PODCAST · society
Slower Lower
by Bald Cypress Books
The Slower Lower podcast celebrates the people, places, and culture of the Delmarva Peninsula, with an emphasis on Slower Lower Delaware.
Episodes
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Ep. 59 - M&W Family Butchers | Roland & Erika Morris
You'll want to sharpen your knives for this episode! Chris and Crystal hung out with Roland and Erika Morris, the husband-and-wife owners of M&W Family Butchers in Delmar. Topics discussed: - How Roland learned to hunt and process deer as a child. - From decoy carving to meat carving. - M&W…
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Ep. 58 - Houses on Sand
Topics discussed: Frog season has ended. A $500 tip at the Sterling Tavern. Revisiting the matter of a certain barn and BBQ joint in Delmar. The new Downstate Delaware podcast. Ms. New York Goes To Sussex County. Why do newcomers to a state always want to turn it into what they left? The…
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Ep. 57 - George Denney & Artez West | The Laurel Historical Society
It's a Laurel Historical Society takeover! This week's guests are George Denney and Artez West, the president and vice president of the Laurel Historical Society, respectively. Chris and Crystal sat down with George and Artez at historic Rosemont (c. 1772) for a conversation about the society's...
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Ep. 56 - Good Cookin' and Bad Blood
Chris and Crystal recap a fantastic lunch at a "new" (to them) spot, and discuss local Delmarva news stories, including a feud brewing in Delmar. Topics discussed: Don't sleep on the Village Inn restaurant and tavern in Parsonsburg! A tasty lunch of a fried crabcake, peas n' dumplings, and...
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Ep. 55 - Crab Soup & Books (That's What Easton Does)
Chris and Crystal make a long-overdue visit to Easton, Maryland, and stop by the reopened Washington Street Pub as well as Vintage Books & Fine Art and Rude Burger. Topics discussed: The old Washington Street Pub vs. the new one. Eating oysters out of oyster season. When the placemat artwork is…
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Ep. 54 - R. I. P. the Summer of '26
As Labor Day weekend ushers in cooler temperatures, pumpkin ales, and Slower Lower Delaware's relaxed off-season, Chris and Crystal celebrate and mourn the summer of 2026. Topics discussed: Slower Lower will once again sponsor the Delaware Whitetail Open in November. The Baltimore Sun was...
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Ep. 53 - Steve Wootteon | Drummer for Have Mercy & Meth Rats
Steve Wootteon is the drummer for the bands Have Mercy and Meth Rats. Topics discussed: Have Mercy's recent European tour. Differences between American crowds and European crowds. lowercase bands vs. ALL CAPS BANDS. Fonts. Ssssssibilance. The interesting new Avenged Sevenfold EP. AI-generated...
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Ep. 52 - The Muskrat Mauler | Cody Fenzel & Katie Rosati
Cody Fenzel is a Maryland outdoorsman, wild game connoisseur, and three-time competitor in the Muskrat Leg Eating World Championship, taking 3rd place in 2024 and 2nd place in 2025 and 2026. Cody and his fiancé, Katie Rosati, hung out with Chris and Crystal at historic Rosemont in Laurel…
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Ep. 51 - Let's Call Joe Wilson | World Champion Squirrel Cook-Off
When a poorly planned episode about Delaware happenings starts to run out of steam, Chris and Crystal call up Joe Wilson and chat about the upcoming World Champion Squirrel Cook-Off.
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Ep. 50 - We Three Liver Kings | Fulton Giebel & Billy Hardesty
Crystal's out of town for the weekend, so Chris caught up with returning Slower Lower favorites Fulton Giebel and Billy Hardesty over a lunch of Egyptian-style kibda using deer liver. Topics discussed: Rave reviews for deer liver kibda sandwiches with pita bread and zesty tahini sauce. A fatal…
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Ep. 49 - Sweet Caroline County
The first full weekend of August means one thing around here: It's the Eastern Shore Threshermen & Collectors Association's three-day Old-Time Wheat Threshing, Steam & Gas Engine Show in Caroline County, Maryland. Chris and Crystal devoted a Saturday to Sweet Caroline, returning to the…
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Ep. 48 - Back to Reality
After the cruise vacation of a lifetime, Chris and Crystal shoot the breeze about stops in the Bahamas, Mexico, and Honduras, and catch up on local Delmarva news and brews. Topics discussed: Wild chickens on the island of Coco Cay in the Bahamas. Entering Mexico for the first time; comparing and...
