This podcast is about a different kind of foraging.
Mosaicists forage for rocks. Leon Johnson forages for ramps.
And morels. And chanterelles. He pulls all sorts of woodsy riches out of his native Fayette County hills and hollows.
Leon has been a steward of The Ruins from the first winter. Back when I was in way over my head, he arrived with his trusty old chainsaw and rake, and helped me carve the first bits of order into the chaos.
He built fires to burn brush, played his reggae work music, and discovered one of the best secrets The Ruins had to offer; its black gold compost.
We talk mushrooms, river culture, gardening, simple recipes, and of course, his love affair with Whitsett. We reminisce about pulling the giant rusty coal screener out of the dirt by the front door and marvel at how it now hangs as The Cathedral Window; a symbol of unearthing optimism come to vibrant life.
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