Episode 202 - Rick Hartlieb is co-owner of Castanea Farms in Robesonia, Pennsylvania.
Rick Hartlieb and his wife and business partner, Jen, are the proud first-generation farmers behind Castanea Farms in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Their journey is rooted in both passion and persistence, beginning more than 25 years ago when they first met through the Conrad Weiser Area School District’s FFA program.Rick’s early love for forestry led him to Penn State University, where he earned an Associate of Science in Forest Technology from the Mont Alto campus before completing his Bachelor of Science in Forestry at University Park. His career path soon intertwined with chestnuts—starting in 2005 as a volunteer with the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation.By 2008, Rick was serving his community as a Service Forester with the DCNR Bureau of Forestry, managing forest resources across Berks, Lancaster, and Chester Counties. His leadership continued to grow, and from 2014–2024 he served as Assistant Manager for Resource Stewardship in the William Penn Forest District before stepping into the role of District Manager in 2024.In 2017, Rick and Jen discovered the property that would define their future: a farmstead dotted with 100-year-old chestnut trees. Inspired by its legacy, they named it Castanea Farms—a tribute to the genus of the chestnut itself. Today, chestnuts remain at the heart of their farming operation, a living testament to both heritage and hard work.
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Episode 201 - Natalie Carmolli manages Public Relations for Spring Meadow Nursery and Proven Winners® ColorChoice® shrubs.
Natalie Carmolli manages Public Relations for Spring Meadow Nursery and Proven Winners® ColorChoice® shrubs. She grew up in the floral industry and holds a bachelor’s degree in theatrical arts, along with a Certificate of Mastery in tree and shrub identification from Longwood Gardens. An avid gardener and dynamic communicator, Natalie is passionate about sharing her love of gardening with shrubs, whether online, traveling across the country, or in her own backyard.
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Episode 200 - Mary Tipping is the Curator and Plant Recorder at ths Scott Arboeretum & Gardens at Swarthmore College.
Mary Tipping has held the position of Curator and Plant Recorder at the Scott Arboretum & Gardens at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, since 2015, after working as the Horticulturist at the Henry Schmieder Arboretum of Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. In her current position, she is responsiblefor curating, recording, mapping, and labeling a vast array of plant collections, which encompass over 11,500 woody plants and thousands of herbaceous plants. She is an ISA Certified Arborist® and the PhiladelphiaFlower Show Nomenclature Chairman. Her plant passions include oaks, beeches, Stewartia, conifers, witch-hazels, deciduous azaleas, and ferns, just to name a few.
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Episode 199 - Ethan Kauffman is the first director of Stoneleigh: a natural garden in Villanova, Pennsylvania.
Ethan Kauffman is the first director of Stoneleigh: anatural garden, where he has led the transition from a private estate to a public garden over the last 8 years. He developed his love of the natural world by exploring the Susquehanna River Hills in Southeastern Pennsylvania. He cultivated his horticultural perspective over two decades of gardening in the Deep South, including as director of Moore Farms Botanical Garden, where he also led the transition from a private pleasure garden to a public botanical garden. Drawing on influences from both regions, he enjoys creating a garden experience at Stoneleigh that inspires others togarden for beauty, biodiversity, and the health of our planet.   Â
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Episode 198 - Trinity Pierce is the Chicago Region Trees Initiative senior stewardship manager at The Morton Arboretum.
Trinity Pierce is the Chicago Region Trees Initiative senior stewardship manager at The Morton Arboretum. She collaborates with community organizations and members toincrease awareness and foster action through plantings and ongoing care in order to grow a more diverse, more abundant, and more equitably distributed urban forest. A Certified Arborist, she holds a Master of LandscapeArchitecture from the University of Michigan with a background in history, ecological restoration, and urban green space reconciliation.
The purpose of our podcast is to encourage tree planting and proper tree care for our urban forest which includes neighborhoods, parks, and other open spaces. We will also cover a myriad of tree topics including the important role trees play in relationship to the climate crisis. The show is hosted by Eva Monheim and Hal Rosner certified arborists through the International Society of Arboriculture.
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