Kudzu Project

Nick Lucey/Lucey Agency
  • 5.0 (5)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE

Stories that grow wild. Hosted by Nick Lucey, The Kudzu Project delivers voices and conversations from Western North Carolina, the Appalachians, and beyond — tangled in history, rooted in community, and blooming with life. Recorded in Hendersonville, NC by the Lucey Agency. 

  1. 3D AGO

    From One Idea to Two Dozen Episodes ... and the Road Ahead

    Drop us a line. Six months ago, the Kudzu Project started with a simple idea: sit down with good people and have great conversations. No roadmap. No strategy. No script. Just a belief that the stories of folks here in Henderson County, across Western North Carolina and around the South, deserve to be heard. Now, two dozen episodes in, something unexpected has taken root. In this special solo episode, I take a step back to reflect on the journey so far, and the stories that have shaped it. From veterans and community leaders to artists, business owners, and neighbors with stories you won’t hear anywhere else, the Kudzu Project has become something bigger than I ever imagined. This episode is a thank you… and an invitation. If you’ve been listening, sharing, or supporting in any way, I’m grateful. And if you believe in what we’re building, I’m asking for your help to take it even further. Know someone with a story to tell? It might be time we sit down and talk. - Submit a story idea at kudzuproject.com - Or email directly at podcast@kudzuproject.com Because at the end of the day, this podcast grows one story at a time. And we’re just getting started. The Garden Jubilee is back in downtown Hendersonville, Memorial Day weekend — May 23rd and 24th. Nearly 200 vendors up and down Main Street — plants, flowers, trees, garden art… basically everything you need to turn your yard into something worth showing off. So mark your calendar, bring a friend, and maybe leave a little extra room in the trunk. Learn more at hendersonvillenc.gov/events — and we’ll see you at the Garden Jubilee. Support the show The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

    9 min

  2. MAR 23

    Sewing a Movement: Georgia Bonesteel and the American Quilt Revival

    Drop us a line. Long before YouTube tutorials and Instagram reels, Georgia Bonesteel was teaching America how to make quilts — one stitch at a time. Georgia helped spark a nationwide quilting revival through her PBS series Lap Quilting with Georgia Bonesteel, introducing a technique that made quilting more accessible to everyday people.  In this episode of the Kudzu Project, I sit down with a true pioneer of American craft — an artist, teacher, and storyteller whose work has inspired generations, and who has called Western North Carolina home for more than half a century. We talk about creativity, discipline, the evolution of quilting, and how a life rooted in tradition can still shape modern culture. This is more than just quilting — it's about legacy, creativity, and the enduring power of making something that lasts. The Garden Jubilee is back in downtown Hendersonville, Memorial Day weekend — May 23rd and 24th. Nearly 200 vendors up and down Main Street — plants, flowers, trees, garden art… basically everything you need to turn your yard into something worth showing off. So mark your calendar, bring a friend, and maybe leave a little extra room in the trunk. Learn more at hendersonvillenc.gov/events — and we’ll see you at the Garden Jubilee. The Kudzu Project is powered by the Lucey Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC. Support the show The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

    40 min

  3. MAR 16

    Chuck Edwards: From the Golden Arches to the Halls of Congress

    Drop us a line. In this episode of the Kudzu Project, Nick sits down with Congressman Chuck Edwards, a Western North Carolina native whose story begins right here in Henderson County. Born in Waynesville and raised in Hendersonville, Edwards got his start in the labor force as a teen behind the counter at McDonald’s. Years later, he would go on to purchase the very same restaurant where he began working, eventually owning several McDonald’s across Western North Carolina.  Today, Edwards represents North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District in Washington, D.C., after previously serving three terms in the North Carolina Senate. His home base and congressional office remain in Hendersonville, where his ties to the community run deep.  In this conversation, Edwards reflects on his upbringing in the mountains, the lessons learned from business and public service, and the region that shaped his life and career. With the Republican primary victory now behind him, Edwards is headed toward the November election, where he will face Democrat Jamie Ager. The Garden Jubilee is back in downtown Hendersonville, Memorial Day weekend — May 23rd and 24th. Nearly 200 vendors up and down Main Street — plants, flowers, trees, garden art… basically everything you need to turn your yard into something worth showing off. So mark your calendar, bring a friend, and maybe leave a little extra room in the trunk. Learn more at hendersonvillenc.gov/events — and we’ll see you at the Garden Jubilee. The Kudzu Project is powered by the Lucey Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC. Support the show The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

