In this episode of Mother Earth News and Friendswe chat with some of the folks involved in the Organic Growers School 2022 spring conference about teaching sustainability, and their practice of land and plant stewardship.
Angie Lavezzoshe/hers
Angie has almost 30 years of gardening experience. She owns the 13-acre Painted Crow Farm in Candler, where she practices what she preaches. Angie and her partner, Eddie, maintain an orchard, vegetable and pollinator gardens, and acres of native habitat for critter friends. She currently works at CFSA as the communications coordinator.
Sadia Pollard (they/them/theirs)
Sadia is a worm kissing, Black, queer, farmer living on Yamassee territory also known as
Barnwell, SC. They are led by the guidance of their ancestors to sustainably steward land,
nurture community, and grow and rear beautiful nutritious food. Sadia has worked on small-scale regenerative agricultural operations for almost 3 years and currently serves as the Urban Agricultural Coordinator for SC State 1890 Research and Extension. They are a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University and have a deep love for research that’s done in academia as well as citizen science. Sadia now spends their time working on their new farm business; Prosper Farm, and learning everything they can about seed saving, cooperative economics, and spiritual connection to land. They enjoy roller-skating, resting in a hammock, and reading in their free time.
Instagram: @propser_farm
Facebook: @prosperfarm
Gofundme: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-sadia-grow-their-farm
Avi Li (she / they)
Avi earned a Bachelor’s of Arts and Science in Sustainability from McGill University, and has been exploring the overlapping worlds of activism, justice, and resilience since then. They spent the past two and a half years working at the Environmental Law Institute in DC conducting research on issues ranging from conflict sensitivity in environmental programming to incentivizing nature-based disaster mitigation, and serving in a coordination and facilitation for various educational programs. Outside of work, she has pursued local climate, racial and economic justice organizing and activism, and seeks to understand how farming and home growing can be employed as wedges in those struggles. Avi is enamored with fungi and enchanted by their powers to heal our bodies, our communities, and the land and water on which we depend.
Additional Resources:
Organic Growers School, Ashville, North Carolina
Our Podcast Team:
Carla Tilghman and Jessica Mitchell
Music: “Some Good Folks” by Loco Lobo
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