Episode 55 - Now That We Think About Farming, with Andrew Raffaele of Orto Farms

Episode 56 - Now That We Think About Owning Stuff

This episode is sponsored by Cassandra Dunn Editing Services [https://cassandradunn.com/editing-services/]. Cassandra has over 20 years of professional copy editing experience and an MFA in creative writing. She’s a traditionally published author [https://bookshop.org/a/114534/9781476761619], and she’s been specializing in developmental edits and book doctor services for 13 years. Her clients’ books have won awards and received starred Kirkus reviews. She works in all genres and she’s here to help you make your project the best that it can be. So if you have something you’ve been working on, or even if you have something that’s just starting and you want to know if you’re on the right track, you can send Cassandra an email and start the conversation about how to take your writing to the next level. This week, inspired by a New York Times article [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/16/realestate/storage-unit-photo-tour.html?unlocked_article_code=1.hlA.rcf3.WLqAGmQW_v3_&smid=nytcore-ios-share] delving into the stuff six New Yorkers are keeping in their storage units, Alice decided to discuss our relationship with stuff. It’s a fascinating conversation, because Alice and I have very different relationships with keeping things and letting them go. While I have a hard time letting go of things that hold meaning or memories — especially the things I’ve personified (see Walter, below). And Alice sometimes feels weighed down by belongings, and finds some freedom in a good closet purge. Although, we both share a love of things with unknown (or partially known) histories attached. Alice has a beautiful antique notebook that Ben gave her as a gift, that belonged to someone in the 1800s. And I have a recipe box from an unknown woman, found in an antique store, packed full with correspondence and recipes. And while I don’t have any particular collections anymore, Alice collects miniature food magnets from Italy that are absolutely delightful. This was another conversation where we came in thinking it would be kind of a simple topic, and then we realized just how many areas of life and memory and self-identity is connected to our relationship with stuff. Do you have a storage unit? Do you keep things to avoid making decisions about letting them go? Do you collect something? Are you someone who hangs on to objects or would you rather have a clean slate? We would love to hear about your relationship to your belongings. Please send us an email at NowThatWeThinkAboutIt@gmail.com [NowThatWeThinkAboutIt@gmail.com] and let us know what you think about owning stuff. We may use your message on a future episode! (Let us know if you’d like to remain anonymous). We hope you enjoy this conversation! xoAllison & Alice Thanks for reading! This podcast is public so feel free to share with a friend! Thanks again to Cassandra Dunn Editing Services [https://cassandradunn.com/editing-services/] for sponsoring this episode. If you have a book coming out, a Substack essay or a newsletter, an album, a creative project, or a small business you’d like to promote and are interested in sponsoring an episode of Now That We Think About It, please email us at NowThatWeThinkAboutIt@gmail.com [NowThatWeThinkAboutIt@gmail.com] for more information. Support the show by using our affiliate links! Force of Nature, Planet Friendly, Toxic-free Cleaning [https://partners.forceofnatureclean.com/YRJyDm]* Our Bookshop Store [https://bookshop.org/shop/nowthatwethinkaboutit]* Follow us Alice Carbone Tench [https://open.substack.com/users/200470748-alice-carbone-tench?utm_source=mentions] & Allison Larkin [https://open.substack.com/users/48450956-allison-larkin?utm_source=mentions] If you love this podcast, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-that-we-think-about-it-podcast/id1806974586] *affiliate links This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nowthatwethinkaboutit.substack.com [https://nowthatwethinkaboutit.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 55 - Now That We Think About Farming, with Andrew Raffaele of Orto Farms

