Dave's Open Mic: Episode 01 - Clara Pagliaro

I'm not like someone that thinks before
they speak, you know.

So I don't.

So that's why it's so.

Exciting that. We.

That's really very cool. Perfect.

Yeah. So, Thank you for coming.

Yeah. Thank you for having me.

I remember when
I first saw the farmer's market.

I was like, oh, this is pretty cool.

And then, I kind of read up on you
a little bit about your experience

and what you've done,
which I have to ask you questions,

because some of it

I forget a little bit
about your background,

but I, I know you've been places
and traveled

and done things
which I thought was very, very cool.

So I'll, I'll talk a little bit about that
and Yeah.

And then you were just really kind
and sweet when we first started talking

because I had a lot of stuff going on.

So you were kind of very cool to just
hang out and talk with for a little bit.

Really gracious. Yeah. Thank you.
So I appreciate that.

So, yeah, let's the farmers
markets coming up in a month.

Yep. From today, from today, May.

18th in, in Stoney Creek.
What's the park?

Bayview baby park, Stoney creek. Branford.

Cool. Why did you start that?

Oh, right.

Well, ignorance is bliss has been my
my joke.

It's like community.

Like it really.

It truly just comes back down
to community.

And I think initially

I was working for Cultured Cafe
who vended with us last year,

and I was going to farmer's markets
for them, right, selling their products.

And I was like, I, I absolutely love this.

Like it is such a joyous environment.

You mingle, you meet other vendors,
you meet people of the community.

There's music. It's just it's this hub.

It's this space where

everyone intentionally comes together
to spend a portion of their day.

Right.

And I was like,
Stoney Creek is such a wonderful place.

And ever since I moved back here in 2020,
I've really wanted to get to know

my neighbors.

And so starting
this was a in a selfish way

for me to really get to know the people
I'm I'm living

next door to and around and see,
but haven't spoken to.

And so I went to the association

in 2023 and I was like,
hey, I really want to do this.

And I did. The sweetest little.

Rough draft of like, pros and cons of

why having a farmer's market
would benefit the ecosystem,

the community of Stoney Creek
and and they.

Were all. Really on board.

There was a little
there was a little hesitation.

Right.

Because like, traffic is such a such a,

I don't want to say a problem.

Right.

But but a a.

Topic that comes up often within
small villages and small neighborhoods,

like how to because Stoney Creek
is such an open place.

We welcome everyone.

And and I.

Really love that about the creek to
The creek.

The creek. Yeah.

Yeah, I'm a creek or.

So but uncle.

Uncle that's elder in the,
in the community.

He was at that meeting and he. Was like,
do you know who her grandfather father is?

And, yeah, my grandfather and
my grandmother bought the house that I.

Live in back in the 50s.

So I'm fourth generation.

Like no third. Generation.

But fourth, if you include the.

Elders that lived with them.

But so that that's.

Really what got the ball rolling
was this vision, this idea,

this dream of just really getting to know

who's around me
and also inviting resources.

Right.

Who's in Connecticut
that can offer food and support and

and just nourishment to my neighbors,
to this community.

So, yeah.

No, it's
I mean, I've been there a few times

last year and is never problem parking
you just everybody's really chill and calm

and you just walk and they go about
and nobody's like all freaked out about

they can't find a spot.

There's none of that.

It's a really calm, nice vibe. It is.

Thank you. Yeah.

Thank you for acknowledging that too.

I think it's it's more.

Of a narrative than an actual. Problem.

Yeah. The parking there's
no there's no there's really.

No, there was there was concern.

But then once we did it right, it
that was evident.

That wasn't an issue.

And so it's really nice to see that.

People come throughout the day.
It's not like.

Not all. At once. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

So it's a nice.

Time in the morning to come
in the afternoon or whatever, you know.

And it's nice and I'm waiting to go back
because I want to go to Potter's

farming and it's kielbasa.

Oh my God, I know.

I'm so happy that he's coming back to.

He has great.

Stuff
and he's an amazing man. And farmers.

Yeah, he's good.

And he's got a baker
there who makes amazing sourdough and.

Yeah.

So it's I'm I'm super excited.

And honey lady she makes her honey okay.

So it's some great great vendors. Yeah.

Yeah it's it's fantastic to see.

That so many of those vendors
are coming back.

To for a second year.

And then also like, just so.

Much more diversity and other vendors
wanting to join in and be a part of.

This and feels like it
grew at a really rapid pace.

Yeah, just for a second year.

I'm excited, I'm excited.

Did you think, like last year that it was
that all of a sudden it happened?

Are you like where you were?
You like, of course it's going to happen.

Or you kind of like surprise a little bit
like this is actually like happening.

Like what was your when like the first
like opening day kind of thing.

Oh my gosh. So many.

So many emotions.

Right.

Like I joke
that this is kind of like my baby.

In a way.

You know.

And so there's

still that little bit of anxiety of like,
oh, were people going to show up?

Are they are they going
to, you know, come and support this?

And then it's. Always so beautiful to see.

That that anxiety can be put to ease.

And opening day was so exciting last year
and it was a consistent flow.

And it seems like a lot more
people are discovering that we are here.

And that's really the biggest thing,

is just getting the word out
that this farmer's market exists and,

you know, through conversations and
going around town and putting up fliers.

This year, it just seems like so many more
people are aware of what we're doing.

And, I'm excited to see what this year
is going to bring.

And let me tell.

Like, so, you know, like really holding.

That value
in that container of this, like.

This chill vibe, right?

Like Stony Creek, there's just something
so grounding about the area

there and the people there. Yeah.

And so like that homey feel
and growing at the same time.

Right.

It's like, how do we grow
but without a sense of urgency.

Yeah.

So, letting it
just be a super organic process.

Yeah. No, it definitely is.

I mean, you have the market there now
and then there's a little

there's little shops
and then the restaurants and stuff.

And then of course,
there's that little strip of grass

and by the water with the benches, you sit
and you look at the boats

and the seagulls and the stuff,
and you just kind of hang out and

kind of let the world disappear
around you.

It's kind of fun.
So I've done that. It's really nice.

Yeah.

And Thunder
stay afterwards and we all go swimming.

Yeah, yeah. There's so many trails.

So they'll hang out
and we'll go for a hike. So I'll send.

Oh that's fine.

Just. Yeah, it's.

You can make a whole day of it. Right.

Whether you're just a visitor or a vendor.

Yeah, I love it.

So you had, like,
some experiences leading up to your,

Stoney Creek farmers market.

You traveled.

So tell me
some of your travel experiences.

I can't I'm sorry, I can't remember.
I can't have an example, I don't remember.

It was last year, and my brain
sometimes doesn't go that far back.

But you're telling me you don't remember
all the details of my life?

No, don't. I don't remember,

but. Hey, sorry.

It's okay.

I also it's like I'm always like,
oh, wait, that's right.

That that was my life too.

It's nice. It's
nice to reflect. On those moments.

And yeah, I've done a lot of traveling.

When I was 19, traditional college.

Didn't seem the right route for me.

And so I bought a one way ticket to
Finland, and I did, Weifang and work away

projects throughout, Finland
and Lithuania and Belgium and Scotland.

And so I was out there for a little over
six months until I had no more money.

Yeah.

And I was like, dad, I got to come home.

Okay? Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And I really, I feel like I.

Went out on that venture.

To discover pieces.

And parts of who I am
and what my interests are,

and that has really been
the whole journey.

Right?

I mean, that continuing to be the journey
of learning who I am.

