Episode Guide

  • Episode 40 - Michele Braun
    Released March 6, 2020
    In this episode we welcome the Executive Director of the Friends of the Winooski River, Michele Braun. Michele has a Master of Science in Natural Resources Planning from the University of Vermont. She has worked as an environmental policy analyst, responsible for managing projects, designing and facilitating multi-stakeholder meetings and workshops for city and state governments, US EPA, watershed organizations, environmental health associations, and multi-partner collaborative environmental planning projects.

  • Episode 39 - Tom Sabo
    Released Febuary 20, 2020
    In this episode we welcome Educator and Executive Director of the Center for Sustainable Systems, Tom Sabo. Tom is an award-winning high school teacher, leading sustainability educator, prominent local food activist, and most recently the founding executive director of the Center for Sustainable Systems. He is a chief architect of a model of service learning that integrates curriculum through a school greenhouse and gardens that provide food for the school system’s lunch program, using soil derived from the cafeteria food scraps.

  • Episode 38 - David Zuckerman
    Released January 7, 2020
    In this episode we welcome the Lieutenant Governor of Vermont, David Zuckerman. David is the co-founder of Full Moon Farm, a NOFA-certified organic farm in Hinesburg, Vermont. Inspired by then Congressman Bernie Sanders, David first ran for the Vermont House in 1994 while enrolled at the University of Vermont. He lost by 59 votes, but came back two years later to become the fourth Progressive Party member ever to serve in Montpelier. David served for fourteen years (1997-2010) in the Vermont House of Representatives representing the City of Burlington in Chittenden 3-4. David served in the Vermont Senate as a Progressive/Democrat since his election in 2012.

  • Episode 37 - William Alexander
    Released December 28, 2019
    In this special Halloween episode we welcome author, William Alexander. William writes fantasy, science fiction, and other unrealisms for young readers. His novels include Goblin Secrets, Ghoulish Song, Ambassador and Nomad. His latest novels are the companion set A Properly Unhaunted Place and A Festival of Ghosts. He currently serves as the faculty chair of the Vermont College of Fine Arts in the program in Writing for Children and Young Adults.

  • Episode 36 - Jim Birmingham
    Released November 10, 2019
    In this episode we welcome Jim Birmingham, Food Service /> Director of the Montpelier Roxbury School District. Jim is a graduate of Johnson State College and attended culinary school at Le Cordon Blue, London, UK. He is an American Culinary Federation Certified Executive Chef. Jim lives in Waterbury with his wife and two teenage sons. He enjoys gardening, hiking and is an avid alpine and backcountry skier.

  • Episode 35 - Walt Poleman
    Released October 30, 2019
    In this episode we welcome Walt Poleman , Senior Lecturer and Director of the Ecological Planning Program at the University of Vermont. He specializes in natural history, place-based landscape analysis, and education for sustainability. He teaches courses in natural history and human ecology, landscape inventory and assessment, and conservation science.

  • Episode 34 - Ryan Geary
    Released October 11, 2019
    In this episode we welcome Ryan Geary, owner the of The Hive , and co-owner of Rabble-Rouser. Ryan is an artist who works in a variety of mediums and disciplines, including wood carving, furniture making and painting, but his preferred art form and main focus over the past 5 years has been 2D and 3D collage.

  • Episode 33 - Janice Walrefen
    Released October 4, 2019
    In this episode we speak with Janice Walrefen. Janice co-creates AllTogetherNow! Community Arts Center in East Montpelier, with Ellen Leonard. Together they teach summer camp and produce our community seasonal pageants, parades and puppet shows. Janice also sculpts in clary and makes hand made Art Tiles .

  • Episode 32 - Matthew Binginot
    Released September 28, 2019
    In this episode we speak with Matthew Binginot , designer producer, and lover of all forms of media creativity. Matthew teaches a program called Digital Media Arts at the Central Vermont Career Center . Every day he inspires young central Vermont artist to be creative and show them new ways to practice their passion.

  • Episode 31 - Bennett Shapiro
    Released September 20, 2019
    This week our guest is Bennett Shapiro of Madtch Sound. If you go to a live music event in central Vermont you are bound to see Bennett, walking around with his magic tablet, making things sound good. We talk to Bennett about his journey as a sound engineer, the music scene in central Vermont and his ideas about integrating our live podcast into the Rabble-Rouser Chocolate Factory and Community Center.

