Old Ways New Days

Old Ways

Homesteading with a focus on urban and suburban sustainable living with a pagan and spiritual twist.

  1. 13h ago

    Ghost Gardens: The Gardens That Remember

    🌿👻 Have you ever stumbled upon a garden that seems to remember someone? An old patch of mint growing beside a forgotten foundation. A fruit tree still producing long after the house around it has disappeared. Rhubarb pushing through the weeds, flowers blooming where a garden once flourished. These are Ghost Gardens—the living remnants of people, homes, and lives that have long since moved on. In our latest episode of Old Ways, New Days, we're exploring these forgotten gardens, the stories they leave behind, and the remarkable ways plants can outlive the people who planted them. We'll look at what these gardens can teach us about history, traditional foodways, perennial plants, forgotten landscapes, and the lasting relationship between people and the land. Because sometimes, the garden is the last thing left to tell the story. 🌱 Join us as we wander through the gardens people left behind and discover what still grows. Sources and Further ReadingFlamborough Archives and Heritage Society — Pioneer Gardens in Ontario: plants associated with pioneer gardens, including lilacs, peonies, rhubarb, and fruit trees. National Park Service — Drying House, Amana, Iowa: context for kitchen gardens, fruit trees, and food preservation. University of Minnesota Extension — Weed Identification: a regional resource for identifying common plants. University of Maryland Extension — Invasive Plants: guidance on identifying suspected invasive plants. Cooperative Extension, University of Delaware — Checklist for Plant Removal Decisions: preserving mature plants while protecting ecological health. FAO — Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems: recognition of farming landscapes and the communities that maintain them. Note: "Ghost garden" is used here as a descriptive term for abandoned or surviving historic garden plantings, not a formal scientific category. Plant clues can suggest former human activity, but reliable interpretation requires local historical and ecological context. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581390940178 Send us an email at oldwaysnewdayspodcast@gmail.com Episode sponsor: Medicinal Garden Kit https://www.digistore24.com/redir/379812/OWNDpc/MedicinalGardenKit

    Ghost Gardens: The Gardens That Remember

  2. Oct 29

    At the Garden Gate - episode 7

    🍂🌱 IS YOUR GARDEN READY FOR AUTUMN? 🌱🍂 Just because summer is fading doesn't mean it's time to put the garden away! In fact, autumn can be one of the most important seasons for preparing the garden we want to grow next year. But knowing what to plant—and when—can make all the difference. This week on At the Garden Gate, we're digging into autumn gardening around the world! 🌍🌿 Here's what's growing in this episode: 🍁 Growing Zones 101: What do hardiness zones actually tell us, and why does your local climate matter more than a calendar? ❄️ The First Autumn Frost: How to prepare for that first chilly night and protect your most delicate plants. 🦋 Planting Natives: Why autumn can be a wonderful time to establish native flowers, shrubs, and trees. 🌷 Spring Bulbs: Tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and other colorful reminders that spring always comes around again. 🍎 Fruit Trees: When to plant, how to choose varieties for your climate, and what to consider before putting down roots. 🌎 Gardening Around the World: From frosty northern gardens to warm subtropical climates and the Southern Hemisphere, we'll explore why local conditions make all the difference. And remember: your garden doesn't have to be perfect, and you don't have to do everything at once. Sometimes one carefully planted bulb or one well-chosen fruit tree is enough to get you thinking about the seasons ahead. 🌱 The garden isn't necessarily ending when summer ends. It's preparing for what's next. Join us at the Garden Gate for another practical episode of Old Ways New Days! 🍂 What are you planting this autumn? Tell us in the comments—we'd love to hear what's happening in your garden! Further Reading & Gardening Resources For listeners who want to look up their own regional planting information, these are good places to start: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/Royal Horticultural Society — How to Grow Bulbs: https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/bulbs/growing-guideRoyal Horticultural Society — Planting Trees and Shrubs: https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/trees/planting-trees-shrubsYour local university or regional cooperative extension service: For frost dates, fruit-tree recommendations, native plants, and local planting calendars.Remember: hardiness zones help explain winter cold tolerance, but local frost forecasts, soil conditions, species-specific needs, and regional growing advice help determine what to do in your garden.   Send us Fan Mail Support the show Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581390940178 Send us an email at oldwaysnewdayspodcast@gmail.com Episode sponsor: Medicinal Garden Kit https://www.digistore24.com/redir/379812/OWNDpc/MedicinalGardenKit

    At the Garden Gate - episode 7

  3. Oct 22

    The Living Earth: What Is Actually Happening Beneath Our Feet?

