332 Amy Fagan - From Homesteading to Amplifying Voices: A Podcasting Adventure

:: 00:00

So Amy Fagan, host of the Grounded and Main Podcast, thank you so much for joining me on Podcast Junkies.

:: 00:06

Oh my gosh, I'm so proud of you, harry, thank you, I'm so thrilled to be here really.

:: 00:10

Do you remember how we crossed paths?

:: 00:12

We crossed paths. Well, sure, yes, I saw you first in a Jeremy N's round two. Yeah, and. Oh, actually I saw you before that somehow around podcast I think it was around podcast and I was just starting my podcast and I saw that you had a vertical firming podcast and I was like you might have attended my talk. I might have. And then I like, I contacted you and you said oh, why don't you contact me once you started and I was like, yeah right, he's totally going to just jump all over that, and so I never contacted you again.

But then I saw you on Jeremy N's and you were like so approachable and I was like I don't get it, I'm one of these days I'm going to contact him. And then I just I started following you from there and then and you just post some really great, you know super meaningful stuff and I just I love what you're about.

:: 01:08

Oh, I appreciate that so much. Thank you. Talk a little bit about your background, Like how did you first, how'd you end up at podcast? You know it sounds like his podcasting has been on your radar. Did you start as a listener and then you started getting podcast? Curious?

:: 01:21

I was podcast curious for a long time. Yeah. Yeah so podcasting was not really in my realm of things that I ever thought was going to happen. I was telling you earlier I never really felt like I had anything to offer, but I really wanted to learn. I actually was thinking about doing a YouTube channel with a friend of mine and talking. We wanted to learn how to be homesteaders.

And so we thought it would be cool to do this YouTube channel and interview homesteaders and like learn a new homesteading skill every week and like then take it home and try these things and then go back the next week and say how it well, it incorporated into our world, if it was easy and something that we could totally take on and continue, or if it was like no, freaking way, that is no. And then my friend just got busy and that didn't happen and I was like I'm not going to be on camera all the time, there's no way I'm doing a YouTube channel, just me. So I was like I guess I'll do it, I'm going to do a podcast. And sustainability was like general sort of wide enough of a subject that I could. I could come up with enough subjects, I guess, and not run out.

And I think that in my idea of sustainability is more not like this is sustainable and this is sustainable and this is sustainable, but more like encouraging people and just learning from different people like what they think is sustainable. Because for me it's about this. A lot of it is a story like what is sustainable to people and what drives them, like what sort of what is that point where someone goes from normal life to like I need to make a change, like I need to do something different.

I'm so curious about that point. But so I talked about it and talked about it for about two years. And then a friend of mine messaged my friend messaged my sister-in-law that some friends of his were hosting a podcasting workshop, the podcast away retreat, with 10K dollar day in Florida.

:: 03:32

That sounds fun.

:: 03:34

In 2022. And I was like well, 2022 during COVID in Florida. And I was like no way, uh, can't afford it.

:: 03:44

And yes.

:: 03:45

COVID.

:: 03:46

Yeah.

:: 03:46

But he was like I will use my flight points to get you there.

:: 03:51

Just pay for the workshop. That's great.

:: 03:53

And I was like that is just, it's too big of a gift to reject. So I did that and Focus rate sponsored us all to do like the virtual horse yeah. Of the virtual track of pod Best that year as a gift for going to the retreat.

:: 04:11

What do you think it was for you? That was that pull to get you there? And when you think back and you think about all the pieces that had to align timing wise, resource wise, generosity wise from people that obviously cared about you and were supporting you looking back now, does it seem everything was pulling you towards that moment to get started.

:: 04:32

I honestly think so. I think, personally, I will continue on a path that is comfortable, that's miserable, that is going nowhere, unless something stops me in my path. Okay, let's stop doing this. Here's another option. How about this? Because I will Rationalize anything, because I'm not big on change. I'm not someone really like. I'm so much better at it now I mean since podcasting but like I was in a, I was in a car accident four years ago and so.

I had so many changes, I was out of work for four months and then I ended up losing my job from that. So, like I had to, I changed jobs so many times and then during that, I like started this jam business and which was also never in my realm not a business person but here I am still with a business. So it was four years later, but I was just going to be like I'm just going to work my nine to five, I'm going to take care of my pets and do my own thing, and then the carts didn't happen, which it was an awful Period, but it was the best possible thing that could have happened, honestly, because it stopped the routine that I was in and I've been. I'm so happy now that not that happened, but yeah.

I am now.

:: 05:52

Yeah, it's hard to look at things like that, experiences like that, in the moment, to think that there's possibly a reason that anyone could find for something that's especially traumatic like that. But I think it sounds like you've got the wherewithal to look back and see that sometimes things do happen for a reason and sometimes it's a wake up call and you mentioned this way that you had of being that you're not big on change and you weren't into jam, but yet you started a jam business. If you look back, do you see that pattern? Is that something that was early on for you, that you were just not kind of following status quo in terms of the life you were living, or is that something that was different for you when you were younger and that's something shifted as you got older?