This episode is sponsored by Little Leaf Design: Better Websites; Easier Process. Little Leaf was born out of a passion for design and the belief that every business deserves a beautiful, easy-to-use website. Ashley is more than just a web designer; She’s your dedicated partner and mentor as you embark on the journey of creating your site together. Her goal is to enhance your business through an outstanding online presence. She’ll translate all the nerd speak into concepts you understand and design a website that is user-friendly, gorgeous and reflects your brand and business needs. Ashley has designed sites for professors, authors, lawyers, copywriters, non-profits, and many small businesses. She’s easy to work with and great at taking her client’s chaotic ideas and translating their brand into a website, with all the best webtools. So if you need a website, head to LittleLeafDesign.com [http://LittleLeafDesign.com] to learn more about working with Ashley. In today’s world of ‘whatever-we-want-with-a-click’, many have lost touch with where our food comes from and when food is grown, where, and by whom. If you’ve ever wondered how to reconnect with the roots of the food you eat while promoting sustainability, this episode is for you. We have invited my friend Andrew Raffaele of Orto Farms to share the profound impact of urban farming on local communities and cultural heritage. Andrew is the visionary behind Orto Farms, a non-profit urban farm located in Northeast Los Angeles. With a mission to relieve poverty and educate the community about sustainable agriculture, Andrew’s work is rooted in his personal experiences and cultural Italian heritage. His unique approach not only focuses on growing food respecting the seasons and the many varieties of it that we have lost, because of the corporations that chose profit over cultural value, but also on restoring the community’s connection to its culinary roots. Learn more about Orto Farm [https://www.ortofarms.com] and follow Andrew here [https://www.instagram.com/ortofarms] And if you are interested in CSA boxes, these are the ones that Allison and I use. We look forward to hearing about yours, and about the produce and/or the obstacles you encounter in your community. Fresh Farm to You [https://www.farmfreshtoyou.com] Use code ALIC5982 for $15 off your first produce box.* Support the show by using our affiliate links! Force of Nature, Planet Friendly, Toxic-free Cleaning [https://partners.forceofnatureclean.com/YRJyDm]* Our Bookshop Store [https://bookshop.org/shop/nowthatwethinkaboutit]* Follow us Alice Carbone Tench [https://open.substack.com/users/200470748-alice-carbone-tench?utm_source=mentions] & Allison Larkin [https://open.substack.com/users/48450956-allison-larkin?utm_source=mentions] If you love this podcast, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-that-we-think-about-it-podcast/id1806974586] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nowthatwethinkaboutit.substack.com [https://nowthatwethinkaboutit.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 54 - Now That We Think About The Wheel of the Year

This episode is sponsored by Audiobrary, Julia Whelan’s audiobook platform, which is home to a beautifully curated collection of audiobooks (and our podcast)! You can buy or rent audiobooks on Audiobrary.com [http://audiobrary.com/] to listen on the Audiobrary app. Every Audiobrary production was written by humans, performed by humans, and edited by humans, and everyone involved is paid fairly for their work. So not only do you get great stories, well told, and brilliantly performed, but you can feel good about supporting an ethical business. Rent or buy your next great read on Audiobrary! My friend Deborah Blake is a witch. In the literal sense. Deborah has been practicing witchcraft for over thirty years. She writes books on witchcraft and adding magic to your everyday life [https://deborahblakeauthor.com/books/non-fiction/]. And together with artist Elizabeth Alba [https://www.albaillustration.com/everyday-witch-tarot] has created Tarot and Oracle decks. She also writes magical fiction and cozy mysteries. Deborah is full of kindness and wisdom and makes a point of sharing what she knows through her books and classes. Last year, I took Deborah’s class on The Wheel of the Year, and it changed the way I think about and plan around the energy of life, reminding me that different seasons come with a different sense of purpose, responsibility, and celebration. Deborah also taught me how to periodically pause, reflect, and plan for the next season. No matter your beliefs, this understanding of how to work with our connection to nature and each other is a valuable, nurturing lesson, and I’m thrilled that Deborah took the time to join me and Alice to talk about The Wheel of the Year. Whether you’re a witch, a skeptic, or a curious observer, this conversation will be fascinating, delightful, and truly fun. I’m so happy to share this episode with you. And we can’t wait to hear what