Ojai: Talk of the Town Bret Bradigan

Nigel Chisholm, with his gregarious nature and forward-facing businesses (The Village Jester and now Feros Ferio Winery), has been a local fixture for decades. He also has a deep humanitarian focus, inspired by his father and uncles who braved Hitler's bombs during World War II.

So when in February 2022, Putin's Russia launched a massive invasion of Ukraine, Chisholm felt compelled to help. He made his way to Poland and across the border into refugee camps, where he rolled up his sleeves and got busy. Then a CNN report on Bulldozer, a nonprofit group that transports fallen soldiers from the front lines back to their families, caught his attention and so he returned, this time as a driver. He's made four trips so far, with more planned.

We talk about the stoic nature of Ukrainians, their cautious optimism, the need for the U.S. and Europe to continue to help them fight this proxy war against an aggressive dictator, as well as how people can help in this epic struggle. We also talked about Nigel's roundabout journey to Ojai, his love of this country and his other adventures, including fronting the local band, Damaged Goods and much more.

We did not talk about Dutch Elm Disease, Wuhan lab leaks or dry fly fishing for Atlantic salmon.

Check out Ilona Saari's expansive profile on him in the June issue of Ojai Monthly. https://issuu.com/home/docs/h08965i9scv

(And also this Youtube documentary Nigel produced about his trips.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ylzD0_40B0

Adam Gallegos' roundabout journey from Washington, D.C. to Ojai was filled with serendipitous encounters and unexpected detours, but he's happily ensconced in our smiling vale, 9 years and counting as founder and proprietor of Revel Kombucha, famous for its clean taste and healthful deliciousness.

Gallegos' Jun-style Kombucha is brewed from organic honey and green tea, imparting a milder, more sophisticated flavor preferred by connoisseurs as well as people new to kombucha in the first place. Revel's frozen acai bowls have also developed a devoted fan base, especially among Ojai's kids, who gather up by the chattering dozens after school and after sports practices and games.

We talked about the process to develop their distinctive products, what Ojai means to him and his family, kombucha's long history, how it became so popular in recent years, the explosion of alcoholic kombuchas, Lindsay Lohan and much more.

We did not talk about the film "Hundreds of Beavers," Ken Burns' commencement address or Maryland blue crabs eating etiquette.

Check out Revel Kombucha at https://revelkombuchabar.com/

Tobi Jo Greene's own experiences as a girl growing up in Ojai inspired her to start the Girls Empowerment Workshop nearly 20 years ago. Now expanded to the Empowerment Workshop, teaching girls, and now all youth, skills to help them navigate adolescence and other crisis moments in their lives in a social-media saturated era of identity crisis and confusion.

The goal is to help children learn a deep sense of self-worth, of respecting differences, and communicating effectively.

Since Greene began the program, thousands of youth have been enabled and now the program has been adopted across Ventura County and beyond. She's been honored with the Dr. Robert Skankey Humanitarian Award for her work.

We talked about the lessons she's learned along the way, first as a young girl growing up in Ojai, as a mother and now grandmother, plus exciting new projects on the horizon. We talked about the evolving pressures on young people today. We did not talk about Shintoism, hobo symbology or Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

Learn more about Tobi Jo Greene's work online at ...

https://thegirlsempowermentworkshop.org/

Ojai Music Festival Artistic Director Ara Guzelimian brings his customary wisdom, wit and insight into a preview for this year's festival (June 6-9) with renowned pianist and conductor Mitsuko Uchida returning for her third time.

Ojai, known for its daring programming, promises to stretch boundaries this year with a mix of familiar music (Haydn, Mozart) and modernists Webern, John Adams and John Zorn.

Guzelimian talks about the massive amount of behind-the-scenes work that goes into the festival; finding housing for the artists, coordinating the volunteers and interns, the years-long lead time to pull together the talent and the programming, and the audiences who have come to adore the Ojai Music Festival for being the best at what it does in the world.

We did not talk about "Baby Reindeer," this year's NFL schedule or Fermat's Last Theorem.

Check out the Ojai Music Festival at OjaiFestival.org.

Franz Lidz returns to the podcast to talk about his recent bylines in the New York Times, where he covers the science and archaeology beat. He takes complex topics and distills them down to highly informative, entertaining and useful narratives.
The NYT published his story, headlined "They Shoot Owls in California" about the invasive Barred Owls, which are displacing the endangered Spotted Owl throughout much of its range. A new Fish & Wildlife initiative will pay hunters to shoot these aggressive raptors, and it is pitting scientists against animal lovers. He also recently wrote a story about daily life in Britain 3,000 years ago, thanks to a recent excavation in which a well-preserved village has been exhumed, as well as how the Stone Age was actually the Wood Age.
We also talked about his "beat" of covering stories that pique his interest, of Ojai life and politics, food culture and much more. We did not talk about graphic design, wool-carding technology of the Middle Ages or Ainu culture.
You can read more about Franz and his brilliant career through your New York Times subscription.

Mesa Farm is an innovative program designed to help kids aging out of the foster system, run by Ojai-born-and-raised Dan Parziale. They recently brought in ten tiny homes and are within days of welcoming their first residents.

The Farm gives these youth, ages 18-24, the skills to succeed in life, from job training partnerships with local businesses, farming opportunities on the farm itself, to learning how to prepare resumés, for job interviews and life skills. Half of the kids aging out of foster care end up homeless, and Mesa Farm is one of the few programs designed to prevent that bad outcome.

Dan talks about growing up in Ojai, being educated at Notre Dame, teaching inner-city students and managing nonprofit organizations. We did not talk about flat-lining for yellowtail, precision measurements and instruments or Steve Zaillian's "Ripley."

For more about Mesa Farm, check out https://www.mesafarm.org/