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Today I'm joined by Evan Harrison CEO of Kiss The Ground. Regenerative Agriculture is a powerful growing movement, which is so much more than simply a way for farmers to farm. It is a reconnection for all of us to the food we are consuming and the soil beneath our feet.  It offers us a truly viable solution for both personal and planetary health, a more prosperous life for the farmers who feed us and steward the land and more nutrient dense foods available in our local communities, which is the foundation to improving our own health and wellbeing.  There are 4 core principles to Regenerative agriculture but it doesn’t have to be all or nothing, it is an ecosystem approach where we learn to listen, work with and respond to nature, it is not new, drawing on the practices from Indigenous people. It is already having an incredible impact on our health and environment.  Evan reminds us it’s important to meet people where they are and share information that will excite and inspire them. Kiss the Ground have an incredible diversity of resources to support consumers to find healthier food but also to share the stories of the farmers who are writing a new story in which both nature and humans can thrive.  Learn more about  Evan Evan Harrison is the CEO of Kiss the Ground, the leading nonprofit promoting Regeneration and healthy soil as a viable solution for human and planetary wellness. Since joining in July 2022, Harrison has accelerated the organization’s mission and growth via education, strategic storytelling and partnerships with brands like Anthropologie and Spindrift. In that time, Kiss the Ground has nearly doubled awareness of regenerative agriculture, while reaching more than a million individuals monthly. Drawing on his background building audiences in the media industry, including as founding President of Digital at iHeartRadio and leading roles at AOL Music and Univision, Harrison has launched transformative initiatives for Kiss the Ground, such as a $500,000 direct-to-farmer grants program and an award-winning content series; all geared to drive this nonprofit’s goal of reaching a tipping point in regenerative agriculture awareness by 2030. Kiss the Ground is an audience-supported nonprofit promoting regeneration and healthy soil as a viable solution for our wellness, water, and climate crisis. Since 2013, we’ve inspired millions to participate in the Regenerative Movement through storytelling, education, and partnerships. Website: https://kisstheground.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kisstheground/ Latest Mini Documentary series: https://kisstheground.com/storytelling/retired-dairy-cows/ Regenerative Purchasing Guides: https://kisstheground.com/education/resources/purchasing-guides/ Full Length Films Available on Amazon Prime: Kiss The Ground and Common Ground Support the show Thank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography Website Connect with us & join the conversation on social media: Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotography Facebook @FionaMacKayPhotography Twitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm delighted to be joined by Sam co-founder of Wrigglebrew.  Having witnessed first hand the devastating ecological impacts of excessive artificial fertiliser runoff on the aquatic environment, together with his business partner Gabe he started Wrigglebrew an ethical and fully independent regenerative agricultural company that has started a revolution capable of completely rewriting how large-scale agricultural fertilisers are produced and in so doing reversing many of the negative impacts that these inputs have on the wider environment. After years of careful experimentation inspired by the last works of Charles Darwin, they have harnessed the power of Earthworms to create a product that is not only organic and environmentally friendly but significantly is also cheaper than artificial fertilisers, offering struggling farmers an economic lifeline, where they don’t have to choose between doing what’s right for the future at the expense of their family.  Whilst initially designed for large-scale application to be utilised for agriculture, you can of course also use it is your garden.  Sam, Gabe and their team are incredible, they are passionate and dedicated to having a positive long lasting impact that will benefit all of us, they have started with creating a truly viable and organic alternative to industrial artificial fertilisers but that’s just the beginning they also have developed an innovative solution to plastic pollution utilising earthworms.  Whilst we certainly can’t all be innovators we can be supporters and I would ask you to join me in supporting them, please help by sharing this episode with others to reach even more farmers and gardeners. They already have 1000s of acres being successfully farmed using their product but with your help we can get this amazing solution into the hands of even more people and help them have an even bigger impact.  Learn more about Sam Sam Baker is the co-founder and CEO of WriggleBrew, a regenerative agriculture company turning earthworms and microbes into high-performance organic fertilizers. With a background in chemistry and economics and a passion for sustainability, Sam is pioneering new ways to transform waste—like plastics and food scraps—into living soil solutions. His work bridges science, entrepreneurship, and environmental stewardship, and recently earned national recognition through innovation awards and public-private partnerships. Website: https://www.wrigglebrew.