1. Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Michelle Lipp and I am an early childhood educator turned play-at-home mom of three kids and one renegade garden. In the classroom, I was infamously known as the teacher who went outside no matter what.

I’ve taught in 5 states with varying climates and firmly believe in the Scandanavian proverb that there is no bad weather, just inappropriate clothing.

When my eldest son was in his first year of preschool, his principal (and my former supervisor) remarked that my kids must always get to play outside. I realized that I had become an indoor parent–that even though I had no issue dressing and undressing a dozen children belonging to other people to get them out into the fresh air, I had become complacent at doing so with my own.

Outdoor play and nature experiences are so integral to healthy bodies and minds and so vital to early development.

Children learn to sit still by moving around and the great outdoors is an ideal location for this. I needed to get my family (and myself) back outside and I needed a way to be accountable for that goal so just over a year ago at the end of winter, 2018, I founded a local nature based meetup group for families and professionals working with children to gather at local parks, playgrounds and nature spaces.

 

I call my group Park n’Play. 

I live in the Richmond, VA area and our climate is fairly temperate. My group runs from the end of winter through the fall, although it is my goal to eventually have it be a year-round endeavor. I firmly believe that nature play and experience should be accessible to all regardless of age, ability, geographic location and socioeconomic status.

For that reason, I run my meetups free of charge and I am incredibly fortunate to live in an area with amazing public parks and nature spaces. I arrive with a nature-based or outdoor-friendly activity geared toward children of mixed ages and adults, a small, traveling nature-based library with relevant books for children and adults and more than anything else, it’s an opportunity to be outdoors together as a community and reap the benefits of fresh air and vitamin D.

 

2. Tell me about your first gardening experience?

 

I grew up when it was still OK to toss your kids out in the fenced in suburban backyard to play all day.

My mother, also an early childhood educator, gardened in our backyard. She had a vegetable garden, a flower bed and my sister and I had our own small plot to tend to. I was a notoriously picky eater who would munch raw chives straight from the whiskey barrel they were growing in and I am pretty sure I was covered in mud and smelled like onions at least until the age of 8.

The garden was a space for imaginative play, mud pies, digging up worms, picking cucumbers that were taller than I was and it was also a place where it was OK to fail, to fall and skin your knee and to learn the hard way that you can’t bring your pet goldfish back inside three days after his funeral.

3. How did you learn how to garden organically?

Adulthood and Parenthood are full of choices and many times we live in a society with option overload.In an ideal world, I would choose only organic produce and buy completely local and garden in a space that is fully free of chemical pesticides. My family currently lives in a rented property and our yard is semi-public and shared. Our property management uses lawn treatments I am not a fan of, so I choose to container garden and grow our produce in a raised bed table. Organic gardening is something I learned mainly by default. My mother gardened this way and I never really was exposed to other methods.

4. Tell us about something that grew well this year.

Well, we welcomed our third little gardener at the end of April, so my family is growing well! And we’ve had amazing luck with sunflower seeds we saved from last year. My sons wanted to grow a pizza garden this season after reading a book about it and we’ve had some success with tomatoes, peppers and herbs. We’ve had less success getting my own picky eater to try much of it, but everyone’s experience of growing together is more important than whether everyone puts anything besides cheese on their pizza dough.

5. Is there something you would do different next year or want to try/new? 

I’m not sure yet, to be honest! We are in the early stages of thinking about a bigger space for our bigger family, so a bigger garden could be in our future..

6. Tell me about something that didn’t work so well this season.

We always have a few flops and they differ from year to year. This year, I tried brandywine tomatoes that never bore fruit and I am not sure if I will get any loofah sponges to scrub off the season this fall, but I do have the neighborhood’s biggest (and only) loofah vine climbing up the front of my apartment building. We’ve also had a mystery guest nibbling two of our strawberry plants at night and that has been an opportunity for my berry loving boys to learn about our garden being a space we share with creatures and critters of all kinds. 

7. Which activity is your least favorite activity to do in the garden?

Luring my kids back inside…

8. What is your favorite activity to do in the garden?

Luring my kids outside…and watching them explore, learn, experience and grow. They teach me so much!