But I feel like those moments where

maybe I felt lost or I was seeking it,
they were all really just teaching me

and kind of forming me into
the human that I am today.

And I, I was, I was lost like,

I went out of

I don't want to say fear,
but I, I struggled with my mental health.

I struggled with different substances.

And when I came back, I felt really lost
within those places in my life, too.

Not feeling secure.

And then I had the opportunity to go

to Costa Rica, to the spiritual center.

And I went as a client and I lived off
grid for about three months.

And I always say that it saved my life.

It it really did it, it it taught me

just that, to be in relationship
with that one inner guide.

But that connection to my heart,
with that connection to myself.

And I ended up returning there shortly
after as a volunteer.

And stayed there as a staff member,
for nearly two years.

And wow.

I, I always joke around that they raised
me in my 20s and and they did in a way.

You know, it gave me an opportunity

to restart and question who I am
and who I want to be.

And I go back every year, To just.

Commune and, and also recenter and be of.

Service.

And. Yeah.

And then I moved back here
and love in 2020,

because I want to go and get
my certification and yoga in Guatemala.

And then and I had the option

of either going to Costa Rica
or coming back to the States.

And I was like, oh, like I got to.

Get stuff from home anyway.

Like it's going to be, what, like two.

Weeks of like shut. Down and.

Okay.

You know.

Yeah.

Yeah. That didn't happen.

And then I fell in love with gardening.

And, and plants.

And I went down the path of becoming
a clinical herbalist and, Yeah.

Just really created a.

Life or am creating a life here. So.

Yeah, I love it.

I love it. Cut.

Where the
the retreat center in Costa Rica.

Where what where is that?

So it's right outside of this tiny.

Little town called Algo Cut, which is.

Right. Avocado.

But it's on Lake Arenal,
so it's in the Guanacaste region.

It's like.

Northwest. Northwest. Okay. Yeah. Sorry.

Go up. That way. Okay.

Yeah, I went down to Santa Teresa.

Two years ago last year.

It's another.

It's a beautiful country.
Yeah, it's it's amazing.

Yeah, I, I've been twice
I send it to I've been to, you know.

Sorry. And Santa Teresa I was all,
I was all on the go.

I didn't go, but the reason I asked
because I was, I went, I took a bus.

I want to concentrate on this,

like little weird
peninsula thing, you know, on the Pacific.

Anyway, so I went to took a bus across

the peninsula to go
look at some waterfalls or something.

I never made it to the waterfalls,
but I'm. I'm walking.

I decided,

you know, instead of taking the path

that everybody takes, I'm like,
I'm going to do different.

Yeah, it didn't work out.

And it's all uphill.

I have, it's it's blazing hot and it's
I have Birkenstocks on and whatever,

and I'm just walking and walking.

And finally I found this,
like yoga retreat,

meditation
center, like, way on top of the hill.

And, I.

Just, I go in there, I'm, like,
soaking wet, just sweating and dehydrated.

And I had no water left. And

I was like, oh.

Did they welcome you?

They did. Oh, they were super cool.

They're like, have a seat,
let me get some water.

So I sat, I drank a little bit of water
and then I just walked down the hill

and I got back on the bus
and I went back like.

Like I'm. It's like.

Never saw the waterfall.

But it was fun. It was.
It was a blast. Yeah.

No it was,
it's such a it's such a neat country.

And the people are really sweet and they.

Truly live by our provider, right? Yeah.

Oh my God. Yeah.

It's like pure life. Like,
everyone is just like, come sit down.

Yeah. Some beet juice.

What do you. Mean
they're amazing? Yeah. They're amazing.

So that's that's very cool that you go
there. Yeah.

Yeah I love that man.

That's very, very, you know, very cool.

And then I can feel that
you bring all that energy with you because

it's just this very calmness sort of that
you sort of vibe you got going on.

There's no urgency much to anything.

But things get done, obviously, because
you just you created a farmers market.

So it's not like just hanging out.

Yeah. Yeah.

Those cracks me up when people are like,
you're so calm.

I'm like, I have 500 things going,
yeah, inside of me right now.

But I like, you know,
and it's all, it's all beautiful.

Yeah, I do, I would say that I like to,
I like to direct.

My energy towards things that feel,
I don't know,

not just beneficial for me
but for the community.

It's hard.

It's hard to do.

It's hard
to like to be able to to do that.

And I mean, you can do that, right?

But then you also got to like, survive
and eat and stuff.

So it's hard to like channel
that and do really what you want to do

and still be able to live
and sustain yourself and stuff like that.

So it's a it's a difficult balance and
you seem to figure that out a little bit.

I have fun with it.

Yeah. You know, I think.

It's really important
just to remember to not take.

It all so seriously.

And that's what. I come back. To too.

It's just like like,
how can this process be of joy?

Right?

And like when I'm like, coming
from that place, it doesn't drain me.

If I'm coming from a place of like,
I have to get this done

and it becomes an obligation that I meet
like that resistance within myself.

So it doesn't feel like work.

It feels like something I'm really excited
to do and and put my energy towards.

Yeah that's good.

So yeah. Yeah. And how to.

Also have it be this source of income.

Right.

Like that's like I'm realizing that
oh like this is actually like

I have a skill in this, you know, like
I love networking, I love people, I love

connecting and like creating containers
where people can share their gifts.

Like, that's really exciting to me.

And because I think
everyone has something to share.

Yeah.

You know, and so I don't know exactly what
that looks like, but like moving

towards that and, and making choices
that are moving towards that.

I like that,

and I think people are looking for ways
to share what they have to offer.

And sometimes it's hard for them.

So they have an easy outlet,

you know, like the market
where they can come in if they, you know,

they have cut flowers that they like
to share with people and sell them.

And, it because everybody's,

they're so happy to just to talk
and explain what they do

and how they do it
and where everything's from and stuff,

you know, it's
it's really kind of a neat because.

Yeah. Yeah. And also people creating.

Community offerings,
like we have the neighborhood music school

coming this year
to come and do some stuff with the kids,

and then there's some other yoga
instructors that are going to come,

and that little bench area
you're speaking of by the water.

Yeah, we're going to kind of have it.

So it lines up where they can do a yoga
class, a yoga flow there.

Right.

And everyone
can meet up at the farmer's market

or go to the farmer's
market afterwards kind of thing.

So collaborating and a bit more.

Creative ways, it's really good.

Yeah. We need those outlets.

What else,
what else do you do to keep yourself busy

like you have the farmers market.

But then that's all in May.

To what, October.

That November.

Well yeah.

May to November.

Definitely a lot of pre work. Right.

Like I've been communicating and mapping
and and scheduling with all of the,

the vendors,
and will be up until, up until we launch.

And then it's
kind of more just useful may to November.

But I'm also right now
I'm taking two courses I gateway,

I'm hearing back from Wesleyan this week
whether or not I got.

Accepted as a transfer student.

So congratulations.

Thank you.

I hope that works out for you.
That's awesome.

Yeah, yeah,
I applied last fall as the early.

Decision,
and since I haven't been in academia

for a decade, they were like,
go and take a couple of classes.

Okay.

If you do well, we would love to take you
as a transfer student.

Awesome. So awesome.

I'm doing well.

Did you do. Well? Okay.
You're doing very well. Good, good.

I really love my professors.

So that makes all the difference too.

I think so, but I'm just taking
a composition class and a sociology class.

Or not just.

But those are two subjects
that I'm, like, very passionate about. So.

I. Hear back this week, all right.

Whether or not Wesleyan is on the horizon.