    56 min

  4. MAR 9

    Breaking Free: Tiffany Lucey on Escaping Control and Building a New Life

    Drop us a line. If you live in Henderson County, North Carolina, chances are you've seen Tiffany Lucey before. As the Social Media Coordinator for the County, she's become a familiar face on Instagram reels and Facebook videos, helping tell the story of local government and the people who serve our community. In this episode of the Kudzu Project, Nick sits down with a very unique guest — his wife. Tiffany shares her story of growing up in the South inside the highly controlled religious world of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP). She discusses what life was like under that oppressive system, the moment she began to question it, and the courage it took to walk away from it. Along the way, Tiffany became a midwife and helped deliver countless children, while raising five boys of her own. Her journey eventually led her to Western NC, where she and Nick founded the Lucey Agency before she stepped into her current role with the County. It's an honest and personal conversation about faith, family, marriage, dedication, and what it really means to break free and build a new life. The Garden Jubilee is back in downtown Hendersonville, Memorial Day weekend — May 23rd and 24th. Nearly 200 vendors up and down Main Street — plants, flowers, trees, garden art… basically everything you need to turn your yard into something worth showing off. So mark your calendar, bring a friend, and maybe leave a little extra room in the trunk. Learn more at hendersonvillenc.gov/events — and we’ll see you at the Garden Jubilee. The Kudzu Project is powered by the Lucey Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC. Support the show The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

    1h 14m

  5. MAR 2

    From Addiction to Recovery: Daniel Conway's Mission to Help Others Find Their Way Back

    Drop us a line. Daniel Conway knows addiction from both sides of the table. Today, he serves as the Program Coordinator for Henderson County's Adult Recovery Court (ARC), a program designed to help individuals break the cycle of addiction and incarceration by providing structure, treatment, and accountability. The ARC exists to reduce recidivism and give people the tools they need to maintain sobriety and rebuild their lives. But Daniel’s connection to this work isn’t academic — it’s deeply personal. A Marine who was once an addict himself, Daniel has been clean for more than six years. In this conversation, he speaks candidly about the road that led him into addiction, the moment things changed, and what it means to live in recovery — not just for himself, but in service to others. This is a story about redemption, responsibility, and the quiet, daily work of helping people believe that change is possible. The Garden Jubilee is back in downtown Hendersonville, Memorial Day weekend — May 23rd and 24th. Nearly 200 vendors up and down Main Street — plants, flowers, trees, garden art… basically everything you need to turn your yard into something worth showing off. So mark your calendar, bring a friend, and maybe leave a little extra room in the trunk. Learn more at hendersonvillenc.gov/events — and we’ll see you at the Garden Jubilee. The Kudzu Project is powered by the Lucey Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC. Support the show The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