:: 06:31

That's a really tricky question. I don't remember a lot of my younger years. Yeah, yeah, I think I blocked a lot of it out. My dad was married many times and we didn't have a great relationship, but so there was a lot of change like moving around and people were in my life, so I don't remember a lot of things.

I know I was as steady as I could be, like just I'm just going to cruise through life and I just don't want anyone to be mad at me. I don't want anything to, I just want everything to go really slowly. And so I worked. I was at my jobs for like 13 years, 12 years, and I'm a lifer basically, unless something changes and so, but just in general, like I'm like a loyal person to be around and sticking around forever, I just don't. I really don't like change and I don't. I think it's because a lot of things changed when I was younger.

:: 07:30

That makes sense, yeah, and so do you think that you've developed now these abilities to move past that stasis? Because, like you said, you said you're not big on change and yet you started probably never envisioned that you'd start a podcast and you'd be in front of a mic recording and kudos to getting all these episodes recorded. Getting out of your comfort zone attending a podcast conference, jumping on this conversation with me, I think, do you find that you're building up that resiliency muscle in you just by virtue of putting yourself out there and maybe even surprising yourself at what's possible?

:: 08:03

I almost want to say 100%. But if you say, would you do it all by yourself, I would say no man.

:: 08:09

Yeah.

:: 08:09

I don't want to do it by myself, but I will talk to anybody any old time.

:: 08:15

When you say you don't want to do it by yourself, do you mean just to have the support of someone either cheering you along or helping you, like, get through the challenging stuff that you may not be the subject matter expert in?

:: 08:26

Oh no, just like a podcast episode. Just me and the mic, yeah. Not someone to look at talk to anything like that. I'll talk to anybody, but I just don't want to be like talking to myself. Yeah, I don't like that.

:: 08:38

And when you got started with the show, you obviously had a lot of support from that conference and then from those training sessions. Was it helpful to figure out? I mean, I think a lot of the things that overwhelm beginning podcasters is all the moving parts. Right, they look at it from afar or they hear a podcast. How hard can it be? You just return on your mic and you just start recording and, voila, you have a podcast, just like that. That's what it was like for you, I'm sure. Right, totally, that's all you did. So for someone, for the listener who is interested in starting a podcast, or the viewer, how would you describe those early days about working through and trying to get a grasp of all the moving parts?

:: 09:16

Oh, what I would say is don't listen to people. Honestly, I feel like some days I'm just kind of bucking the system. There are a lot of people that are saying you want to have so many downloads, you want to have the sponsors and you want to have the affiliates and all blah, blah, blah. You want to make all the money there's also, but you were talking earlier about building that muscle, the resiliency muscle and stuff. But you just want to be confident about what you're doing. You want to feel good about what you're doing. You want to feel fulfilled in that. Yeah, I definitely want to make money. I want to feel really fulfilled in that and, honestly, I had this life-changing moment a week or two ago when I was doing an interview and I was unspeachless just thinking about it and it was the weirdest thing and I was like I can't even believe I'm podcasting, I'm podcasting and I am meeting these amazing people. I never Nebraska what a fact, you know she's.

Nebraska and she thrips for a living and she's creating these style bundles. Sure, that's great, but her story is unbelievable.

And I'm like I can't even believe I get to talk to you, I get to share your story, cool, my, you know, and I keep having these moments of like the imposter syndrome, and it's on a regular basis. People are like, oh my gosh, I'm thank you so much for this time and I had this a couple of weeks ago a solar company. They were like doing these super flowery embellished posts about me. This is like super try to remember the powerful blah blah, blah podcast. So like, dude, you don't really you're going to make them listen and they're going to be like that podcast.

:: 11:04

But I don't know.

:: 11:05

I mean I think I'm really like bucking the whole like AI thing, and I'm not like against it all, I'm just like I'm pacing myself, like I don't want to take it all on. I'm getting the full like show notes and the rhythm in and putting my sound bites and doing my posts and all this stuff, like there's a lot to it. There's a lot to it. And then the social media marketing part, like I don't have a T, yeah, yeah.

:: 11:33

Most part-casters, indie part-casters do not, and I definitely feel for you, because that's exactly what I went through when I started. It was like what was a lot? I feel like, felt like the busker who's on the corner with the harmonica, with the drum, with the guitar, with the thing on his foot. He's singing, he's just twirling and baton or something. It is like crazy, like all the things you're doing at the same time. You're just like hey, look at me, I got a podcast. I got a podcast. Especially now, I want to pause for a moment and just hope. Let you know that the imposter syndrome never goes away, and I've heard even Oprah say she has it as well. I have it all the time, and so I think it's something that we learn to live with as creators, because there'll always be an opportunity to see what someone is doing and measure ourselves against it. I think it's just human nature You're like. And then this concept of like, wow, like who am I to be? Like talking to this person, but at the end of the day, you know, we all put our pants on one leg at a time and these are just human people. In my second podcast, vertical Farming Podcast, I specifically speak to CEOs and founders of vertical farming companies and in 2020, I knew zero about vertical farming, so, but I know how to talk to people and just have a conversation, and that's what's been.