I think so. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

So yeah, anyone from Wesleyan is.

Like.

You know, you want. To.

Absolutely.

Would you live would you live up there
or would you commute?

No. I'd commute.

It's a 35 minute drive through like the,
the farmland and everything is beautiful.

Yeah.

Yeah. Ideal.

So, that's on my plate.

I also do volunteer
work with the Land Trust.

Okay.

So I, I get the letters series. Yeah.

And we do, like a 20, every year, 20,
25, speaker series.

I've actually just taken that torch
from someone who's been or been gifted,

invited to take the torch, from someone

who's been organizing this series
for over 25 years now.

So that's. Been nice.

I collaborate with different educators
and and people that work

within the agriculture, agricultural and
environmental areas and in Connecticut.

And they come and
and speak on different subjects that.

Cool. Yeah. And I just hike a lot.

Yeah, I work out a lot.

And I just applied to be a barista.

Because I'm like,
I resist the nine to. Five,

but like, yes, well, that's got to eat.

Yeah, yeah.

It's I'm getting it. Yeah. It's
hard. Yeah.

I haven't had a 9 to 5 in a while.

And sometimes you think like
especially like around the holidays

and then early winter and things
kind of slow down a little bit.

Everybody's sort of regrouping and stuff
and like

So far so good things are good.

So yeah. No.

It's funny. So good for you.
Yeah, yeah. No, hiking is great.

I used to I used to do more
more hiking than I do now.

My youngest son does a lot of hiking.

I talked to him,
and he's always taking the dog out.

And just the explorers all over the place
go to different parks and whatever.

You know,
there's a bunch of stuff in Connecticut.

We're lucky.

Oh yeah, with a lot of things
in. Connecticut, there's.

So many beautiful trails around here.

And then I really pair the hiking.

So like I said, I, I'm.

A clinical herbalist and I don't work
with patients so much anymore.

I did that for about a year.

I really love just making medicine.

I like, built an apothecary in my house.

And so I like have on my shelves
my tinctures and my dried herbs.

But so I like working my garden.

And then. Yeah, totally.

I would love to make some remedies.

Yeah, that'll be fun.

All right.

But so yeah,
I'm always, I'm always, like.

Concocting
and making some different things.

So that's
what are some that's interesting.

That's that's that's pretty cool.

So what are some of the things like where
do you think think tincture tinctures

or some of the tinctures you make like
what are some of remedies that people need

or that you need that
you make for yourself?

So I do a lot of like.

Heart centered and. Anxiety.

Plans. Yeah.

Right now
I'm working a lot with anesthesia.

So do you know he's up? She's.

Like, in the mint family,
or they're in the mint family.

Tall purple flowers.

Really, really nice. Soothing.
Almost like.

People who don't like licorice,
but they still like her.

She has somewhat. Of that licorice flavor.

Okay, I.

Apologize, I do call plant cheese, and.

She's.

But she is. He's so, So.

Yeah, but that's very.

Relaxing to the digestive system.

But also the nervous system.

And I work a lot with wild lettuce too,
and that's for, like,

pain relief
and also really relaxing before bed.

Okay.

And this is all like
I had the majority of my medicine

is like from around
like the total kit land from Branford.

Okay. Yeah.

So do you find do you like you
you said you grow your own a little bit.

Yeah.

And then do you find stuff

like when you're hiking,
do you look for things and you find stuff.

Yeah, yeah. Ramps are out right now.

The one cramps.

Okay. Nope.

Okay.

We, family for garlic, onion.

Oh, okay.

And they have, like, spinach, like leaves.

They're really, really beautiful. Right.

And you need to be mindful
to only take one leaf per plant or else.

You know, you can kill the plant.

Or you don't want to take the bulb
because then they won't come. Back.

Sure, but they, they.

Go in like these, like muddy areas.

So I've been trail running
and then I just like.

Harvest and use my hat,

I love it, grab it.

Just like.

Running and gnawing on on greens.

Leafy greens.

But then they make the best pesto.

Okay. Oh, right.

And then also when you think about
the time of year that we're in allium

plants, those bitters and those like,
more, astringent and garlicky

kind of herbs are going to be really good
for your digestion.

So it's like the transition into kapha
season.

Okay, so extra mucus, everyone's coughing,
everyone has the allergies.

Those plants are going to help.

Okay. Alleviate all of that extra I feel.

Like this is probably like a lost
like knowledge for a lot of people.

Like I'm sure that was very common I know.

Oh my gosh. Yeah.

Even to even. Two generations. Ago.

You know, speaking to an elder yesterday,
it's like my grandmother

used to make dandelion wine.

I was just going to ask you
about dandelions. Yeah, yeah.

It's like I'm. A big believer.

I'm like, yeah, the wildflower movement.

Like, we do not need sterile green yards.

There is no function or purpose to it
and is super harmful.

And so like, let the flowers grow, right?

Like I was I was late because I.

Was playing in my backyard

with my five best friend and neighbor
because for like there's.

Violets and dandelions and like,
you know, the fact that yes, maybe.

In a sense it's been lost,
but it's not, it's not forgotten.

Right?

Or maybe it's been forgotten, but
it's not lost however you want to put it.

But it's still here

and people are still like practicing
and carrying that wisdom and sharing it.

And yeah.

Have you thought about, like
taking people out on hikes and showing

them, you know, what's good, what's bad,
what it's used for, that kind of stuff?

Yeah, yeah.

I do want.

To find myself teaching a bit more
before getting more.

Comfortable public speaking.

Okay. That's then like,
are you doing good?

Yeah. You're.

Yeah.

I appreciate the reassurance,

but the one of the one on one
I'm, I'm a bit better with.

It's like,
put me in a room of people and I'm like,

hi. I'm scared.

Like, I don't even know my name.

I just start with that.

But I'm, I'm, I'm.

Growing into more comfortable
zones and that.

And so as I do, I think right.

It's just exposure therapy like you got to
do it in order to kind of overcome that.

And so, but once I start going on plants,
like I can't stop.

So I think that would.
Be a great place for me.

Yeah. I'll let you know when I do a plant
walk.

Yeah, definitely let me know
because I'll be there.

But that's very good
because I would love to kind of know more

because I'll be like, I'm like,
I wonder what that is. Like.

I'm not going to eat that.

But I wonder if I could kind of thing

because you don't
want to eat the wrong stuff.

Because it may be.
I mean, what's the danger of like

if somebody is trying

like a they read a book and they say, oh,
I think that's such and such whatever.

And they eat like, is there anything like
if somebody eats it, that's something.

I mean,
besides maybe getting a stomach ache.

Yeah. Most times. Right.

If you're just the tiniest bit
like you would be okay.

It would be like a stomach ache
or a headache or these reactions,

if you eat a large quantity,
then you need to be more concerned, right?

Like Lily of the Valley and ramps
are the two biggest, like the ones

that you need to be concerned about
because lily of the Valley is deadly.

And so that could that could kill you.

And,
you don't want to do. That, no doubt.

So I probably wouldn't be a no.

That would be a hard death,
I would think. Yeah.

I don't think it would.
Be like that. Pretty.

That's a pretty flower.

Okay. Flowers. A lot
prettier than the death that she.

But yeah, I would yeah, I would think so.

Yeah.

So you know the deadliest one. Yeah.

And you don't want to eat berries, right.

That you don't know
and like like elderflower.

Right. Do you know elderberry.

I've heard of it of course, but I can't
I couldn't pick it out.

Right. It grows.

