Magic Mama's "Song of the Soul" interview with Mark Helpsmeet of Northern Spirit Radio is online now. Check it out at www.northernspiritradio.org

Magic Mama has worms!

Well, they live in her basement anyway. The red wigglers eat vegetable scraps and leave a nice, rich gift in return. We call them "castings", others might use a descriptive 4-letter word. Magic Mama makes a tea from the castings which is used as a magical, organic fertilizer to create healthy soil.

House plants deplete the soil in the pot, no need to purchase expensive and potentially dangerous chemicals to feed those plants; just let the worms do the work! They take care of your compost AND nourish your garden.

You can easily create a worm compost in your own home, they don't take up much room, they're quiet roommates, and if you take care of them properly, they don't stink.

Here are some helpful vermiculture links for more info:
Earth 911
VermiCulture Northwest
City Farmer.org

"Get dirty, get down, put some love into the ground! Gotta bow and kneel 'till ya know just how it feels: Black Gold" - on Magic Mama's Wild Birds album

Magic Mama attended a presentation by Will Allen, CEO of Growing Power and founder of Rainbow Farmer's cooperative, at Wisconsin's Local Food Summit in Eau Claire today. Check out the Growing Power website and blog for some empowering inspiration!
Favorite Will Allen quotes from the conference:
"Our food should at least sustain us, if not heal us."
"Farmers are the smartest people I've ever known."
The red worms in Magic Mama's basement agree with Will, the Good Food Revolution starts from the ground up: "It's all about the soil!"
Another Peace Pirate Award winner, Will Allen and his allies are visionary activists, healing communities and creating local food security. Props!

Magic Mama is currently recording her third album "Renegade Spade" and booking for 2010.
Deep Roots Records is her independent record label, the studio is half underground, sharing space with the potatoes and onions. This photo was taken by Sandra Belen in Viroqua, WI. Magic Mama is playing the harmonium with her foot, she did not kick it over the edge of the cliff.