Roots Watering Hole Podcast Series
The Roots Watering Hole podcast series is provided through generous support from the Kalliopeia Foundation. Thanks to their support we have begun the journey to share space in elevated wisdom from numerous voices of people who do good in the world in various forms while providing information to our target communities. Roots Watering Hole produces oral narratives for a multitude of purposes. One track is a monthly gardening education and food literacy series co-hosted by Orrin Williams, the Food Systems Coordinator at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Soil Enthusiast Dr. Akilah Martin. The second track is devoted to...
July 2025 Food Literacy Podcast
Here is a short 15-minute episode with reminders about what to pay attention to in our gardens in July.
July has arrived and gardening season is in full swing. There are approximately 105 days left in the typical growing season. Of course, if you take some steps to extend the season you may be able to grow crops such as collard greens, kale, etc. in early winter.
Here are some crops you may want to consider growing in July that will provide a yield before the frost returns. Stony Acres Gardening and The Gardening Channel offer opt...
June 2025 Food Literacy Podcast
Tune in for some general observations about June gardening and seasonal shopping. Also, remember to get some Vitamin N—the N stands for nature. Get outside, get moving, and eat real, whole seasonal fruits and vegetables as the main part of your diet.
The summer solstice is almost here in the northern hemisphere, and it is time for one of my favorite foods- watermelon. Make sure you know how to select a great melon.
This summer, seasonal produce will be abundant in addition to watermelon. See what to expect in Illinois.
See this li...
May 2025 Food Literacy Podcast
May 2025 Food Literacy Podcast Notes
May is here in Chicago with the typical temperature swings. We had temperatures ranging between 80 and 90 degrees for a couple of days last week, and now, as I write and put the podcast together on May 20th, it is 53 degrees with a blustery wind. The keyword in this era of climate instability is unpredictable.
Rather than being redundant, I invite you to visit the Roots Watering Hole and Chicago Grows Food websites for more information. The Collard Project inspired our African Diaspora Crop project, which has distributed hundreds of seeds to l...
April 2025 Food Literacy Podcast
Enjoy the April 2025 Food Literacy Podcast!
Of significant importance to successful gardening is the number of hours of sunlight available (see the amount of daily sunlight available via your zip code) at this time of year. Now is a good time to start warm weather crop seeds indoors, such as tomatoes, peppers, etc., they should be mature and ready for transplanting after the last frost date (check last frost dates, understand there is no way to know precisely when the last frost date will be, the safest bet is late May or the beginning of...
March 2025 Food Literacy Podcast
This month's Food Literacy podcast is entirely devoted to gardening. Happy Meteorological Spring, here's to a great gardening season!
It is March and the plant and gardening communities are raring to go. In fact, I have distributed thousands of seeds to our partners to begin seedlings and their crop plans.
One site we like is Mind & Soil and their YouTube Channel where they have done numerous experiments on garden-related processes. I think the Mind and Soil website is worth a deep investigation—the following video details and experiments that will influence our soil mix for the...
Dr. Christy Garrison Harrison Southern University
Please listen to this episode of the Roots Watering Hole podcast with Dr. Christy Garrison Harrison of Southern University. We asked Dr. Harrison to respond to a question we asked of respondents to our collaboration with the Center for Humans and Nature for their Questions for a Resilient Future series. The question is "What can we learn from the soil about our fundamental interconnectedness?"
Additionally, we followed up by asking Dr. Harrison to respond to how people in the African Diaspora should deal with the meta-crisis or poly-crisis threatening all beings with extinction. For more information on t...
January 2025 Food Literacy Podcast
Introductory podcast for the 2025 season. Tune in for updates about what to expect in 2025. Also, please share topics you would like to see us cover beginning in February 2025. We are looking for guests as we will offer video episodes with content experts in February or March of 2025. Stay tuned for that, in the meantime let us prepare for a healthy and happy gardening and food literacy season!
National Seed Swap Day is January 25, 2025. Check out the Cool Beans website for more information. Thinking of doing a seed swap this year check out the Cool Beans video on...
December 2024 Food Literacy Podcast
We are signing out of the Food Literacy Podcast for 2024 and anticipate having a wonderful 2025 with episodes and resources devoted to all things food literacy from gardening to cooking to consumer information and exciting programming being planned for 2025 in Chicago. Stay tuned!
December 2024 Food Literacy Podcast Show Notes
Urban Farmer Zone 6 Planting Calendar Guide
Farmers’ Almanac Seed Starting 101
The Garden Magazine 15 Tips for Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors
Botanical Interests Seed-Starting for Beginners the Complete Guide
In the Garden Budget Indoor Seed Starting Set Up (Vid...
November 2024 Food Literacy Podcast
This is a very brief episode of the food literacy podcast so as usual pay attention to the show notes for what we hope is useful information. More importantly, I want to make sure to thank all of the people and organizations I work with throughout the year.