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PRAGWriggleBrew/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wrigglebrew/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-baker-702239155 Support the show Thank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography Website Connect with us & join the conversation on social media: Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotography Facebook @FionaMacKayPhotography Twitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm delighted to welcome back Meghan Rhodes, a herbalist based in Yorkshire in the UK. Megan previously joined me in episodes 34 and 60.  For Meghan herbal medicine is more than something you simply turn to when you are sick or struggling it has been an invitation to a life that provides a deeper connection to both ourselves, the plants and ultimately the interwoven world around us. Through this lens of our deeper connection to nature and the wisdom it can provide to help us travel more easily and gently through life that I am excited to share that together we will be bringing you an incredible 4 part series delivered as the season change over the next year. We will be exploring the ways that we can align to a more natural rhythm in our lives by embracing the ancient eight season wheel of the year and the teachings from the plants that can guide us through each turn of the wheel and the cycles of the earth.  In this first part we dive into the current season and as Autumn turns to winter we discuss the influences and ways we can support ourselves from Samhain or Halloween through the Winter Solstice or Yule which marks the rebirth of the sun in the northern hemisphere and the lengthening of days. Think cosy evenings, slowing down and much like the trees drawing back into our roots and using the extended dreamtime to play in the possibilities of the future, whilst also nurturing our bodies with foods and plants that offer us warmth and grounding and support our immune system through this season of rest. Learn more about Meghan Meghan Rhodes is a qualified herbalist and the founder and director of Heritage School of Herbal Medicine, where she guides students on a unique sense-based herbalism course and journey, Awaken Herbal Wisdom, for up to three turnings of the wheel. Meghan’s practice of herbalism is rooted in the belief that we must remember, reclaim and relearn our knowledge of our bodies, our autonomy and how to work with plant medicine in order to bring control of our own health back into our families and homes for a sustainable future for ourselves and the planet. Through her herbalism school, Meghan facilitates the development of confident, empowered herbalists, attuned to the messages of their bodies and the natural world. Living the deep wisdom of herbal medicine within themselves, their homes and their communities, they uplift themselves and others, creating a stronger society organically. Meghan is a member of both the College of Practitioners of Phytotherapy and the Ayurvedic Professionals Association. Awaken Herbal Wisdom – Meghan’s intensive herbalism course – applications open each spring - https://bit.ly/43qbNxg Website: heritageschoolofherbalmedicine.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heritageschoolofherbalmedicine/ Meghan’s mailing list: https://bit.ly/4kqdWQi Support the show Thank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography Website Connect with us & join the conversation on social media: Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotography Facebook @FionaMacKayPhotography Twitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm delighted to welcome back Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland who previously joined me to share her amazing wisdom and some of her soulful poetry from her incredible book Daring To Hope at the Cliff’s Edge in Episode 35.  Elizabeth is currently on a UK and Europe tour with her composer husband Beverly Glenn-Copeland, if you have the opportunity to see them live then I highly recommend it. They also have a beautiful new album Laughter in Summer which is available for Pre-order: https://beverlyglenncopeland.com Today we honour the incredible legacy of one of Elizabeth’s cherished mentors Joanna Macy environmental activist, author and scholar of Buddhism, general systems theory and deep ecology who transitioned from this world in July 2025.  Elizabeth guides us with poetry and gentle compassion to explore some of the principles of The Work That Reconnects, which Joanna created as the ground-breaking framework for personal and social change that helps people take the despair and apathy we feel and transform it into constructive, collaborative action. From gratitude and honouring the pain we witness in ourselves and the world around us, to finding a new story and vision to hold as we move forward and write the future for the earth and humanity that we want to bring into being.  Remember Hope is a verb, it is meant to be active not passive, it is a practice that we must tend daily to cultivate the change we want to see in our world. Learn more about  Elizabeth Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland is a writer, theatre maker and arts educator whose career over the last forty years has evolved at the intersection of arts and activism. She has long had a passion for communicating with the animate world that began in childhood high up in the arms of an old weeping willow. Fast forward sixty years -- Elizabeth is offered a writing residency at the Joggins Fossil Institute, a UNESCO World Heritage site on the mighty Bay of Fundy. She jumps at the chance to connect/converse with 300 million-year-old-rock, to go to Stone as supplicant, to fully engage with sea and sand and sky and winged helpers to deepen her connection to the living world. What emerged was a narrative of the odyssey in poetic form, “Daring to Hope at the Cliff’s Edge: Pangea’s Dream Remembered”. Music journalist, Nick Storring says of the this work: “Lyrical, bewildering, heartening, and unsettling, this work sees an individual voice reckoning with the overwhelming complexity of our present moment.” Elizabeth lives in Hamilton, Ontario