It grows all. Around.

And the the. Flowers and the berries.

The berries. You can't. Eat raw.

You have to cook.
You need to put in water.

Or you could make a tincture out of them.
Okay. Right.

But you never want
to eat the actual fruit.

And then the flowers are fine.

But if you eat the bark or the leaves,
like you could get really

sick, like, you know,
so it's also knowing about the part.

So I do think it's wise, right?

If you don't know ask right
or do some research and I mean

there's a lot of information online and
I don't always think that it's correct.

Right. It like TikTok
I wouldn't learn from.

You know, I don't, you know, like.

Learn from someone who's really hands on
in the ground, like doing this, but,

and I'm grateful I've had a lot of really
fantastic teachers and,

and like.

They. Yeah.

So what's your title with that?

Like, what are you certified.

What's there on this certified
clinical herbalist clinical.

It sounds so professional. Yeah.

But I also like to just I'm I'm.

A community herbalist.

Okay?

I'm a lover of plants like that.

Yeah, I love it.

Maybe it kind of like a chaos gremlin.

What creature kind of feel.

Yeah. Okay, okay.

Chaos gremlin. Woodland creature.
That's cool.

Okay, maybe we cut that out. I.

No, no.

We'll keep that in.

Okay, I like it.

It's funny.

What?

Like, what are some of the things
you grow in your house?

Ooh, lots of camomile lemon balm.

I have patches of nettles now, which.

Is so. Exciting.

And b.

Balm, Saint John's war room.

Yeah.

Marshmallow.

And then I do like your marshmallow.

Marshmallow root, not marshmallow.

Yeah, like you're not going to get,
like, the pushy little dude.

So I would be really cool.
That would be cool.

Yeah.
The flowers are really soft and okay,

okay.

Marshmallow is really good
for your digestive.

I never heard of that plant
called marshmallow.

Althea.

Althea.

I forget the genus, but.

Yeah. Really tall.

Okay. Beautiful.

All right.

Well, lady.

I mean, of course.

No men, no men in the garden.

No. The fungi. Oh, the. Oh, okay.

That makes sense.

Which we have a really fantastic,
fungi cultivator.

Okay.
It's going to be joining us this year too.

Yeah. Oh, good.

City of Patrick is great. Oh, cool.

Okay. Yeah.

It does like majority cultivating.

In house but then also some foraging. Too.

And so yeah, that's probably
even more dangerous foraging for mushrooms

because that

I think I don't know, I'm just guessing
because mushrooms can be really bad

like the wrong ones. Yeah.

You're you're my.

When I lived in Finland,
he would always say that you could.

You could eat, you know.

One mushroom at least once.

You know, every mushroom at least once.

And but that would be like your last time

in the sense of, like,
if you ate it like you would.

You would say this in Finnish.

So I'm probably like butchering.

Yeah.
I don't ask me to say finished either.

But like,

it's funny.

Yeah. You could eat.

You could. Yeah, yeah you could try it,
you know.

Might not work out but you could try it
I suppose. Yeah. Yeah.

It's good.

Yeah. It's good to putting it.

I feel a bit more comfortable
with mushrooms I would take.

Yeah.

Like I harvest like lion's mane and black

trumpet and chanterelles
and chicken of the woods.

Head of the woods. But you're not.

Yeah. I'm not.

Cuckoo. And hedgehogs.

The like the animal with. The.

Mushroom. Hedgehogs.

They are the cutest little mushrooms.
Okay.

Yeah. Okay.

They love to be in, like,
the dark, damp forest.

Like up on top of a mountain somewhere.

And they're.

Just best.

Best mushroom grilled cheese
you will ever have.

I never had it, so it's good, though.

It's a staple part of my diet.

Because the ones you get in there just.

We get standard mushrooms
in the grocery store, right?

Like the regular ones,
like you can't really find like.

Oh, just like, yeah,
but like the White Bell, like.

Yeah. Yeah.

Those have no nutritional.
Yeah. There's nothing.

Value. Yeah. There's nothing
in there. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So what mushrooms can we find in the woods
here in Canada.

What I just listed of.

All of those. Really. Wow.

Along with who else.

I mean there's. Horse horseshoe.
But you're not going to eat a horseshoe.

That would be more
so for tinder bundles. Right.

So there's like a mushroom
that you can it's hollow.

And so you can actually put
some tinder in there and start a fire.

And it'll hold that for a while.

So if like you were lost in the forest
and you needed warmth.

Oh really was like, yeah, that's crazy.

Yeah, it's really cool.

There's so much there's so. Much to learn.

Totally, totally.

But those are just listed off lions. Man.

I find around here
I find chicken of the woods.

Pretty.

Cool. Chanties chanterelles.

They're awesome. Like,
could I find stuff in my backyard?

I mean, I see mushrooms in the grass
every once in a while.

I wouldn't, I mean.

Unless they're like puff balls
or, Morales.

I don't know if you've ever.
I haven't encountered a morrell.

And I won't eat one until I meet.

Meet them in the in the wilderness.

But people will buy morels right there
like this. Really?

They're like a delicacy, okay.

And they're going to be coming out
within the next couple of weeks.

This is their time of year.

So they. Like to grow. By tulip poplars.

Okay. Fun fact.

Do you cook mushrooms or can eat the rest.

Don't you. Tomorrow. Okay. Yeah.

But you one like your body
won't know what to do with them raw.

And you don't get all of the amino acids
and nutrition in them

unless they're cooked.

So the heat really helps
bring all of that out.

And then your body's like.
Okay, this is great.

Because there's people that say like,
you could you shouldn't cook anything.

You shoot everything raw
like those raw diet people.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I mean, I.

Guess like maybe carrots and like.

I mean, I eat a lot. Green
beans and stuff. Yeah. Yeah.

That's like my, my rage food, like, okay,
you know how some people are like,

I need a smoke. I'm like, I need a carrot.

That's like,

I could eat.

I don't have crunch.

You do the baby carrots or the full on.

No, the.

Full on, full.

On. Yeah.

Yeah. Carrot just like what's good.

Yeah. Yeah. Carrots are good. Yeah.

You time.

I get to the bottom
I'm like soothed. Okay.

All right, all right.

Any any dips or any like the hummus.

Straight up really.

You peel them or you just wash them.

I sometimes they don't even.

Wash down there. Are mountains.

How intense the anger.

Yeah, yeah I gotcha.

That's funny.

Jordan.

Hysterical. Oh.

It's too funny.

Oh, God.

So you grow.

You grow. No, you don't grow mushrooms.
You just grow.

No. But you. I do have logs.

I have Qatari and lions.

Man logs going on right now. Yeah.

And then some people will do the oyster

mushroom blocks, too,
which I'd really love to do at some point.

So do you do any vegetables
or anything like carrots or.

I do.

Because it's an expensive habit.

So yeah, it's easier to grow now.

And beets and lots of Swiss
chard and kale.

Okay. And, I do. Beans. Of potatoes, too.

It's gonna keep you busy. Like, that's,

I guess.

Yeah, yeah, I just do it. I just,
I just start a little,

like, flower garden in the backyard,
like last year.

Just annuals.

That's perfect,
because. I rent a little place.

It's near the. It's new.

I have no idea.
I can't remember anything I planted.

I have. There flowers.

There's a row, there's a rosebush.

Sort of like a creeping rosebush thing.

I don't know, it's called, but it's like
ground cover sort of rose bush thing,

and I it's something I really like.

It's it's purple and it grows really tall.
I put it right in the center.