    🌱🪱 WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING BENEATH YOUR FEET? 🍄🌎 We spend so much time worrying about what's growing above the ground that it's easy to forget about the extraordinary world working beneath it. That handful of soil in your garden isn't just dirt. It's a living ecosystem filled with microorganisms, fungi, bacteria, earthworms, and countless interactions that help keep the natural world functioning. And this week on Old Ways New Days, we're going underground! SOURCES & FURTHER READING For listeners who want to dig deeper into soil health and the science behind today's episode: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service — Soil Health https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/soil/soil-health An overview of soil as a living ecosystem, its functions, and the importance of soil health.USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service — Soil Health Management https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/soil/soil-health/soil-health-management Practical guidance on reducing disturbance, supporting biodiversity, maintaining living roots, and keeping soil covered.USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service — Soil Health on Cropland https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/soil/soil-health/soil-health-on-cropland Information on soil structure, nutrient cycling, cover crops, and soil-health practices.USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service — Soil Health and Small-Scale Agriculture https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/soil/soil-health/soil-health-and-small-scale-agriculture Soil-health practices adapted to small-scale growing systems.These resources provide additional information about the soil-health principles discussed in this episode Send us Fan Mail Support the show Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581390940178 Send us an email at oldwaysnewdayspodcast@gmail.com Episode sponsor: Medicinal Garden Kit https://www.digistore24.com/redir/379812/OWNDpc/MedicinalGardenKit

    The Living Earth: What Is Actually Happening Beneath Our Feet?

  4. Oct 16

    When Is a Garden a Garden? Illinois’ Right-to-Garden Law, Local Ordinances, and the Fight Over a Neighborhood Garden

    When Is a Garden a Garden? What happens when the garden you carefully cultivate becomes someone else’s idea of an overgrown yard? In our latest episode of Old Ways, New Days, we’re digging into the story of an award-winning neighborhood garden in Danville, Illinois, a local property-maintenance dispute, and Illinois’ Vegetable Garden Protection Act. We’re talking about where the line can fall between legitimate property regulations and protections for people who grow food, herbs, flowers, pollinator plants, and other useful plants at home. Because a garden doesn’t always look like a lawn. Sometimes it’s messy.  Sometimes it’s wild.  Sometimes it’s full of food, flowers, insects, birds, and life. And sometimes, what one person sees as “weeds,” another person sees as a thriving ecosystem. 🌿 What does Illinois law actually protect?  🏡 What authority do municipalities still have?  🥕 And what can gardeners do when their garden becomes the subject of a code complaint? Join us as we explore the facts, the law, the garden at the center of the dispute, and the much bigger question: Who gets to decide what a garden is supposed to look like? 🎙️ Old Ways, New Days — where the old ways meet the good dirt. #OldWaysNewDays #Homesteading #UrbanHomesteading #Gardening #RightToGarden #VegetableGarden #SustainableLiving #FoodSecurity #GardenRights #GrowYourOwn #CommunityGardens     Sources for listeners The primary article discussed in this episode is the Institute for Justice's September 21, 2026 report on the Danville garden dispute. Listeners can also read the actual Illinois Garden Act through the Illinois General Assembly. The law is codified at 505 ILCS 87 and establishes the right to cultivate vegetable gardens while preserving certain generally applicable local regulations. Danville's current Property Maintenance Code is also publicly available and includes its provisions concerning weeds, plant growth, and cultivated gardens. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581390940178 Send us an email at oldwaysnewdayspodcast@gmail.com Episode sponsor: Medicinal Garden Kit https://www.digistore24.com/redir/379812/OWNDpc/MedicinalGardenKit

    When Is a Garden a Garden? Illinois’ Right-to-Garden Law, Local Ordinances, and the Fight Over a Neighborhood Garden

  5. Oct 9

    Beyond the Harvest: What Season 1 Taught Us About Growing Our Own Food

    🌱🍂 WE'RE BACK! SEASON 2 OF OLD WAYS NEW DAYS IS HERE! 🍂🌱 Before we look ahead to a new season of growing, learning, and living a little closer to the land, we're taking a moment to look back. What did Season 1 teach us about growing our own food? 🌿 From seeds and soil to food preservation, garden failures, and the meaning of self-sufficiency, we've learned that homesteading is about so much more than harvesting vegetables. It's about building skills. Learning from our mistakes. Making the most of what we have. And discovering how all those little things we do can work together to create a more resilient life. And here's the best part: you don't need acres of land to begin. Whether you're growing tomatoes in your backyard, tending herbs on an apartment windowsill, saving seeds for next spring, or learning how to preserve your harvest, there's a place for you on this journey. In our Season 2 premiere, “Beyond the Harvest: What Season 1 Taught Us About Growing Our Own Food,” we're reflecting on where we've been and exploring where we're going next. Because the goal was never simply to grow a garden. 🌱 The goal is to grow capability. 🎙️ A LITTLE NOTE FOR OUR LISTENERS: This episode was recorded LIVE on TikTok! We're bringing that live conversation to you here, so come join us for a little look behind the scenes as we kick off another season of Old Ways New Days. This also means that there is no editing. Thank you for growing with us, learning with us, and being part of this community. We're so glad you're here for Season 2! 🌿 Keep growing. Keep learning. Keep tending the Earth. And let's see what grows! Send us Fan Mail Support the show Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581390940178 Send us an email at oldwaysnewdayspodcast@gmail.com Episode sponsor: Medicinal Garden Kit https://www.digistore24.com/redir/379812/OWNDpc/MedicinalGardenKit