with her composer husband, Beverly Glenn-Copeland. Purchase ‘Daring to Hope…’: https://chapelstreeteditions.com/book-catagories/poetry/daring-to-hope-at-the-cliffs-edge/ Instagram: @beverlyglenncopeland Discover the work of Joanna Macy: https://www.joannamacy.net/ The Work That Reconnects: https://workthatreconnects.org/ Support the show Thank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography Website Connect with us & join the conversation on social media: Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotography Facebook @FionaMacKayPhotography Twitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Dr David Mann founder of HaikuBox a unique smart device that allows you to listen to and monitor the bird calls in your garden 24/7. Birdwatching offers a connection to the natural world that is accessible to all of us regardless of our backgrounds or our locations. Birding in urban areas is equally as rewarding as it is in more rural settings.  I believe people protect what they love and understand and the HaikuBox is a wonderful tool to help us build a deeper relationship with the birds and acoustic landscape that surrounds us but is easily overlooked. Beyond being incredibly fun to learn who is sharing your home with you, the HaikuBox also gathers data that conservationists are able to use to both understand and conserve our avian friends. From the impacts of solar eclipses and wild fires to migration patterns the data you help collect is invaluable to learning more about our birds.  David also shares some other fascinating uses for bioacoustics monitoring from Elephants in Africa and the signature whistles of Florida’s Bottlenose dolphins that can identify individuals to the Indigenous communities in northwestern Canada employing HaikuBox technology to ensure Beluga Whales aren't trapped when winter ice blocks the waterways.  David reminds us how easy it can be to make a difference in this world, by learning to appreciate and then simple encourage and nurture the native wild plants and wildlife that share our homes, we can make an incredible impact. Learn more about  David Haikubox’s founder, David Mann, grew up in Syracuse, NY and spent a lot of time outdoors, no matter the weather. David was fascinated by birds and watched them at home and at nearby Sapsucker Woods on the Cornell University campus.  David went on to study biology at Cornell and earned a PhD in biological oceanography from MIT and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, where his research focused on animal bioacoustics.  Haikubox was hatched when David and a colleague at the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology realized they shared a common interest and the technical skills to develop an automatic birdsong identification tool.  HaikuBox: Haikubox brings consumers real-time bird alerts, birdsong recordings and loads of information about their backyard birds. Using its proprietary neural net trained on thousands of bird recordings, Haikubox listens 24/7 for every bird song and chirp and shares what it learns via the Haikubox Listen website and mobile app.  Includes phone and smartwatch bird alerts, the ability to favorite, download and share birdsong recordings, and learning to identify hidden species by their vocalizations. Every Haikubox owner becomes a community scientist within the Haikubox network, contributing invaluable data for scientific research. Website: www.haikubox.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haikubox/ BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/haikubox.bsky.social Support the show Thank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography Website Connect with us & join the conversation on social media: Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotography Facebook @FionaMacKayPhotography Twitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Elspeth Hay author of Feed Us With Trees: Nuts and the Future of Food. Did you know you can eat Acorns? This was the revelation that inspired Elspeth’s book and also got me hooked on her incredible work. I absolutely love trees and talk about their ecological importance, but Elspeth takes our relationship to trees, to a different level, a place where we don’t just preserve them because it’s the right thing to do for biodiversity and other species but where we can once again benefit directly from our relationship with them and they can literally facilitate our own survival.  Our Food Systems are making us and our planet sick, both physically and emotionally, our farmers are at the forefront of this rupture and sadly experience a higher rate of suicide than the general population. In this nuanced conversation we explore how reconsidering our relationship with these keystone trees isn’t just about addressing a single problem, it leads us to question and reconsider everything we have been taught about our current food systems, from yields to inputs and food waste, to the wisdom from Indigenous people and the food systems they employed. We also look back at the journey and trauma that ruptured our relationship with the lands and the economic rather than ecological reasons that laid the path we have been taught to follow.  Importantly Elspeth also offers us a tangible solution to multiple crisis within our world. Feed us with Trees offers us a viable alternative way to farm, that isn’t just a theory but is already being successfully implemented today.  Learn more about  Elspeth Elspeth Hay is a writer and the creator and host of the Local Food Report, a weekly feature that has aired on Cape Cod’s NPR station since 2008. Deeply immersed in her own local-food system, she writes and reports for print, radio, and online media with a focus on food and the environment to reconnect us with the people, places, and ideas that feed us. Feed Us With Trees: is a hopeful manifesto about a brighter, more abundant future and a critical look at the long-held stories we’ll need to rewrite to build it.  