Deep Roots Radio

Katrina Rodabaugh - Slow Fashion movement through making, thrifting and mending

Connecting the dots between what we wear and environmental impact creates a scary picture. According to the EPA, billions of pounds of textiles ends up in landfills every year. Why? One of the reasons may be our culture's habit of hoping from one fashion trend to another every few weeks. That's Fast Fashion. Lots of people in the industry, and in your neighborhood, have taken note and are taking action in a movement called Slow Fashion. It encourages us to purchase better-made clothes, and learn to mend the jeans, blouses, and jackets we really like. This Deep Roots Radio interview features Katrina Rodabaugh, author of Mending Matters, and of Make Thrift Mend. She teaches classes and offers a number of products. You can learn more from her website, www.katrinarodabaugh.com [https://www.katrinarodabaugh.com] Sylvia Burgos Toftness [sylvia@bullbrookkeep.com]

May 9th River Rd Farm Crawl, Osceola WI

The day's are bright, the air fresh - perfect time to visit a nearby farm and learn about how our food is grown, how livestock are raised, and taste delicious local food. The 2026 farm visiting season kicks off with the May 9 River Road Farm Crawl in Osceola, Wisconsin. Visit their Facebook page for details -@River Road Community Collaborative - an interactive map, and descriptions of loads of family fun. Enjoy this Deep Roots Radio chat with Sara Hasse, the organizer of the 6th Annual event. Sylvia Burgos Toftness

Curlee Acres naturally-colored yarn from Shetland Sheep

When March hits, Wisconsin can be a roller-coaster of temperature and snow - nasty. Yet this is the time of year when new lambs decide to baaa their way into the world. At Curlee Acres [https://www.curleeacres.com], a small sheep farm near Centuria (north central Wisconsin), sheep herder/yarn producer Andrea Seifert is hoping for black lambs this year. It's a matter of minding the genetics of her Shetland flock, and some luck, said Andrea. In this Deep Roots Radio interview, Andrea describes what it takes to get from fleece to naturally colored skeins of yarn. Check out her website for her yarn, fleeces, and knitting patterns. I hope you enjoy this interview. Sylvia [sylvia@bullbrookkeep.com]

Z-Orchard - the cold and warm of making maple syrup in Wisconsin

When you think "maple syrup" what comes to mind? Vermont? Canada? Nah, think Wisconsin. Z-Orchard [https://www.Z-Orchard.com] in Amery, WI was recently featured in a syrupy article in the New York Times [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/16/travel/maple-syrup-weekends-northeast-midwest-quebec.html], and the recognition is well deserved. Z-Orchard's syrup is pure and delicious. In this Deep Roots Radio chat, Z-Orchard owner and beekeeper Bill Zager describes the steps involved in going from tree sap to maple syrup. Enjoy. Sylvia

Wisconsin lavender farm invites you to color, fragrance, flavor and health.

Many travel to France for the annual display of lavender: fields of purples ranging from dusky to intense. Luckily for us in the Upper Midwest, we need go no further than Kiel, Wisconsin to drink in the site and fragrance of acres of lavender at Country Lavender & Orchard [https://www.countrylavenderandorchard.com]. In this Deep Roots Radio chat, Sandy Buchholz describes how she and husband John tripped from farming into the cultivation of this amazing flower and herb. Enjoy the interview, and make plans to visit this lavender farm! Sylvia