The new year is just about 7 weeks away and 39 days away from the winter solstice and the journey of the return of the sun and longer days. Spring arrives in just 128 days from the date of this recording. The last frost date is usually reported as April 15th for...
October 2024 Food Literacy Podcast
Hello, listeners to the October 2024 Food Literacy Podcast. Harvest time is upon us but as strange as it may seem it is also time to think about the 2025 gardening season. Get ready for winter and 2025!
Here are some resources I hope will inform your decision(s). In doing research for this episode, I came across the Gardenary YouTube channel and an episode that suggested we stop using fertilizers to grow our gardens. The title was a bit misleading, but I agreed well sort of. The host talked about synthetic fertilizers so check out the entire video for...
August 2024 Food Literacy Podcast
Hello Listeners, this is a concise episode devoted to encouraging our listeners to establish a fall vegetable garden Longer episodes will begin in September 2024 where we will discuss myriad food literacy and wellness issues as well as follow up on fall vegetable gardening methods.
I am having a hard time believing that it is August but alas it is! But it is fall garden and crop time, personally because of early season illness the fall season will be crucial for us as we will be planting many cool weather crops. Also, I have had several conversations with...
JULY 2024 FOOD LITERACY PODCAST EPISODE
The Food Literacy podcast resumes after a hiatus. I am better now and returning to the microphone with the July 2024 Food Literacy Podcast. This is probably more accurately described as a shortcast but we will cover some gardening topics for July and a few Food as Medicine items in the show notes. I hope you enjoy the episode!
I have commissioned carpenter friends Mike Reynolds and Rudy Taylor to design and build garden tables to enhance the gardening experience for elders and those with mobility challenges, that can be included in the home garden...
March 2024 Food Literacy Podcast
Let's get going on the upcoming garden season for 2024!
Bill of Health Food is Medicine Approaches to Address Diet-Related Health Conditions.
Take a look for yourself and study how your food choices may be good for you and the environmental health of the planet. Some cities while not banning meat, want to encourage us to eat more plants and have signed on to the Plant Based Treaty, see information about the treaty.
The Gardening Channel Seed Starting, MIGardener seed starting. Chicago Gardener March Tasks. Chicago Gardener flower variety for cont...
February 2024 Food Literacy Podcast
Since discovering the Food Institute website I have spent considerable time reading through the offerings and found the following to share:
Food Institute Food as Medicine Conundrum
https://foodinstitute.com/focus/the-food-as-medicine-conundrum/
No surprise here but the Food Institute shares insight about the causes of the global Type-2 Diabetes pandemic.
The Food Institute research found that food as medicine initiatives do improve health and save household consumer dollars. The conundrum is related to the impact of food insecurity.
Find the True Cost of Food: Food as Medicine Case Study report...
Dr. JPB Gerald author of "Antisocial Language Teaching: English and the Pervasive Pathology of Whiteness"
The Roots Watering Hole podcast series is back after some life issues that kept us from publishing except for our food literacy podcast for several months. We return with a compelling interview with Dr. Gerald that we think you will enjoy,
Bio: "Dr. JPB Gerald is an educator and theorist with a day job in non-profit education management and a side hustle trying to dismantle these systems we're all in. He writes and speaks about the intersection between racism, language education, and ability, and lives on unceded Munsee Lenape territory (aka NYC) with his wife...
Roots Watering Hole Podcast Series Returns
The Roots Watering Hole Podcast Series returns to full-time regular programming with at least one episode per month in addition to the food literacy podcasts. Listen to the trailer, thank you for listening.
Please look for information coming up about supporting our work via Patreon...
January 2024 Food Literacy Podcast
It is the beginning of 2024 and we embark upon a new trip around the sun. This is the first episode of the 2024 food literacy podcast and we will be providing a brief overview of what the upcoming season will include. Thank you for listening and may we provide you with a wealth of information for building healthy individuals and communities.
In this episode, we give our decidedly grassroots definition of food literacy. Well, there is no set definition of the term and if you want to dig into the weeds do a keyword search, but here is...
Nateo Carreno and Susan Lucci
A wide-ranging conversation about being human and co-creating with Nature/Mother Earth. I think you will enjoy this sonic experience!
December 2023 Food Literacy Podcast
This is the final food literacy podcast for 2023. Please listen in and check the show notes for important season-ending information.
As is stated in the trailer there is some news on the gardening front that I wanted to mention. There is a recently released USDA Hardiness Zone map. Check out Gardener Scott’s YouTube video about the new USDA Hardiness Zone map, who lives in a similar climate in Colorado and who was also part of the advisory team that put the new map together. Check out the USDA website to see the map and for more in...