The day Elspeth Hay learned that we can eat acorns, stories she’d believed her whole life began to unravel. Until then she'd always believed we must grow our staple foods in farmed fields, the same fields wreaking havoc on our land, air, and water. But all over the Northern Hemisphere, Hay learned, humans once grew our staple foods in forest gardens centered on perennial nut trees: oaks, chestnuts, and hazelnuts. In Feed Us with Trees, Hay brings us along as she gets to know dozens of nut growers, scientists, Indigenous knowledge-keepers, researchers, and food professionals and discovers that in tending these staple trees, we once played a vital environmental role as one of Earth’s keystone species.  Website: https://elspethhay.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elspethhay/ Support the show Thank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography Website Connect with us & join the conversation on social media: Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotography Facebook @FionaMacKayPhotography Twitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm joined in conversation by Denali Sai Nalamalapu author of Holler: A Graphic Memoir of Rural Resistance. Inspired by Denali’s powerful book about the controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline in Appalachia we discuss what activism really looks like, and not the main stream media’s portrayal of protests by those on the fringes and out of touch with society.  Denali’s book utilises raw imagery stripped bare from complicated language that opens up this conversation at a heart level to everyone, and brings to the fore the passion and love that drives people to stand up for what they believe in.  Denali encourages us to use discernment to question the narratives we consume and to find the courage to advocate for ourself and our community, and how this can take many different forms, but importantly simply allows you to embrace your existing skills and passions. Alongside this call to action we acknowledge the resilience needed to hold the grief and hopelessness whilst balancing a belief in an alternative hopeful vision for the future and how community is both our biggest driving force and greatest asset as we embrace the stubbornness to take on what on the surface seems insurmountable.  Learn more about  Denali Denali Sai Nalamalapu (They/Them) is the author of Holler, a climate organizer and comic artist living in Southwest Virginia, originally from Southern Maine and Southern India.  Denali’s work uplifts the voices of those most impacted by climate change – rural, queer, and communities of color – through vibrant, engaging, and accessible illustrations and writing.  Denali studied English Literature at Bates College and completed a Fulbright grant in Malaysia. Denali has worked as a climate communicator and organizer since 2019. Holler is a spectacular blend of graphic memoir and climate activism, using contemporary visceral storytelling to highlight the lives of six frontline resisters to the Mountain Valley Pipeline in Appalachia. Drawing from original interviews with Denali, Holler introduces readers to a teacher, a single mother, a nurse, an organizer, a photographer, and a seed keeper, who became activists as the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which spans approximately 300 miles from northwestern West Virginia to southern Virginia, threatened their homes, their livelihoods, their community. These are the stories of everyday resistance, while each person has their own motivation and methods, they share a love for the land and a desire to preserve it. Denali themselves poignantly illustrates both their own experiences with climate anxiety and grief and the ways that finding community has galvanized them in their environmental work. A deeply moving story about change, hope, and humanity, Holler is an invitation to readers everywhere searching for their own path to activism: sending the message that no matter how small your action is, it’s impactful. Website: https://denali-sai.com/ Instagram: @Denali_Sai BlueSky: @denalisai.bsky.social Support the show Thank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography Website Connect with us & join the conversation on social media: Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotography Facebook @FionaMacKayPhotography Twitter @FiMacKay

I'm delighted to be joined by Danae Wolfe author of Grass Isn’t Greener: The Everyday Conservationist’s Guide to Bringing Nature to your Yard & the Founder of Chasing Bugs. Danae is a kindred spirit, someone who has loved being immersed in nature all her life, & compelled to seek ways to inspire others to overcome climate doomerism & remember to look for the joy, awe & wonder that exists outside our own back door.  Danae reminds us that the small things we do matter, with 40 million acres of lawn in the USA & a higher use of pesticides per acre in domestic settings than agricultural applications, the solution & power to drive a paradigm shift in our relationship & responsibility for nature and biodiversity is truly in our own hands & closer to home than we might have imagined.  This is a conversation about taking back our power, in realising that with simple steps & small changes we can create the momentum for effective change. As we remember that we are a part of nature, not apart from it & that owning land is a privilege that comes with responsibility to care for more than just ourselves & what we desire. We need to steward the land, the waters & the air, realising that what we do has an impact but that, that impact can be positive & contribute in ways that leave us & the world richer.  