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Ep. 47 - We're On A Ship | Star of the Seas
Chris and Crystal chat about their experience on the biggest cruise ship in the world, Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas, whilst cruising about 15 miles off the coast of Cuba. Topics discussed: The staggering size of the ship (five times bigger than the Titanic). The level of service provided by...
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Ep. 46 - In Memory of Our Rooster
Chris and Crystal share the sad news that the rooster featured in the Slower Lower podcast's intro and artwork died during the recent heat wave, and talk about other recent happenings including a high-speed pursuit on Route 1, going crabbing with Billy Hardesty for Delaware crabs, and the growth…
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Ep. 45 - Wining and Dining and Hot Sauce, oh my!
Chris and Crystal weigh in on local news stories and recount visiting several excellent Sussex County businesses, two of them for the very first time. Topics discussed: Big Oyster is reviving Tall Tales Redheaded Stepchild red ale! The scrapple eating competition at First State Fest at Hudson...
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Ep. 44 - "Get Crab Meat & Cake" ● A Weekend on Smith Island
Chris and Crystal reflect on their recent weekend on Smith Island, the only inhabited offshore island in Maryland's portion of the Chesapeake Bay. Known for its crabcakes and soft crabs, iconic layered cake, and the locals' traditional dialect, the island is accessible only by boat. Topics...
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Ep. 43 - Jerry Smith: The Rogue's Point Pirate of Smith Island
Jerry Smith is a waterman, history buff, YouTube creator, and life-long resident of Smith Island in the Chesapeake Bay. In 2024, he was featured in Peter Santenello’s viral video about the island and its unique culture which has since garnered 5.2 million views, and which resulted in a GoFundMe...
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Ep. 42 - 1950s-60s Trappe with Grandma Shirley
Back by popular demand! Grandma Shirley returned to the Slower Lower podcast for a conversation about her life in the tiny town of Trappe in Talbot County, Maryland, in the 1950s and 60s. Topics discussed: Meeting a young man named Charles Diefenderfer in 1950 and going for a drive before camp...
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Ep. 41 - Crabs n' Bollards - 1st Anniversary Episode
Chris and Crystal reflect on their first year of podcasting and several local news stories. Topics discussed: Crystal's glowing review of the Red Roost outside Salisbury. Imported crabs and unscrupulous crabhouses. Should restaurants identify the source of their crabs as if they were oysters? The...
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Ep. 40 - 1930s-40s Hurlock with Grandma Shirley
This very special episode of the Slower Lower podcast features Chris's 91-year-old grandma, Shirley, who was born in Dorchester County, Maryland, in 1934. In Grandma Shirley's first-ever podcast interview, she talks about growing up in the small town of Hurlock in the 1930s and 1940s. Topics...
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Ep. 39 - Shane Beard & Kyle "K.O." Owens
Delaware-based country singer Shane Beard returns to the Slower Lower podcast with his friend and musical collaborator Kyle "K.O." Owens. We're celebrating the release of Shane's new single "Would If I Could" and a very cool music video! Topics discussed: A dude in Selbyville is upset about the...
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Ep. 38 - Nanticoke Language Revival ● Dr. Keith Cunningham
This is the second of two special episodes recorded at historic Rosemont (c. 1772) in downtown Laurel, Delaware. Chris and Crystal were joined by Dr. Keith Cunningham, a gifted and passionate linguist who is reconstructing the long-dormant language of the Nanticoke Indians. Topics discussed:...
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Ep. 37 - Sons & Daughters of the American Revolution with Troy & Carolynn Foxwell
Troy and Carolynn Foxwell are a husband-and-wife team who serve as the State President of the Delaware Society of the Sons of the American Revolution and the State Regent of the Delaware Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, respectively. They joined Chris and Crystal at historic...
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Ep. 36 - Delaware Gardening Q & A
In an episode that is almost entirely about gardening, Chris and Crystal give shoutouts to Turnpike Tulips and Lakeside Greenhouses, review the current state of their garden, and read and discuss a variety of posts in the Delaware Gardening group on Facebook. Topics discussed: Local news item: A...
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Ep. 35 - Onancock Overnighter
This week Chris and Crystal recount an unplanned overnight stay in friendly Onancock, Virginia. Topics discussed: The incredible sushi and service at Maurice Orange crushin' and boat watching by the water at Mallards Devouring two bowls of the Eastern Shore clam chowder at the Blarney Stone The...