you think! Email us at NowThatWeThinkAboutIt@gmail.com [NowThatWeThinkAboutIt@gmail.com] and let us know what you think about this conversation! xoAllison & Alice Thanks again to Audiobrary.com [http://Audiobrary.com] for sponsoring this episode. If you have a book coming out, a Substack essay or a newsletter, an album or a creative project, or a small business you’d like to promote, and you are interested in sponsoring an episode of Now That We Think About It, please email us at NowThatWeThinkAboutIt@gmail.com [NowThatWeThinkAboutIt@gmail.com] for more information. Links Deborah Blake [https://deborahblakeauthor.com] Follow Deborah on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/deborahblakeauthor/] The Cranky Crone [https://www.instagram.com/the_crankycrone/] Deborah on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/c/deborahblake/membership] Truehearts Collective [https://www.patreon.com/c/allielarkinwrites] A Sampling of Books and Decks by Deborah Blake * A Year and a Day of Everyday Magic [https://bookshop.org/a/114534/9780738777184] Everyday Witch’s Book of Deities [https://bookshop.org/a/114534/9780738780320] Wickedly Unraveled: A Baba Yaga Novel [https://bookshop.org/a/114534/9781093428018] Doggone Deadly [https://bookshop.org/a/114534/9780593201534] Everyday Witch Tarot [https://bookshop.org/a/114534/9780738746340] Everyday Witch Oracle [https://bookshop.org/p/books/everyday-witch-oracle-deborah-blake/9552148445560912?ean=9780738760322&next=t] Support the show by using our affiliate links! Force of Nature, Planet Friendly, Toxic-free Cleaning [https://partners.forceofnatureclean.com/YRJyDm]* Our Bookshop Store [https://bookshop.org/shop/nowthatwethinkaboutit]* Follow us Alice Carbone Tench [https://open.substack.com/users/200470748-alice-carbone-tench?utm_source=mentions] & Allison Larkin [https://open.substack.com/users/48450956-allison-larkin?utm_source=mentions] If you love this podcast, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-that-we-think-about-it-podcast/id1806974586] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nowthatwethinkaboutit.substack.com [https://nowthatwethinkaboutit.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 53: Now That We Think About The Politics of Fashion w/ Sophie Strauss

This episode is sponsored by the Bookish Nomad. (https://www.youtube.com/@Bookish_Nomad [https://www.youtube.com/@Bookish_Nomad]) After 25 years as an Emmy-nominated Art Director and Production Designer on shows like Grace & Frankie, Amy Lee Wheeler found herself navigating a film industry stalled by runaway production. When a major home repair emptied her savings, she rented her house, packed her car, and drove across fifteen states to reconnect with friends and family she hadn’t seen in over a decade, including her godmother and mother, both battling dementia. Bookish Nomad is the vlog she made along the way. It’s unpolished and personal, but posting what she learned about the people she meant to stay close to felt worth talking about. Follow along on YouTube, or find her writing at DeRailed [https://amyleewheeler.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips] on Substack. In today’s fast-paced world, the fashion industry often feels like a tangled web of choices, trends, and ethical dilemmas. Why are we buying so much, and what happens to our clothes after we wear them? On today’s episode Allison and I talked to my old friend, stylist Sophie Strauss, who advocates for a sustainable and inclusive approach to style. We’ll explore how to reclaim our purchasing power, make informed decisions about our wardrobes, and how to return to the idea of a world pre-social media, pre-overconsumption, pre-constant photography of ourselves, pre-influencers — a time when we were not brands, when we were just humans who loved style and clothes. One of the best parts of doing this podcast is hearing from you! We love to know what you think about the topics we discuss on this podcast. If anything in this episode or the book resonates with you, please email us at NowThatWeThinkAboutIt@gmail.com to send a written or a voice message, and we may discuss it in a future episode! We hope you enjoy this conversation! xoAlice & Allison Thanks again to the Bookish Nomad [https://www.youtube.com/@Bookish_Nomad] for sponsoring this episode. If you have a book coming out, a Substack essay or a newsletter, an album, a creative project, or a small business you’d like to promote and are interested in sponsoring an episode of Now That We Think About It, please email us at NowThatWeThinkAboutIt@gmail.com [NowThatWeThinkAboutIt@gmail.com] for