Anti-war Youth to Organic Farmer to Canadian Politics: Tony McQuail

First Air Date

Tony McQuail brings with him a wide and passionate view of what the world needs, and the commitment to make it happen. From his antiwar activism from age 16, to his move to Canada where he and his wife founded MeetingPlaceOrganicFarm.CA, to the numerous organizations he has founded and worked for to bring folks together in world-healing, Tony makes crops and people grow. He has run for national office in Canada, and is now focused on local election.

Black Farmers in America

First Air Date

Patricia Stansbury returns to guest-host Spirit in Action for the third time, with this episode adapted from her program, Groundswell, originally recorded for WRIR, Richmond Independent Radio. In late June, Patricia visited John Boyd and Kara Brewer Boyd on their farm, Let's Get Growing, in Boydton, Virginia. In this episode, she talks with Kara about the discrimination faced by Black farmers and other farmers of color.

Willie Nelson's Progeny - Farm Aid 2019

First Air Date

A taste of Farm Aid 2019, the work & music, of the event & the organization. We have 2 amazing musicians from the 18 acts from this year's mainstage: Particle Kid (Micah Nelson, Willie's youngest son) and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, (Willie's 2nd youngest son), joined by Jennifer Lahy, Communication Director of Farm Aid's staff. Find how to watch Farm Aid 2019 live. Find more about Micah, including his art, on his personal website, and about his Hawaii-based Farm Aid-ish non-profit, Mahi'ai Music & Food Festival, and the Hawai'i Farmers Union United.

Ecoculture Blessings & Fracksand Mining Hazards

First Air Date

There are many aspects to care for the Earth, experiencial & experimental. Sam Thayer of Forager's Harvest in one of the preminent experts in harvesting from the Earth's bounty. He shares here the concluding essay of his new book, 3rd in a series, called Incredibile Wild Edibles: 36 Plants That Can Change Your Life, speaking of Ecoculture instead of Agriculture. Our second guest is Crispin Pierce, Prof of Environmental Public Health at UW-EC, and member of Eau Claire's Sustainability Advisory Committee, speaking of his research & paper on Monitoring of Airborne Particulates Near Industrial Silica Sand Mining & Processing Facilities.

Transforming Economics & Defending Family Farms

First Air Date

John Peck is Executive Director of Family Farm Defenders, which supports sustainable agriculture, farm worker rights, animal welfare, consumer safety, fair trade, & food sovereignty. In addition, John teaches Economics "against the text" and also Environmental Studies at Madison College, runs a farm, does poetry, and thinks deeply.

Past/current religious/spiritual influences:
Catholic Worker, Pagan, Unitarian Universalist