You know, the connecting thread with this show and with that show the fact that these are conversations, and I always want the listener to feel like they've just pulled with a stool. We're hanging up the bar and just hearing Amy and Harry talk about podcasting and they're listening in. It's like, oh, and so we're not forgetting about you, listener. We want you to be on this journey as well. I say it ad nauseam there's three people in this conversation Amy, harry and the listener. So we're going on this together and I think that's what you're building when you're creating this platform, because if you think about these conversations that you've had and I think on your show you're up to 68 now and you're having conversations with people who may, you're giving them a voice and that's a really powerful thing that you're doing and I want to applaud you for doing that. I know that through this process, you've found your voice.

You can't get 68 episodes in and not start to feel somewhat comfortable in terms of knowing what you're doing, feeling comfortable, not to say you're going to be an expert at any point in time or you'll ever feel like an expert, but I think what you're doing, by your very nature of just showing up, people get so overwhelmed, like I don't like the sound of my voice, and they never get started, or they record a podcast intro that sits in their hard drive for three years and your 10th is going to sound better than your first, and your 50th is going to sound better than your 10th, as I know you can attest to.

So I just want to say kudos to you for continuing, especially during times when it probably felt challenging, and what you're doing is good work, and the platform that you're providing people is a space for maybe their first time, to speak out loud what's in their hearts and, who knows what they're going to do. Maybe they'll start a podcast as well. So definitely, like just again, applaud you for what you're doing, because it's not easy to be a podcaster and do this on a continuous basis. So don't be yourself up too much. It's definitely not easy, especially with all the things that we have to work through as podcasters, but it is great to see that you continue to stay consistent with your show.

:: 14:29

Yeah Well, thank you. I mean, and I don't want the imposter syndrome to go away, because it's nice to hear those flowery things, but at the same time, like that feels weird it feels weird.

:: 14:41

I mean it's nice to hear.

:: 14:42

but then I'm like, wait, that's me, that's it me.

:: 14:48

So when you think about that was the intention to always start it as an interview based show.

:: 14:53

Yeah.

:: 14:54

Yeah.

:: 14:55

Yeah, because I wanted to learn more about different ways to be sustainable.

:: 14:59

Yeah, and where there's shows that you were listening to, that, you were inspired by.

:: 15:03

I love Jill Winger's podcast have you seen Jill Winger? No I haven't it's called Old Fashioned On Purpose.

:: 15:09

Okay.

:: 15:09

It's a great podcast. I mean, she's a homesteader, but the way that she talks about it is so great because she'll say everyone is not, you don't have to be all in, yeah, which is. It's different than what a lot of homesteaders will say, but you can be all in you can dabble. You can dabble 100%.

:: 15:30

Yeah.

:: 15:31

And I just think, and the things that she teaches are really, really great.

:: 15:36

I think what's helpful for me to understand, and we had a brief conversation, I think a week or two ago talked about how now for me I mean, if people are watching this on YouTube, it probably looks like I'm in a sauna right now, but that's a lot of wood paneling back here. I am in the Midwest. I'm in just 30 minutes outside of Minneapolis now with my partner, natalie, and she grew up here, so this is her. We're watching her parents' home and we're trying to debate whether it's something we want to stick with. And there's something to be said for waking up and seeing the trees, seeing the colors change on the leaves, and we have enough property here where we went out and built a compost bin. So it sounds like one of those things you maybe just want to have under the sink, but we went out and did that legit one bought the wood, went to Home Depot. She found some plans online. So hinges, latches, I think it's got the chicken wire. It was a full day project and it's nice. You know this experience of working with your hands and we have this thing now sitting in the back of the yard. So we've got this little tray of stuff that we have on the kitchen counter and everything goes in there, right, the eggshells, the stems of the cores of the apples, you know, like every little scrap of you know that's compostable and if there's something comforting, and just taking that out every day and just dumping it in there and just watching it over time as it turns into what it's going to turn to, and just little things like that.

Our neighbors have chickens, so we got to watch them. They went away, so we had to watch them for a week and I had to go over there to chicken coop. Oh, my goodness, I had to let the chickens out. I had to look in the coop for the chickens, for the eggs, and then at the end of the night you've got to like they're free roaming, so you'll see them in the neighbor's yard and you'll see them next door. So we live on a cul-de-sac, so thankfully it's like a quiet street, but it's so funny and they now, because my partner, natalie, likes to feed them bird seed.