 

9. What is the best gardening advice you have ever received?

If you buy enough plants, no one will notice that half of them are dead. 

10. Is there a favorite tool that you like to use?

This answer is a bit out of the box, but my favorite “tool” is knowledge. It is so important to continue learning and continue wondering. Although I have outgrown the 4 walls and ceiling of a traditional classroom in terms of teaching right now, I love continuing to learn and teach through my meet-up group, through literature in books, podcasts and online and through experts in their fields.

11. If you had to move and could only take one tool with you what would it be?

I do love my tumbling outdoor composter! It’s a great way to be able to make and manage your own compost in a small space.

12. A favorite recipe you like to cook from the garden?

We have a small garden that feeds mostly small people here, so I like recipes that we can make in small batches. Some of our favorites this year have been refrigerator pickles, basil pesto and, of course, pizza! I’ll attach my favorite refrigerator pickle recipe and the pizza dough recipe we use for you to add in your show notes if you’d like. I typically freeze individual portions of dough so we can have impromptu pizza nights whenever a tomato is ripe or a pepper is ready for picking and then everyone adds toppings to their personal taste.

https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/easy-refrigerator-pickles-recipe/

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/20171/quick-and-easy-pizza-crust/

13. A favorite internet resource? 

I am a huge fan of continuing education even if only to exercise my brain. There are some amazing resources, trainings and masterclasses available on the website, Outdoor Classrooms that have aided in inspiring my own outdoor space as well as my work with children and families through Park n’Play.

14. A favorite reading material-book, mag, blog/website etc you can recommend?

I’m a bit of a book junkie, but I think I can narrow my favorites of this summer down to 3! For overall gardening, I loved the newly released 20th anniversary edition of Margaret Roach’s A Way to Garden. She has a weekly podcast as well under the same name. For creative garden and nature based activities for children and families, I loved the book Backyard Adventure released this summer as well, by Amanda Thomsen. And for early readers and their grownups, the book that inspired our family pizza garden this season is Pizza Day by Melissa Iwai. 

Last Child In The Woods by Richard Louv 

 

15. If you have a business to you have any advice for our listeners about how to sell extra produce or get started in the industry?

I don’t have a specific business, but I do love to support others in designing outdoor classrooms and learning spaces–even (and especially) mobile ones. I am passionate about outdoor play and exposure to nature for children and adults alike. In my decade of teaching, I watched as this became less and less prevalent in classroom time and home times alike and simultaneously observed a decrease in overall play skills among young children and an increase in behavioral and developmental challenges. My greatest desire is to preserve my children’s sense of wonder and playfulness and to reclaim my own in the process. My number one bit of advice for fellow educators and parents is: if you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em. Get out there, get muddy, get in on the fun. I promise you, children (and adults) are 100% washable.

 

16. Final question-

if there was one change you would like to see to create a greener world what would it be? For example is there a charity or organization your passionate about or a project you would like to see put into action. What do you feel is the most crucial issue facing our planet in regards to the environment either in your local area or on a national or global scale?

As our children and society as a whole becomes more bound by the space of 4 walls and a ceiling, I think there is a strong disconnect between what’s inside and outside of those classroom and office windows. Beyond that, there is an increasing sense of helplessness to evoke change. In the face of systems that are broken and failing us, we can feel an increasing sense of overwhelm and apathy. I don’t know that there is one answer or a simple solution. What I do know is that while what I may do is small and seemingly insignificant, it makes a huge impression on the young eyes who are watching. Don’t allow the size of the project to stop you from starting it at all.

It doesn’t have to be an all or nothing solution and you don’t need to move a mountain.

Choosing small ways of acting within your home and your family and your community at large can have a ripple effect that is wider than we realize. For me, it’s more of what we can add in to our lifestyle, like replacing disposable items with reusable ones, avoiding single use plastics as much as possible, recycling and reusing what we’re able to, getting out to vote in elections, growing a small garden and getting some of our produce from a CSA or farmers markets, and overall–speaking with our actions and not just our words.