I don't know what it's called either, but
it grows really tall and it's beautiful.

And then there's, like a butterfly bush

something or other
and then some other things I haven't.

I don't know what anything's called,

but I bought them and they were annuals
because I didn't want to do it every year.

Yeah. You're like, I don't.

This. Is a comment
I don't know, I kind of.

Like I was kind of like,
I'll do it this year.

But I was more excited, like,
what's going to happen next year?

Like after year goes by
and some things are starting to go and

but there's some things that just
there's nothing happening.

So I'm thinking
still might be a little bit early.

Yeah. Yeah.
I mean it's been a cold spring.

So definitely everything is just starting
come up and out and so.

Yeah, yeah.

Kind of see the butterfly bush
will probably come back.

That's starting.

I can see some some new stuff on that.

There's some catnip in there
that my father in law gave me.

Oh, nice.

So hopefully that'll come back.

It doesn't look like anyone else
I don't know.

Yeah. So we'll see.

It's it's a cool little spot.

And I made a little bench and
I just kind of hang out there sometimes.

Do you have any cats.

That come by to hang out with the catnip?

Not yet.

No, not yet, but my dog runs
through the garden and knocks things over.

Drives me nuts. But she's cool.

But I do have a new creature.

What do you call those things?

Are they moles or something?

Your moles.

Oh, like the ground.

Ground? Some.

Something's digging. Bugs.
I just noticed that the other day. Yeah.

These trails. Moles.

I love the little moles.

They're so cute.

Yeah, I.

Worked on a farm last year.

Like, it was really hard.

Yeah. Having to.

When you're, like, digging,
you find baby moles.

I mean, I don't. Not ideal for the crops.

I mean, they're not.
There's no vegetables.

You're not going to eat anything.

I don't think they're gonna eat
the roots of the plants and kill them.

No, I think they're just
hanging out down there.

But they kind of, you know.

You get to call it.

Home, I guess. Yeah.

So you supposed to, like.

What was that? Things are fallen for me.

Sorry.

Oh, you know,
if it falls over, there were.

Okay. Right?

It's like a spot on you or
me. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

No, I

mean, as long as I
don't really tear things up too much. No.

I mean, I don't.

Care when you can share.

The space. Yeah.

My mom is funny.

She's got this
like she's got some mice in her house.

Like a lot of people do.

They're in the basement and they hang out
and she's catching and she you know

she doesn't like you know they
she gets the traps and stuff.

And she I was talking to the other day,
she's like,

yeah, I don't like killing them anymore.

Like I think
I'm just not going to do anything.

I was like, okay, sweet. Well, I was.

Like, well, let's warm it up.
They'll probably go outside.

Yeah, yeah.

They'll go
on their little summer vacation.

That's like their winter home.

And I think it's important that.

We co exist you know.

So she's fine I mean I have cats.

So they definitely they just eat
the mice in my house.

I have I have a dog.

And I think last year she caught

at least two maybe three chipmunks.

I got inundated. With cherry little.

Chipmunks last year. They were in my car.

Cutest thing everywhere
but my dog would like.

She will not give up
until she gets a chipmunk.

She's on like she never going to get it.

Like I'm hanging out there like an hour.

She's like, she's sun. And.

She got it. I was like,
oh my God, you killed it.

You did it.

I'm so excited.

Yeah.

Yeah, she's a proper hunter.

Yeah. She's good.

Yeah.
Good on her. Yeah. She's super quick.

I've tried to catch chipmunks.

Not not to. Kill,
but just to like. Snuggle.

And they don't let me so.

Oh them that's. You know,
she should be proud.

You should be a proud dad.

Yeah. Yeah,
I am proud. Yeah, she's really good.

But I had to.

They were dead.

And I was like,

I don't think she wanted to eat it,
but she kind of like to play with.

I'm like, no, you're not.
I'm just going to throw it away.

It's not going to continue.
That's like, we're doin it.

We're doing it.

So I throw it in the woods
and then she'll she'll get another one.

They hang out in the woodpile or,

Yeah, I was at my

mom's, and then,
they hang out in my car.

They don't anymore.

I put, like, my mechanic told me to put,
like, dryer sheets, like, get dryer sheets

and and and, warm up like a water
dryer sheets, like downy or whatever.

What.

I'm up with the rubber band and like,
put them in your engine compartment.

Oh like near your battery.

Any place that then.
They don't nest in there.

So they won't nest. So anyway
so that's, that's been working.

But I start up my car and right away my
dog dizzy, she's looking around the car.

She's like, I'm like,
what are you looking for?

She's there.

She's she smells something. So a chipmunk

jumps off the car from the bottom
of the car and runs across a driveway.

She goes full tilt.

I the chipmunk goes running up a tree.

She's like.

She's barking at the Chipmunks.

Funniest thing.

Yeah, yeah yeah, yeah.

She knew it's crazy
that she could smell it through the downy.

Yeah yeah she's crazy.

Yeah she's good, she's good girl.

Excuse me. Coming.

So I feel about my boys. You know my cats.

How many. Two. Okay. Yeah.

What are their names.

Pepino and baby de la Sol.

Okay.

That's. And Sol.

I like to hear that
when you're out in the morning, the.

Are they.

They're outdoor
obviously. Right. You know.

Oh they're indoor. Yeah.

Because my brother
and I got them together.

We've like okay together for a bit
since the pandemic and Yeah.

So he wanted. To keep them indoors.

But I take. Them out
and I'm like playing in the garden.

Yeah.

They can just, like, frolic around,
but I have to squeeze on them.

They're it's too late.

Like,
they're too comfortable if they would not.

Survive.

As well. Days.

No one's 23 pounds, one's 8 pounds.

They eat the same food.

Different metabolism.

Rate, I. Guess. Yeah, yeah.

Okay.

Anyone's fighting for.
My 3 pound one puffs.

You would not make it. No.

The smaller
one catches more mice. Oh, interesting.

I mean, he's got the okay the speed.

Jumping because you'd be eating them
if he catches them it eat them.

So put on the weight.
But no, they do the same thing.

I don't think they know how to eat them
or they just like it's like a toy.

And I'm like, okay. Okay, this is we also.

We're going to put this mouse outside now.

No, my cat, my Wednesday,
I got my 30 years ago and I was in school.

This cat sort of hung out.

Me and my roommate at the time took her
in, called her Wednesday

because we found her on a Wednesday.

Except it's a good day. So.
And I kept her.

He moved on, left, moved out of state.

So I kept Wednesday and and,
he would sometimes she'd wake you

up in the middle of the night,
like chewing on a the bones of a mouse.

She was good.

She's great, Hunter,
but she would eat the whole thing.

Yeah, yeah.

I like that. Squirrels.
But no, when I lived in.

Costa Rica, that was like, I take up
to, like, the crunching under my bed.

Like, oh, good. Yeah.

I'd also wake up.

To, like, tarantulas. On my window.

And I was like, oh, I love them.
Yeah, yeah.

They're not harmful to animals.

No, no, no, I mean.

I wouldn't like, you know, mess with them,
but they're not going to kill you

or anything. Like that. Yeah.

All right. The scorpions.

Spiders. I'm not known to do snakes,
snakes and spiders.

I'm not a spider.

I don't, I like,
worked out in Nature Center for like,

a month in Costa Rica, and and,
It was a, like, a.

Butterfly garden.

And we had the scorpions and like, the
tarantulas and all these different ants.

And so I got to. Like, eat
all of these different bugs.

But we would, like, play this game.