They get acclimated to stuff like that really quickly, so you'll see them. You know, occasionally we'll open the front door and there's a chicken there with his head cocked and it's like where's my bird seed? So all these things. You know and I'm sure you've had a lot of stories. You know people like this who, again to your point, just to bring a full circle we're not fully in, but we do have well water here, so we've got our own water source. So it's little things like that. I think, as you start to try the things that are comfortable for you, there's something comforting about the resiliency and being able to support yourself and being sustainable. I think that's in the long term and hopefully is where we're returning to as a society.

:: 17:56

Yeah, it's so nice, isn't it? Because, you live in the city, right Normally.

:: 18:01

Well, now we live out here now, so we used to. I mean, I grew up in the city, as I'm in New York, or at heart, as you can tell from my hat but you know I grew up in the city. I've lived in like one bedroom loft department in New York City. You know really where you're really, you know really cozy, and the biggest green space you have is probably Central Park, and so I've had that experience. I've lived in LA as well. Not a lot of yard spaces there. So this is kind of the first experience for me just having this much space other than like the little backyard I had in my parents house growing up. But it is an interesting experience because once you've experienced it and you wake up and you or you hear the crickets at night or you wake up and you see the trees is the first thing you see out of your window you know it's. There's something about resetting your nervous system that it just works wonders for stuff like that.

:: 18:47

Right, especially in the fall when the trees are changing color. I mean, I know in New York they change color.

:: 18:52

Yeah, they're left. Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely.

:: 18:54

Yeah, we have chickens as well, and our chickens will, oh my gosh, chase you down to the garage door because they know their meal works.

:: 19:03

Yes, right on the other side of that door.

:: 19:04

Yeah, and they will. They'll also meet you at the door in the house.

:: 19:09

There's nothing funnier than seeing a chicken run.

:: 19:11

Oh my gosh, it's the best and I like people ask you like what's your happy place.

:: 19:17

And my happy place.

:: 19:17

Literally, we have a lawn swing. We don't have like, we just have an acre of land. We have a lawn swing and my happy place is sitting on the lawn swing with my dog, with cats on their leashes and the chickens just poking around, like I just love it. I never get to do that, but I just love it.

:: 19:35

It's there.

:: 19:37

The chickens I mean you. The chickens hang out in the in your yard as well, like they just poke around their food.

:: 19:42

They come over. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

:: 19:44

And I just I get to know their sounds. We have three roosters out of 10 chickens. They all have their own crews. The girls all have their own sounds. It's just really funny.

:: 19:54

Yeah.

:: 19:55

But just to get to know their personality. It was really fun and they all look so funny and, yeah, when they run, oh my gosh especially when they're bigger.

:: 20:02

Yeah, see a cat poking its head there. Yeah, who's that?

:: 20:05

Yeah.

:: 20:06

I'm Julia. I love when we have guest appearances on the show too, and it's great because as podcasters talking about podcasting, I love like to remind the listener and the viewer that we don't have perfect environments here, like the long guy was here yesterday and the leaf flow was literally outside this back window that's behind me and I'm just like, oh man, I just hope they don't hear that. And again, we've probably been through every single circumstance. I remember when I lived in the city I inevitably would pick the recording day. That'd be the trash day and it'd be like, ah, the truck is just like beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep. Or like the lawn just anything you can think of would happen on the day you're recording. I'm sure you've got some interesting stories as well.

:: 20:48

Well, I know my first podcast episode our older rooster was just. It was like I think it was June and it was a beautiful day and the window was open and he was outside and we would throw it in the op and I was like my first episode, dude, and it's like Well, it is a whole set of podcasts, I know. I was so tempted to do like a disclaimer and be like I'm really sorry, but then it was like you know what You're going to hear it again. Yeah, Because I have chickens.

:: 21:16

Yeah, and so how's your homesteading journey changed or grown or evolved as a result of all these conversations you're having on the show?

:: 21:25

I'm right now, I'm just taking it all in. I mean, really I'm super busy.

:: 21:30

Yeah, it's good.

:: 21:31

I'm just keeping it really busy, but I'm like I'm trying really hard to get involved in stuff. We had a my town in Maine had a climate action meeting workshop last month, which was difficult. It was difficult. I mean we're in an inflation period and we are. My town is growing like crazy and it was really really hard because people you know they're like we should be driving electric vehicle. So we should all have some solar panels and blah blah blah and we're like we can't paint our homes.

:: 22:02

Yeah.

:: 22:04

We can't afford all these updates. Which is very true, but it was just an interesting sort of tug of war. We need to do these things Well, we can't.

:: 22:13

Have you always been actively involved in your community with these topics?

:: 22:16

Yes and no. I mean I try not to get politically involved because I have this tendency to be really irrational. I get really heated and I don't have a lot of knowledge to back up. I just get really heated.

:: 22:33

Yeah, and you know you feel it in your gut, or you feel it in your heart and your passion. You're like back it up.

