White Strawberries: Growing Food for Wellness & Joy
Welcome to White Strawberries, where gardening, permaculture, and sustainable living nourish body, mind, and spirit. I’m Sam—a gardener, educator, and podcasting chicken whisperer.
Each episode explores how growing and eating nutrient-dense, organic foods—from polyphenol-rich plants to adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha—supports vitality and a joyful, vibrant life. We cover garden design, soil health, mushrooms, animal integration, and seasonal growing insights with honesty, curiosity, and a dash of fun.
🌱 Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced gardener, join us for practical advice, inspiring conversations, and playful insights to help your garden—and your life—thrive.
🌱 Let's connect on Instagram: @whitestrawberriespodcast
📘 Join the conversation on Facebook: White Strawberries Podcast
Episodes
28 episodes
A Newbies Guide to Genetic Engineering and NZ Law Changes | With GE Honesty
I’m not usually a political person, but sometimes a little adulting is needed. And I think it’s important that everyday Kiwis actually know what’s happening in our food system.In this episode, I sit down with Callum from GE...
•
31:14
Sunflowers: 6 Reasons to Grow them | Sparking Joy
🌻 How cool are sunflowers?In this Sparking Joy episode of White Strawberries, we explore everything there is to love about sunflowers — their ancient history, mythological roots, and the many ways they bring...
•
19:11
Asexual Propagation: Beginner’s Overview of How to Clone a Plant
In this episode we’re diving into asexual propagation: making clones of a plant we want. For beginners! There are more ways, but these are the easiest!! AKA- Why My Baby Strawberries are Yucky. AKA- How to steal plants....
•
19:33
DIY Electrolytes: Turning Garden Surplus into Functional Hydration | Sparking Joy
This week on White Strawberries, we’re talking about DIY electrolytes — making your own hydration mix right from the kitchen (and garden).Whether you’re in autumn apple season in the Northern Hemisphere or heading into long, sun...
•
12:01
.png)
Help! My Garden Isn’t Thriving | Mastering the Garden
🌱 In this episode, I’m tackling a problem I hear all the time — what to do when your garden isn’t thriving.Maybe your garden used to be amazing, but now your plants are struggling. Maybe you are hesitant to continue to purchase soil and ...
•
25:48
.png)
Mulch and Ground Covers| Mastering the Garden
🌱 In this episode, I explore something that’s been top of mind lately — ground covers.Ground covers form one of the eight layers of a forest and play a vital role in any thriving garden, orchard, or food forest. They’re n...
•
32:05
.png)
WWOOFing! Organic Farm Work Exchange | Sparking Joy
🌍 In this episode, I’ve just returned from WWOOFing — and I have a lot of feedback to share!What exactly is WWOOFing? Is it for you? And how can you make sure you find the right host before you pack your bags and...
•
15:40
Chicken Tractors- Considerations, pros and cons| Mastering the Garden
🐓 In this episode, I share my lived experience with chicken tractors and the mandala garden system — the joys, the frustrations, and the lessons five years in.We explore: 🪴 How chickens save you work with composting, weed...
•
31:40
Chickens in the Garden | With Dr. Sez the Vet
We’re talking chickens—those fluffy butt, soil-turning, pest eating wonders that can be put to work in your garden. 🐔 Whether you're dreaming of adding chickens to your permaculture setup or wondering if they're right for you...
•
49:21
Growing Topicals in a Cold Climate | With Steve Fawcett
🌱 In this episode, I sit down with Steve Fawcett to explore Troppo — an urban tropical food forest in Te Puke. Yes, tropical plants… outdoors… in a place that gets frost and hail!We dive into: 🍌 Bananas as mineral accum...
•
44:06
The Home-Scale Forest Garden – My Review & Takeaways | Mastering the Garden
🌱 In this episode, I dive into The Home-Scale Forest Garden by Dani Baker (2022), How to Plan, Plant and Tend a Resilient Edible Landscape.I share why this book captured my attention, what makes it such a treasur...