November 2023 Food Literacy Podcast Episode
November typically marks the end of the growing season for most of us in the Chicago region. However, there are some gardeners who may apply season extension strategies that carry them through the winter. If that is not you do not fret, it is time to close out the 2023 season, get some rest, and begin planning for 2024.
We will not cover much at all regarding gardening tasks for November but in the show, notes please find information about garden tasks for our hardiness zones USDA zones 5 and 6. Please share our podcast with your network regardless of what...
October 2023 Food Literacy Podcast
This is the October 2023 Food Literacy Podcast episode. The weather is cooling and it is time to prepare for the winter though it may seem strange you also want to prepare for the 2024 growing season. Check out the episode and accompanying show notes for what we believe are pertinent issues for October.
Check out this article by the Piedmont Master Gardeners about nutrient density and leafy green vegetables. Consider applying the information to your garden plan for the 2024 season.
Here is more information about seasonal eating and a seasonal eating chart.
In deciding wha...
September 2023 Food Literacy Podcast
September is here and fall is upon us. How quickly things turn as it seems that May and June were just a few days ago. See the show notes for more details and you will find a link to the September 2022 Garden Education episode for information still relevant in 2023. Thank you for listening in!
I will start by reminding our listeners that we are no longer doing a strictly gardening podcast, We shifted our format several months ago to cover food literacy which has as an element, gardening. The link for the September 2022 episode is here. You...
August 2023 Food Literacy Podcast
This is the August Food Literacy Podcast done in partnership with the urban gardening and farming community in Chicago and posted via Chicago Grows Food. There is still time to plant certain crops for a fall garden and harvest, check the show notes for more details...
August 2023 Food Literacy Podcast Show Notes
Planting for a fall crop? Do not be deterred, go for it. In our home garden, we have crops planted from seeds including some unusual varieties of kale such as Ethiopian, Contralto, and Portuguese varieties as well as Alabama Blue and...
July 2023 Food Literacy Podcast Episode
Short and sweet food literacy podcast episode for July 2023. Topics include what to plant in July as well as what seeds to start indoors for those interested in fall gardening. Food literacy topics include food fraud and the high cost of food, the health impacts of ultra-processed foods on our health, and eggs as an example of the confusion often swirling around food, health, and "healthy" eating. Happy Summer and Enjoy the episode!
Topics of Interest for the July 2023 Food Literacy Podcast Episode
Seeds to Plant in July and August:
https://y...
June 2023 Food Literacy Podcast Episode
June in Chicago is the kickoff of the primary gardening season in Chicago. In this episode, we address some of the concerns of participants in the Chicago Grows Food constellation about fabric grow bag and container vegetable gardening.
Special thanks to Elizabeth Berkeley, executive director of Chicago Grows Food, Marjorie Kersten graduate student at UIC, and Taylor Swenski graduate student at DePaul University for assisting with the development of this episode.
This episode has content that responded to some of the questions participants in the Chicago Grows Food survey and focus groups had regarding in pa...
Lia Carrillo Production
May 2023 Food Literacy Podcast
Hello, food literacy podcast listeners. Please find and listen to the May 2023 episode. You will receive a lot of information this month including an episode on soil done in session with our co-host and co-producer soil enthusiast and soil scientist Dr. Akilah Martin.
Rather than essentially repeating ourselves you will receive the encore episode of the May 2022 garden education podcast that has information regarding May gardening in Chicago.
On the food literacy front, we are focusing this month on basic cooking and cooking vegetables as an adjunct to increasing diet quality for our communities. T...
April 2023 Food Literacy Podcast Part 2
Self-described soil enthusiast and soil scientist Dr, Akilah Martin is in her co-host and co-producer seat for a lively conversation about soil. Dr. Akilah is not as expansive as she could be regarding soil, and the time allotted is not enough. However. we endeavored to provide some useful information and I think we hit our mark.
As always I refer you to the show notes accompanying the audio for more information on the topic of soil.
Dr. Akilah Talks Soil Show Notes April 2023
SOIL MOISTURE/DRAINAGE:
https://plantcareforbeginners.com/ar...
April 2023 Food Literacy Podcast Part 1
It is April here in Chicago and excitement is at a fever pitch in anticipation of the gardening season for our community and home gardeners. This is the first installment of the April food literacy podcast. This episode is short but the second installment will be devoted primarily to soil with two programs featuring our co-host and co-producer, soil enthusiast and scientist, Dr. Akilah Martin. In this short episode check out the announcement for the 2023 Illinois Hunger and Health conference. Find the registration link for the May 1, 2023 event below in the show notes. If you do not already please...
March 2023 Food Literacy Podcast
We are kicking off the gardening season with some tips and things to consider fro the upcoming gardening season. To deepen our discussion about food literacy we will be providing links for general cooking as well as using herbs and spices to create tasty meals.
