Every day is Earth Day.

Digging in the Dirt celebrates the little blue ball we live on with a collage of voices from expert guests from past Digging in the dirt shows. Listeners, friends & family and major environmental groups speak to what Earth day means to them. Plus a mix of great music to inspire action .

My first guest is someone who's been here before, His name is Vincent Dion. Vincent is a well known Connecticut artist and a serious gardener and Bee keeper. When he drops by it's because he and I are going to talk gardening. I'm met Vincent through my colleague and fellow Gardener Joseph Celli. We have never met in person, but have become fast friends remotely because we are kindred spirits.

We're talk spring prep in the garden. What I'm doing and what he's doing in our respective gardens. Listening to our chat may help you with a few ideas and maybe better ways to garden.

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My next guest is Caty Poole of Valley Community Gardens who after more than two decades in the life sciences industry, Caty followed her passion for equitable food access to Massaro Community Farm in Woodbridge Ct. where she spent 11 years leading and growing food and farming programs. Now a Master Beekeeper, she has a Master’s level certificate from The Institute of Sustainable Nutrition.

She focuses her energy on teaching cooking and nutrition courses at Valley Community Gardens, a collective of public gardens serving the Lower Naugatuck Valley in Connecticut, focusing on sustainable, local food production.

Welcome Judith Enck who is a Professor at Bennington College in Vermont. She is the President of Beyond Plastics and former EPA Regional Administrator, appointed by President Obama. Professor Enck is author of the new book "The Problem with Plastic: How to Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It’s Too Late”

Today's guest is Mary Ellen Lemay. She is the "Conservation Director for the Aspetuck Land Trust", providing outreach, education and engagement to encourage people to improve biodiversity on their land by adding native plants and avoiding pesticides. Lemay's recent work includes designing and installing nature-based, climate smart projects in the City of Bridgeport, including the planting of 8 Miyawaki Forests at public schools and Seaside Park, as well as waterside buffers along rivers and coastal properties in the city.

Her 25 years of conservation work was recognized as Winner of the Aquarion Connecticut Environmental Champion Award in 2022.

My guest today is Eliot Coleman. Eliot is an American farmer, author, agricultural researcher, educator, and proponent of organic farming. In 1989 he wrote the highly influential "The New Organic Grower". A master’s Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener.

His latest book is "The Self-Fed Farm and Garden", A Return to the Roots of the Organic Method, on Chelsea Green Press.

Then I speak with Eliot's wife Barbara Damrosch about her recent book,"A life in the garden". Barbara is a professional in the field of horticulture and a writer. Her book The Garden Primer is a classic manual of horticulture. For 14 years she wrote a weekly column for The Washington Post called A Cook’s Garden.

Finally Long Islanders, my regular contributor to DITD Gloria Frazee of RewildLongIsland.org drops in to fill us in on many of the amazing events Rewild has going on this spring.

First up on Digging in the Dirt is Dana Jackson, who is the Director of Communications and Development for CT Northeast Organic Farming Association. Prior to joining CT NOFA, he published Edible Nutmeg, a regional magazine focused on western Connecticut’s food community, including farmers, chefs, and locally produced food of all kinds. He also worked for more than a decade as a certified organic farmer in Connecticut, an experience that led him to believe that local food production is the key to building stronger, more resilient communities in our state. Dana is coming here today to tell you about this weeks CT NOFA 44th annual Winter Conference.

My 2nd guest is Sarah Layton Agricultural Programs Coordinator At the Connecticut Resource Conservation & Development Area

She is a Certified Compost Operator, steering committee member of the CT Compost Alliance and the New CT Farmers Alliance, she is also a member of the Deep River Garden Club, and owner of a micro flower farm, Wild Hill Farm, in Deep River CT.
She is here today to talk about the 2026 CT Compost Conference March 19, at Wesleyan University sponsored by the CT COMPOST alliance.

Finally continuing with the subject of composting From the aforementioned Park city compost initiative, (PCCI), I have with me Tim O’Connor Executive Director of Park City Compost Initiative. Since then Tim has secured certification for Solid Waste Facility operations from CT DEEP, the Master Composter certification from UCONN and the Compost Operations Course by US Compost Council.

As Executive Director of Park City Compost Initiative, Tim is all about PCCI's mission to Educate and Activate around aerobic composting.

Tim has served for the past two years on the organizing committee of the CT Compost Alliance who have planned and arranged the March 19th 2026 Ct Compost Conference at Wesleyan University.

It's a great honor for me to host my next guest on Digging the Dirt, Bill McKibben. Bill is an American environmentalist, author and journalist who has written extensively on the impact of global warming . He has spearheaded many projects to address the climate crisis that faces our planet. Most significantly he founded 350.org and Third Act which focuses on making legislative progress state by state. Bill has a new book out called “Here comes the Sun”.

My second guest on this episode of Digging the Dirt is the Executive Director of Biodiversity for a livable climate, Beck Mordini.

Bio4climate states right upfront on their website that Nature is Climate. Biodiversity loss is not just the result of climate change, it is a primary driver of climate change. Only solutions that prioritize this web of life will create a truly livable climate for all.

It’s my distinct pleasure to have as my guest now Reverend Sara D. Smith, President/CEO and Founder Of nOURish BRIDGEPORT, a volunteer-powered, food-centered, and community-anchored not-for-profit, she founded in 2010, providing direct service programs to the people of Bridgeport. These programs include a SUPER FOOD PANTRY serving 3,000 individuals each week, a BABY CENTER providing diapers and formula to 400 babies each month, a HOT MEAL Program feeding 300 hot healthy meals each week, English as a Second Language classes for 100 immigrants weekly, and the first non-profit INDOOR HYDROPONIC FARM in the state of Ct. with the exclusive purpose of distributing fresh healthy produce to the food insecure. In its first three years of production, nOURish has distributed 17 tons of fresh produce from its Farm all over the City of BPT. In addition Reverend Sara is also Senior Minister of the United Congregational Church of Bridgeport A 330 Year Old Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ and is the Protestant Chaplain Of Sacred Heart University Office of Mission Integration, Ministry, & Community Engagement.