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Ep. 34 - Slower Lower Saturday
Chris and Crystal sit down together for a short Slower Lower episode after a Saturday outing in eastern Sussex. Topics discussed: • There ain't no such place as West Fenwick! Salisbury University's food delivery robots; are college kids turning into college hermits? State rep candidate John…
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Ep. 33 - Quackheads & Gobble Junkies ● Billy Hardesty & Fulton Giebel
Bird is the word! Outdoorsmen and wild game connoisseurs Billy Hardesty and Fulton Giebel return to the Slower Lower podcast for a hilarious booze-fueled three-hour episode about waterfowl and turkeys, and a heck of a lot more. Topics discussed: European and snowshoe hares are being removed from...
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Ep. 32 - Scrapple & Guinness with Russell A. Taylor III
It's St. Patrick's Day on Delmarva! Or close enough. Award-winning photographer Russell A. Taylor III returns to hang out with Chris and Crystal in his fourth appearance on the Slower Lower podcast. Topics discussed: Select global headlines including an Irish employee who won 23,000 pounds after...
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Ep. 31 - 302 Day ● The Unofficial Delaware Day
March 2nd (3/02) is 302 Day, an unofficial Delaware holiday. On this episode of the Slower Lower podcast, Chris and Crystal crack Delaware beers from Dogfish Head and Dewey Beer and chat about the so-called First State. Topics discussed: 302: Delaware's statewide area code. Why Separation Day…
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Ep. 30 - Meet Joe Wilson ● Dead Meat on Delmarva
Joe Wilson is an outdoorsman, a self-described “preacher of the meat gospel,” and has been called the “redneck Oprah Winfrey.” He is the founder and organizer of the annual World Champion Squirrel Cook Off, which draws dozens of competitors and thousands of spectators to northwest Arkansas every...
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Ep. 29 - OC Off-Season Brunch ● Spain Wine Bar & Pines Public House
It's a tale of two brunches. Whilst sampling two local craft beers, Chris and Crystal recap going out for brunch on two Saturdays in a row, first to the underrated Pines Public House in Ocean Pines, and then to the magnificent Spain Wine Bar in Ocean City. Topics discussed: Picking up purchases...
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Ep. 28 - Super Cold Sunday
No, this one isn't about sports. Not much, anyway. On a super cold Sunday that happens to be Super Bowl Sunday, Chris and Crystal catch up after two weeks of brutal winter weather. Topics discussed: The overblown snowstorm of January 2026. Panic-buying; what do people do with all of that bread,...
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Ep. 27 - Make Georgetown Great Again ● Tyler Scott & Amber Kairos
Tyler Scott and Amber Kairos live in Georgetown, Delaware. They started the popular public Facebook group "Make Georgetown Great Again" in October 2025 to encourage conversations about issues related to the town. In episode 27 of the Slower Lower podcast, Tyler and Amber joined Chris and Crystal...
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Ep. 26 - Dry January
Chris and Crystal ironically recap a post-Christmas pub crawl in downtown Salisbury, Maryland, before discussing Dry January and other matters concerning the new year. Topics discussed: Is the Georgetown circle a roundabout? Crystal says yes; Chris is horrified. An off-menu traditional breakfast…
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Ep. 25 - Snow Day
What's better than a snow day? As snow falls outside, Chris and Crystal hang out by the wood stove and chat about snow days of yesteryear, as well as their 2025 Spotify Wrapped. Topics discussed: Kids losing the joy of snow days due to "virtual learning." Slower Lower's "ice storm" of the early...
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Ep. 24 - HoliDay-Drinking Extravaganza ● Fulton Giebel
Returning guest Fulton Giebel joins Chris and Crystal for a very special, festive episode of the Slower Lower podcast. They sample a series of craft beers including Goose Island Bourbon County Stout 2025, Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA Aged in Utopias Barrels, and Troegs Mad Elf Grand Cru, and chat...
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Ep. 23 - Footsteps in an Empty Room
On the last day of November and their four-day Thanksgiving weekend, Chris and Crystal talk about: The results of the 2025 Delaware Whitetail Open. Comparing Havre de Grace to Eastern Shore towns. Footsteps in an empty room at Bahoukas Antique Emporium. Maryland crab soup and "half & half"...
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Ep. 22 - Don't December Your November
Chris and Crystal catch up three weeks into a busy November. Topics discussed: Friendsgiving Deer hunting (Chris got a doe) A surprise neck roast Local autumn and Thanksgiving dishes including pretzel salad and baked pineapple Not feeling Halloween Savoring November instead of rushing into the...
