Jaye and I discuss growing native plants and restoring the strained ecosystem in the Berkshire-Taconic region using ecologically sound methods of propagation such as using their community of plants to select the best genetics, organic methods in soil mixes, etc.  Helia Native Nursery continues her 20 years of experience and provides plants and expertise to landscape design clients and the public.  We also touch on using invasive plants instead of overharvesting medicinal native plants with similar properties.

Jaye and I had a stimultating discussion with farmer Ted Dobson, founder of the first Western Massachusetts organic farm, Equinox Farm.  Broadcasted Feb. 17, 2025 at berkshireradio.org, WBCR-LP 97.7 FM Great Barrington MA.  Here is a link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ROLJ6gdMtiDHPOLXx3MxSeRcnDjPsADq/view?usp=sharing

Above right here is the latest Farm and Garden Show which will broadcast on berkshireradio.org this Monday January 27 from 10-11 AM eastern time, and a few more Mondays in the coming weeks (you can also listen to the archive there anytime within 2 weeks after each broadcast).  Dr. Don Huber speaks about glyphosate and the many detrimental effects it has on our and the soil microbiome, chronic diseases, autism, cancer, creating nutrient deficiencies as it is a mineral chelator, antibiotic, and broad spectrum herbicide all in one.  Contrary to industry spin, it is not a safe chemical.

Here is a mix of Regenerate, Heal, Cool, a chamber music piece about monoculture and biological farming, contrasting killing versus working with natural systems.  Look in the OOT program notes file for that title for more words about that piece.  Also in the notes is a preview of additional music that will be in a forthcoming album “Of These Times”.  The music is all recorded and will be mixed and mastered.  Donations appreciated to complete this major project!  OOT program notes

Here is the link to a mix (not final yet) with wonderfully sung lyrics by Jaye Alison Moscariello she recorded on January 20, 2025:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jv6LFm2pm7TeNywYNlLVOEodt2ddevi3/view?usp=drive_web

WBCR-LP’s January Farm and Garden Show will broadcast every Monday from 10-11 AM Eastern time.  We spent most of the hour with Elizabeth Keen, farmer at Indian Line Farm in South Egremont, MA.  She is the largest produce seller at the Great Barrington winter farmers’ market in Housatonic (1061  Main St Housatonic MA).  Then at the end of the show is a 6 or so minute excerpt about rhizophagy (root eating) where microbes are partially ingested by plants.  Below the Indian Line interview is the entire interview with Dr. James White whose excerpt is at the end of the first interview below.

Fads, fads, fads.  There are a lot of popular accounts of carbon sequestration as a solution to climate change, biochar as a soil additive, and replacing organic with regenerative because organic is getting watered down by industry.  Scientist and farmer Will Brinton brings light and intelligent consideration to these topics and many others.  After our discussion Jaye and I realized how essential emissions reduction is, and other solutions are oversold and used by fossil fuel companies to dodge their responsibility to switch or quit.  Cover crops with biocides tries to pass as regenerative, and films about carbon farming have some errors and are often overly optimistic.  Will Brinton had so much to say that we interviewed him for 2 one hour shows.  The first show first broadcast in November 2024 on WBCR-LP is

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Aexck1K_ombNAznSNw_6Ps_kmsCkWDxx/view?usp=sharing

The second broadcast there in December is   https://drive.google.com/file/d/19-stVzuO-CjfrAEQ9IOgm6iwCPukAs-V/view?usp=sharing

Here are some rough recordings of an Oct 6 concert at Sandisfield Arts Center 4-6 PM, first and second half respectively.  Terry Keevil, oboe; Gerold Mohn, clarinet and bassoon; Stewart Edelstein, French horn, Bill Taylor, piano, Tari Roosa, flute and piccolo, Jaye Alison Moscariello, voice.

Note that this is from a recorder near the back of the hall.

Here are some 2024 Mostly Modern Festival pieces of mine.

Normalizing Evil

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2KTTltAdJY

program notes: Normalizing Evil-3rd mvt only notes

Ode to Ludwig (this one we are doing with oboe and bassoon on Oct 6; here is with violin and bassoon)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew8AMXiDDOg&list=PLUOHtooUK6OjKTDjnjqal2QMyFPZCGzFe&index=3

and these are from 2023:

Regenerate, Heal, Cool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO10bpLj0lw

24×8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN5NiWxwxtI

Jamie Nadler and Zach Russman of Dancing Greens Farm, a new farm started in 2023 in Monterey, MA is focusing on living soils growing nutritious food.  Get inspired by the newest generation of farmers!

Donn Hewitt and Mary Rose Livingston run a sheep farm with draft animal power (horses, mules).

At Sandisfield Arts Center, 4-6 PM on Sunday October 6, 2024.  Bill Taylor (piano), Gerold Mohn (clarinet, bassoon), Terry Keevil (oboe, English Horn), Tari Roosa (flute, piccolo), Stewart Edelstein (French horn), and Jaye Alison Moscariello (vocals) will perform works by Bill Taylor, Camille Saint-Saens, Dmitri Shostakovich, and a few surprises.  Tickets in advance at SARC  https://sandisfieldartscenter.org/events/ or at the door (but please order now and tell your friends!)

Also, there is a lengthy interview with me in The Artful Mind, August issue.  You can find it here; I was not on the cover; the article starts on page 16 https://issuu.com/theartfulmindartzine/docs/the_artful_mind_august_ok_2024_