You ate. Them. Yeah.

Okay. Yeah.

I went for a whole, like,
I was like, until.

I found out I'm allergic to crickets.

I was like, yes, I can be sustainable
with my protein source just being bugs

and like, stepping away from,
like, manufactured meat.

But then I ate a cricket
and I turned purple and got itchy.

And so I was like, well,
that dream died fast. But.

Good to know. Though.

Yeah. You don't.

Give me anything with. Crickets. Okay.

But so I,

the, the kids and I,
we would take the stick and.

We'd put it
and we'd put a scorpion on the stick

and we would just kind of see,
it was like the game of chicken.

Like who would like the scorpion?

Kind of like. Go.

On their.

Face and it would just like,
walk back and forth.

It was a really.

Yeah, yeah.

Interesting group of people. Right.

Like we were all there. Like,
we love bugs.

Like we love insects.

So, you know,
it was getting out of your comfort zone.

But I guess I don't. Get that giving us
that.

People feel when they see like a spider.

Yeah.

Well, we're in like a.

Centipede or coach freak.

Is a different place
because they live outside, basically.

Yeah, yeah, you have to.

You have to. Somewhat like, just. Accept.

That they're going to be everywhere.
Yes they are.

They are. Everywhere,
you know, everywhere.

And they're a lot bigger than here.
Definitely.

Yeah, yeah.

Oh. So did you see the leaf cutter ants
when you were there?

I don't think. So.

So they're like the they go.

And they take the leaves and they,
they bring them down to the, to the hive

and they have like warriors on
like workers and like guards.

And so there's all these different roles
and they look a little bit different.

But the ones that are kind of

like the warriors protecting
the ones that are collecting the leaves,

they have these giant mouths
like these pinchers.

And so the indigenous people
would use that to like, like

when you get need stitches, you would,
they would use the, the ants to.

To close up
the really wounds. That's cool.

But like burn it. Close so that.

Yeah. Yeah.

But they. Also are really delicious. Okay.

Yeah. To eat.

Do eat.

How do you eat. How do you eat them.

Do you like kill them.

Chocolate.

Do you kill them first or you just. Yeah.

Okay. Yeah.

I don't like bugs.

I've eaten alive. Or termites.

Okay.

It tastes like black pepper.

Okay, but we eat like how big?

How big is a termite?

They're tiny.

Okay. Yeah, yeah,
they're like the size of black pepper.

You just, like, go over the line
where they're walking and then.

And you just like ants eat them.

Okay. There's no like do they.

You just swarm right away.

Yeah.

Yeah I'm just it's like now seasoning.

Is that like nutritional.
That is like protein.

And they're like probably okay.

Yeah okay.

Was more
so just like oh I want to try this.

I don't do too much research into it
afterwards.

Are there bugs you can eat.

Oh I mean for you.

You can eat crickets. Yeah I'm sure. Like.

Yeah I mean.

But there's lots that.

You can.
I think crickets are the most common.

But then from what I understand,
if you go to Asia, right,

there's like there's these markets
where right are farmers market,

you find produce and cheese and,
and flowers and you go to some markets

and you find like bugs and scorpions
and fish and.

It's.

A different world.

Yeah.

Totally different world. Right?

I mean, have you traveled? I've.

You seem like someone that's.

Exploring different.

Cultures.

Or like, I'm getting there, but, yeah,
Costa Rica was probably the most different

place I've been.

Okay, like.

Than where we live here.

Like, I went to a little island called
back way, way down in the West Indies.

That's a little bit more touristy,
you know.

So it's not, but it's and it's not like
Costa Rica, but it is. It's an island.

It's a Caribbean type
island. And climate's beautiful.

And we'd walk on the beach
and there's a guy selling coconut water.

And so we get our colors.

Best thing ever. Like fresh coconut water.

That's the best.

But there was a lot of,
like, hotels and stuff.

So there wasn't a lot of like a spa.

Costa Rica, even on the beach, you know?

I mean, I never went into the jungle.
That's something I still want to do.

I want to go back and, like,
explore the interior of the country.

Yeah.

If you, if next year I've for.

The past three years
I've gone on this trip,

this trip called Eco Tours for cures.

And it's with a group of nature paths.

And we go and camp out with the Bushmen
and Jamaica.

Okay.

And that's just for, like, six days.

Yeah. Five nights, six days.

And it's really. It's great.

You're just in the elements, like,
you're really, like, living off grid.

And you get to know the medicine around
you, the food around you, and you know.

You, you live.

Like a proper Rasta, like a true Rasta.

That's wild. Yeah. That's so.

Yeah. I haven't gone camping in a while.

I almost went and, last year
I went to a off grid cabin in Maine.

Oh, nice.

Which was. Which is cool.
It was. It was amazing.

There was no lake.

They had solar
and there was no running water.

They had like, a little jug of water
for drinking water with a pump,

but no, like electricity
or anything like that.

And they had a
wood stove and a fire pit and

it was warm.

I didn't need the wood stove,
but you just hang out

and it's in the like in the woods.

There's nobody around.
Is little stream in the back.

So me and the dog would just
she go explore and I'd hang out.

And that's nourishing. Yeah, it was great.
Yeah, yeah.

The only drawback was,
so since there's no running water,

there's no bathroom, there's no shower,
but I didn't really care.

And there was no outhouse.

There was a there was a porta potty.

So I'm like,
I want to write them a letter.

Like, you know what?

I love your place, but you're like,
you should build like a proper,

like, outhouse thing and and not do the,
like, full on green.

Yeah. For the potty.

It just sort of takes away
from. The, the whole. Experience.

But other than that,
I mean, it was amazing. It was quiet.

It was just. Yeah, you just hang out.

There's nobody you can't see anybody.

Yeah. Just with yourself.

Yeah. It was nice. And then. Yeah.
So there's.

Yeah no phone I mean I had cell service
but yeah I tried to put that away.

And yeah to turn that. Off and just like.

Fully be where you are.

Yeah. Yeah. It's like such a gift.

I feel like everyone should do that
at least once a year.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

Right.

Doesn't need to be for a super long time,
but just enough to like

there's so much stimulus all the time.

Right. So it's like

sometimes we need to just step away
because that's not going to stop.

Yeah. Right. Like this.

This is always going to keep going.
This reality is so.

You know I forget who said it.

I was scrolling
through talking about phones,

scrolling through,
looking at you know, just passing time.

And somebody said, like,
there's a problem.

Like, kids aren't bored anymore, right?

There's
because they always have something to do.

Like, I remember as a kid, like,
you just there's, you know, there's like,

nothing on TV.

And you just you just sit there or
you go find a friend or you hang out. But.

So it's kind of nice.

It's important even for adults
to just just to sit and be bored

and like, just look out the window
and just not do anything.

Yeah, don't watch TV, don't read.

Don't you know, I mean,
if you fall asleep, that's one thing.

But don't try to,
you know, just just lie there.

So I, I do that.

It's nice if I'm feeling sort of like
I just need to disconnect.

There's just.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And I feel really grateful.

I feel like the people that.

I am surrounded by, like my chosen family,
we do.

Just get. Together
and we just sit by the water.

Like last night,
a group of us built a fire on the beach.

We just watched the water
and one of our friends guided us through,

like, a meditation. Yeah.

And we just sat there and it was like
conscious conversations, you know, like

we're not just speaking to just speak,
but really being intentional.

And there, there can just be that,
like filling that empty space

where it's actually it's really nice
when you can just kind of

like, it's not a bad thing to feel bored.