I grew up on the phrase “go outside and play!” but that does not come naturally to all children anymore. If we get out there with them and reignite our own childhood spark of wonder, I think we will see a generation of critical thinkers, compassionate naturalists and true problem solvers emerge. I would really like to see our schools and even our corporate world start to move beyond their buildings and back outdoors. 

Do you have an inspiration tip or quote to help motivate our listeners to reach into that dirt and start their own garden?

I have a sign I made above our back door that reads:

Think Outside: No Box Needed.

It reminds me every time I walk by it to open that door and get out there. You don’t need a big space or a perfect space and you don’t actually need any particular space at all. You just need a door to get outside.

How do we connect with you?

In my “spare” time, I write a blog, Play-a-Day, where I share ideas and inspiration for learning and play activities with children at home as well as in a classroom setting. I contribute articles to other websites as well on occasion. I can be reached by email at justsmyluck@gmail.com. I’ll post the link to my blog as well if you’d like it for your show notes:

http://playadaykeepsthedocaway.blogspot.com/

 

We’d love if you’d join  Organic Gardener Podcast Facebook Community!

The Organic Gardener Podcast is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

If you like what you heard on the Organic Gardener Podcast we’d love it if you’d give us review and hopefully a 5 star rating on iTunes so other gardeners can find us and listen to. Just click on the link here.

and don’t forget if you need help getting started check out our new 

Free Garden Course.com

 Free Organic Garden Course 

Remember you can get the  2018 Garden Journal and Data Keeper to record your garden goals in our

You can  download the first 30 days here  while you’re waiting for it to come in the mail. 

We’d love if you’d join  Organic Gardener Podcast Facebook Community!

If you like what you heard on the Organic Gardener Podcast we’d love it if you’d give us review and hopefully a 5 star rating on iTunes so other gardeners can find us and listen to. Just click on the link here.

 

Richmond, Virginia

Current city since July 20, 2014

from

Albany, New York

Hometown

I’ll just teach 7 kids

Sending 2 off to school!

I loved teaching so so much and I loved being a mom so so much

The first year I paid to teach and the second year I think I had $7 in the back after paying the babysitter. So I ended up being home. The oldest is going off to kindergarten and the baby will be home with me.

Those are precious times, and you might decide to go back to school after your kids are all in school. You never know.

It was always my least favorite and favorite time.

With pre-school the prepwork never ends. I feel like you are always teaching and shring what you do with your kids on facebook etc. 

My feeling of being in the classroom has kind of changed. With the outdoors.

I’m 3rd generation early childhood educator.

I can see how it can be a negative thing, a friend of my friend

I can be with my kids or the classroom if hey ask me a question or we need to identify poison ivy and what to do with it.

I love Facebook so much. There are so many people who are negative about it. I want to love facebook! Like we got to know each other on facebook, and maybe you started out listening to my podcat but then you joined the facebook gorup and I got ot know you.

I want to write this blog post about this book called the land of the blue flower. The motto is There is no time to hate, because everyone’s so busy planting and caring for their flowers and helping each other there is no time to hate anyone.

you get what you pay for and it’s worth every penny

amazing connecting tool

just as a parent and teacher you can find support and connection in those days

you talked about having a whole day to set up, there is the collaborative end

live in this world, there wasn’t built in time for collaborate, and I feel like Facebook has really increased our ability to do that. It has also given us 

option overload with gardening etc. I feel like this is my parenting or extended to my garden when I’m like why is their flower blooming and mine isn’t 

when my middle son got glasses at 4 months old

oh there’s a Facebook for that

kid has a diagnosis instead of your pediatrician only seeing like one other kid like that. 

challenge in the classroom

Young kids tend to have young parents. It’s a great place to share with them.

Technology has supported that happen.

How much time of my teaching am I spending taking photos of my teaching to send to parents.

