Keeping It Green

Mar 05 2025 44 ep. 48 mins 2
Keeping It Green Podcast artwork

Our landscapes have many functions; they add beauty to our surroundings, provide a place to recreate, reduce stress, and clean and cool the surrounding environment. They also provide pollen and nectar for pollinators and provide habitat for birds. Keeping It Green is a weekly podcast in which Penn State extension educators talk with ornamental plant professionals and enthusiasts who add beauty and function to our landscapes. Topics will range from design, installation and maintenance, plant selection, pests, and other current horticulture topics.

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Season 3 Episode 3 - Kelly Piccioni

Mar 05 2025 44 mins  
Join the Keeping It Green team as they sit down with one of Penn State Extension’s newest hires, Kelly Piccioni. Kelly shares her family's deep-rooted history in horticulture, starting with her great-grandfather, who bought Christmas trees by the railcar and sold them during the Great Depression—eventually leading the family into nursery production. A graduate of Delaware Valle

Season 3 Episode 2 –with Patricia Prade, Penn State Extension Educator

Feb 27 2025 41 mins  
Join the Keeping It Green team as they chat with one of Penn State Extension’s newest hires, Patricia Prade. She studied forestry within the Brazilian university system with no interest in insects—until something changed. We'll explore what sparked her newfound fascination, her research on the invasive Brazilian pepper tree in Florida, and the role of classical biological contr

Season 3 Episode 1 –with Tom Bechtel, owner and CEO of Heritage Lawn and Landscape

Dec 09 2024 47 mins  
Join the Keeping It Green team as they chat with Tom Bechtel, owner and CEO of Heritage Lawn and Landscape. Tom shares insights into the wide range of services his company provides across three counties in south-central Pennsylvania. He also delves into his strategies for building a strong workforce, focusing on employee retention through education and empowerment. Plus, discover h

Season 2 Episode 11: with Alyssa Hagerman, horticultural manager at Hershey Gardens

Oct 04 2024 47 mins  
Join us as Alyssa shares her journey in horticulture, which began with childhood greenhouse visits alongside her great-grandmother. In this episode, she talks about how her passion blossomed through school, eventually leading her to study horticulture at Penn College. Alyssa's career took root at Hershey Gardens, where she started as the Children’s Garden caretaker and, over 15 y

Season 2 Episode 10: with Andrew Bunting, Vice President of Horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Association

Aug 19 2024 46 mins  
In this episode, we chat with Andrew Bunting, vice president of Horticulture at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS). Andrew discusses the history of PHS and its four main priorities: creating healthy living environments, increasing access to fresh food, expanding economic opportunity, and building meaningful social connections. He also reviews some of their major programs,

Season 2 Episode 9: Jennifer Shaffer, Director of the Organic Land Care Program at the Northeast Organic Farming Association

Jun 18 2024 47 mins  
In this episode, we sit down with Jennifer Shaffer, Director of the Organic Land Care Program at the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA). Jennifer discusses how NOFA's mission of sustainable farming extends to their Organic Land Care Program, which aims to bring organic farming principles to landscapes. This program is designed for landscaping professionals and offers the

Season 2 Episode 8: Emelie Swackhamer, Penn State Extension Horticulturist

Jun 07 2024 48 mins  
Join the Keeping It Green podcast as they explore the role of a generalist in horticulture education with Penn State extension horticulturist Emelie Swackhamer. For decades, Emelie has been helping farmers, growers, homeowners, and landscapers with plant issues. In this episode, she shares her expertise on problems like the spotted lanternfly and delves into the challenges facing o

Season 2 Episode 7: What's happening around PA?

Apr 29 2024 48 mins  
Weeks of rain and several days of warm weather have sparked an array of color and growth in Pennsylvania's landscapes. On the latest episode of The Green Industry podcast, our team examines the changes in plant and insect life occurring statewide. We delve into the prevalence of invasive species and wonder if there is connection between the uptick in 'mulch volcanoes' and social me

Season 2 Episode 6: Christine Williams, Owner of Little Swatara Creek Flowers

Apr 16 2024 53 mins  
Little Swatara Creek Flowers was born when Christine Williams decided to grow the flowers for her daughter's wedding on their family farm. This choice led to a shift, with cut flowers gradually taking over parts of the land traditionally dedicated to livestock and crops. Join us as we dive into how this business came to life, highlighting the importance of soil health and the knowl

Season 2 Episode 5: Michelle Catania, Morton Arboretum’s Green Industry Outreach Coordinator

Apr 08 2024 46 mins  
The Green Industry podcast team jumps into mid-west horticulture with Michelle Catania, the Green Industry Outreach Coordinator at Morton Arboretum. This interview offers a journey through time, exploring the legacy of the Morton family, pivotal in the inception of Arbor Day and the establishment of the sprawling 1800-acre Morton Arboretum. The interview extends beyond the Morton f