Learn more about  Danae Danae Wolfe is a conservation educator, award winning macro insect photographer, and author dedicated to reshaping the way we see and interact with the natural world. With over two decades of experience in conservation storytelling and insect photography, Danae’s work has been featured in national media and environmental education initiatives. She is passionate about inspiring curiosity, fostering appreciation for biodiversity, and challenging traditional views of beauty in nature.  Grass Isn’t Greener is a timely and thought-provoking exploration of how our obsession with manicured lawns and traditional landscaping contribute to climate change and harm biodiversity - and what we can do about it. Rooted in twenty practical steps that anyone can take starting today, Grass Isn’t Greener demonstrates how small changes in your yard or garden can create lasting impact for the planet: from leaving your leaves to selecting eco-friendly holiday decorations; from eliminating light pollution to attracting wildlife; from saving seeds to devoting even a small patch of lawn to native plants. With easy-to-follow advice and real-life examples it is a resource for anyone looking for little ways to make a big difference—and to have fun doing it.  Website: https://www.chasingbugs.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chasingbugs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chasingbugs1/ BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/chasingbugs.com Support the show Thank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography Website Connect with us & join the conversation on social media: Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotography Facebook @FionaMacKayPhotography Twitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 68 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast, today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Kelly Wendorf author of Flying Lead Change and the Founder and CEO of Equus. We find ourselves at a time of interlocking crisis, not least a crisis of our own spirit, drawing us to desperately search for the sense of deeper connection and meaning that our soul’s are calling us towards, even whilst it feels we are seemingly drowning in a world that is descending into chaos.  Kelly and her book are a guiding light of infinite wisdom that offers us a simple path to nurturing the true qualities of leadership that will restore balance and bring us back into right relationship with the land and ancestors, allowing us to see a world beyond the constraints of our current Power Over paradigm.  Guided by the culture of the horse, one of the oldest most enduring and successful species on the planet, whose destiny has been entwined with our own for millennia, she offers us the lessons she has received from the herd and the generosity of Indigenous elders such as Uncle Bob Randle. With a compassionate approach she encourages us to lean into gentle self-enquiry to heal our trauma and shares how we can take the 7 principles of Listening, Care, Presence, Safety, Connection, Peace, Freedom and Joy to come home to the true essence of who we are. A collective change of heart that offers a place from which we are capable of empowering the social change we are craving to enact a radical shift in the dynamics of how we do things. “Nature Misses Us” and it is time to lay down the chains of shame we have wrapped ourselves in and choose to be radically Authentic in how we lead ourselves & others to bring more love into the world. Learn more about  Kelly Kelly Wendorf is a mother, an International Coach Federation Master Certified Coach (MCC) who specializes in transformative change, author, spiritual mentor, and socially responsible entrepreneur. She is the founder of EQUUS, an innovative leadership development organization. EQUUS uniquely combines neuroscience, systems theory, contemplative wisdom, attachment theory, somatic processes, indigenous knowledge, and nature-based intelligence in its coaching and experiential leadership development approach. Kelly’s work has been featured in such publications as Forbes, WSJ: The Wall Street Journal Magazine, Vogue, and Huffington Post, and has been the inspiration for several award winning documentaries. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico on Buffalo Spirit Ranch with her 5 horses, 2 donkeys, 3 dogs and 2 cats. Website: https://kellywendorf.com Equus: https://www.equusinspired.com Special Listener Gift: 100% off of “How to Lead a Transformative Life” - worth $457. Online Sept/Oct 2025. https://www.theequusacademy.org/courses/how-to-lead-a-transformative-life-2025 Use Code: Use EQUUS100KW Support the show Thank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography Website Connect with us & join the conversation on social media: Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotography Facebook @FionaMacKayPhotography Twitter @FiMacKay

I'm delighted to welcome back Kerrie Searle, a dear friend & animal communicator based in Australia. Kerrie has previously joined me twice now, including an introduction to Animal communication in Ep 11 & further wisdom from the animals & our journey to reconnecting in Ep 62. In this conversation we have shifted focus to consider the gentle but powerful alliance that plants offer us to move through the challenges of our times. It is time to be guided to move from surviving to thriving so that we are able to show up fully in this world & actively do what is ours to do.  