EP. 14: Iris Brown: Afro-Puerto Rican food and culture in Philadelphia

EP. 14: Iris Brown: Afro-Puerto Rican food and culture in Philadelphia

Author: Seeds And Their People September 20, 2022 Duration: 1:46:02
Seeds And Their People
SocietySociety & CultureCulture
In this episode, we hear from Señora Iris Brown of Loíza, Puerto Rico, who grew up learning to cook and use herbs from her grandmother and the strong women of her hometown. She came to New York in 1967 for economic reasons, and moved to Philadelphia in 1970 when she fell in love with the back yards here. She said “I saw the possibilities of planting flowers, hanging a hammock, and looking at the stars!!”  In the 1980s, she and her friend Tomasita Romero co-founded Grupo Motivos, a collective of Puerto Rican women that worked with West Kensington residents to establish the historic and award-winning Norris Square gardens on many blighted, vacant properties that had been used for selling drugs. Now part of Norris Square Neighborhood Project, these spaces are filled with life and beauty and Puerto Rican culture. SEED STORIES TOLD IN THIS EPISODE: Northern Adapted Pigeon Peas (Gandules) Aji Dulce (Seasoning Pepper) For a more complete list, see bottom of page MORE INFO FROM THIS EPISODE: Please Support Hurricane Relief in Loíza, PR: Taller Salud Resources and organizations mentioned: Norris Square Neighborhood Project (NSNP) NSNP: Instagram; Facebook; Web Documentary: Grupo Motivos presents: Villa Africana Colobó (Vimeo) Cookbook: El burén de Lula Reference book: Earth And Spirit: Medicinal Plants And Healing Lore From Puerto Rico by Maria Benedetti ABOUT: Seeds And Their People is a radio show where we feature seed stories told by the people who truly love them. Hosted by Owen Taylor of Truelove Seeds and Chris Bolden-Newsome of Sankofa Community Farm at Bartram’s Garden. trueloveseeds.com/blogs/satpradio   SUPPORT OUR PATREON! Become a monthly Patreon supporter! This will better allow us to take the time to record, edit, and share seed stories like these.   FIND OWEN HERE: Truelove Seeds Facebook  |  Tumblr  |  Instagram  |  Twitter   FIND CHRIS HERE: Sankofa Community Farm at Bartram’s Garden   THANKS TO: Iris Brown Norris Square Neighborhood Project Luz Maria Orozco Akoth Tutu Maebh Aguilar Tania María Ríos Marrero and Grimaldi Baez SEED STORIES TOLD IN THIS EPISODE (CONTINUED): Oregano de Puerto Rico (Lippia micromera) Avocado, Aguacate (Persea americana) Papaya, Lechosa (Carica papaya) Annatto, Achiote (Bixa orellana) Vicks (Plectranthus tometosa) Leren (Goeppertia allovia)  Red-Stemmed Yuca, Cassava (Manihot esculenta) Mother of Millions (Kalanchoe daigremontiana) Rue, Ruda (Ruta graveolens) Basil, Abahaca (Ocimum basilicum)  Lemongrass, Limoncillo (Cymbopogon citratus) Life Plant, Oja de Bruja (Kalanchoe pinnatum)  Soursop, Guanábana (Annona muricata) Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Plantain, Llantén (Plantago major) Krapao, Thai Holy Basil (Ocimum spp.) Pigeon Peas, Gandules (Cajunus cajun) Aji Dulce, Seasoning Pepper (Capsicum annuum) Peppermint, Menta (Mentha piperita) Ornamental Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) Zinnia (Zinnia elegans) Black Eyed Peas, Frijol de Caritas (Vigna unguiculata) Cleome (Cleome hassleriana) Castor, Higuereta (Ricinus comunis) Coconut, Coco (Cocos nucifera)

There’s a whole world of history, culture, and personal connection tucked inside every seed packet, and that’s the world Seeds And Their People explores. This isn’t just a gardening show; it’s a series of conversations that dig into the rich soil of human experience. Hosts Owen Taylor of Truelove Seeds and Chris Bolden-Newsome of Sankofa Community Farm at Bartram’s Garden sit down with growers, seed savers, and community elders to hear the stories that these living heirlooms carry with them. Each episode feels like a quiet chat on a back porch or in a garden row, where the talk inevitably turns to the seeds that have been passed down through families and communities. You’ll hear about the journey of a particular bean variety, the memories tied to a specific tomato, and the profound cultural resilience that keeping these seeds alive represents. The podcast moves beyond simple horticulture to touch on food sovereignty, ancestral knowledge, and the simple, powerful act of planting something with a story. It’s for anyone curious about where their food really comes from, not just geographically but historically and emotionally. Listening, you begin to understand that a seed is never just a seed-it’s a keeper of traditions, a spark of identity, and a quiet promise for the future, all held in the palm of your hand.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 40

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Ep. 9: Anan Jardali Zahr’s Palestinian Kitchen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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