Living Earth Center Podcast

Community garden manager Mal Murphy joins us to discuss her work managing the growing space at Good Counsel. We explore her connection to the earth, her journey as a gardener, and reflections on her time with the Living Earth Center. In our second segment, Jim Ackil, who has been involved with the Living Earth Center as a gardener, volunteer, and board member for over a decade, shares his story. We learn about his journey to the area, his growth within the community at the Living Earth Center, and how he eventually assumed a role on the board. Jim also shares anecdotes and experiences from a life filled with enriching experiences in the garden.

SkyAnne Walker joins us to talk about her history, connection to the earth and upcoming work as the Community Farm Manager at the Living Earth Center.

LEC Program Manager Cora Uyigue shares with us the work that she does at the Living Earth Center as well as how she came to be on the staff and her connection to the work. We learn about events that have been meaningful to her as well as some thoughts she has about future events and collaborations. Our second guest Brandon Carlson is the Program Director at My Place in Mankato. We learn about a little bit about the organization and about their experience working alongside the Living Earth Center to get kids in after school programs working in the garden. You can learn more about My Place at: https://www.myplacemankato.org/ For more information about the Living Earth Center, our programming or to donate check out: https://www.livingearthcentermn.org/

Long time volunteer and current staff member Melissa Martensen shares her connection to the nonprofit as well as giving us a rundown on the annual solstice celebration. Our second segment is a recording from our 2023 Earth Conference where keynote speaker Carolina Ortiz shares her story struggling with health issues related to pollution in both Mexico as a child and Minnesota as an adult. Carolina also talks about her work with COPAL addressing issues that affect the health of folks right here in Mankato as well as the rest of the state. Learn more about COPAL at: https://copalmn.org/en/home/ For more information or to donate please visit https://www.livingearthcentermn.org/

Our very own executive director Laura Marsala introduces herself to the audience and talks about her work at the Living Earth Center, her motivations and the organization itself. If you are just getting introduced to the organization this is an excellent opportunity to hear directly from our leadership exactly who we are and what we are about. Our second segment features one of our growers out at the Blue Earth County Community farm Ferdinand. Ferdinand shares his experiences with the Living Earth Center as well as some lessons he has learned growing food for himself and his family both here in Minnesota as well as in Kenya.

In our first episode we have Producer Jacob Bases introduce the program as well as himself. The LEC podcast is a podcast for, by and about the living earth center focused on spreading our mission and values. Our first guest is Herbalist Allegra Kay who talks about her journey into working with natural beauty products. She shares her thoughts as well as insights into some of her practices and plants from the area she uses in them.