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Episode 29 is now available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Amazon Listen Here! The WildStory: A Podcast of Poetry and Plants by the Native Plant Society of New Jersey Share this podcast with your friends and family. The Wildstory is a FREE resource to learn from and available to everyone! Hosted by Ann E. Wallace, PhD Poet Laureate Emeritus of Jersey City Co-host Kim Correro Rutgers Master Gardener and Director of State Programs Special Contributor Dr. Randi Eckel Entomologist and Vice President of Membership NPSNJ Do you have a question about native plants for Randi? Email: TheWildStory@npsnj.org Questions: Email Thewildstory@npsnj.org |
| This month, our guest poet is Dorsia Smith Silva (0:02:51), whose collection In Inheritance of Drowning, published by CavanKerry Press, bears witness to the devastating impacts of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico. Dorsia speaks with me about the long recovery process and the power of the community, both in moments of crisis and in the extended aftermath of extreme weather events. On Ask Randi (0:34:13), Randi Eckel, entomologist and owner of Toadshade Wildflower Farm, introduces one of spring’s quiet treasures: Spring Beauty. After hearing Randi speak about this tiny native wildflower at a Wildstory event a few years ago, Ann wrote a poem, included in her new book Keeping Room, titled “Such a Perfect Ecosystem,” celebrating the delicate beauty of this often-overlooked plant and the rich web of life it supports. So we asked Randi to tell us more about Spring Beauty for all of you. Next, in celebration of Women’s History Month, Kim sits down with Tedor Whitman (0:45:42), Executive Director of the Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary in Short Hills, NJ. Tedor shares what makes the arboretum so special—from protecting native plants and local wildlife to inspiring the next generation—and gives us a preview of Beak Week, happening April 17–24. To close the episode, Kim and Ann chat with Joe Lamp’l (1:01:17)—host of the Emmy-winning PBS series Growing a Greener World, founder of joegardener.com, and creator of The Joe Gardener Show podcast. Joe shares how he got started, reflects on a time when birds and butterflies were everywhere, and reminds us why native plants pack a powerful punch—and why planting them matters now more than ever. Plus, Joe shares the story behind the Ultimate Gardening Sheath he co-designed with Wheeler Munroe, a wildly popular tool that keeps your pruners and essentials within easy reach and makes life in the garden a whole lot easier. Keep reading to learn how you can find one. |