:: 22:37

Like nope. I got nothing else to say, I just had to say my piece. But I mean, I was part of a group that was helping to ban the single use plastic bags in my town, which won, but then when COVID started, everything went out the window. I helped to put a dog park in my town.

:: 22:58

Okay.

:: 22:59

I am trying to get my town to support solar community solar like the solar farms.

:: 23:06

Yeah.

:: 23:07

And use those.

:: 23:08

How do you decide who to invite on the show? Are you scratching your own itch or you just want to learn more about specific topic? Or, as you've progressed with the episodes, I'm sure the show's getting some visibility, especially with the name like Grounded in Maine to get more and more high profile guests on.

:: 23:23

Yeah, I'm really open. I love the variety of different people. In the beginning I started out with my friends. Of course, I've got a lot of friends who are herbalists and so I had an herbalist on my PT was a forager, so I had him on to talk about foraging. And I have a friend who has a tiny home and she's actually a homesteader. So I was like you know, tell me about some stuff. And she told me this really cool trick about putting the packet of yeast in your toilet instead of like what do you use? People put like bleach or whatever in their toilet to unclog or whatever. But she was like put yeast down instead.

:: 24:03

I'm like really, what does the yeast do?

:: 24:07

It just gets the bacteria going. It like seeds the bacteria.

:: 24:11

That's so interesting.

:: 24:12

Like, do its thing. It's more natural than chemicals, right?

:: 24:15

I just learned a new tip today.

:: 24:17

I know, I know I was like you got to tell me that on the air. So I started out with a lot of friends and then I, just as the podcast grew and I was growing my social media. I love Instagram because I can like reach out to people like Harry D'Aurea and say, dude, I love that post, that's so powerful. And then you see me and you're like hey, let's talk.

But I had. I reached out to main community solar, who is the solar group that I just interviewed, but gosh, I just had somewhere in that reach out and one of my goals for this year was to, one, monetize, but two, I wanted to have people reach out to me instead of me having to chase everyone down.

:: 25:01

Yeah, yeah.

:: 25:04

And I've had that happen a few times, which is very cool. But so efficiency main. So I don't know if you guys have that in other states, but efficiency main helps people to like arrange the rebates and stuff to encourage people to get updates. So like we worked with them when we got our solar panels. So you buy solar panels and you get like $5,000 off of your tax, you get a $5,000 tax rebate when you pay your taxes, or stuff like that. But so they were like we'd love to be on your podcast. We're doing a big pitch to get some attention and we'd love to. Would you consider having us on your podcast? I'm like heck yeah.

And then the next response was how do you feel about sponsorship? I'm like shoot, we made it.

:: 25:49

What is?

:: 25:49

this I'm not being punked, but that was super cool, and so we're talking about that for next year.

:: 25:56

That's awesome, Amy. That's great news.

:: 25:58

Yeah, but so people are reaching out to me but in general, like I'm just, I think, one of those people that just thinks everyone is really cool and I find the good in people and I just think, like I had a lady on who's so cool and she's a breathwork person and she's an energy healer and she wanted to talk about making her own broth.

And I'm like that's amazing, because you know, broth is not. It's not that big of a deal. But if you think about it, you literally just put a bag of vegetable scraps in your freezer and when you want to make broth you just down water. It literally costs nothing, it costs nothing, whereas if you go to the store and you buy broth, you have those cartons that are covered in wax and you can compost them and you can't recycle them and they cost like five bucks, so like.

:: 26:43

How's your broth game now?

:: 26:45

Oh, but I've been making my own broth for years, nice. But yeah, I just think it's awesome that you know some people are like I'd love to talk to you about that. I'm very proud of myself.

:: 26:55

How have you grown as an interviewer over the years, over the episodes? Do you find you improving now?

:: 27:01

I mean, I think so, I think I'm growing, I think I'm definitely more comfortable with it. Yeah, I find myself needing to improve my vocabulary, but in the beginning of podcasting I also like was using. I was using the free zoom.

:: 27:22

And.

:: 27:22

I was like I'm going to be so prepared, I'm going to write all my questions down, I'm going to have everything already. And so I was like I had my person in front of me and I'm watching my zoom, so I don't run out because I don't have a video editor. And I have my questions in front of me. So I'm looking at my questions and looking at my thing and I'm like, okay, no, I have to weed out my questions because I don't have enough time.

So I'm like reading my questions and trying to weed everything out and looking at the clock and I'm like not paying attention at all, and so somebody brought that to my attention. So now the questions are out the window.

:: 27:53

I'm like I'm just winging it.

I did the exact same thing. I had actually John Lee Dumas was on entrepreneur on fire and he's notorious for his like 30 minute interviews, so you've got to get to it, and I think it was just midday and I was feeling a little flustered and I had them in my hand. I was like there's no way I can get through these and I'm just like I scrapped them and I was like let's just talk and then just it's a great skill to have, you know, this ability to be conversational with people and to just understand that, like, every single person has a story, if you're willing to invest time and just paying attention and being curious and my girlfriend likes to say judgment and curiosity cannot exist in the same space, right? So it's like make a decision which one do you want to choose as a podcast source?