  • Episode 30 - Rabble-Rouser Creative Vision, with Jaquelyn Rieke
    Released September 15, 2019
    This episode is a conversation about how the Bordertown podcast aligns with the Rabble-Rouser creative vision. Our guest is the founder of Nutty Steph’s and one of the visionary’s behind Rabble-Rouser, Jaquelyn Rieke. She will provide background on the formation of the Rabble-Rouser, collaboratively-owned Chocolate Factory and Community Center, and discuss the creative vision. Vic Guadagno will discuss ecomedia and the goals of the Bordertown Podcast. Music Director Rob Meehan discusses our musical ideas, and offers insight as a long-time advocate for food justice.

  • Episode 29 - Rabble-Rouser Opening Celebration
    Released September 9, 2019
    The Rabble-Rousers assembled two days before the August 31st Grand Opening of the Rabble-Rouser Chocolate and Craft Co., their new retail location and CBD lounge.

    The new space represents the latest incarnation of Nutty Steph's Chocolate, the Cooperatively owned Vermont based Chocolate company. Their mission: Together, we are louder, stronger, more influential, and resilient than any one of us on our own. We find courage in community, motivation in unity, and progress through chocolate.

    This podcast is short conversations with just some of the Rabble-Rousers.

  • Episode 28 - Chuck Collins
    Released April 21, 2018
    Chuck Collins is a Senior Policy Analyst for the Institute for Policy Studies, and author of many books including Born on Third Base,The Community Resilience Reader and Is inequality in America irreversible? He is the co-editor of the Inequality.org website.

  • Episode 27 - Sherri Mitchell
    Released March 20, 2018
    Sherri Mitchell is the Executive Director of the Land Peace Foundation, and an Advisor to We Are Nature Rising, who helps next generation leaders awaken their ecological identify & foster the leadership skills ecessary to act on behalf of the planet.

  • Episode 26 - Christine Hanna
    Released January 15, 2018
    Christine Hanna is the Executive Director of Yes Media She is a passionate advocate for a sustainable, inclusive local economy, with a great track record for putting that passion into action. Christine joined YES in March 2017 and says the role couldn't be a better fit.

  • Episode 25 - Jaquelyn Fernandez Rieke
    Released October 15, 2017
    Jaquelyn Fernandez Rieke has been the owner of Nutty Steph's for the past 14 years. Born and raised in Suburban Chicago, Jaquelyn made her way east after college. Spending a bit of time in Baltimore, she ultimately landed in central Vermont where seh's been every since.

  • Episode 24 - Alex Chernomazov
    Released May 10, 2017
    Alex Chernomazov and his wife Ella are the co-founders of, (Greenspark), an Interactive Sustainability Park in development on Route 100 in Waterbury Center, Vermont. Their mission: to inspire local and global communities to adapt current green technologies through interactive hands-on experiences. Alex and Ella’s goal at Greenspark is to make it easy for our guests to experience all aspects of sustainable living – renewable energy, green building and pollution-free transportation – in one place

  • Episode 23 - John Liu / Amy Seidl / Jon Erickson
    Released November 2, 2016
    Stretching over 640,000 sq. kilometers and encompassing parts of 7 different Chinese provinces, the Loess Plateau is approximately the size of France. John Liu’s film, (“Hope in a Changing Climate”), chronicles large-scale ecological restoration projects in the Loess Plateau, as well as in Ethiopia and Rwanda. On October 24th, (John Liu) visited from Beijing, China and we hosted a film screening at the University of Vermont. (Dr. Amy Seidl) and Dr. Jon Erickson) joined John for a panel discussion following the film. The event drew a full house.

  • Episode 22 - Andrew Faust / Mark Krawczyk (Relocalizing Vermont, Radio Show)
    Released September 26, 2016
    During the summer of 2016, Vic Guadagno was the guest host for Carl Etneir’s radio program, Relocalize Vermont, that broadcasts on the Goddard Collage Community Radio Station. For many of these broadcasts, Vic condensed previous Bordertown podcasts. This episode features Andrew Faust (Episode 16) and Mark Krawczyk. (Episode 11).