    44 min

  6. FEB 23

    From Georgia Roots to Carolina Soil: Steve Pettis Dishes the Dirt

    Drop us a line. In this episode of the Kudzu Project, I sit down with fellow Marine and podcaster Steve Pettis, Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension in Henderson County. Steve helps farmers, gardeners, and landscapers make sense of the soil, plants, insects, and growing seasons that make this area unique. We talk about his upbringing in small-town Georgia, the red clay that shaped him, and how his time in the Marine Corps still influences the way he works, educates, and makes his bed each morning. We dish the dirt on what makes the soil in this corner of North Carolina so unique, and why the region has such a strong agricultural identity. Whether you've planted a garden, wondered why apples thrive here, or just care about how the land shapes the people who live on it, this episode is all about roots, resilience, and the connection between where we live and what we grow. The Garden Jubilee is back in downtown Hendersonville, Memorial Day weekend — May 23rd and 24th. Nearly 200 vendors up and down Main Street — plants, flowers, trees, garden art… basically everything you need to turn your yard into something worth showing off. So mark your calendar, bring a friend, and maybe leave a little extra room in the trunk. Learn more at hendersonvillenc.gov/events — and we’ll see you at the Garden Jubilee. The Kudzu Project is powered by the Lucey Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC. Support the show The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

    1h 40m

  7. FEB 19

    Called to Serve: Adam R. Smith and the Frustration that Fuels his Fight

    Drop us a line. SPECIAL EPISODE DROP! I had the opportunity to sit down with Adam R. Smith, congressional candidate in North Carolina's 11th District, who took time out of his busy campaign schedule to join me on the Kudzu Project. Adam is a U.S. Army Green Beret veteran with nearly 17 years of service. He's a man of commanding stature, deep faith, and profound conviction — and in this episode, you'll hear more than just campaign talking points. He's p***ed off. We talk about family. Service. Sacrifice. Setbacks. What it means to lead. And one deeply personal chapter in his life — the moment he hit rock bottom and had to low-crawl his way back out. Now running for Congress, Adam is fighting one of his greatest battles yet — challenging a long-standing incumbent and asking voters to take a hard look at what leadership and conservatism actually mean. Regardless of where you land on the political spectrum, this is an honest conversation about struggle, resilience, and the decision to step forward when the odds are stacked against you. The Garden Jubilee is back in downtown Hendersonville, Memorial Day weekend — May 23rd and 24th. Nearly 200 vendors up and down Main Street — plants, flowers, trees, garden art… basically everything you need to turn your yard into something worth showing off. So mark your calendar, bring a friend, and maybe leave a little extra room in the trunk. Learn more at hendersonvillenc.gov/events — and we’ll see you at the Garden Jubilee. The Kudzu Project is powered by the Lucey Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC. Support the show The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

    1h 27m

  8. FEB 16

    The Story Behind the Story: Mary Davis Gage of "Getting to Know Hendo"

    Drop us a line. In this episode of the Kudzu Project, I sit down with storyteller Mary Davis Gage, co-host of the Getting to Know Hendo podcast. Mary has a gift for spinning a yarn — whether she's sharing a story on stage or helping spotlight the people who make Henderson County, NC, special, she understands something powerful: stories shape communities. We talk about the art of storytelling, why local voices matter, her own adversities, and how conversations strengthen a place like ours. If you care about our community or the power of a well-told story, this one's for you. The Garden Jubilee is back in downtown Hendersonville, Memorial Day weekend — May 23rd and 24th. Nearly 200 vendors up and down Main Street — plants, flowers, trees, garden art… basically everything you need to turn your yard into something worth showing off. So mark your calendar, bring a friend, and maybe leave a little extra room in the trunk. Learn more at hendersonvillenc.gov/events — and we’ll see you at the Garden Jubilee. The Kudzu Project is powered by the Lucey Agency, a full-service marketing firm based in Hendersonville, NC. Support the show The Kudzu Project is produced by the Lucey Agency in Hendersonville, North Carolina. To learn more about the podcast, please visit kudzuproject.com, or follow along on Instagram at instagram.com/kudzuproject.

    1h 3m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Stories that grow wild. Hosted by Nick Lucey, The Kudzu Project delivers voices and conversations from Western North Carolina, the Appalachians, and beyond — tangled in history, rooted in community, and blooming with life. Recorded in Hendersonville, NC by the Lucey Agency. 

Information

  • Creator
    Nick Lucey/Lucey Agency
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Kudzu Project
  • Show Website
    Kudzu Project