Transcripts

This week we’re talking about Chistmas trees! What is a conifer? Should you buy real or plastic? How many super powers does Santa Claus have?

This week we’re talking to Jess Palmer of Keep Austin Fed about food rescue. Why is food rescue something we need to worry about, and what can we do to help?

This week we’re talking about apples! We discuss varieties, methods of propagation, and how apples were first domesticated. Also, how well do you know Chaucer?

This week we’re talking about xeriscaping! Leah and Colleen join us to talk about what it is, where it came from, and why a yard full of gravel is a terrible idea. Also, did your school ever have any weird branding?

More superfoods! Will wild rice, spirulina, kombucha, or acerola be caped? Will you please vote? Will you wear kombucha scoby?

In this episode we dive into the weird world of plant biology and answer the question of how plants use water. We learn about the xylem, the phloem, and how photosynthesis converts H2O into oxygen. Also, plants have hairs and cuticles!?

This week we talk about bananas! The banana has quite a turbulent history. And while there are multiple varieties, the one we most commonly eat are all clones! Also, how far would YOU run in a banana costume?

Chris and Hallie discuss USDA policies focused on COVID-19 response and relief. They talk about the CARES act, CFAP, the Farm to Families Food Box program, and answer a few listener questions. Also, would Old McDonald be eligible for aid?

Chris and Hallie discuses how COVID-19 has cause disruptions to the food supply in the US. We learn about swine, milk, and potato supply chains and how the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted them. Also, who originally decided that it was a good idea to drink cow’s milk, anyway?

This week, Hallie and Chris explore the fun-filled world of fungi! We learn about the ways the fungi support plant-life, how they make it possible for plants to communicate with each other, and what these relationships mean for agriculture. We definitely decide how to pronounce “gif” and “fungi.”

In this episode, Hallie and Chris discuss houseplants. They discuss a brief history of houseplants, as well as some of Hallie’s favorite varieties and tips for keeping them! Also, Hallie clearly knows much more about Girls Scout cookies than Chris does.

This week Hallie and Chris sit down with Amy Gallo, the Farmers’ Market Programming Manager at the Sustainable Food Center. They discuss how farmers’ markets impact consumers and their communities, as well as what crops are the best to buy fresh. They also develop an interest in tiny zucchini.

It’s time to learn more about water! This week Hallie and Chris are tackling some of the issues facing both modern farmers and everyone who uses water. They discuss the impacts of climate change, overuse, and new technology and policies. We also learn just how much water it takes to produce one day’s worth of food.

In the first of a two-part series on water, Hallie and Chris discuss irrigation and water use. We learn it’s history, dating from prehistory to today, how it’s used and why it’s so important. We also learn that Chris is still confused about what is and is not a berry.

In our latest superfoods episode (and last episode of the decade), Hallie and Chris take on bok choy, wheat germ, ginger and seaweed. The stakes are a little bit higher this week though because there’s a brand new original song for cape-worthy foods. We also get to hear Chris rap.

This week we’re focusing on just one plant: the American chestnut. Hallie and Chris discuss the cultural and ecological history and death of the American chestnut. We learn why they’re so important, where they went, and how we can get them back. We also learn about the classic 1980’s sitcom Night Court.