You know.

It's not a bad thing
to feel uncomfortable.

It's like just.

Welcomed that because that's part.

Of the experience, you know?

So it's like rather than trying to take it
away.

Yeah. It's nice to be bored.

I mean especially if you think about
like what could I be doing.

And there's nothing like okay.

Well no I don't really there's nothing
pending that I'm taken care of.

So I'm just going
to sit here for a little bit.

I'm going to just like not do anything.

Yeah. In my own. Yeah. Yeah.

That's like.

Oh, God, I can't wait.

When, like, finally, like,
these past couple of days been good.

Yeah. The past Monday. Felt.

Like the first proper.

Day of spring.

And I just was like.

Yeah. So good.

So I'll just soak it up. Potter mode.

Just like I love it.

Yeah. Like before you got here
this morning, I was just putting around.

I was getting some work done.

I set this place up and I'm like,
I'm just.

I looked out window. My.

It's like sunny.

So I just,
I was standing on the parking lot

and just soaking up some sun, just like,

you know, trying to take some breaths
and watch people drive by

and hang out and find it's
nice and go out there in a t shirt and.

Yeah.

Just sort of,
you know, get some sun over, isn't it?

It's totally nice. No, it's a good shift.

It's a needed. Yeah.

Absolutely. It's winter's been long.

So has. Been.

Which I'm grateful for the winter.

And then.

Yeah, to a certain extent I'm like,
okay. Yeah.

Thank you.

But the climate down in Central America,
that part is so suits me so well.

Oh yeah. It's 80.

Well now it's like 90.

But when I'm,

when I go down in the winter, our winter
it's like 80 degrees 85 degrees.

It's sun.

The humidity is like people ask
if it's like is it humid?

I'm like, I don't know. Not for me.

It's like for me the humidity is perfect.

It's a different kind of humidity
than Connecticut, right?

Like New England,
humidity is like I can't breathe.

Humidity where Costa Rica is just like,
oh, your pores are going to be open.

You're going to be glowing like.

Yeah, just.

Drink some, like coconut water
and you're like, you're.

Good to go.

Yeah, yeah. It's like. Reviving. Yeah.

But you there it is.

It's nice. I'd find
I'd always find shelter. Right.

So I find like you walk down
the beach is always like trees and bushes

and whatever.
So you can go in and find shelter.

So I said, you know, in a
you'd still be under there.

And I'm like, I could feel my skin, like,
still hot, like you're

sitting in the sun,
but there's no sun on me.

So hot. But it's so soothing.

Yeah.

No, that's I like that climate. Yeah.

It's so good.

Where I was, I was like.

Up in the mountains more.

And so it. Was like 50, 50,
like it would be.

Raining most of the times,
like the rainforest proper.

And so, but I love it.

I love warm rain, like, out on a hike
and it's like you're in the beating sun,

and then all of a sudden

this, like, nonstop downpour comes
and it's like you get to just,

like, run through and you're like, yeah,
it's like you just went swimming like.

Yeah. Exactly.

Yeah. It's that warm rain
and then it stops and it's still warm.

Yeah. Yeah yeah yeah. It's not that cold.

Rain. Cold rain. It's not good. Yeah.

Yeah I mean I see people cold water,
I see people on the beach like in

the winter like going swimming and,
and I'm like okay, maybe I could do that

like go in cold water like that,
but then I need to get out

and it needs to be 85 degrees
when I get out of the water.

Yeah, I can't get out of the water
and still be 35 degrees.

Know what my
what my friends and I did for New Years?

We did this last year.

We did this this year.

We built a sauna on the beach.

And so we got it up to like. 95.
This year.

Last year we got it up at like to like 115
because we had the fire going all night.

So we had these hot stones
and we did like a tent like this.

Like,

I don't know I guess like fire resistant
plastic tent that my friend Marcelo got.

And so we have this going and then
we went in the water and I was in there.

For two minutes and then got.

My friend who was holding my hand.

She's like a birth doula.

And so.

She was like guiding me.

Through like my breath because I was like,
I can't do this.

It's like it's cold. It's shocking.

Yeah. Like, it really feels like.

The pins and needles. Yeah.

They're your. Body.
I don't know how people do that every day.

It like there's people that just wake up
and they're like.

And they go, they're plunging or whatever.
And I'm like.

It's supposed to be very good for. You.
But yeah.

I'm not into it.

Yeah. I feel like we do what you could
do. Coach the.

Discomfort I'm like I'm not sitting with.

That discomfort okay I'll do it.

Like will
you do cold shower. I'm like. No.

No I'm not doing that either.

I'm really I'm okay.

Me all right.

I'll find health and other ways.

Thank you very much.

I'll drink my mushroom coffee.

Yeah.

And sit in the sun.

Yeah, I like my
I like I. Like my hot showers. We do?

Yes. Yeah. They're very nice.

I'm like, I'll do it for like,
literally like half a second.

And I'm like, good job.

Yeah that's a good job.

Yeah yeah yeah.

In the morning. Like,

you know, getting ready
like splashing water on my face, I'm like,

oh I'm going to wait for that water
to warm up a little bit

before I, before I splash
water on my face, you know,

just like sometimes it's a little, it's
nice cold, but.

Yeah, the cold shower.

Whole cold shower thing.

Yeah. I don't, I mean I did, I have yeah.

But I just know. Yeah.

Like I'll,
yeah I'll be healthy in other ways.

Yeah I'll do that.

I'll drink my salad. You do.

Yeah. Celery juice and. Yeah.

I do do mushroom supplements

I mean do those,
I do turkey tail and reishi alcohol.

Yeah. Yeah.

When I first started doing them
because like a detox thing.

Right.

Yeah. Great for your immune system.

Yeah.

So I first started and I'm like,
my guys stink.

Like, I smell so bad.

I think I was just, like, pushing
all the toxins out, like it was awful.

I was like, oh, my God.

But then it evens out.

And you got to do that kind of stuff
when we're. In quarantine.

Yeah, maybe. Yeah. Yeah. No.
Like she's just.

You know,
I couldn't like, control, man. Yeah.

Go to man.
Go in the. Woods for, like two weeks.

Yeah.

I think it lasted like two weeks.

It was funny,

but it's good.

And I start drinking that, like,
rye stuff.

Not every day, but it's kind of nice,
like late in the afternoon

if I want a little coffee,
but I don't want to drink like coffee,

like, yeah, late in the afternoon,
I'll have some of that.

And it's, it's
kind of nice because it's warm.

I tell people like, how does it taste?

I'm like, well, it doesn't taste good,
but it doesn't taste bad either.

Like, it's just weird.

Like,
I sort of like to describe it like like

like Swiss Miss,
you know, Swiss Miss Chocolate like that.

It's like that, but just not chocolaty.

I describe it and then I'm like, I'm good.

Yeah.

That's what we were like. Like,
no thanks, I'm good. I don't want it.

I'll take a cold shower.

Yeah, yeah, I'll be outside.

But I don't know how to describe
the flavor of it.

It's weird, but I mean, it's
like it's not bad, but it's nice.

It's kind of warm
and it's sort of very neutral flavor.

And I like it. On ice.

Like with cold. Milk and ice.

And then I'll shake that up,

but like a little bit of maple sirup
or a little bit of like vanilla extract.

Yeah. Like. Oh yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Like maybe like I do stuff
add some flavor that.

Yeah. Yeah. Maple, maple maple sirup.

That might be good.

Yeah. I'm a fan. Yeah. So be good.

There's a place, there's a convent.