I'm always trying to be as curious as possible and it's helped me become a better listener as well, and I think even with squad cast now I pin the guests face or video, so that I'm because I used to have them side by side and I just inevitably, like your ego kicks in. You're just like you're looking at yourself and you're like what do I look like? And that's you know. Again, you're doing a disservice to your guests. So I'm glad to hear that you're feeling more comfortable and I think as you get better and better. It's just I find that sometimes when I'm in the real world, I'm talking to people, it probably sounds like a podcast conversation, because I'm asking questions. I'm like, oh so, why'd you do that? And like when did you do want to do that? And they're like is this your new podcast, am I?

on a podcast right now. So, and people like to talk, you know, and people like to share their stories, and then so I think yeah, it's fun and, for the record, I think you're super cool as well, so let's get that on camera.

:: 29:23

I'll catch it here.

:: 29:25

What about talk to me about the jam business and like as if you having a starting a podcast and figure out how to do homesteading? It sounds like it's like enough on top of already what you're doing in your day to day. So what was the impetus there?

:: 29:39

Well, I mean, the jam business came first when I was out of work Four years ago. I had the time to. It was not my plan, but I had time to sit around, so I'll back up a little bit. I don't make a lot of money at my job. My husband is an arborist. He does just fun.

:: 29:57

Yeah.

:: 29:59

And so I have this sort of inferiority complex where I feel like I need to full more weight and so I'm like I can't make more money by working more. I just can't. So I'm going to grow a garden and I will harvest the vegetables and I will can these vegetables and I will. It's going to be almost as much as it's going to be almost like making money by saving money Right.

And my sister got married in: 2014

And I was like but then I was out of work and I had nothing else to do and I was people are always like oh, you're going to watch Netflix, like crazy. I was like no, I was doing webinars and workshops and listening to podcasts and stuff like that. And I was like I was on fire. So I was all like I'm going to start this business and I have no business doing it, but I'm going to do it anyway. And so I like waited for an hour and a half with the state of Maine to get my license set up and get my EI in and all the LLC and all this stuff, so by the time I had to have foot surgery and so by the time I was able to walk again, I had a kitchen set up and I was already, because I had to read the kitchen.

was all set to go, and so May: 2020

:: 31:35

Perfect time to start a business, right? This is COVID was starting.

:: 31:39

I had the kitchen to myself because everything was floating, yeah, but yeah.

And so it's been really slow going. And I'm not, you know, I'm only one person, so I can only do so much, but, like in the summertime, I will. There are farms nearby that. There's a farm that has like 16 acres of strawberries and they do pick, so I pick all the strawberries. It's half price, so I save money, so I pick all the strawberries. I'm still working full time, so I'll like go at seven in the morning until seven, 45. So just 45 minutes. I pick a flat of strawberries, I come home and I walk the dog and then I work all day and then I clean the strawberries and freeze the strawberries and then, you know, do dinner and all that stuff. That's my summer and then, do podcast stuff.

then I started the podcast in: 2022

:: 32:27

That's awesome, and so talk a little bit about how do you get everything right now working synergistically together. Are you mentioning the jam on the podcast? Is the jam a sponsor of the show?

:: 32:39

Isn't it necessarily a sponsor of the show? I mean, I feel weird about doing that. I know people keep saying that I should do that and I don't know, so I'll mention it from time to time. I haven't quite figured out how to feel good about doing that.

:: 32:51

Yeah.

:: 32:52

I also so, but I just I make jam on Sundays usually and then I do podcasting on week evenings.

:: 33:00

And are you doing? We made a batch of a strawberry rhubarb jam. Well, I helped a little bit, but my partner did mostly work but because that's a great combo. But are you making a bunch of different flavors or just a bunch of different varieties?

:: 33:11

Yep, I made strawberry rhubarb today and I made cranberry jalapeno jelly today.

:: 33:15

Ooh.

:: 33:16

Because I just had it happen to have the day off today.

:: 33:18

Yeah.

:: 33:20

Yeah, I've got a lot of different flavors that I've been working on. It costs a lot of money to have it tested to be able to sell across the states, oh wow. But yeah, I've got an awesome apple preserves that have lemon slices and nutmeg.

:: 33:33

So it tastes kind of like apple pie. Yeah, and do you ship nationwide?

:: 33:39

I do.

:: 33:39

Wow, I'm gonna have to get my Amy's jam order in.

:: 33:43

I actually just shipped some to Minnesota. How?

:: 33:46

you did.

:: 33:47

I just shipped it out on Monday and not to your house, not yet anyway. And I shipped out last week to another podcaster in Tennessee. Oh, that's great.

:: 33:57

Nice, and so you got to do more padding. I guess You're shipping glass jars, or yeah, that gets to be pretty tricky.