  • Episode 21 - Joseph Keifer
    Released August 24, 2016
    /> Joseph is a food justice consultant working with the Good Food Good Medicine Program at Highgate Housing and Green Acres Housing, the Vermont Community Garden Network as well as the Vermont Rural Partnership. He serves on the Boards of Just Basics Inc. in Montpelier and Highgate Housing in Barre Vermont, as well as on the cross cutting Food Access Team of the Vermont Farm to Plate Group. Joseph has spent his entire career advocating for food justice and has made a signiificant contribution to Vermont's food justice movement, including co-founding the Vermont Food Bank in 1986, serving on Governor's task forces, and as a key member in the formation of VT FEED (food education every day).

  • Episode 20 - Soil4Climate
    Released June 18, 2016
    Soil4Climate, a nonprofit organization, advocates for soil restoration as a climate solution. They promote regenerative land management practices to capture atmospheric carbon. Soil4Climate is inspired by the work of Allan Savory which is summarized nicely in his TedTalk as "if we do what I am showing you here, we can take enough carbon out of the atmosphere and safely store it in the grassland soils for thousands of years, and if we just do that on about half the world's grasslands that I've shown you, we can take us back to pre-industrial levels, while feeding people. I can think of almost nothing that offers more hope for our planet, for your children, and their children, and all of humanity."

  • Episode 19 - Sarah Waring
    Released June 16, 2016
    Sarah Waring is the Executive Director of The Center for an Agricultural Economy, It was a pleasure speaking with Sarah and asking direct questions relevant to our Designing Abundance project here in Central Vermont. Sarah has helped us over the past year and we look forward to continued callaboraiton in the years ahead. It was fun learning about her off-grid days growing up in Glover – the hope of Bread and Puppet, our shared love for the Rockies, and her joyful return to the Green Mountain State. I was drawn to the Center for an Agricultural Economy when I first arrived in Vermont and continue to look to them for inspiration and guidance. It was a pleasure learning more about Sarah and it’s clear that her enthusiasm and vision lends itsels well to their mission of a regenerative Vermont.

