Nature Calls: Conversations from the Hudson Valley

Episode 42: American Ginseng

Ginseng plants are perennial herbs that are harvested for their taproot which is used for cooking and medicinal purposes. American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) grows in cooler climates in North America, including New York State. Ginseng has been associated with some of the world’s most ancient healing traditions. Wild ginseng grows naturally in mountains where a plant can take years to reach maturity. Cultivated ginseng is grown under shaded coverings to keep the plants cool and mimic the wooded environment of its wild counterpart.

Join Bob Beyfuss, a retired CCE employee, in an informative discussion about this plant that can be found or cultivated in the Hudson Valley.

Hosts: Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas

Guest: Bob Beyfuss

Production Support: Linda Aydlett and Teresa Golden

Resources

Episode 41: Winterizing the Garden, Coneflowers, Mugwort & Overmountain

This week’s podcast episode contains a little bit of everything for residents of the Hudson Valley. Teresa Golden (The Veggie Patch) starts it off with a segment about how to put a vegetable garden ‘to bed’ for the winter. Sanitation and composting are covered as key elements to successfully preparing a garden to survive the winter and be ready to get off to a fast start in the spring.

Then Tim Kennelty (Good Plant/ Bad Plant) is back with another segment featuring the purple cornflower (echinacea purpurea) , a favorite New York garden perennial and a very colorful native flower, beloved by birds and pollinators.He also discusses the challenges of dealing with mugwort, a common weed in the garden which is also a prolific invasive.

The episode concludes with another virtual tour with Heidi Bock (Trekking the Trails).The Overmountain Conservation area, located in Ancram, NY, consists of 10 miles of trails with awesome scenic overlooks of both the Catskill and Taconic Mountains.It’s also a great place to see grassland birds.

We hope these segments inform, educate, and inspire you to enjoy the natural beauty that exists in New York’s Hudson Valley.Enjoy!

Hosts: Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas

Guests: Teresa Golden, Tim Kennelty and Heidi Bock

Photo by: Tim Kennelty

Resources

Episode 40: Food Insecurity

Hunger remains a persistent reality for many New Yorkers.  The USDA defines hunger as a physiological condition that many result from food insecurity.  Food insecurity is an economic and social condition reflecting a household's inability to provide enough food for every person to live an active, healthy live.  

Rebecca Polmateer, Program Director from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties, joins the podcast, Nature Calls: Conversations from the Hudson Valley, and goes into detail about the causes, prevalence, and realities of food insecurity.  She also describes the numerous programs that are available to help those who are food insecure.  

Hosts: Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas

Guest: Rebecca Polmateer

Photo by: Tim Kennelty

Production Support: Linda Aydlett and Teresa Golden

Episode 39: Salamanders, Earthworms and More

Dr. Rebecca Pinder, a science professor at Columbia-Greene Community College, joins the podcast, Nature Calls: Conversations from the Hudson Valley in an informative discussion about salamanders, earth worms and other creatures that can be found in the soil.

There are nineteen species of salamanders found in New York State. Did you know that salamanders rarely have more than four toes on their front legs and five on their rear legs? They are typically found in habitats in or near water or other cool, damp places. Some species are fully aquatic while others are entirely terrestrial as adults.

New York is also home to 30 different species of earthworms, although only five are native to North America. The invasion of jumping worms from Asia has increasingly become an environmental and conservation issue in forest ecosystems as well as urban-suburban landscapes.

Listen to Dr. Pinder discuss these fascinating creatures as well as the research being done to better understand them.

Hosts: Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas

Guest: Dr. Rebecca Pinder

Photo by: Tim Kennelty

Production Support: Linda Aydlett and Teresa Golden

Episode 38: Phlox, Siegel-Kline Kill and Root Crops

This episode of Nature Calls: Conversations from the Hudson Valley covers a lot o territory.  It starts with Jean Thomas, Master Gardener Volunteer, discussing two popular perennials, phlox and rudbeckia.  The phlox name is derived from the Greek word meaning ‘flame’.  The genus includes 67 species including phlox paniculata, subulata, and divaricate. Rudbeckia, more commonly known as black-eyed-susans, are native plants known for their bright yellow flowers.  Jean provides more detail on both perennial types.

 

Then Heidi Bock from the Columbia Land Conservancy is back taking us on a virtual tour of Siegel Kline Kill .  This 55 acre parcel, with about 1 mile of trails, is located in Ghent, New York and features a native plant restoration project and a floodplain forest.

 

Finally, Teresa Golden (The Veggie Patch) talks about root crops which include a wide range of vegetables that grow beneath the soil.  The many options are relatively easy to grow and offer many tasty treats throughout the gardening season.