    Beyond the Harvest: What Season 1 Taught Us About Growing Our Own Food

  6. Oct 5

    At the Garden Gate - episode 6

    🌱 AT THE GARDEN GATE IS OPEN! 🌱 Have you ever harvested a beautiful tomato, bean, pepper, or flower and thought, “I wish I could grow this again next year”? You can—and you may already have everything you need. This week on At the Garden Gate, we're talking about one of the oldest and most practical gardening skills around: 🌿 Saving your own seeds. We'll talk about: 🌱 Which plants are easiest for beginners 🌱 The difference between heirloom, open-pollinated, and hybrid seeds 🌱 How to choose the best plants to save from 🌱 How to properly collect, dry, label, and store seeds 🌱 Why tomatoes require a little extra preparation 🌱 What seed saving can teach us about resilience and food security 🌱 And how saving just a handful of seeds today can help you grow tomorrow's garden You don't need acres of land. You don't need expensive equipment. And you definitely don't need to be an expert gardener. Sometimes homesteading starts with something as small as saving a few seeds from something you already grew. 🌱 Save a seed. Grow a little more independence. Come meet us At the Garden Gate for this week's episode of Old Ways New Days. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581390940178 Send us an email at oldwaysnewdayspodcast@gmail.com Episode sponsor: Medicinal Garden Kit https://www.digistore24.com/redir/379812/OWNDpc/MedicinalGardenKit

    At the Garden Gate - episode 6

  7. Oct 1

    Season 2, Episode 1: "Welcome Back"

    🌿 We're back. 🌿 Season 2 of Old Ways, New Days is here — same small-space homesteading, same low-key pagan energy, same two people arguing about whether talking to your plants actually works (it does, fight me). This episode: a check-in on where your growing space is right now, a five-minute grounding practice with zero required props, and a real conversation about what season 2 actually looks like. No robes required. There never were. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581390940178 Send us an email at oldwaysnewdayspodcast@gmail.com Episode sponsor: Medicinal Garden Kit https://www.digistore24.com/redir/379812/OWNDpc/MedicinalGardenKit

    Season 2, Episode 1: "Welcome Back"

  8. Sep 27

    The Harvest Moon — Gathering What We Have Grown

    🌕🍂 The Harvest Moon is here… and it’s time to gather what we’ve grown. Tonight on Old Ways, New Days, we’re stepping beneath the light of the Harvest Moon and into one of the most meaningful turning points of the year. Harvest isn't only about what comes from the garden. It’s also about what has grown within us. The lessons we learned. The things we survived. The skills we gained. The relationships we nurtured. The dreams that took root. And the things whose season has finally come to an end. 🌾 In this episode, we explore the meaning and symbolism of the Harvest Moon, seasonal foods and correspondences, creating a simple Harvest Moon altar, a ritual for gratitude and release, and a guided meditation for recognizing your own personal harvest. Because sometimes we spend so much time thinking about what we still need to grow that we forget to stop and notice everything we've already cultivated. Tonight, take a breath. Look around. Look within. What have you harvested this year? And perhaps just as importantly… What are you ready to release before you enter the next season? 🌕✨ Join us beneath the Harvest Moon. Old Ways, New Days — where the old ways meet the good dirt. #OldWaysNewDays #HarvestMoon #FullMoon #Mabon #AutumnEquinox #PaganPodcast #WitchyPodcast #SeasonalLiving #Homesteading #CroneSeason #HarvestSeason #Spirituality #FullMoonRitual #MoonMagic Send us Fan Mail Support the show Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581390940178 Send us an email at oldwaysnewdayspodcast@gmail.com Episode sponsor: Medicinal Garden Kit https://www.digistore24.com/redir/379812/OWNDpc/MedicinalGardenKit

    The Harvest Moon — Gathering What We Have Grown
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About

Homesteading with a focus on urban and suburban sustainable living with a pagan and spiritual twist.

Information

  • Creator
    Old Ways
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    63
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Old Ways New Days
  • Show Website
    Old Ways New Days