Kerrie shares how she found herself at rock bottom alongside Doctors who had exhausted all their treatment options & shortly after this she found Flower Essences & the gentle yet transformative healing they offer that actively evolves to the needs of both the individual & the collective. We discuss our shared journey of exploring this healing modality, whilst living in a culture that separates us from our inherent knowing & connection to the world, inspired by indigenous ancestors & existing worldviews where living in full connection with the web of life & embracing plant intelligence is still a reality. We share stories of the flower essence blends Kerrie creates & our profound experiences in administering them. No conversation with Kerrie is complete without a little Whale wisdom. Learn more about Kerrie: “After experiencing enormous trauma throughout my life, both personally & professionally (having been a police detective for 17 years), I was mentally, physically & emotionally broken when I retired from the police force. Heavily medicated & in & out of hospital for years, my life was on a constant downward spiral. I realised the medical model I was using wasn’t helping me to get better & it was at this point that I chose a more holistic approach to my healing journey & also discovered the extraordinary healing power of flower essences. As I journeyed from a place of deep suppression to reconnecting with the disconnected parts of myself, I also reconnected with my ability to communicate with animals (& other beings/energies) at a very deep level. I now make my own flower essences from the indigenous plants/trees where I live and I use different combinations of flower essences to make a number of blends that I use to heal and support my journey through life. These blends are also used for my animal and human clients. I bring my life experiences & learnings & now assist other humans to reconnect to the disconnected parts of themselves so that they too can communicate with their animals more deeply. I receive feelings, words, pictures, smells & tastes from animals which allow me to communicate at a very deep level & become a voice for the animals, conveying what they need heard, to their humans.” Website: www.animal-communicator.com.au Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talkstoanimals Support the show Thank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography Website Connect with us & join the conversation on social media: Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotography Facebook @FionaMacKayPhotography Twitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm joined by Ryan Mandelbaum, author of Wild NYC: Experiencing the amazing nature in & around New York City. When we think of immersing ourselves in nature most of us are likely guilty of imagining far off wilderness locations but Ryan is passionate about exploring the incredible diversity of nature that can be found in the urban environment & in particular in NYC.  Urban areas were often chosen for their rich natural features that would have benefitted wildlife as much as the humans that were drawn to these areas. We discuss how connecting with nature has enriched their life in numerous unexpected ways, finding community in the often isolating city existence. Even if you are a complete beginner, there has never been a better time to become a naturalist. Simply start on your own street & begin observing the natural world. If you slow down & look there are untold secrets to be revealed from Raven’s nesting on the Brooklyn bridge, to humpback whales & even mountain ferns on the side of a railway viaduct. As we begin to recognise & appreciate the amazing nature on our doorsteps, we likely become advocates for our natural heritage & this ripples out into the world in untold ways, catalysing social movements as well as environmental change.  Learn more about Ryan Ryan F. Mandelbaum is a science writer, naturalist, & educator. You can find him searching for critters across the five boroughs before returning home to Brooklyn to observe birds & moths from the roof of their apartment. Ryan has written about the natural world of NYC for the New York Times, Scientific American, Audubon Magazine, & their newsletter eyy, i’m walkin’ here. Ryan volunteers for the New York State Breeding Bird Atlas, the Finch Research Network & the Feminist Bird Club.  Wild NYC by Ryan Mandelbaum & Chelsea Beck A vibrant, family friendly guide to the unexpected nature found in & around the Big Apple. NYC may have a reputation as a concrete jungle, but it’s full of amazing wildlife - you just need to know where to find it! Equal parts natural history, field guide, & trip planner, Wild NYC shows readers how to experience another side of the City That Never Sleeps. Highlighting the natural aspects of the city’s landscapes & the wildlife that accompanies it, this quirky guide takes a leaf out of a famous New Yorker’s book & encourages its readers to “take a walk on the wild side.” From easy-to-spot squirrels & praying mantids to more elusive humpback whales & purple finches, this delightful handbook profiles over 100 local species, complete with illustrations & information on where to find them. Also included are descriptions of day trips that help tourists & locals alike explore natural wonders on hiking trails, in public parks, & on street corners. Website: http://www.ryanfmandelbaum.com/ Instagram: @ryanfmandelbaum New York City Bird Alliance: https://nycbirdalliance.org Support the show Thank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography Website Connect with us & join the conversation on social media: Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotography Facebook @FionaMacKayPhotography Twitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm delighted to welcome back Leah Rampy, from Episode 41, but this time we’re also joined by Beth Norcross to discuss their new book Discovering the Spiritual Wisdom of Trees.  Having worked together for several years guiding groups into the forest to seek wisdom from the trees, they created a 6 week online video course & wrote their new book, which offers opportunities to consider new ways of connecting with trees. The forest can teach us about love & light but also about darkness & death. During these challenging times that are calling us to examine the path we have walked & take responsibility for creating a future that is inclusive & nurturing for all beings, we can turn to the trees for more than just strength & support.  