 

Hosts: Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas

Guests: Jean Thomas, Heidi Bock, and Teresa Golden

Photo by: Teresa Golden

Production Support: Linda Aydlett and Teresa Golden

Episode 37: Mountaintop Arboretum

Join Marc Wolf, Executive Director, from the Mountaintop Arboretum as he describes this uniquely beautiful and memorable place. Featuring trees, trails, rocks, meadows and marshes, it exemplifies the diverse beauty of New York’s Hudson Valley. The Arboretum encompasses 178 acres of forest and meadow at an elevation of nearly 2,400 feet with temperatures that drop as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit. As the only public garden/arboretum in the Catskill Park, it strives to inform visitors about the landscape they visit. Listen to Marc describe the relationship between theater and the arboretum and describes the many joys that await a visitor to this wonderful site.

Hosts: Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas

Guest: Marc Wolf

Photo by: Teresa Golden

Production Support: Linda Aydlett and Teresa Golden

Website

Episode 36: Ragwort, Hydrangea, Cucurbits and Ticks

What do ragwort, climbing hydrangea, cucurbits and myths about ticks have in common? Another episode of Nature Calls: Conversations from the Hudson Valley, of course!

On this week's podcast episode, Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas have another segment about groundcovers and vines (The Cover Up) with Tim talking about ragwort, a native groundcover, and Jean describing a beautiful vine, climbing hydrangea. Then listen to Teresa Golden (The Veggie Patch) describes how to grow cucurbits, a broad family of vegetables that are very popular on dinner tables across the Hudson Valley and the world. Finally, Devon Russ (Hits and Myths) updates us on ticks, including their relationships with guinea hens and opossums, and clarifying some myths along the way.

So this diverse episode has a little bit of everything. We hope you learn something new while you listen in!

Hosts: Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas

Guests: Tim Kennelty, Jean Thomas, Teresa Golden, Devon Russ

Photo by: Tim Kennelty

Production Support: Linda Aydlett and Teresa Golden

Resources

Episode 35: Native Trees and Shrubs

Tim Kennelty, a Master Gardener, Master Forester and Master Naturalist Volunteer, shares his passion for native trees and shrubs on this episode of Nature Calls: Conversations from the Hudson Valley. He covers a wide range of topics regarding native trees and shrubs in the New York landscape including a definition, their role in supporting birds and pollinators, considerations when selecting a native tree for your yard, and many of his favorite native trees including oaks, birches, cherries, dogwoods, spice bushes, button bushes, and more. Tim also talks about the best places to see native plants as well as where to find them to purchase. If you're interested in bringing your yard back to its ‘native’ environment, listen in!

Host: Jean Thomas

Guest: Tim Kennelty

Photo by: Tim Kennelty

Production Support: Linda Aydlett and Teresa Golden

Resources

Episode 34: Tomatoes, Beekeeping and Hiking

Tomatoes seem to be the favorite crop for home gardeners to grow. Get some useful tips from Teresa Golden (The Veggie Patch) on how to start them from seed, what to look for when buying plants for transplanting, when to plant, and tips to manage the various pests and diseases that may attack one of our favorite summer fruits.

Then hear from Linda Aydlett on Hum of the Hive. This episode, Linda talks about how honey bees cope when their food sources (typically nectar producing flowers) dry up. They have a systematic way to ensure the survival of the colony. This is a wonderful glimpse into the fascinating lives of honey bees.

Finally, join Heidi Bock on another wonderful hike up to High Falls Conservation Area on Trekking the Trails. Located in Philmont, NY, High Falls offers one mile of trails that wind through hemlock ravines, alongside the Agawamuck Creek to an overlook of Columbia County’s highest waterfall.

There’s something here for all kinds of outdoor enthusiasts. Listen in!

Hosts: Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas

Guests: Teresa Golden, Linda Aydlett and Heidi Bock

Photo by: Tim Kennelty

Production Support: Linda Aydlett and Teresa Golden

Resources

Episode 33: So You Bought a House

Are you a new homeowner in the Hudson Valley?  Do you have questions about where to start when making an existing garden your own?  This podcast episode of Nature Calls: Conversations from the Hudson Valley might just be a great place to start. Realtor and Master Gardener Volunteer Candidate, Eileen Goble, provides lots of good suggestions.

Assessing what is already planted, meeting your wildlife neighbors, watching how much sun or shade your property gets during different times of the year, testing your soil, determining how much effort you are willing to put into maintenance, and understanding what will grow in this New York climate, are all things to think about before you dig in and start planting. Whether you are thinking about annuals, perennials, shrubs or trees, making an investment in time to plan your new landscape will pay off in years to come.

Hosts: Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas

Guest: Eileen Goble

Production Support:  Linda Aydlett and Teresa Golden