  • Episode 18 - Bo Muller-Morre
    Released May 11, 2016
    Bo Muller-Moore is the founder of Eat More Kale, and the inspiration for this year's EAT MORE KALE Festival. This first annual event is sure to be a good one. Their goal is to strengthen the arts and agricultural communities here in Vermont, which is at the core of the Designing Abundance mission, as we continue to understand and encourage our "PERMAnent CULTURE" here in Vermont.
  • Episode 17 - Keith Morris
    Released January 23, 2016
    Keith Morris owns & operates Willing Crossing Farm in Johnson Vermont along with his partner Kori Gelinas, growing one of the most diverse collections of fruit and nut trees in the northeast as well as bees, herbs and apothocary. Keith is also the founder of Prospect Rock Permaculture, Vermont’s longest running Permaculture Institute and a co-founding board member of the Permaculture Institute of the Northeast (P.I.N.E.). He has been instrumental in bringing Permaculture to the northeast and teaching at the university level - including the University of Vermont, Sterling College, Saint Michaels College, Paul Smiths College and the Yestermororw Design Build School in the Waitsfield, Vermont.
  • Episode 16 - Andrew Faust
    Released July 31, 2015
    Andrew Faust is one of the premier Permaculture teachers and designers in North America with nearly two decades of experience. Andrew has extensive experience in a wide range of climates and habitats including desert, forest and mountain – and has been focusing much of his attention over the past decade on urban landscapes. He is the founder of the Center for BioRegional Living, a design, education and consulting center located in Brooklyn New York. With a campus located in Ellenville, NY, that he is developing with his partner Adriana Magana and their daughter Juniper.
  • Episode 15 - Geoff Lawton
    Released June 18, 2015
    Geoff Lawton is perhaps the world’s most influential Permaculture teacher. He has created a global network of students, activist and Permaculture demonstration centers and has undertaken thousands of of jobs - teaching, consulting, designing and implementing Permaculture design projects. He is the Managing Director of the Permaculture Research Institute. Geoff is optimistic and inspired, and is now teaching thousands of people through his online courses and video series.
  • Episode 14 - Mark Angelini
    Released March 25, 2015
    Mark is co-founder and lead designer with Roots To Fruits Ecological Design - an ecological design firm committed to the restoration of local food systems, economies, and ecologies. He writes and teaches about wild edible plants with Eat Here Now, and produces hand carved woodenware through Quercus Wood Craft.
  • Episode 13 - Trevor Newman
    Released August 23, 2014
    Trevor Newman owns and operates TerraNu Nursery, an edible and useful plant company based in Clarkston, MI…and he owns and operates an edible landscaping firm called Roots To Fruits Ecological Design. In addition, Trevor is the founder and purveyor of The Fruit Nut a media project dedicated to promoting ecologically sound and economically viable practices.
  • Episode 12 - The Good Foot Project
    Released June 4, 2014
    On April 28th, 2013 Anastasia King and JC Jarris began, The Good Foot Project, a year-long expedition, by RV, across the USA visiting low-impact organic farms and eco-villages to learn best practices in sustainable farming, construction, energy, water and waste management. This trip is to educate and prepare them for establishing their own sustainable, low-impact, eco-retreat and training center.
  • Episode 11 - Mark Krawczyk
    Released April 1, 2014
    Mark Krawczyk is the owner of Keyline Vermont, a permaculture design, consulting and education business. As a student of permaculture design since 2000, Mark Krawczyk has explored tree crop and agroforestry systems, coppice forestry, natural building, traditional woodcrafts, community organizing and both small and broad acre site design.
  • Episode 10 - James Maroney
    Released January 21, 2014
    James Maroney is an American Art Dealer and former Organic Dairy Farmer. James gives us a glimpse into his life as an Art Dealer, and puts forth a compelling argument to transition the entire Vermont Diary industry to organic.
  • Episode 9 - Lisa Mase
    Released November 24, 2013
    Lisa Mase, of Harmonized Cookery is a whole foods cooking educator, food writer, translator, and herbalist, living between Italy, Vermont and New Mexico. Lisa explains the role food plays in our individual health, community resiliency and cultural heritage.
  • Episode 8 - Chris Shanks
    Released October 13, 2013
    Chris Shanks is the Co-Director at Project Bona Fide located on Isla de Ometepe in Nicaragua. Chris describes his journey from Boonton Township, NJ, to his current work promoting food sovereignty in Central America.
  • Episode 7 - Jon Erickson
    Released August 14, 2013
    Jon Erickson is Professor of Ecological Economics at UVM's Rubenstein School of Environmental and Natural Resources and Fellow at the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics.
  • Episode 6 - Angella Gibbons
    Released August 2, 2013
    Angella Gibbons, Founder and Director of EarthWalk has been connecting groups of children to the Earth for 25 years
  • Episode 5 - Amy Seidl
    Released June 21, 2013
    Amy Seidl Is a lecturer, author and mother of two. She researches and writes about indicators and behavioral changes associated with climate change. She is on the Board of Bright Blue EcoMedia and is an optimistic advocate for a societal paradigm shift.
  • Episode 4 - Elizabeth Courtney
    Released June 14, 2013
    An inspired environmental champion, Elizabeth was removed, after nine years of service on Vermont's Environmental Board, under suspicion of being an "Environmentalist". She went on to serve as Executive Director of VNRC for 15 years, and recently co-authored Greening Vermont: The Search for a Sustainable State
  • Episode 3 - Joe Bossen
    Released June 7, 2013
    Joe Bossen, master bean crafter and yurt-dweller describes the path from fast food strip malls to agricultural enlightenment. Joe is the Jefé and Chefé at Vermont Bean Crafters
  • Episode 2 - Ben Graham
    Released May 31, 2013
    Ben Graham, master builder, on-call drummer and community builder talks about early communal living in Cleveland and his journey to his current work with New Frameworks, Natural Design Build
  • Episode 1 - Ben Falk
    Released May 24, 2013
    Ben Falk, founder of Whole Systems Design learned his focus from rock climbing. I try to understand what's at the root of non-stop, on the ground skill development and earth-healing.