And is it Guilford, North Branford,
somewhere around here.

They do what?

They they have trees,
so they get their own maple sirup,

and they send it off somewhere local to,
you know, boil it down, whatever.

And then they sell it in a little gift
shop.

Oh, sweet.

Yeah. I wonder I have to get you that,
I can't remember.

It's either I think it's Guilford,
maybe North Guilford.

This convent just.

Taking over by Holy of. Right.

Where the water. Supply is like.

That. Branford, East Haven line.

And they had just a bunch of those lines
going off the maple trees.

They were a topic, not something that I.

Really want to. Learn more.

I want to learn how to do.

Yeah.

On Friday nights, I've been milking goats.

And so I'll go and do that tonight
over at Olympia Farms in Guilford.

And yeah. So like, I'm like.

I was just talking to somebody
about goat milk.

It's really, it's it's a lot easier.

Okay. Digestive system. Okay.

Also, goats are just so cute.

So the.

Opportunity
to spend some time with them. Is.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, really really nice.

I should try some goat milk
because I like milk.

I like whole milk. I like drinking milk.

I'm talking to a colleague of mine, and,
he met this woman.

Whatever few years ago,
and they're getting know each other,

and, I don't think she didn't
grow up in Connecticut around here.

And so she he's telling me that they're
they're having this conversation.

He's like, she says, like the people
in, like, Connecticut.

It's like they grew up on, like, apples
and milk. I'm like, yeah, pretty much.

That's a great description.

Yeah. That's exactly.

Yeah. A lot of apples, a lot of milk.

I do eat apples and drink milk every day.

Yeah. Now that you say that, not funny.

Like she nailed it.

I was like, yeah, that's

that's pretty good.

Apples and milk.

Milk. Yeah.

Well,
there was a lot of apple orchards, right.

Like even prior to bishops,
really kind of.

Claiming the majority of that
or Lyman's like, I think there was a lot

more of the small scale farms
or like home owners.

Right.

When everyone was just kind
of growing their own food.

Right.

I'm actually I'm taking an. Apple.

Tree growing class. And my.

I'm going to a farm. It's
not like it's like. A workshop kind of.

Thing. And I get to come home.

Or bring home like an apple. Tree.
Oh, nice.

So, yeah, maybe I'll have my own apples
and then I'll have a go.

Yeah. All right.
Hopefully that'll be good.

But go back and got milk and apples.

Yeah.

Well, there's something like for me,

like I just have this interest
to learn these practices,

right, that create a sense of self
versus self-sustainability and like not.

Being reliant on the system and like,
I do appreciate the convenience of Trader.

Joe's or like the grocery.

Store and all of these pleasures.

But to know. That, like, I can be totally.

Fine and self-sustained without them, it's
just.

Like.

It's I think everyone should feel
that kind of freedom, you know?

And like.

These are.

Practices and trades that like just two
generations, three generations ago.

Like. Was very common.

Everyone was growing their own food and
they were bartering with their neighbors.

And like,
there's just these relationships.

And it's really exciting to see that

we're kind of moving that direction again,
you know?

And that was also part
of what I envisioned with the farmers

market, too, is like the vendors
get to collaborate, right?

They get to support one
another too, you know, and so,

I think
we just are on this movement of away

from these bigger systems
and really coming and honing in on

who is here, right,
who are we in relationship with.

And that's just not it's
not just of the human realm either.

Right?

It's like the animals, it's
the plants, it's the soil.

It's the mycelium.

It's all of these beings
that are like here for us to support us.

It's the insects. Too. Right.

And so I guess I just wanted to say,
like with all of what we just spoke about,

I feel like there's still this
honing in on, like, who is around us

and how do we relate to these practices
and to these ways.

And I just, like, have such a deep

love and appreciation of that, you know.

I love it. Yeah. No. And then you can

you're another person.

I could pass that along
to another generation that's coming up

because I think there are my son included,

my older son, he.

Yeah, he wants to, like, live off grid.

He wants to learn
how to be self-sufficient.

I think it's not just him.

I think there's a lot of younger people
growing up now.

They're sort of tired of,
like, the having to rely on a store

and a this and a that.

They want to be their own person
and do it for themselves.

And I see, I see that a lot. And yeah,
I think that's wonderful.

Yeah, that's really, really good.

Less than the rest of the hands
on chemicals.

They don't do things themselves.
Build them, grow them.

Then I think that's that's good stuff.

That's the right direction. Yeah. Yeah.

It would be really cool to,

to see like school systems
incorporating more agriculture more into.

Exactly. Yeah.

Like I'm seeing schools
building new playgrounds with more plastic

and I'm like Wouldn't it be nice to be.

Yeah.

Building like garden beds
and like kids can go out and like.

Grow.

Food or just learn about it

or get their hands on the soil
or just like lay in a field of red clover.

I don't know, you know, but like,
just kind of these small shifts

that are going to make really big changes.

Yeah, I think it's important.
And not just that.

Also like how to like fix things, how to,
you know, carpentry skills and metal

skills, all those skills that you may need
someday if you, you know when.

Because life has all sorts of things.

You run into. Right.

And those people are around us too. Yeah.

You know, like I'm going to go and bother.

Your neighbor after this.

Rob, he's right next door.

He's my neighbor. And Stony Creek, okay?

He does woodwork
and he's going to help me build a garden.

Stand has.

So I didn't know he was here.

But, like, is he. He's in the building
next door.

Yeah. Yeah, he's right over there.
He just. He just moved in.

He moved his wood carving wood workshop.

From.

The garage to here.

I guess. He's been in the process.
For a couple of weeks.

I have to introduce me.

Yeah, we came over after that.
Because I love. That. Yeah.

So this dog alley, really sweet guy.

Oh, good. Good, good.

Yeah, I love that. So.

But yeah, like woodwork and metal work

and all of these things
like primitive skills gatherings.

Yeah. Oh my gosh.

Yeah, yeah. You have to take me for a hike
and show me, like, what leaves.

I can eat and.

Yeah, stuff,
I totally we can be like deer.

Yeah. And just, like, pretend. Yeah.

I love to go out in the forest.

And pretend I'm like a bear. Like a deer.

I love it, I love it.

I think if you're into that.

It's all good.

Really, I love it.

I mean. Let's go.

It's like healing through play.

Yeah. Like that is. That is the vibe.

Oh, it's just like,
how do we move through life playing.

Yeah.

You know, or like being playful
or being playful or is that energy.

Yeah. Yeah absolutely.

I love it.

No. That's how we're going to end it.

Yeah. Clara thank you.

Yeah. This is, this is.

And we're not going to cut anything.
No. Everything's staying in.

Oh wow.

All right okay.

Even even my ninja move.

You really need to move. Yes of course.

That's. Yeah.

That's going to be the teaser to.

Thank you so much.

It's been it's been great
speaking with you.

Thank you for coming by.

And and, Oh, before we wrap up, yeah,
just, details about the farmers market.

Let's get that out there real quick.

Yeah. May 18th, we are.

Opening up.

Every Sunday and to to Bayview Park.

Bring a friend, bring your.

Baskets. Ride a bike.

I don't know, there's so.

Many ways that you can get to the creek,
but you.

Have Instagram. Instagram?

Yeah, at Stoney Creek Farmers Market.

And then we are launching our website.

Oh, right. On May 1st. So. Right. Yeah.
You will.

Find information on our Instagram page.

Of that website to. Love it.

That's it there. Thank you.

Thank you. Cool. Thanks everybody.