I Dig Your Story

Unearthing the personal stories behind the plants, people, gardens, and green spaces that shape our lives. I Dig Your Story is a podcast that celebrates the people behind the plants — growers, breeders, retailers, educators, and the gardeners who make horticulture bloom. Hosted by horticulture journalist Ellen Wells, each episode features honest, personal conversations about the paths people take to finding joy in working with and being immersed in the plant world. Whether you work in horticulture or simply love plants, these are the stories that connect us all.

I Dig Your Story is a society podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 39 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts I Dig Your Story, a society show with 39 episodes published.

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  Episode #41

  Fifth Tuesdays #3

  Sep 29, 202618 min

  In this quarterly bonus I Dig Your Story sub-pod we call Fifth Tuesdays, host Ellen Wells does a follow-up with a former guest, Roshan Patel. When we first talked, Roshan was getting his hands dirty at Mack Park Farm in Salem, Massachusetts, and discovering just how much community can grow around a garden. Now, several months later, he has plenty to report. Roshan talks about a busy growing season, creating garden videos, and the expanding impact of Mack Park Farm—including nearly 5,000 pounds of donated food and a growing volunteer base. He also fills us in on a new community garden at the Plummer House and the new Friends of Mack Park Farm, a nonprofit created to help secure the farm’s future. And, of course, Ellen has to ask: Has Roshan finally made peace with kale? Plus, a peek at fatherhood and Roshan’s hopes for introducing baby Blake to the garden. Resources: Roshan Patel: Growing Community Through Urban Agriculture - podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/roshan-patel-growing-community-through-urban-agriculture/id1856208214?i=1000779882808 Roshan’s Instagram : - https://www.instagram.com/drizzleranch/

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  Episode #40

  Jonathan Bardzik: Finding Joy Through Plants, Food & Connection

  Sep 22, 20261h 12m

  Jonathan Bardzik has built a life around curiosity, creativity, and bringing people together. From growing up in his family’s Massachusetts garden center to working in horticulture, cooking for others, writing books, and creating retreats, his path has rarely been linear—and that’s exactly the point. In this conversation, Jonathan shares how his relationship with plants began, why following curiosity has shaped so many of his choices, and how cooking became a way to create connection and joy. We also talk about his experience spending more than nine months on solo retreats, what he learned from stepping away from everyday demands, and why he now creates that space for others. Jonathan keeps close to his heart this advice: “Make connection a priority in your life. It is the greatest source of joy that you will have.” Listen for: How Jonathan’s childhood in a garden center—and his strong sense of self—influenced the life he ultimately created. Why following curiosity has led him from horticulture into cooking, storytelling, writing, and television. What Jonathan discovered during his extended periods of solo retreat—and the surprising value of unstructured time. Why he believes “Connection is the greatest source of joy in our lives.” Connect with Jonathan: Website : www.jonathanbardzik.com Instagram : www.instagram.com/jonathanbardzik YouTube : www.youtube.com/@JonathanBardzik Jonathan’s All-America Selections recipes: https://all-americaselections.org/jonathan-bardzik-to-produce-videos-and-custom-recipes-with-aas-winners/

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  Episode #39

  Christy Calderon & Shelley Joyer: From School Gardens to Garden “Cribs”

  Sep 15, 20261h 4m

  What happens when two friends get excited about school gardens and then decide to start taking their viewers inside some of the most interesting gardens around Central California? Christy Calderon and Shelley Joyner are the creators of Between Two Shrubs, a YouTube show that’s a little like MTV’s Cribs, but for gardens. They tour home landscapes, talk with the people who created them, and show viewers what’s growing, what’s working, and generally what’s happening just out of sight. But their interest in gardening and their friendship started before their viral backyard videos. Christy and Shelley became involved with the garden program at their children’s school because they saw the garden as a place where kids could learn by doing and have access to fresh food. Their work has grown into a hands-on educational garden with a full curriculum, gardening activities, events, and plenty of opportunities for students and parents to get their hands in the soil. In this episode, we talk about: Why school gardens became important to Christy and Shelley What a garden can teach kids beyond how to grow food The evolution of their school garden and curriculum How Between Two Shrubs became the garden version of Cribs Connect with Christy & Shelley: Between Two Shrubs on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@BetweenTwoShrubs Between Two Shrubs on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/betweentwoshrubs/ Between Two Shrubs School Garden Planning Materials - https://www.etsy.com/shop/BetweenTwoShrubsShop Sunset Magazine article: https://sunset.com/home-garden/garden-basics/how-to-start-a-school-garden

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  Episode #38

  Rayne Gibson: From Family Nursery to “The Resource I Wish I Had”

  Sep 8, 20261h 4m

  Rayne Gibson grew up in family-owned wholesale nursery in Louisiana, learning the business from the ground up. By the time he graduated from LSU with a horticulture degree, he had a very specific vision: build up the operation into a multi-state container nursery business and become one of the best nurserymen in the industry. Then everything changed. In this episode of I Dig Your Story, Rayne talks about leaving the family business after realizing the future he had been promised wasn’t going to happen—and how that difficult decision ultimately led him to opportunities he never expected. He shares the story of turning around a struggling wholesale nursery in Fort Worth, rebuilding its team and operations, and discovering what good leadership really looks like. Today, through Taproots Horticulture Consulting, Rayne helps horticulture businesses that struggle with production planning, operational efficiency, sales coaching, team building and leadership, helping them become the best nurseries and people they can be. The conversation also touches on: Family business dynamics Consultant or counselor? Building a healthy workplace culture His philosophy of becoming the leader he wished he had Resources: Taproots Horticulture Consulting – www.taprootsconsulting.com Rayne Gibson on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rayne-gibson-6056381aa

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  Episode #37

  Laura Kunkle: How Flowers Transform Communities

  Sep 1, 202650 min

  Laura Kunkle’s career has taken some unexpected turns—from wanting to be a professional piano player at the Olympics, to sports broadcasting, accounting at Highlights for Children, and eventually a decades-long career in the green industry. Today, she’s the executive director of America in Bloom, an organization helping communities across the country become better places to live, work, visit, and invest in. In this episode, Laura and I talk about how America in Bloom uses trees, flowers, environmental stewardship, heritage preservation, and—most importantly—volunteerism to help communities see themselves differently. Laura shares the remarkable transformation of Castle Rock, Washington, and explains why communities need to “be in it for the long haul” to create lasting change. We also get into why plants are more than pretty, how beautiful communities can make us feel good (and encourage us to spend time and money there), and why community involvement is at the heart of lasting change. And because this is I Dig Your Story, we go beyond the professional story. Laura reveals her hidden talents—juggling! spinning a ball on her finger!—and explains why pickleball became an unexpected way for this self-described shy person to build community. In this episode: Laura’s winding path from sports broadcasting to the green industry The 25-year story of America in Bloom Why volunteerism is the program’s most powerful ingredient How flowers helped transform Castle Rock, Washington Why plants are more than pretty Connect with Laura: America in Bloom – www.americainbloom.org Gardens Across America – www.americainbloom.org/programs/gardens-across-america

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