Beth & Leah share the lessons they discovered of resilience, adaptation, hope & renewal whilst amongst our tree folk. Guidance on how to connect & collaborate more closely, shifting out of the mind, allowing the heart to guide us beyond our current confined perception of life & our illusion of separation. Simple practices gently guide us to remember to walk more consciously, rediscovering the relationships familiar to our ancestors & finding the courage to move through our discomfort to ensure we do what is ours to do. Learn more about Beth Beth brought her training & experience in both theology & ecology to founding The Center for Spirituality in Nature. She regularly speaks, teaches, & writes about the importance of immersion in nature as an essential way to encounter Divine Mystery deeply & intimately, & to foster a healthy, active, & loving relationship with Earth. Beth spent the early part of her career working for the U.S. Senate National Parks & Forests Subcommittee. After leaving the Senate, Beth served as Vice President of Conservation for American Rivers, then returned to school to study the interface between ecology & theology at Wesley Theological Seminary, specializing in eco-spirituality. Website: https://www.bethnorcross.com/ Learn more about Leah Leah Rampy, Ph.D. is a writer, speaker, & retreat leader who weaves ecology, spirituality, personal stories, & practices to encourage others to deepen their relationship to the natural world. She is the author of Earth & Soul: Reconnecting amid Climate Chaos & the coauthor with Beth Norcross of Discovering the Spiritual Wisdom of Trees. She frequently speaks & leads programs on contemplative leadership & spiritual ecology. Leah offers retreats & programs through Friends of Silence, the Center for Spirituality in Nature, & a variety of other organizations. Leah publishes weekly essays on Reweaving Earth and Soul.  Website: www.leahmoranrampy.com Spiritual Wisdom of Trees video course: https://www.centerforspiritualityinnature.org/spiritualwisdomoftrees Support the show Thank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography Website Connect with us & join the conversation on social media: Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotography Facebook @FionaMacKayPhotography Twitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm delighted to welcome back David Mizejewski, a Naturalist & self-confessed Nature Geek who works for the National Wildlife Federation. David joined me for an inspiring discussion about leaving the leaves & Autumn tips for nature friendly gardening in Ep. 52.  This time we’re embracing Garden For Wildlife month & No Mow May, with tips for encouraging wildlife to thrive in your yard in Spring & Summer as well as sharing how container gardening can ensure that even in the smallest of outdoor spaces you can help contribute to supporting & nurturing your native flora & fauna. David is celebrating 25 years with NWF so alongside sharing his wonderful gardening tips our discussion draws on his experience to explore the sometimes unexpected value that urban spaces provide to nurture wildlife, the relationship between environmental & social justice issues & the power of community led nature spaces to create lasting change. We also share the fun we both had setting up wildlife cameras to spy on the new wild neighbours that move in when we create habitats in which they can thrive. In these dark & challenging times we our reminded that nature can be our sanctuary, providing joy & hope, when we share our spaces with amazing creatures & we welcome them into our lives we are rewarded in a myriad of unexpected ways. David Mizejewski is a naturalist, author & television presenter with the National Wildlife Federation. He holds a degree in Human & Natural Ecology from Emory University & is an expert on wildlife & our environment. He is dedicated to using his knowledge & unbridled enthusiasm to help others understand & protect the natural world. David regularly appears in the media to promote wildlife conservation. Website: https://naturalist.nwf.org/ May is Garden for Wildlife® Month, the perfect time to celebrate your own garden & it’s amazing impact on wildlife. From small balconies to spacious yards, wildlife gardens can have a big impact no matter their size! This year we’re excited to celebrate gardens of all sizes & even gardens in unlikely locations! If you have an outdoor space such as a balcony, a flight of stairs up a brownstone, or even a small greenspace around a mailbox, you can garden for wildlife. Plus, if you sign up for the NWF Garden Habitats Newsletter in May, you can even be entered to win a native plant container garden bundle! With over seven million participants and over 50 years of service, Garden for Wildlife is America's largest, longest running habitat movement dedicated to helping wildlife thrive where people live, work, play, learn, & worship. Join over 315,000 Certified Wildlife Habitats® when you get your garden certified! https://www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Join-the-Movement/Seasonal-Initiatives/Garden-for-Wildlife-Month https://www.nwf.org/garden Support the show Thank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography Website Connect with us & join the conversation on social media: Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotography Facebook @FionaMacKayPhotography Twitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 63 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast, today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Hilary Giovale, author of Becoming A Good Relative, Calling White Settlers toward Truth, Healing & Repair. As Maya Angelou famously said: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” Now is our time to do better, to step forward courageously, with open hearts, humility & perseverance to do the work to say this stops now, to play our part in healing & repairing the past to ensure a shift of path for our future.  