First aired in 2019. Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm on her pivotal book Farming While Black, the Afro-Indigenous roots of sustainable agriculture and the work of supporting Black folks and other people of color in finding liberation on land. Plus Taina Asili’s 2025 Fever Pitch Pilgrimage and Song Tour for climate and social action.
Meg Fama of The Farm Belly and Raquel Rivera of A Pinch of Salt are two long-time food business owners showing us what successful women-owned businesses can look like all while supporting local farmers and entrepreneurs and building community around food. They share how and why they do what they do and the evolution of their businesses over the years.
Mohammed Alqurnah, an agronomist, entomologist and beekeeper living in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem and Hana' Maaiah, a farmer and beekeeper of Jordanian and Palestinian descent share about their love of these beautiful honey producing creatures, the realities of living and keeping bees under Israeli occupation, as well as the impacts of war, genocide and the climate crisis on bees - the pollinators we humans need to survive.
Growing food in the city is also an opportunity to grow community and healing in more ways than one. Farmer D of Rootlife - an urban farmer and educator, and Plant-based Cook Briana McLean or By Brimarie talk about community farms, afro-indigenous practices and food as medicine and liberation.
Passionate policy advocates decipher food security and a farmland access bills both up for a vote in CT this spring & let us know how (and why) to get involved. Guests include Reggy St Fortcolin of Fridgeport and the Liberated Land Cooperative, Chelsea Gazillo of Working Lands Alliance and American Farmland Trust, and James Albis of Graff Public Solutions and a former State Representative for District 99.
This one-bowl bread is so delicious and easy to make. Full of protein and fiber, and contains no flour. Sub in any nuts or seeds you like and toss in some rosemary or fennel seeds to make it even more irresistible. .
Cara Santino of CitySeed in New Haven, CT and Katrice Claudio of ReSET in Hartford share on the skills and tools they use to support food business start-ups and give them a leg up on their delicious but challenging journeys.
SEASONED from CT Public Radio Sibling co-owners talk about and their mission in community building through coffee and their specialty, traditional Yemeni chai.
SEASONED from CT Public Radio We experience and learn about this very special Eritrean coffee ceremony hosted by Farha Abubaker.
SEASONED from CT Public Radio Organic horticulturist and farmer, Renée Giroux, of Earth’s Palate Farm in Warren talks about her approach to organic farming, Korean natural farming and Shumei farming, and shares her experiences as a young farmer working with Sal Gilberte of Gilbertie's Organics and the late chef, David Bouley in New York. Renée also explains the role small family farms play in offsetting climate change, and she talks about the ways the NW CT Food Hub connects farmers with customers like schools, chefs and food pantries.
SEASONED from CT Public Radio Vegan chef Chrissy Tracey sits down with producer Tagan Engel to talk about the basics of foraging and how to incorporate wild plants and mushrooms into delicious meals. They discuss recipes for "lobster" rolls, Chrissy's riff on strawberry Pop Tarts, bagel sandwiches with carrot lox, and herby drinks from Chrissy's debut book, Forage & Feast.
SEASONED from CT Public Radio Tagan Engel speaks with Hi’ilei Hobart, a professor of Native and Indigenous Studies at Yale, and Rebecca Salazar, a student seed keeper with the Yale Native American Cultural Center and the Yale Sustainable Food Project. They spoke at the Yale farm about their adventure this year - growing and saving seeds of the special Haudenosaunee Buffalo Creek squash. These two indigenous women also speak about the importance they feel in connecting with indigenous and ancestral foods such as the three sisters: beans, corn and squash - to counter the challenges of colonization.
SEASONED from CT Public Radio On this episode of Seasoned, Azeem (Blessings) Kareem and Sarah Rose Kareem of Samad Gardens Initiative describe how they teach newbie gardeners and farmers how to grow food for themselves and their communities. Their classes take place at Auerfarm in Bloomfield. You’ll learn how to connect with Nature by growing vegetables, greens, and herbs in recycled egg cartons, milk jugs or buckets.
SEASONED from CT Public Radio The New Haven Pride Center has moved out of a basement and into a light-filled space on Orange Street. Producer Tagan Engel talks with Bennie Saldana, Support Services Coordinator, about the new space and the center's expanded programs for youth and adults. The new program we’re particularly excited about is the inspiration of ally, Diana Henderson.
SEASONED from CT Public Radio We take a walk in the forest to visit the maple sugar operation with Jeremy Whipple, ED of Agriculture for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.
SEASONED from CT Public Radio We talk with James Beard Award-winning chef JJ Johnson about his new book, The Simple Art of Rice.
SEASONED from CT Public Radio This hour, Rachel Sayet, an Indigenous educator and member of the Mohegan Tribe, talks with James Beard Award winner Chef Sherry Pocknett , who is a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, about her restaurants Sly Fox Den Too, which is in Charlestown, RI., as well as the restaurant she hopes to launch in Connecticut. Sherry also describes what it felt like to win the James Beard Award.
SEASONED from CT Public Radio Connecticut residents talk about the cookies that are special to them, either because of a cultural tradition, holiday or just because they love it. You’ll hear about treasured alfajores, anisette cookies, gingerbread, rugelach, Norwegian krumkake and more. We also learn about the cookies (and the bakers) of Sanctuary Kitchen in New Haven.
SEASONED from CT Public Radio Tagan Engel talks with Shamu Fenyvesi Sadeh about the work being done at the Adamah campus of the Isabella Freedman Retreat Center in Falls Village, CT. Programs, immersive retreats, and fellowships at the center aim to help people better understand and experience the connection between Judaism, agriculture and the Earth.
SEASONED from CT Public Radio This hour, we get the scoop on some of the state’s best ice cream shops from two people devoted to local ice cream. We talk with Craig Behun, the ice cream lover behind the Instagram @cticecreamtour and Shahan Kukreja of Micro Creamery. Since 2015, Craig’s been posting about his adventures trying ice cream shops all over the state. And Shahan takes the micro brewery concept and applies it to ice cream. You’ll find more than 70 local ice cream flavors in the shop.