:: 34:06

Yeah, it's a wicked bummer.

:: 34:07

Yeah, it's a lot of experimentation with that, but it's also all the things I think.

I just want to continue to give you credit for taking imperfect action when it came to the podcast, when it came to like meeting and the recording and interviewing guests and then starting your business. And I think, like I said, I think you realize when you look back that you're really capable of so much greatness if you just get that momentum started and hopefully, when you get to those challenging moments, you can think about what would Amy 1.0 do versus what is Amy 2.0 going to do. And it's just like give you that push and that encouragement to just like don't doubt yourself, because you've clearly demonstrated that you have the ability to move forward and do things and take imperfect action. And I think, whenever that creeps up or whenever you feel like that you're not enough or you don't have the voice to do what you want to do, just and you think is this an Amy 1.0 thought or is this an Amy 2.0 thought? So, just to keep moving forward and I'm definitely going to keep checking in on your progress- yeah, 100%.

:: 35:08

I was talking to some putcaster friends in the last year and I was like, oh my gosh, I'm like in this midlife crisis. And they were like, can you just kind of change the wording, like just shift it a little bit? And so now we're calling it my season of discovery, and so I'm making up for last time for all those years when I was like, nope, I can't do that, that's not my thing I'm like trying all these things. So it's like my season of yes and like trying all the things.

:: 35:34

I love that, the season of discovery. I recently completed my 53rd trip around the sun and I put a Facebook post out and I called it a level. So I've achieved level 53 now, which is a great accomplishment, and I think it's just helpful to think about it in that way, and it's like I can learn from people who are older than, who are different levels in me so at level 70 versus level 15. And we're just learning different things and we're in a world that's changing so drastically and dynamically and it seems that day by day. And so I think, just looking for inspiration from others and in terms of how they did it and how not to do it, and I think it's just a great way to look at it and just and also remembering that everything that I love the fact that you obviously have the podcast as you're coming on here, you're sharing your story.

I think we're here on this earth to share our journeys with people and that's how we raise the consciousness of the planet, and the beauty is that we have to have the, the conviction and the confidence to share the good and the bad, like the highs and the lows, because people need to hear, people need to be reminded that we're on an imperfect journey here, and I think we all see ourselves in each other and we're inspired by the things that happen and there whatever that's saying is there.

But for the grace of God, go. I like I could have been in that situation, or I wasn't that situation, or I'm going through that situation right now. I can't believe she went through that and you know, or he went through that. So just, it sounds like a broken record here, but I just want to just keep reminding you, like you've got an amazing story that's still being written, but just continue to share it, because you just never know who's listening. You know, you just never know who's listening, who's watching and who needs to hear, like the thing that you're saying right now, in this exact moment, for where they are in their life. So take that in a couple of questions as we wrap up. What's something that you've changed your mind about recently?

:: 37:25

I've changed my mind about chocolate. For the and again chocolate for the good, chocolate for the good, that's a great answer.

:: 37:34

I like that, did you not? Were you not a fan earlier?

:: 37:38

Growing up, I was not a fan of chocolate.

:: 37:42

I think it's just so sweet. I mean I remember I used to love the Hershey's Bar with almonds and I would eat an entire bar and I remember, even when I was in my nine to five job, I would look forward to like having lunch and then going down to the store and buying a Hershey's Bar with almonds and eating the entire thing. And then as you get older and you start to understand, like dark chocolate, how much sugar is in there and the process that goes into those. Now my love is really like dark chocolate 70%, 80%, with like cherries or mint or something like that and some of the stuff that comes in the free trade stuff and it's just amazing. It's like a delicacy because it and you go back occasionally I'll have like a dove or a Hershey's and I'm like whoa, that is just crap, crap chocolate. So it's really I'm just a now a chocolate connoisseur.

:: 38:28

It's true. Yeah, I know it's tastes. It's such a different, it's a whole different situation. But yeah, the dark chocolate with like mint or coconut.

:: 38:37

Oh, yeah, yeah, good stuff. That might be your next business. There's a lot more involved than making chocolate, I'm sure, than making jam. So what do you think is the most misunderstood thing about you?

:: 38:52

That's a tricky one. I think it's probably trickier for me than it is for other people, because I'm so tempted to say that I'm smart. That is misunderstood, because I don't feel like that. If you're living a bad day and someone's like oh, you're so smart, like what are you talking about? I'm just like you clearly don't know. But can I phone a friend?

:: 39:16

Yeah, I'd love to. That's the first time that's ever happened. I don't know. Do you have a friend in mind? I would love to see you?

:: 39:25

I don't know.