•
21:40
5 Garden Side Hustles, that isn't selling plants| Sparking Joy
Looking to make the most of your garden or property without selling your harvest? In this episode of White Strawberries, I share five creative side hustles you can start right at home. From hosting garden tours and beehives...
•
21:25
Dirty Dozen Guide: Nutrition, Pesticides & Biodiversity | Mastering the Garden
Some fruits and vegetables are heavily sprayed with pesticides—and it’s not just a chemical issue. These plants may also produce fewer natural compounds that make them nutritious, and conventional growing methods can harm the environment. 🌱...
•
27:33
What Makes Kids Happiest? The Science of Free Play | With Robin Mann
In this episode, Sam puts on her educator’s hat, drawing from over 20 years of experience working in schools across New Zealand, Hong Kong, China, and the USA — including roles as Dean, Head of Business Department, sustainable living and outdoo...
•
49:20
Perennial Vegetables for Harvesting over Winter | Sparking Joy
In this episode of White Strawberries, I dig into the unsung heroes of the vegetable garden: perennials! You’ll learn about my three favourite edible roots — yacón, Jerusalem artichokes, and oca (NZ yams) — an...
•
20:02
Nitrogen 101: Transforms Your Garden | Mastering the Garden
🌱 What is nitrogen actually and when we know what it is why does it matter? In this solo episode of White Strawberries, I ditch the edits (full disclosure I took the "um's" out) and go full conversation mode to unp...
•
12:50
Water Wisely: Recycling & Irrigation Tips | With Sofee D
💧 🌦️ If you’ve ever looked at a garden hose like it was made of gold—this one’s for you.In this episode of White Strawberries, I have a conversation with Sophie, a Zero Waste Educator, about the messy magic of water in th...
•
32:41
Hydrangeas | Sparking Joy
In this Spark Joy episode, we dive into the wonderful world of hydrangeas — one of New Zealand’s most beloved perennial shrubs, known for their stunning blooms and versatility.As I recorded this in the height of summer, hydrangeas were t...
•
12:10
Pruning, Cuttings & a Lemon Tree Rescue | Conversation with a Newbie
In today’s Q&A-style episode, I chat with Becks, who’s growing food on a small urban section packed with subtropical and Mediterranean microclimates. We talk through her real-life garden dilemmas—from a wayward apple tree branch and overach...
•
25:31
Composting! Hot or not? | Mastering the Garden
♻️ Ever wondered if your compost pile is killing weed seeds—or just giving them a warm nap?In this episode of White Strawberries, I dive into my very first proper hot composting adventure. Spoiler: it involves bamboo stakes, cow...
•
23:39
Elderberries: Grow & Use Them Year-Round | Sparking Joy
Elderberry: Grow it because it’s delicious, beautiful — and scientifically proven to shorten the duration of the flu.This episode dives into the magic, science, and mischief of elderberries — a plant that blurs the line between me...
•
16:17
Pigs in the Garden | Conversation with Dr. Sez the Vet
We’re talking pigs—those chubby, soil-turning wonders that can transform your paddock and garden into a thriving ecosystem.🐖 Whether you're dreaming of adding pigs to your permaculture setup or wondering if they're right for your ...
•
45:52
.png)
Mediterranean Guild Gardening: Figs, Grapes, Olives & Companions | Mastering the Garden
What do olives, grapes, figs, and lavender all have in common? They're part of the sun-loving, drought-tolerant crew that thrive in Mediterranean climates—and today we’re designing a whole guild around them.In this episode, I explore wha...
•
16:50
.png)
Wine Cap Mushrooms in Orchards | With Sarah Williams
In this earthy and enthusiastic episode, I chat with Sarah Williams—permaculture gardener, mushroom grower, and the green-fingered soul behind Sarah’s Green Acres—about growing wine cap mushrooms, also known as burgundy mushrooms or gard...
•
28:03