Raising Connections

Send us Fan Mail Did you know that there are more tigers living with people in the United States than there are living in the wild? What happens to these exotic cats, as well as other animals, when the owners decide they have grown too large or otherwise cannot care for them anymore? These animals cannot be returned to the wild because they've never been in the wild; they are born and raised...

Send us Fan Mail Whether you love it or don't really look forward to it, Fall is here! Rachann talks with several people on their opinions and feelings about the season. Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail On this Mother's Day episode, Rachann, a trained microbiologist, delves into genetics, chromosomes,  mitochondrial DNA, and epigenetics, things in our cells that make us who we are. Rachann earned her B.S. Degree in Microbiology from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana along with a minor in Medical History. She has extensive post-graduate work in Microbiology & Immun...

Send us Fan Mail Maryland is facing a veterinarian shortage. On this episode of Raising Connections, Rachann delves into the shortage and where the next set of veterinarians are coming from. She talks with her daughter Rhiannon, who is a junior at Thiel College in Pennsylvania studying equine veterinary medicine. Listeners are taken  through her experience of switching from psychology to nursing t...

Send us Fan Mail Billy Harrison joins Rachann to discuss his knowledge of both farming and music through his experience of owning and working a 100 acre farm. Billy shares his expertise on hay farming, grading, hydroseeding, and moisture control. But that isn't all he does. He also has his own band, Billy Harrison and the Haywire Band, for the past four years, that performs at local venues. S...

Send us Fan Mail From Smart Phones to robot vacuum cleaners, Rachann compares and contrasts technology from the 1970's to today with two young women who have grown up with computers and modern gadgets. Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail Rachann recently traveled to Denver, Colorado and spent time with some Maryland friends who moved to the area a year ago. She talks about some of the differences between Denver and Maryland, and how many Marylanders are moving to Colorado and some other states. Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail It's August in Maryland and it's the time of year that county and state fairs are held. Much of the harvest is in and this is the opportunity for young people to show off their hard work with produce, livestock, crafts, baking, and much more. Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail What's better than a farmer's market full of fresh local fruits and vegetables? The town of Mount Airy, Maryland holds a downtown Wednesday farmer's market on Main Street with produce and so much more. Rachann talks with Alice Raskin about the market and the treasures to be found there. Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail What do horses and flat tires have in common? Todd Johnson owns JBit Ranch in Berryville, VA and trains gaited horses. He is also the inventor of Quick Stem, an easy way to fix a flat tire without removing the tire from the truck or tractor, a very handy thing to have on the farm! Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail Rachann grew up in Indiana. Robin has lived her whole life in Maryland. Listen to their fun conversation about the differences in the two places, from geography and topography, to the ways words are pronounced. Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail What is a solstice? Have you heard of circadian rhythms? Rachann will answer your questions about these and other things! Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail Who do you tip? Is it just the waitstaff at your local eatery, or is it also your hairdresser or barber, the pizza delivery guy, and the dry cleaner? Rachann delves into the history of tipping and why we do it, and statistics of which generations and genders tip the most. Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail Ahesemahk Dahn is the founder of City Ranch in Baltimore City. It's an educational farm where inner-city children and adults can experience the joy of caring for horses. City Ranch takes horses to schools and parks, not just in Baltimore, but all over the mid-Atlantic region. Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail Memorial Day was originally know as Decoration Day in parts of the US. Rachann talks about the history of Decoration Day when people decorated graves with wreaths and flags. The tradition didn't start in the United States, but in ancient Rome! Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail What is it that makes a place special to you? People have memories of the different places that they live in or visit. Some memories are good and some not so good. Rachann talks with her daughter, Rhiannon, about the special memories they share, and she talks with Robin about vacations, beaches, swimming, and sun burns! Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail Rachann and the management team at Mariah-Belle Manor, Michelle and Ashlynn, talk about their job duties, working during covid and its aftermath, and the different perspectives they each have about working in the kennel. Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail April is Pet First Aid and CPR Awareness Month. Rachann is a Pet Tech-Certified CPR and First Aid Instructor and she is offering an 8-hour hands-on training class, open to the public, in the conference room at the Raising Connection Studio in Lisbon, MD. Listen to the podcast for information on how to register for one of the classes. Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever seen a horse ridden without the use of reins to guide it? Melanie Ferrio-Wise and her husband Brendan have often dealt with horses of difficult natures and backgrounds, and have had great success in bringing them to new and relaxing lives. In 2014, Melanie and Brendan were given what can only be described as a “train wreck” of a horse! That horse’s name: Wings. At th...

Send us Fan Mail Oldfields School is an all-girl boarding school located in Sparks, Maryland. Rachann talks with Amy Philips, the director of riding at Oldfields. An integral part of the Oldfields experience since 1867, the Oldfields Riding Program is dedicated to inspiring young riders to pursue a path of continued growth.  Creating a connection with a horse carries over into other areas includin...

Send us Fan Mail Do you know the differences between a horse trailer and an RV? Or the different kinds of hitches? Learn the answer to these questions and many more as Rachann talks with Ken Moss of Kingdom Horse Trailers in Elkton, Maryland. Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail Rachann recently visited Southern California and she talks about the poppy fields between Los Angeles and San Diego, the way rain washes the seeds down the side of the mountains creating waves of orange when the plants bloom.  Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail Exploring the connections between local annexing and zoning laws, legislative decisions, farming communities, and education culminates in a ham sandwich and a nail salon. Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail Jeanie Emge joins Raising Connections to talk about the World of Pets Expo, new activities for pets, and changes in the pet world she has seen in her 22 years of organizing the Expo in Baltimore. Support the show www.raisingconnections.com

Send us Fan Mail Most Farm Shows, or County Fairs, are held in August, but Pennsylvania holds it's fair in January at the indoor Harrisburg Farm Complex. Rachann spent the day seeing tractors and livestock, and interviewing a professional cattle fitter, and the Pennsylvania Dairy Princess, Support the show www.raisingconnections.com