A brand new Penn State Extension weekly podcast, titled “Preserving it Inexperienced,” is aimed toward decorative plant professionals and lovers.
“We began this podcast as a approach to share fascinating conversations with horticultural professionals from Pennsylvania and past,” stated Margaret Pickoff, horticulture extension educator primarily based in Bucks County. “That is for folk working within the inexperienced business, in decorative and business horticulture, and for anybody who likes rising vegetation.”
Pickoff hosts the podcast, joined every week by a rotating co-host from Extension’s inexperienced business group: Tom Butzler, Sandy Feather, or Tim Abbey.
With a conversational tone, the podcast attracts from the data and experience of Penn State Extension educators, Penn State school members, and business leaders.
“We interview visitors about what they do, what vegetation they work with, and what fascinating issues they’re seeing of their line of labor,” Pickoff stated.
A current episode featured Frank Pizzi, former horticulturist at Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. Pizzi mentioned the world of vegetation in zoo settings and the transformation of zoo reveals from concrete and ceramic tile buildings to enclosures aimed toward mimicking the animals’ pure habitat. Whereas many householders and plant professionals wrestle with injury brought on by rabbits, groundhogs, and deer within the panorama, Pizzi needed to handle and shield the vegetation towards the likes of rhinos, gorillas, and giraffes.
The podcast additionally covers design, set up and upkeep, plant choice, pests, and different present horticulture matters.
In a single episode, Vinnie Cotrone joined the hosts to debate his function as an city forestry extension educator. The dialog targeted on how perceptions of city timber have modified over the many years, ecosystem providers these timber present to communities, and a few of the greatest stressors timber face in city environments.
One other episode showcased Jim MacKenzie, president and co-owner of Octoraro Native Plant Nursery. MacKenzie shared perception on labor points, sustainability, and mentorship throughout the business.
Along with that includes visitors, the podcast provides a glimpse into life as a inexperienced business extension educator. For instance, the hosts mentioned the objects they at all times maintain of their automobile for web site visits concerning plant considerations. The educators share their backgrounds, pursuits, and what they encounter all through their workday. The hosts additionally recurrently speak about what they see within the panorama as extension educators, resembling the consequences of drought.
Every host brings a singular perspective to the podcast. Pickoff supplies schooling, outreach, and assist for inexperienced business professionals and different growers in southeastern Pennsylvania. She teaches matters in invasive plant identification and administration, pesticide security, and administration of decorative landscapes.
Butzler is a horticulture extension educator in central Pennsylvania. He has helped vegetable growers, panorama and turf professionals, and space farmers with manufacturing and pest administration points. Butzler additionally teaches beekeeping courses to youth and adults.
Feather supplies academic applications and technical help for inexperienced business professionals in southwestern Pennsylvania. She coordinates and teaches applications on built-in pest administration, natural land care, decorative plant identification and utilization, and correct cultural practices, together with pruning, planting, and sustainable panorama design.
Abbey is the business horticulture educator primarily based in York County. His most important duty is to coach nursery and panorama care personnel on the fundamentals of building an built-in pest administration program in York and neighboring counties.
Podcast episodes run about 45 minutes. Episodes can be found on the Penn State Extension web site, Spotify, or anyplace podcasts are discovered.
