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This blog coincides with episode 123 of Growing a Greener World. To enjoy this blog post to the fullest extent, be sure to watch the episode online here and listen to my podcast interview with Maria. The Rodale family legacy; Organic Gardening magazine, founded by J.I Rodale in 1942, Organic Manifesto, Maria’s incredible new book; [...]

This post relates to our episode number 121 on community gardening. If you haven’t seen the episode yet, it’s available for viewing on our website here. Our challenge to tell the story of community gardening in America was daunting. With such a surge of interest in this topic, selling viewers on the benefits of these special [...]

Sometimes I have a hard time remembering that much of the country is dealing with severe water shortages, especially when I visit gardens like Nan Sterman’s in San Diego, California. It’s like a tropical paradise, but without the rain. Yet in spite of that, her plants were lush and beautiful. Spend a few minutes with [...]

As we near the finish line for a series of episodes that have taken us coast to coast, I thought I’d have a little fun with the crew. This time we were headed to Decorah, Iowa to feature Seed Savers Exchange’s 35th anniversary conference and campout. The annual event draws hundreds of attendees. Many choose [...]

Near the Los Angeles International airport and surrounded by a concrete jungle, an oasis grows on less than one-tenth of an acre. Theresa Loe, aka “Tloe” is living homegrown fresh every day of the year. It’s not only her branded tagline; it’s really how she lives. Not only was she the guest-host for this episode, [...]

For every plant we put in the ground, there’s usually a pot associated with it. From those annoyingly thin plastic, crinkly six-pack containers to the giant buckets that hold large shrubs and small trees, plastic pots play a ubiquitous role as the villain in an otherwise beautiful story of creating great American landscapes and gardens. [...]

I met Farmer D almost a year ago when he showed up at a community garden installation I was doing for Fiskars’ project Orange Thumb. He was still around as the day was winding down and so I made a point of saying hello to him. At the time, I had no idea who he [...]

*Joe’s Note: Presumably, you’re picking up here from the previous post where I wrote about our visit to Annie’s Annuals for the taping of an episode featuring her nursery and all the unique and cool things she does to make it so well known across the country. But there’s one thing you probably don’t know [...]

With 19 out of 26 episodes of Growing a Greener World already in the can, I have been ordered by my family and crew to cease and desist immediately for a much needed break. I have to admit, actually stopping to take a break is a forgotten art for me. I never think I was [...]

Take time to study any living creature and you’ll be amazed at what you learn, from the highly sophisticated dolphin, down to the lowly worm. But if I had to pick just one that fascinates me the most, I’d have to pick the honeybee. For our episode on honeybees, we spent time with three well-known [...]

Very soon we’ll be launching a brand-new website right here at GrowingaGreenerWorld.com, where the conversation continues long after the episode airs on public television! Here you’ll find additional articles and stories about the people and places you see in the show, plus extended video clips, interviews, Nathan’s recipes, behind the scenes, and even bloopers. Stay [...]

  Last week I was in Baltimore to install another Community Garden for Fiskars, under their Project Orange Thumb initiative. Believing that community gardens can provide the catalyst and inspiration for great change, it’s common for the company to select sites for these major gardens in neighborhoods where poverty rates are high and urban blight [...]