I’m such a candid photographer, I just hand the pcamera to the kids. 

one year teaching using notebooks, handwriting messages to kids

breast feeding

certain parents

3-4 apps

every single thing

never got through

calling you

6pm

parent

teacher me would not mind

Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Michelle Lip, as you mentioned I am an early childhood educator

mom

5,4,2.5 daughter

taught for over a decade in about 5 states with 5 different climates

the teacher who got outside no matter what

should we go out today with our kids? No one ever asked me

getting kids outdoors

fast forward to when my oldest was 2

stay at home mom

school principal

your kid always goes outside

baby

little son

omgoodness

we never go outside

it was easier to put 12

then just to go out the door

I needed to make a change

get my kids outside

a way to make myself accountable

nature based community

park and play

second year running

late winter

early fall

moderate climate

first year I will be trying out going through all seasons and having a monthly meet up during school year and even in the winter 

Some storytime sessions aimed at parents who are home with children who are under the age of preschool.

completely free and open to the public

don’t advertise a big amount because I tend to be shy and introverted so it’s mostly families and children that I know

I do love when we are in a public place and parks

i love when other families do join us and I love meeting people that way

amazing way to get myself outdoors and connect to our community and the amazing park systems we have here too

I will aslo say that as an educator and parent I really feel strongly that children need to be outdoors and adults too. I feel like in over my decade of teaching in my classrooms I saw something shift and in my families home

children play outdoors

academics are changing and there’s a push earlier and earlier on for children to sit still that may or maybe not developmentally appropriate for their age. 

I believe that we can do a lot in nature

• kids can learn to sit still for moving around
• muscles in hands and arms core
• kid staring the a ball

Kids can have outdoors,

children need that unstructured time

• vitamin d
• navigate natural spaces
• see plants grow
• have access to that

Having a group helps me make sure my family is getting that

children coming in who did struggle with sitting still and having core body weaknesses

in our experiences outdoors

children would beg to go out

more and more children didn’t know how to engage in outdoor play or even begin. Some children would go right away go play

other children would be what I call wall flowers, would just stand around and needed more time and support to do that

making nature accessible to all families

• different needs
• learning styles
• different financial backgrounds

why of doing what I do.

Well, you know that I love all of that. I think that you are willing to go out there. So this woman who writes a column in our local paper just wrote about her toddler and how she would love for someone to help with her, she wanted someone to come around and do story-time at house.

She said I don’t really like to play dress up or how to play with my child and was looking for exactly what you are talking about. And if young families maybe don’t know how to get out in nature what you are sharing with these families.

It’s a huge thing – you hit the nail on the head

when you talk about parents struggling to play

lose touch with that sense in wonder

I regain it with nature, when I am outside I am just as fascinated by the things they discover

I will be completely honest I don’t always love being outdoors

I’m working on a blog that I keep as well and I’m working on the barriers to being outdoors. Like it’s

• super hot hiking wearing a baby
• raining I don’t like getting wet either

Things that bother the kids bother us too, as a mom work through some of my own discomforts

they have their own level

my eldest loves being out doors

really interested in nature. 

Also a bit nervous about things. A couple of weeks ago, a bug crawled up his shirt and he told me the bug bit him. He got really scared, I didn’t see anything.

We went to another outdoor group all of a sudden he remembered that and he decided he was afraid of all bugs, and he also decided that all the bugs were only on the ground but not on our picnic blanket so he stood on the picnic blanket the entire time out on our hike and site

I didn’t freak out and yell at him. I know he was get off the picnic blanket before he was 30 and I knew at some point I was gonna pick it up and walk back to the car

part of his day

every time it’s a different day

What ended up happening

he ended up on the blanket

• played with kids that came to play with him
• he looked at a nature guide
• identify different leaves

When it was time to go and fold up the blanket, we talked about all the times we had been outside and not gotten a bug bite and had a bug in his shirt

really could do this and be ok

He did not want to get off the blanket but I think the walk balk was what rebuilt his confidence

you can stay here but I am gonna pack up the blanket.

rebuilt his confidence

we can go slow

• scavenger hunt
• leaf that green or brown
• stick or rock
• when he made it back to the car, he was like I did it!
• I saw a dragon fly!

the outdoors it the place we can all find there are things that are inherently uncomfortable about being outside and we can move through it.

Being in nature and being different

Love that you shared that a parent stub

Tell me about your first gardening experience?

