Penn State Extension launches “Keeping it Green” podcast

new Pennsylvania Extension The weekly podcast, titled “Going Inexperienced,” is for aquarium plant professionals and lovers.

“We began this podcast as a solution to share attention-grabbing conversations with gardening professionals from Pennsylvania and past,” mentioned Margaret Bikoff, a gardening extension educator based mostly in Bucks County. “That is for individuals who work within the inexperienced trade, industrial gardening, and for anybody who loves rising crops.”

Pickoff hosts the podcast, and is joined every week by a co-host from the Extension’s inexperienced trade crew: Tom Butzler, Sandy Feather, or Tim Abbey.

With a conversational tone, the podcast attracts from the information and expertise of Penn State Extension educators, Penn State college, and trade leaders.

“We interview company about what they do, the crops they work with, and the attention-grabbing issues they see of their area,” Bikoff mentioned.

A current episode featured Frank Busey, a former horticulturist on the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. Busey mentioned the world of crops in zoos and the transformation of zoo displays from concrete and ceramic buildings into enclosures meant to imitate the animals’ pure atmosphere. Whereas many owners and plant specialists grapple with the harm rabbits, groundhogs, and deer trigger to their landscapes, Pizzi has needed to handle and shield crops towards the likes of rhinos, gorillas, and giraffes.

The podcast additionally covers design, set up, upkeep, plant choice, pests, and different present gardening matters.

In a single episode, Vinnie Cotrone joined the hosts to debate his position as an city forestry extension educator. The dialog targeted on how perceptions of city bushes have modified over the a long time, the ecosystem companies these bushes present to communities, and a number of the largest stressors that bushes face in city environments.

One other episode featured Jim McKenzie, President and Co-Proprietor of Octoraro Native Plant Nursery. McKinsey shared his insights on labor and sustainability points and mentorship throughout the trade.

Along with visitor presentation, the podcast gives a glimpse into life as a inexperienced trade complement educator. For instance, the hosts mentioned the objects they at all times preserve of their automobile for web site visits in relation to plant issues. Academics share their backgrounds, pursuits, and what they encounter throughout their workday. The hosts additionally repeatedly discuss what they see within the panorama as lecturers of steerage, corresponding to the consequences of drought.

Every host brings a novel perspective to the podcast. Pickoff offers training, outreach, and help to inexperienced trade professionals and different farmers in southeastern Pennsylvania. She teaches matters in invasive plant identification and administration, pesticide security, and decorative panorama administration.

Patzler is a horticultural extension educator in central Pennsylvania. He has assisted vegetable growers, panorama and garden professionals, and space growers with manufacturing and pest administration points. Patzler additionally teaches beekeeping courses for teenagers and adults.

Feather offers academic applications and technical help to inexperienced trade professionals in southwestern Pennsylvania. She coordinates and teaches applications for built-in pest administration, natural land care, decorative plant identification and use, and acceptable cultural practices, together with pruning, planting, and sustainable panorama design.

Abby is a industrial gardening educator based mostly in York County. His most important duty is to coach nursery and panorama care staff on the fundamentals of building an built-in pest administration program in York and neighboring counties.

Podcast episodes are roughly 45 minutes lengthy. Episodes can be found at Pennsylvania Extension websiteSpotify or wherever podcasts are discovered.