In this deeply thought provoking conversation & through her book, Hilary gently encourages us to reflect on our society & our ancestry to understand the two sided coin of white privilege & white peril, alongside the far reaching impacts of colonisation that have imprinted trauma on Indigenous societies around the world for millennia. She shares the wisdom she has gained over her decade long journey, that started with a revelation that held such guilt & shame it literally brought her sobbing to her knees in the snow.  Through cultivating a way of being that shows up with a generous heart, listens & is responsive to what is asked & not what you believe is wanted, she has been blessed by an incredible diversity of people who have generously guided her journey & allowed her to offer their wisdom to us. She goes on to demonstrate the routes for repair, partly through addressing the continued systemic divide that is stubbornly resilient in our societies & is evident in the fact that only 0.04% of Philanthropic dollars in the US benefit Indigenous communities. But also through powerful private ceremonies offering us space for reflection, apology & forgiveness. My hope is that this episode sparks conversation, that you listen with kindness and compassion as I do my best to hold space for these often confronting and challenging conversations that offer us all a place of beginning. I invite you to please share this conversation and join me as we take a first step together and then a second to play our part in raising awareness and then in taking action to unravel and repair the legacy we have inherited but also remember we have the power to redirect the future trajectory of our societies evolution as we come to understand and embody the reality that we are all connected.  Learn more about Hilary HILARY GIOVALE is a mother, writer, and community organizer. A ninth-generation American settler, she is descended from Celtic, Germanic, Nordic, and Indigenous peoples of Ancient Europe. As an active reparationist, her work is guided by intuition, love, and relationships.  Website: goodrelative.com  Instagram: @hilarygiovaleauthor Guide to Making a Personal Reparations PlanLinks to Independent BooksellersSupport the show Thank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography Website Connect with us & join the conversation on social media: Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotography Facebook @FionaMacKayPhotography Twitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm delighted to welcome back Kerrie Searle, an animal communicator based in Australia. Kerrie previously joined me for an inspiring introduction to Animal communication in Ep 11.  Animal communication might be dismissed as a bit woo woo, but we invite you to open your mind to what the possibility of communication is when it isn’t constrained by words. We are born into an energetic world that we are intrinsically connected to, but through our education system we are taught to only value verbal communication & slowly we disconnect from the rich web of life & ourselves.  This conversation invites you to return to the innate wisdom the world holds, to reconnect to other living beings in the world around us, to the land, to the ancestors & most importantly to all the parts of ourselves.  Disconnection & separation from ourselves & the natural world was key to establishing a society that is able to exploit & abuse both nature & other humans. Our hope is that this conversation stirs in you a remembering of the exciting potential that exists when you consider that communication with the greater world is possible, it changes the way you see the world & your place in it, through this shift the potential of a new paradigm is born.  This is more than communicating with animals, this is about listening to the knowing that is stirring in all of us & stepping into our true role in healing & caring for a reconnected world. Learn more about Kerrie: After experiencing enormous trauma throughout my life, both personally & professionally (having been a police detective for 17 years), I was mentally, physically & emotionally broken when I retired from the police force. Heavily medicated & in & out of hospital for years, my life was on a constant downward spiral. I realised the medical model I was using wasn’t helping me to get better & it was at this point that I chose a more holistic approach to my healing journey & also discovered the extraordinary healing power of flower essences. As I journeyed from a place of deep suppression to reconnecting with the disconnected parts of myself, I also reconnected with my ability to communicate with animals (& other beings/energies) at a very deep level. I now make my own flower essences from the indigenous plants/trees where I live & I use different combinations of flower essences to make a number of blends that I use to heal & support my journey through life. These blends are also used for my animal & human clients. I bring my life experiences & learnings to my consults & workshops & now assist other humans to reconnect to the disconnected parts of themselves so that they too can communicate with their animals more deeply. I receive feelings, words, pictures, smells & tastes from animals which allow me to communicate at a very deep level & become a voice for the animals, conveying what they need heard to their humans. Website: www.animal-communicator.com.au Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talkstoanimals Support the show Thank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography Website Connect with us & join the conversation on social media: Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotography Facebook @FionaMacKayPhotography Twitter @FiMacKay