My mom did have a garden. My earliest experiences were being in my backyard as a child. My mom grew up in NYC, but always had a love of nature and the outdoors.

She had a small garden in her own home growing up. I remember being very little preschool aged and younger. 

my mom had her garden

my sister and I had our own little plot. I was raised in an error where it was still ok to play outside all day, we had a fenced in backyard we really just played there all day

I ate handfuls of chives

I don’t think I

• it was totally ok to fail
• totally ok to plant something die
• and succeed
• it was amazing to watch things grow!

my mother who was also a teacher 

that she would look under a rock and say this is how corn grows but that we experienced it

• making mud pies
• faerie salads and all that

I didn’t have a lot of specific instruction on how to garden and grow things, it was just something that we did. 

Growing organically it wasn’t how we did it

my mom was a ahed of the time

I had very severe allergies as a child

I was very allergic to insect bites and probably bee stings as well although I don’t think I got stung by a bee. I was one of first with an EPI pens. My mom took it school and said this is an EPI pen and how to use it.

I was allergic to fruit.

allergy medicine was just one of those things

nowadays I teach students

touch and go back then, one of my mothers theories was that maybe pesticides played a role

organic

we would go to a fruit stand

get pesticides

before dirty dozen

some crossover

allergy shots

so ahead of the time

some of those things do kid of support my own choice to garden organically as I can

how I grew up

Tell us about something that grew well this year.

this year my sunflowers I have a townhouse style apartment

started some seeds

cherry tomatoes that I did not plant there

pizza garden

my two sons loved a book we read this year called pizza day

melissa

raised bed

last year was our first year growing mammoth sunflowers

boys to dissect

collected

shared some again

planted some again and got amazing sunflowers

measured them again

7.5 feet tall we’re not the tallest people in the world

my most exciting thing in the garden

my sons would say the straw

the ones that grew the best

random one

another one that ended up behind

where we previously had a water toy

amazing nature is

past the other sunflowers

when I try to garden things

Is there something you would do different next year or want to try/new?

I’m not sure

hoping to move to a bigger space

past the sardine stage

bigger

Tell me about something that didn’t work so well this season.

A brandywine tomato flop this season

the $64 tomato

I can send you for the show notes

I should have taken the tips from the book

PIZZA Garden

took my boys to pick out

• tomatoes
• peppers
• brandy-wines got flowers but no fruit

early blight

very wet spring here

successes and flops

this year I’m gonna be a little

cool weather crops

this is as far south

plant as we do

being in all those northern states

peek in my neighbors yard

every year is different

first year I direct sowed carrots and had amazing success

zukes and squash did well

no fruit

dependent on rainfall

soil quality

mostly container gardening or in a raised bed

every season is deferent

control only

what cool weather crops

took a family trip to our garden shop

each member picked something

spinach

transplant

so odd to plant cool weather when it’s still hot,we’ve been having some hot

rainbow beets

Denver planted those from starter plants, I’ve always direct seeded

husband got some cabbage

I decided to get some broccoli

for his

didn’t get any broccoli

might do better cool storage

one of our local garden shops has a free kids club

get a free plant or related activity

got a watermelon plant

so excited about it, he loves watermelon

lesson

plant needs

which one of us cried more about that

wonderful in the garden

he was trying so hard last year to put it back together

lots of successes

total

What’s a PIZZA GARDEN?

you can grow in a circle

each slice would be a different plant

slice of peppers

slice of basil

we just doing puts things we like on our pizza all in a raised bed

• wheat peppers
• organo
• basil
• onions
• tomatoes

whatever grows well in your area

I have very different eaters in my house

my oldest son won’t eat a chicken nugget but wont eat a basil leaf off the

wish I was pickier

him to expand

not trying them

that’s fine too

middle son will eat everything

eating strawberry leaves and all

what time the plants are ready

things that we likes

nasturtiums and marigolds

eating

pollinating

pest control

dill in the middle to attract

it did smell really good

refrigerator pickles

container and some dill

not everyone likes them middle son

husband doesn’t told me on our second date he doesn’t like pickles

don’t think

pollinators

I do try to incorporate

do attract them

plants

I have’d had the opposite, lack of bees

my sunflowers were surrounded by them

they’re attracted to

I’ve had a lot of bees this year

great and needed

in general in other areas

IDK

my husband doesn’t like the sell of cilantro

Which activity is your least favorite activity to do in the garden?