Food Literacy Podcast – Garden Education Show Notes
In addition to the March 2023 food literacy podcast find a link to a clip and show notes from the February 2022 Garden Education podcast, covering topics such as hardiness zones, first and last frost dates, seed starts, etc to get you...
Leah Penniman Roots Watering Hole Trailer and Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists Promotion
This is a very short trailer and announcement about Leah Penniman's new book out February 28, 2023. The full episode of our session won't drop until May 2023 when Dr. Akilah and I will devote the entire month to Black farmers and gardeners. Leah's new book is so exciting we wanted to let our audience and networks know that is coming out soon. Please share with your networks and consider purchasing this important new work, Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists.
For more also see the Soul Fire Farm website. Scroll down while you are on the site a...
February 2023 Food Literacy Podcast
Well, spring is on the mind of many people here in the northern hemisphere, especially here in Chicago. This particular episode is devoted to getting our home veggie gardeners off to a rousing start by planning for the upcoming gardening season. While the audio portion is great the show notes will be full of information and resources to kick off the season.
Let us kick off the 2023 gardening season! We are going to focus this episode on planning your gardening season. I hope you have had the opportunity to get into the seed catalogs and start buying...
Emergency Planning with Patricia Fontanet Rodriguez
If we are paying attention to what is going on in the world the level of disasters from wind, water, and terrestrial forces emergency planning rises to the level of concern for everyone. Natural Disaster Program Manager Patricia Fontanet Rodriguez, kicks off a series of podcasts on emergency planning that will be done in 2023 under the leadership of Dr. Akilah Martin, co-host and co-producer of the Roots Watering Hole podcast series.
Web: Ready.Gov
Podcast: Floodlines by The Atlantic https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/floodlines/id1501433969
Documentary: When the Levees Broke
January 2023 Food Literacy Podcast
We are kicking off the 2023 food literacy podcast series with the resources you will need to create a system to reach your food literacy and healthy lifestyle goals.
Many of us hear the term "food as medicine' but what does it mean well the is no standard or concise definite according to Medical News Today.
The Center for Food as Medicine report provides some in-depth information about the topic including a report you may download here.
See the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020 - 2025, and for additional information to inform your healthy lifestyle j...
December 2022 Food Literacy Podcast Episode
Stay Safe and Well While Enjoying the Holiday of Your Choice! Happy New Year and We Will Be Back in 2023...
This is the December Food Literacy podcast episode. You will receive a bonus episode an interview with the new executive director of Chicago Grows Food. There is virtually garden education-related information in this episode but we will hit the ground running with information pertinent to kicking off the 2023 gardening season along with our coverage of food literacy information and resources. Also, our co-host and co-producer of the Roots Watering Hole podcast series, Dr. Akilah Martin...
Bonus Episode Interview With Elizabeth Berkeley Executive Director of Chicago Grows Food
Listen in to our interview with Elizabeth Berkeley the executive director of Chicago Grows Food. Chicago Grows Food was formed as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic and operating since 2020 and will have our 3-year anniversary in March of 2023. Elizabeth will give you an overview of CGF and what the future outlook is for 2023 and beyond.
I am admittedly biased about Chicago Grows Food and the efforts that have emerged since the coalition began as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic in Chicago. See the Chicago Grows Food website for more information about this evolving project.
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November 2022 Food Literacy Podcast
This Roots Watering Hole Podcast is done in support of the Chicago Partnership for Health Promotion at UIC, the Center for Urban Transformation, and you the listener interested in improving the health and well-being of our families and communities.
This episode represents the first foray into a new format where we provide much more information than through our garden education version. Instead, now the podcast is the monthly Food Literacy Podcast. What is food literacy? Check out the definition here and also understand that our working definition includes food production through farming and of course, gardening. Also...
October 2022 Food System Literacy Podcast formerly the Garden Education Podcast
Podcasts evolve and this is the case for this monthly podcast from a garden education podcast for in particular, home gardeners in the Chicago area to a podcast focusing on all aspects of the food system. Why? Well, because we want to enhance our communities' ability to have a secure food supply, improve diet quality, mitigate social determinants of health and health disparities, and support for the co-creation of healthy communities for all.
Whether you have listened to the trailer and/or episode or not we are expanding our podcast. That said we are starting off here...
September 2022 Garden Education Podcast
Fall gardening season and even winter gardening possibilities are upon us. Get ready for that and get ready for the spring 2023 season as well. Spring will be here before you know it and you will find that gardening (and farming) is a continuum...
There is still time to grow more crops by utilizing varieties that may be sown from seed and have a short period until maturity, watch this video by MIgardener to learn more. Seed companies such as Sow True Seeds (this is NOT a commercial endorsement, we receive no compensation from STS) offers a list...