On our final show (for awhile), we talk about the Depave Movement across the world. Katya Reyna from Depave Portland and Mary Pat McGuire of Depave Chicago report on their respective programs. Judy Pollock and Bob Fisher from the Bird Conservat

Tomatomania V: Off to the Races

Jun 4th, 2022 2h

Tomato experts Craig LeHoullier ("Epic Tomatoes") and Keith Mueller ("KC Tomato") return yet again to impart their wisdom about America's favorite fruit in Tomatomania V. They talk growing strategies and favorite varieties...including some they

Monarch Butterflies: Yet Another Species on the Brink

May 28th, 2022 2h 7m

The monarch numbers from Mexico were just released and they're...okay. Which means that the iconic species is still threatened. Horticulturist Dolly Foster returns to the show to talk about choosing plants--including milkweed--to attract monarc

How to Discover a Wild Area in the 21st Century

May 21st, 2022 2h 3m

What's it like to "discover" a high-quality natural area in the Midwest? We talk to naturalist Steve Sass, who helped identify Indiana's Lydick Bog in 2014. He is joined by fellow naturalist Amanda Smith. The two are responsible for the educati

The Sky’s the Limit for Women in Arboriculture

May 15th, 2022 2h 6m

ISA certified arborist Megan Kacenski from Bartlett Tree Experts stops by to talk about how she became an arborist representative and what kind of opportunities exist for women in the tree care industry. She is joined by show regular Skeet from

The Hidden Dangers of Artificial Turf

May 7th, 2022 2h 1m

Thousands of artificial turf fields have popped up across the country in the past few decades. The argument is that they're cheaper, easy to maintain and perfectly safe. Really? We talk to a group of concerned Lake Forest, IL citizens from Go R

The Regeneration Miracle That Is Compost

Apr 30th, 2022 2h 1m

The Mike Nowak Show with Peggy Malecki helps the Illinois Food Scrap Coalition kick off International Compost Awareness Week. Merleanne Rampale from SWALCO, James Kim from Vernon HIlls Park District, and Vytas Papedinskas of Save Our Soil LLC r

The Marvelous Melinda Myers Makes It Better

Apr 23rd, 2022 2h 1m

The Marvelous Melinda Myers returns to talk spring gardening. We learn about the changes in the latest version of her "Midwest Gardener's Handbook," As always, we'll answer as many gardening questions as time allows. Mike and Peggy dip into the

Doug Tallamy on Fighting to Save Trees and Natural Areas

Apr 10th, 2022 1h 57m

Author and educator Doug Tallamy returns to the show to talk about the importance of protecting and creating spaces to promote biodiversity. Jeannette Hoyt from Save Jackson Park and David J. Nowak from the USDA Forest Service in Syracuse, New

The Possibilities of Amazing Native Plants

Apr 3rd, 2022 2h 1m

The subject is native plants and the instructors are brothers Kelsay and Tristan Shaw, who, between them, have put in about 50 years' work at Possibility Place Nursery in Monee, Illinois. On this show we talk about why natives are important and

How to Go Beyond Organic Growing

Mar 27th, 2022 1h 57m

If it's spring, it's time to talk once again to Bob Benenson from Local Food Forum. He reports on as many issues as he can get to in about 20 minutes, They include the reasoning behind Chicago's Green City Market's decision to open a month earl

Green School Farms on the Front Line of Sustainability

Mar 20th, 2022 1h 58m

Farmer Gary Fehr returns to the show to give Mike and Peggy a tour of his small farm near Lincoln, Nebraska. He is a commuter farmer who believes in working to connect kids and adults with local, healthy food.

Phenology Is a Key Component of Life on Earth

Mar 13th, 2022 2h

If you're not familiar with the concept of phenology, we hope to give you an introduction on today's show. Alyssa Rosemartin from the USA National Phenology Network and citizen scientist Jean Linsner, who has worked on The 606 in Chicago, talk

Expect Great Growing in 2022

Mar 6th, 2022 1h 55m

With the start of the 2022 gardening season upon us, we look at the business end and the personal side of great growing. Chris Beytes from Ball Hort's publication GrowerTalks reports on the state of the industry. LaManda Joy previews the Great

Start the Best Fruits and Vegetables

Feb 27th, 2022 2h

Lisa Hilgenberg is horticulturist for the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden. There, she is responsible for some 50,000 plants, including 400 types of edibles. Today she has advice on when and how to get your seed

Sacrificing Birds for a Marketing Gimmick

Feb 20th, 2022 2h 4m

Mike and Peggy welcome back MWRD Commissioner Kim Neely du Buclet to talk about recent green infrastructure water projects and even ways to trace coronavirus in our water supply. Raj Patel, director of The Ants & the Grasshopper explains the fo

Protect Creatures Great and Small

Feb 13th, 2022 1h 59m

We talk animal welfare on today's show. Ryan Anderson from Midwest Grows Green previews "Hounds & Grounds," an event that will feature agility training for dogs and advice about natural lawn care for their owners that will keep their pooches he

Can Backyard Composting Change the World?

Feb 5th, 2022 2h 1m

We don't know if backyard composting can change the world, but it's a heck of a good start. Composting experts Amy Bartucci and Kate Caldwell walk you through how to set up your pile, bin or tumbler and explain why composting is such a good ide

Forest Preserves Unlock the Mysteries of Nature

Jan 30th, 2022 2h 4m

Yes, it cold and there's snow. But if you live in the Chicago region, those are two excellent reasons to get out to a nearby forest preserve. Nina Baki from the Cook County and Rebekah Snyder from Lake County talk about the activities they have

Doug Tallamy on Saving Nature and Ourselves

Jan 23rd, 2022 2h 6m

Entomologist, ecologist and author Doug Tallamy returns to the show. He discusses his latest book, The Nature of Oaks and his work to create Homegrown National Park. But he will also talk with Kerry Leigh, executive director of the Natural Land

Puppets Pick Apart Plastic Myths

Jan 16th, 2022 2h 8m

The 2020 Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival is coming to Chicago this week. We talk to its founder, Blair Thomas, and to artist Robin Frohardt, who has created an installation called The Plastic Bag Store. It is stocked with food-lik

How to Create The Healthy Garden

Jan 9th, 2022 2h 3m

We start a brand new year with a brand new book. The Healthy Garden: Simple Steps for a Greener World is written by a couple of gardening pros--Kathleen Norris Brenzel and Mary-Kate Mackey. We'll talk about how and especially why you should bec

It’s a Wonderful Slice 2021!

Dec 18th, 2021 2h

Mike and Peggy wrap up 2021 with their annual presentation of It's a Wonderful Slice of It's a Wonderful Life, featuring an all-star cast of friends of the show. Cindy Crosby talks about her book Chasing Dragonflies and why getting out into the

How to Provide Good Food Through Growing Solutions

Dec 11th, 2021 2h 10m

This Sunday we explore how different groups work to provide healthy, local food to the Chicago region, while sometimes improving the lives of the people who grow that food. We talk to Bob Kopach from the Eco-Friendly Farm Stand Project and Tuck

Exploring Sustainability Myths and Solutions

Dec 4th, 2021 2h 11m

On Sunday's show, we look at how to grow food sustainably. Is that permaculture? Or regenerative gardening? How about appropriate horticulture? We'll ask Robert Kourik, author of the just-released Sustainable Food Gardens: Myths and Solutions.