the hardest part

I have a huge passion for outdoor classrooms

mobile outdoor classrooms

master classes and trainings on that

love seeing that more and more schools are incorporating gardens

we just got a composter this year

because we do live in an apartment

I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t like that

we use that

we don’t have curbside recycling

local grocery stores

nice for my kids to see

reuse things

recycle things

them being able to grow up with that

I would make a recycling bin

garbage bin

scrap paper bin

those things were used in a few ways

student who needed to get some scribbles out

blow off some steam

do your most careful work on actual paper

empty the recycling bin

that would be our activity

a challenge to make an animal or rocket ship or robot

play group

recycled robot

next week

something not in every child’s home

important to see

bring this to school to put in the recycling bin

IDK how much parents

change the way they handled things in the classroom

realized paper can be used to it’s fullest

once we use them they are done

where they go

how we use them from there

teaching preschoolers

we definitely did

compost bin

What is your favorite activity to do in the garden?

On the other end of my least favorite is getting my kids outside getting all children outside

watching them

going at my pace

going at their pace

let them direct and navigate

learned how to be outdoors and sense of wonder

how we learn and how we teach

three different types of learning you can do

all of them have value

type of learning

where we can read a book about a bug

look it up on the internet

learning

teacher takes a child outside

third type of learning

outside

and lifts off the old rotting log

third type is the one that sticks with you

playing with worms in my backyard

sand with worms

experiences were child led

rather then directed or book or article

all those learning

have value

opportunities to have the

own directed learning outdoors

favorite thing

kids to do that

they don’t get to see

plant something and not experience

it’s an enormous challenge

schools who keep their garden open and run by the community over the summer

my mind

so many families who struggle with food year round

summer is one of the most difficult seasons

school free lunches

added expense

real significant issue

lot of schools will provide

families who qualify

school gardens

somewhat able to address and be supported

produce

communities who will go have cooking events salad bars

yeah not having that care for your children

camp programs

area where our country is struggling

families do have to have both parents working

single parents

What is the best gardening advice you have ever received?

The best is that if you buy enough plants no one will notice 1/2 are daed

cram so no one will notice

deeper

A favorite tool that you like to use? If you had to move and could only take one tool with you what would it be.

I love my outdoor tumbler compost

it was such a cool thing

kitchen composting pails

since I don’t live in my area

local gardening groups

does anyone need some compost

gorilla composting maybe I did that

so nice to have the composter in the backyard

having it break down and decompose

worried it would smell, attract pests

kids love helping with it

so amazed at the idea

parts that we don’t use become the

we have not

we’re a small family

we have not emptied it

larger family

need to be emptied sooner

it’s not hard

they suggest using a tarp underneath

transporting it that way

use a bucket

if it’s all of my food waste

a lot of greens not necessarily browns

garden waste

grass clippings

helped with that end of it

grass clippings from the lawn

do have the chemicals they spray

compost is not organic

at this point

starting spot for us

science

it does get heavy on one side

compost

adding new things

I think it was about $70

no we got it at the kind of beginning of summer/end of spring

my husband

sat in the box

a lot of screws

he said it was not hard to put together

not have the 3 kids in the house

seen them on sale this year at Costco and places like that

we’ve had it

how often to fill it

we always remember

but sometimes we don’t

always did

sometimes

convenience and visibility are huge factors

lock under that cabinet

cleaning items

dishwasher

visible

more likely to put things in there

counter and kitchen space

it’s under there

convenience is a huge thing

apartments in college

garbage pick up was only certain days

way more likely

fill up my garbage can if it was going to smell

living in a place

either

frequent garbage pickup

A favorite recipe you like to cook from the garden?

