Phill Hanson: Confessions of a Special Forces Sergeant Major

Terrye Jacobs: Downtown Hendersonville in Full Bloom

Drop us a line. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2525947/fan_mail/new] Each spring, Hendersonville, NC's Main Street blossoms into a flowery wonderland during Garden Jubilee — one of the largest gardening shows in Western North Carolina and one of the biggest annual events in the city. Nick sits down with local celebrity and tomato extraordinaire Terrye Jacobs to talk about the grandeur of Garden Jubilee, what it takes to organize the event that draws such massive crowds, and what motivates her to help promote the downtown she loves. Garden Jubilee returns to Hendersonville on May 23 and 24 during Memorial Day weekend. Admission is free. For more information, visit hendersonvillenc.gov/events/garden-jubilee.  The Henderson County Chamber of Commerce is a proud presenting partner of the Apple Festival Races which will be held on Saturday, September 5, 2026. The event is presented by Hunter Subaru, with support from Lassonde Pappas, Cummins, and Mountain Credit Union. This event has something for runners of every level with an 8K, 5K, and Chick-fil-A Mini Moo Mile. To register, visit https://raceroster.com/events/2026/111853/apple-festival-races.  Support the show [https://buymeacoffee.com/kudzuproject] The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency [https://luceyagency.com/] in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com [https://kudzuproject.com/], or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject [https://www.instagram.com/kudzuproject].

Phill Hanson: Confessions of a Special Forces Sergeant Major

Drop us a line. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2525947/fan_mail/new] Phill Hanson has lived a life most people only read about. A retired U.S. Army Special Forces sergeant major, he spent decades operating at the highest levels of military and national security — from Southeast Asia to Central America, to some of the most clandestine missions in American history. In short, Phill has seen some s---. In this episode of the Kudzu Project, we sit down with SGM Hanson to hear firsthand stories from a career that included early involvement with Delta Force, participation in Operation Eagle Claw during the Iran hostage crisis, and years of experience in counterterrorism and special ops. While you won't need a top secret clearance to listen to this episode, you will need an open mind and a sense of awe.  The Henderson County Chamber of Commerce is a proud presenting partner of the Apple Festival Races which will be held on Saturday, September 5, 2026. The event is presented by Hunter Subaru, with support from Lassonde Pappas, Cummins, and Mountain Credit Union. This event has something for runners of every level with an 8K, 5K, and Chick-fil-A Mini Moo Mile. To register, visit https://raceroster.com/events/2026/111853/apple-festival-races.  The Kudzu Project [https://kudzuproject.com/] is powered by the Lucey Agency [https://luceyagency.com/], a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC. Support the show [https://buymeacoffee.com/kudzuproject] The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency [https://luceyagency.com/] in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com [https://kudzuproject.com/], or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject [https://www.instagram.com/kudzuproject].

Live, Laugh, Lucey: Lessons from My 94-Year-Old Dad

Drop us a line. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2525947/fan_mail/new] It's not every day you get to interview your own father on your podcast. So when my dad, William Lucey, came to visit us in Hendersonville recently, I didn't want to squander the opportunity to capture his story — and his voice — on tape. At 94 years old, he's lived a life marked by loss, hard work, and success. After losing both of his parents by age 11, he was, for all intents and purposes, on his own until he joined the Army, met his wife (my mother), and started a family. This episode is a very special one for me, though it's just a simple conversation between a father and son ... which I'd like to dedicate to my late mother. I'm grateful for both of them, and to you for taking the time to listen along.  The Henderson County Chamber of Commerce is a proud presenting partner of the Apple Festival Races which will be held on Saturday, September 5, 2026. The event is presented by Hunter Subaru, with support from Lassonde Pappas, Cummins, and Mountain Credit Union. This event has something for runners of every level with an 8K, 5K, and Chick-fil-A Mini Moo Mile. To register, visit https://raceroster.com/events/2026/111853/apple-festival-races.  The Kudzu Project [https://kudzuproject.com/] is powered by the Lucey Agency [https://luceyagency.com/], a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC. Support the show [https://buymeacoffee.com/kudzuproject] The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency [https://luceyagency.com/] in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com [https://kudzuproject.com/], or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject [https://www.instagram.com/kudzuproject].

The Apple of Their Stepdad's Eye: The Story of Holt Orchards

Drop us a line. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2525947/fan_mail/new] There's no such thing as sibling rivalry at Holt Orchards [https://www.holtorchards.com/] in Flat Rock, North Carolina ... just a whole lot of teamwork and family pride. Brother-and-sister duo Tracy Cavagnaro and Todd Kirmss are carrying on their stepfather’s legacy, working to maintain the 45-acre apple farm he built from the ground up. In this episode, they share how fate brought them from Long Island to Western North Carolina, and how they stepped in to keep Markie Holt’s dream alive after his passing. We talk about learning farming from scratch, the realities of running a small orchard in a changing industry, and why local food, and the stories behind it, matter now more than ever. The Henderson County Chamber of Commerce is a proud presenting partner of the Apple Festival Races which will be held on Saturday, September 5, 2026. The event is presented by Hunter Subaru, with support from Lassonde Pappas, Cummins, and Mountain Credit Union. This event has something for runners of every level with an 8K, 5K, and Chick-fil-A Mini Moo Mile. To register, visit https://raceroster.com/events/2026/111853/apple-festival-races.  The Kudzu Project [https://kudzuproject.com/] is powered by the Lucey Agency [https://luceyagency.com/], a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC. Support the show [https://buymeacoffee.com/kudzuproject] The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency [https://luceyagency.com/] in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com [https://kudzuproject.com/], or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject [https://www.instagram.com/kudzuproject].

From WNC to DC: Jeff Miller and the Blue Ridge Honor Flight

Drop us a line. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2525947/fan_mail/new] The Blue Ridge Honor Flight didn't start as a national movement. It began as a local effort to do something simple, and honestly, long overdue. The mission: Give Veterans the opportunity to visit the memorials built in their honor. Jeff Miller, a former Hendersonville dry cleaner, was at the center of that effort two decades ago, and he helped launch what started in Western North Carolina and quickly grew into something much, much bigger. Today, Honor Flight chapters across the country continue the mission, but the roots can be traced back to an idea that took hold right here. This interview explores how it all started, what it took to build it, and why these flights mean so much to the veterans who take them ... and to the communities that send them off. The Henderson County Chamber of Commerce is a proud presenting partner of the Apple Festival Races which will be held on Saturday, September 5, 2026. The event is presented by Hunter Subaru, with support from Lassonde Pappas, Cummins, and Mountain Credit Union. This event has something for runners of every level with an 8K, 5K, and Chick-fil-A Mini Moo Mile. To register, visit https://raceroster.com/events/2026/111853/apple-festival-races.  The Kudzu Project [https://kudzuproject.com/] is powered by the Lucey Agency [https://luceyagency.com/], a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC. Support the show [https://buymeacoffee.com/kudzuproject] The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency [https://luceyagency.com/] in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com [https://kudzuproject.com/], or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject [https://www.instagram.com/kudzuproject].