more information. Links Sophie Strauss Styling [https://www.sophiestraussstyling.com] Follow Sophie on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sophiestraussstyling/] Support the show by using our affiliate links! Force of Nature, Planet Friendly, Toxic-free Cleaning [https://partners.forceofnatureclean.com/YRJyDm]* Our Bookshop Store [https://bookshop.org/shop/nowthatwethinkaboutit]* Follow us Alice Carbone Tench [https://open.substack.com/users/200470748-alice-carbone-tench?utm_source=mentions] & Allison Larkin [https://open.substack.com/users/48450956-allison-larkin?utm_source=mentions] If you love this podcast, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-that-we-think-about-it-podcast/id1806974586] *affiliate links This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nowthatwethinkaboutit.substack.com [https://nowthatwethinkaboutit.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 52 - Now That We Think About Home of the American Circus

This episode is sponsored by Cassandra Dunn Editing Services [https://cassandradunn.com/editing-services/]. Cassandra has over 20 years of professional copy editing experience and an MFA in creative writing. She’s a traditionally published author [https://bookshop.org/a/114534/9781476761619], and she’s been specializing in developmental edits and book doctor services for 13 years. Her clients’ books have won awards and received starred Kirkus reviews. She works in all genres and she’s here to help you make your project the best that it can be. So if you have something you’ve been working on, or even if you have something that’s just starting and you want to know if you’re on the right track, you can send Cassandra an email and start the conversation about how to take your writing to the next level. What a lovely thing it is to have a friend who will remind you to celebrate your good moments! I was dealing with a pretty big loss last week, but Alice made sure we took some time to talk about Home of the American Circus [https://bookshop.org/a/114534/9781668008416] for this episode, in light of the paperback edition coming out on Tuesday, May 5th. It was a joy and an honor to get to dive into a deep and thoughtful conversation about this book with my dear friend Alice. We talk about some of the inspiration for the book, the evolution of friendships and what it feels like to revisit relationships with childhood friends, the unreliable narratives around what we consider to be historical fact, and how fiction has the power to make us feel less alone. One of the best parts of doing this podcast is hearing from you! We love to know what you think about the topics we discuss on this podcast. If anything in this episode or the book resonates with you, please email us at NowThatWeThinkAboutIt@gmail.com to send a written or a voice message, and we may discuss it in a future episode! We hope you enjoy this conversation! xoAllison & Alice Thanks for reading! This podcast is public so please share with a friend! Thanks again to Cassandra Dunn Editing Services [https://cassandradunn.com/editing-services/] for sponsoring this episode. If you have a book coming out, a Substack essay or a newsletter, an album, a creative project, or a small business you’d like to promote and are interested in sponsoring an episode of Now That We Think About It, please email us at NowThatWeThinkAboutIt@gmail.com [NowThatWeThinkAboutIt@gmail.com] for more information. Books mentioned in this episode* Home of the American Circus [https://bookshop.org/a/114534/9781668008416] The People We Keep [https://bookshop.org/a/114534/9781982171308] The Art of Adapting [https://bookshop.org/a/114534/9781476761619] Homecoming [https://bookshop.org/a/114534/9781442428782] Dicey’s Song [https://bookshop.org/a/114534/9781442428799] The Ordinary Princess [https://bookshop.org/a/114534/9780142300855] Support the show by using our affiliate links! Force of Nature, Planet Friendly, Toxic-free Cleaning [https://partners.forceofnatureclean.com/YRJyDm]* Our Bookshop Store [https://bookshop.org/shop/nowthatwethinkaboutit]* Follow us Alice Carbone Tench [https://open.substack.com/users/200470748-alice-carbone-tench?utm_source=mentions] & Allison Larkin [https://open.substack.com/users/48450956-allison-larkin?utm_source=mentions] If you love this podcast, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-that-we-think-about-it-podcast/id1806974586] *affiliate links This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nowthatwethinkaboutit.substack.com [https://nowthatwethinkaboutit.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]