:: 39:27

That would be great if you just pick up the phone and be like hey, I'm on a podcast conversation with Harry Turin and he's asked what would you say his message is it's an interesting question because it allows you to step outside yourself for a moment and just kind of see, or sometimes think how you sometimes feel like because of the podcast and because of what I write about, that people think, wow, harry's just got these ideas and he's always just willing to share what's in his heart. But it takes a lot to write some of those posts. Sometimes I go through phases where I get the impulse or I get the download or something of a feeling that I want to share that just really hits home for me Sometimes. That's what you see sometimes in those posts. Sometimes I go into the well and there's nothing. I'm like I don't know where that came from, but it's clearly not here accessible to me now when I need to write a new post today.

So I think I've been giving myself grace and just also letting people know that it's not all wine and roses and just sometimes there's things that I struggle with personally and there's things that I go to a therapist and I have mild ADHD. But I think that's the beauty of just reminding people. We all got stuff going on and I think there's anyone who even the people who paint these perfect pictures of themselves later on, you come to find like, oh, they're just actually like about to go bankrupt and they're, just, like you know, living off a ton of debt and they don't have the perfect life or their relationships are in shambles and they're just kind of trying to portray these Instagram, these Facebook moments, and so I think we're going to see a resurgence genuineness in like realness and like hey, like warts and all.

And this is what life is about, because we all know that's what life is about, and I think it's the more people are comfortable in sharing that and when talking about it openly, I think we'll all be the better for it as well.

:: 41:20

Yeah, I'm so here for that.

:: 41:22

Yeah, and so what's got you excited? As you think about 2024, we're in the fall season, harvest season and as you think about that as it relates to your show, you know, do you have plans? Are you talking? There's some exciting sponsorship opportunities maybe happening for you, but do you think about, like, plans for your show or do you take it sort of on a week to week basis?

:: 41:44

It's been really a week to week basis. I've been thinking about maybe doing a little bit of a shift, but I haven't figured out how to shift it.

:: 41:52

Yeah, what would the shift be?

:: 41:55

I'm not quite sure.

:: 41:56

Yeah.

:: 41:56

I mean maybe more of a personal thing is opposed to sustainability, maybe a more personal sustainability than physical.

:: 42:07

I think that, with the name grounded in Maine, it could be you, your journey of grounding yourself.

:: 42:12

Though it sounds like it would be just me, Harry.

:: 42:16

Well, the beauty is, it's your show and you can take it in whatever direction you want. So well, I know we've had some challenges with getting this rescheduled a couple of times, and I'm grateful that you've reached out. I'm just sometimes as pod guests. We feel like we're speaking to the void and we're wondering, like, who's listening to the show? Are these a bunch of bots that have just downloaded my episodes, right? So, quite honestly, that's why I put myself out of my comfort zone to do posts on all the socials, because sometimes people have their own preference. Some people love LinkedIn versus Facebook or Instagram, so I'm just trying to be accessible in a way that allows people to connect with me if what I'm saying resonates, and so I definitely encourage you to continue to do the same. Push yourself out of your comfort zone, because I think that's really where the magic happens, and so I appreciate the fact that we've gotten connected and I've gotten to learn more about you and then get to show the world. You're awesome as well.

:: 43:05

Same, same. Oh my gosh. Thank you so much for the time. I really appreciate that and I do. I enjoy sharing the journey because I want to bring that, the authenticity, the humanity, to the world.

:: 43:18

Yeah.

:: 43:19

I'm scared of the full. Like AI and everything computerized, I love computers. I think AI is great. I'm afraid to lose the whole humanity, and so I want to unburden it. I'm going to be here.

:: 43:31

I think there's a balance there, because what I've found is that there's things and tools that I'm using that really make my life easier. So it's kind of like the Rosie the robot from the Jetsons I know I'm dating myself there but like the things that you really like, a robot just does faster, but it's still. It doesn't take away from your creativity or from your show's creativity. So I know some tools that we're using for automation of the snippets of the video or even just writing the show notes. It's like, oh, wow, that's actually really articulate and it puts my guests in the spotlight because it's like, okay, now I can focus my time on getting better guests or having better conversations and stuff like that. So there is a fine balance.

I think helping us do the things that are not our genius, I think, is where the robots help Right. So we got to find that balance. But so if people are, I can't imagine they wouldn't want to learn more about you and just figure out ways to hang out and live in Amy's world and buy Amy's jam. So where can they go and do that?

:: 44:24

Well, I am on Facebook, I'm on Instagram, I'm on LinkedIn. I'm on All as well, linkedin. I'm on as Amy Fagan, but everything else I'm on is grounded in Maine.

:: 44:41

Okay, and we'll have links to that. The podcast is grounded in Mainecom. Always nice when you can have the domain of the show.

:: 44:50

I know I'm fancy.

:: 44:52

Well, thanks again, Amy. I really appreciate you coming on and sharing your inspiring story. I know listeners are going to get a kick out of it.

:: 44:58

Harry, I'm so glad that you have this podcast. I'm thrilled to hear you.

:: 45:03

We'll be connecting soon, I'm sure.

:: 45:05

That sounds great.