely proud to be able to present his wisdom to you! Before you listen, we recorded this podcast at the Rita Bright Family and Youth Center Garden, which Mosadi cons...

Mandela – JP013 We had the pleasure of interviewing Mandela on todays podcast. Although not discussed, Mandela has an professional history in Agricultural Economics. He founded and is currently operating the Ag Non-Profit ROOTS Africa. Mandela and I spent these past season growing a couple of crops, compost, and soil together after meeting at a workshop earlier this year. I am certain you wi...

Harvest – JP012 The weather is changing and most of us have gotten started turning our beds over to fall crops, or letting cover crops take over. We’ve pulled up everything from Nu Ray Research Garden and now we reflect on our Harvest. We share our chief lesson from this past Summer. What lessons have you learned this growing season? Share them below or slide into our DM’s! If yo...

Shrooms? In My Yard?? JP011 Today’s episode is a short primer on Mushrooms and Fungi as it relates to gardening and agriculture. This episode is designed the get you familiar with some initial terminology, a conceptual primer, so to speak. By the end you should have an appreciation for our fungal friends and with your new perspective, begin to see more of the mushrooms around you. Enjoy! Che...

EsoTerracisms: Weeds? – JP010 Our EsoTerracisms series is about showing some hidden aspects of the soil and less-talked-about agriculture practices. Today we discuss weeds, when they are, and why they aren’t, a nuisance. View this post on Instagram #EsoTerracisms I: Weeds. We’ve started a new series discussing some of the more #hidden aspects of the soil, and less talked about #a...

Agribusiness: Growing Money On Trees II – JP009 Our second installment of our Agribusiness Series focuses on the concept of the Value-Add. Which raw fruits and vegetables can you add value to? Can you turn basil into pesto? Peppers into Hot Sauce? Tune in for more ideas behind this lucrative concept! Beyond Fresh, a Value-Added Guide – Podcast Here is a link for the Book referenced in the ab...

Agribusiness: Growing Money on Trees I – JP008 Throughout this series we will share ideas, experiences of mine and that of our guests about using our BlackThumbs to make green! We want to hear from other Black Farmers about how you grow, how you grew, and how you grew green! Email us mason@africulturepodcast.com to share your story! Works Referenced: Encouraging Achievement on the Farm with...

Fermentations – JP007 Fermentations. What do you ferment? Why would you do this? How do you do this? All these and more answered in JP007 Fermentations.  Works Referenced More KNF: Introducing the fabulous LAB (Lactic Acid Bacteria ) The article we learned to make LAB from. Natural Farming: Lactic Acid Bacteria (PDF link) Excellent resource from the University of Hawai’i at M...

Composts – JP006 A small step into the history of composts, why you should, why you shouldn’t, how it could work, and how it couldn’t. This episode is the real beginning of our philosophical journey :] Works Referenced George Washington Carver’s entire body of work – Bulletin # 42 KRADA: Soul-day of Nana Kwame Afrani (George Washington Carver) – Akan Perspective ATTRA – Sus...

Philosophical Background – JP005 We lay out our background and foundational positions we occupy as we cultivate the soil. Some of this episode is prepared and some of it is divined. Be sure to check out our instagram post. In it we tell a story of a rose that we forgot to tell out loud :] Works referenced George Washington Carver’s entire body of work Specifically we mention Bulletins # 6 an...

Fungus Gnats – JP004 We often are on assignment throughout the DMV for botanical consulting. In one of our favorite eateries we came across an infestation of Fungus Gnats. Listen in for how we controlled them, and much more! Products Utilized Growstone GnatNix! Happy Frog Potting Soil Perlite View this post on Instagram We are often on assignment throughout the #DMV for botanical #consulting...

JP003 – Building Up Our Soils In this episode we share some choice passages from Nana Kwame Afrani, Dr. George Washington Carver’s Bulletins, followed by our idealized plan for Building Up Our Soils Works Referenced: Ge orge Washington Carver’s entire body of work Specifically we mention Bulletins # 6 and 42 KRADA: Soul-day of Nana Kwame Afrani (George Washington Carver) – Akan P...

JP002 – Resources This episode provides resources that we have found useful to our understanding of plants, soils, and agriculture. Podcasts ATTRA – Sustainable Agriculture Correction! ATTRA is from NCAT, the National Center for Appropriate Technology, not the USDA. The Future of Agriculture Future of Agriculture 097: For Profit Approach to International Ag Future of Agriculture 148: I...

Introductions – JP001 Host Mason Olonade explains the intentions and rationale for the show. We transition into transmissions and conversations had between the host and select house plants. The history brought forth from the host’s past deciphers that previous sentence. Plants mentioned: Purple Heart ( Tradescantia pallida ) Fiddle-Leaf Fig ( Ficus lyrata ) Monstera deliciosa Papyrus (...