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Ep. 21 - Introduction to Arsters (Oysters)
Chris and Crystal recap a recent visit to one of their favorite local restaurants, and discuss local oyster (aka "arster") history and traditions. Oyster vs. Arster. Dinner at Henlopen City Oyster House in Rehoboth; the raw oyster sampler, fried oysters, casked craft beer, and more. A shout-out…
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Ep. 20 - The Delaware Whitetail Open ● Kyle Brown
The Delaware Whitetail Open is an annual deer-hunting competition held in Gumboro during the November firearms season. Organizer and spokesman Kyle Brown joins Chris and Crystal for a conversation about: Why he decided to keep the event going after the passing of his father, long-time organizer…
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Ep. 19 - Brian Shannon & the Laurel Redevelopment Corporation
Chris and Crystal join Brian Shannon, the Executive Director of the Laurel Redevelopment Corporation (LRC), in his office for a conversation about the nonprofit organization's origins and history, past and current projects in the town of Laurel, Delaware, and Brian's upcoming retirement after 26...
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Ep. 18 - Billy Hardesty & Fulton Giebel ● Talking Deer & Drinking Beer
Chris and Crystal hang out with returning guest and noted local sportsman and taxidermist Billy Hardesty, and last-minute substitute Fulton Giebel. Topics discussed (to name a few) How Billy met Fulton, and how Fulton got into hunting. The camaraderie of hunting, especially waterfowl hunting....
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Ep. 17 - Slower Lower Off-Season
On episode 17 of the Slower Lower podcast, Chris and Crystal celebrate the official arrival of fall (or autumn) and recount an off-season Saturday spent in Rehoboth and Lewes. Topics discussed: Fall vs. Autumn Why did Generation X parents name their daughters Autumn and Summer, but not Spring,...
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Ep. 16 - Cory Shaffer & Russell A. Taylor III ● The Episode Too Big for One State
Episode 16 of the Slower Lower podcast features Cory Shaffer, a resident of Delmar, Maryland, who was elected to serve on the town commission in the aftermath of the tragic murder of Corporal Keith Heacook in 2021. Previous guest Russell A. Taylor III also returns for his third appearance on the...
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Ep. 15 - Lower Lower (The Cape Charles Episode)
Chris and Crystal return from a week-long vacation with an episode all about Cape Charles, Virginia. Topics discussed: Since Lower Delaware is becoming less slow, should the podcast name refer to Slower Lower Delmarva instead? Breakfast spots including the Northampton (aka the Wren), the Cape...
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Ep. 14 - Jared Allen ● Live, Laugh, Laurel
This week Chris and Crystal hang out with local small business owner, historical society board member, and veteran Jared Allen for a largely Laurel-focused conversation loaded with memories and laughs. Topics discussed: A brief shout-out to the late, great John Brady. Vanished businesses of…
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Ep. 13 - False Fall
Chris and Crystal chat about the unusual cool spell that Delmarva is enjoying, and whether it should be called a "false fall" or a "fraudulent autumn." Plus: Drinking pumpkin ale in August. Is summer the season that we look forward to the most, but get over the quickest? A visit to the…
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Ep. 12 - The Ten Beach Commandments
Chris and Crystal cryptically recall a recent beach day at a nearby location they'd prefer not to mention, and talk through a list of ten commandments for going to the beach. Agree? Disagree? Have something to add? Connect with the Slower Lower podcast on Facebook, Instagram, or by leaving a...
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Ep. 11 - Billy Hardesty ● Sportsman & Taxidermist
This week's featured guest is Billy Hardesty, a sportsman's sportsman who harvests the wild bounty of Delmarva and the Chesapeake year-round. He has previously appeared on the local TV program Outdoors Delmarva, and has a large social media following. Billy is also an award-winning taxidermist...
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Ep. 10 - Shane Beard ● The Shore's Next Country Star
Chris and Crystal hang with Shane Beard, an up-and-coming country artist from Slower Delaware, and Shane's bandmate, influence, and dad Glenn Beard. They are the heart and soul of Shane Beard & the Barn Burners. Topics discussed: ● Feedback from Bruce in Long Neck ● The State of Delaware has a…
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Slower Lower have?
Slower Lower currently has 59 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Slower Lower about?
The Slower Lower podcast celebrates the people, places, and culture of the Delmarva Peninsula, with an emphasis on Slower Lower Delaware.
How often does Slower Lower release new episodes?
Slower Lower has 59 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Slower Lower?
You can listen to Slower Lower on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Slower Lower?
Slower Lower is created and hosted by Bald Cypress Books.
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