I think that, here because what we grew

refrigerator

basil pesto

pizza

has been a big thing

picky eater

only like cheese

basil leaf

at the pizza

middle aged son eats pretty much everything

pizza dough recipe

pickle recipe

make a batch of pizza dough and then just freeze them

pull out

I’’ll thaw it

teddy bear shaped pizza

Mickey mouse

doesn’t have to rise

day of

it’s just proofs for 5 minutes

super easy super quick

can’t eat wheat or gluten

make a spelt floor dough

A favorite internet resource?

so I definitely love the website

pinterest

places where you can get connection and res

website called outdoorclassrooms.com

she is an amazing educator who has done a lot for other educators and learning about the outdoors gardens in different types of communities

A favorite reading material-book, mag you can recommend?

the children’s book

Pizza day that inspired most of our garden this summer or spring

right now

3 favorites

Marget Roaches Away to Garden 20th ed

podcast of same title

Backyard adventure

has a website and podcast as well

last child in the woods

Richard love

national best seller for years

talking about the importance of getting our kids outdoors

nature deficit disorder

214. The Organic Mechanics Soil Company | Mark Highland the Organic Mechanic | Chester County, PA

play deficit nature end of it is huge

supporter of my own

using it to support

in this book

vitamin N nature

all about using tech in nature

Incorporating the best of both worlds

Pokeman

thing app came out

my kids too young for it

kids in nature

looking for poem

Final question- if there was one change you would like to see to create a greener world what would it be? For example is there a charity or organization your passionate about or a project you would like to see put into action. What do you feel is the most crucial issue facing our planet in regards to the environment either in your local area or on a national or global scale?

disconnect between whats inside and outside

outgrew the walls of my classroom

to myself and my kids and community

i can’t do anything

not a complete overhaul of

big toe in first

choose things to add in

taking away mindset

really hindering

add in to your lifestyle

more incorporating of outdoor experience and outdoor play

adding in buying this second hand vs new

adding in more fruits and vegetables though a CSA

simple to you

small success

what helps build more of those

finding things in our household to add in

stepping outside

horrendously hot this winter

don’t have to go outside this winter

10 min walk

though the sprinkler

overhaul

also hear people talk about the best part of school field trip

tell Michelle you can’t wait till her book vitamin play comes out

sports schools

push in schools to increase outdoor time

certain # of hours teaching outdoors

beginning stages

making a shift

seeing just as much as

we thought it would be helpful

pull in time for services

might not have been the best approach

balance it

utilizing this amazing advent of being outside

all or nothing thing

Do u have an inspiration tip or quote to help motivate our listeners to reach into that dirt and start their own garden?

I have a sign that I made that hangs above my backdoor

think outside

no box needed

reminds me to open the door

to actually have any space at all

get out

How do we connect with you?

I can send you in the show notes

I do keep a personal blog

playaday

learning and play activities

also

contribute articles

reached by email

The Organic Gardener Podcast is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

If you like what you heard on the Organic Gardener Podcast we’d love it if you’d give us review and hopefully a 5 star rating on iTunes so other gardeners can find us and listen to. Just click on the link here.

Let’s take a minute to thank our sponsors and affiliate links

Please support us on Patreon so we can keep the show up on the internet. It cost close to $100 a month just to keep it up on the internet for the website etc so if you could help by supporting it with an $8/month contribution or $10/month to join the Green Future Growers Book Club where we can delve deep into some of the best gardening books that have been recommended on the show! GoDaddy even is bugging me for dollars just to have the domain name…

https://www.patreon.com/OrganicGardenerPodcast

 

The Organic Gardner Podcast is sponsored by Health IQ, an insurance company that helps health conscious people like runners, cyclists, weightlifters and vegetarians get lower rates on their life insurance. Go to healthiq.com/OGP to support the show and see if you qualify.

Over half of Health IQ customers save between 4-33% on their life insurance.

• Health IQ uses science & data to secure lower rates on life insurance for health conscious people just like you green future growers! Like saving money on your car insurance for being a good driver, Health IQ saves you money on your life insurance for living a health conscious lifestyle.

To see if you qualify, get your free quote today at healthiq.com/OGP or mention the promo code OGP when you talk to a Health IQ agent

The Good Seed Company

Now Let’s Get to the Root of Things!