What does it take to build a meaningful life, create a successful business, and bring people together along the way? And community something that is typically associated with success? In this episode of Things I Learned from My Mother, the podcast from Arcadian Revival, I sit down with Dr. Brent Ridge, physician, creative entrepreneur, and co-founder of Beekman 1802, to explore the power of community and the relationships that make our lives richer. When Brent and his husband, Josh Kilmer-Purcell, left their New York City lives behind for a historic farm in Sharon Springs, New York, they began imagining a different kind of life. After offering a neighboring farmer a place for his goats, they started making goat milk soap. With the support of their neighbors, that small beginning grew into Beekman 1802, a globally recognized skincare company. What makes their story so compelling is that community was part of the foundation from the beginning. The relationships they built in a small upstate New York village helped make their business possible, demonstrating how human connection, shared purpose, and a willingness to show up for one another can create something far greater than any one person could build alone. In our conversation, Brent reflects on creative entrepreneurship, reinvention, and what it means to keep imagining new possibilities after decades of success. We explore the importance of in-person connection in an increasingly digital world, the role our neighbors play in shaping our lives, and how the things we create can contribute to something larger than ourselves. At Arcadian Revival, I explore the many meanings of home through generational wisdom, our connection to nature, and the people and places that shape how we live. This conversation with Brent speaks to all of these ideas, reminding us that creating a meaningful life is about more than what we build for ourselves. It is also about what we contribute to the communities around us. This is one of my favorite conversations of the season, filled with thoughtful perspectives, practical wisdom, and a number of fun stories. I hope you’ll take a little time to settle in, listen, and consider what community means in your own life. Thank you for being here and for being part of the Arcadian Revival community.

Through the lens of Arcadian Revival I often contemplate "how can we expand our definition of home?".  For some, this includes our backyards. For some, the birds living in our backyards!  Not only did Rustik Roots and Arcadian Revival partner together in 2026 to design and release The Arcadian Birdhouse, we sat down for a conversation about how to approach life: everything from how to treat one another to how to treat this beautiful world that we call home.  We discuss topics that include: how birdhouses, sustainable business, creative reinvention, and the future of conservation are all connected? For Bob Fucinato, these topics are all part of building a more thoughtful world. In this episode of Things I Learned from My Mother, presented by Arcadian Revival, I sit down with Bob, co-founder of Rustik Roots, to explore a creative career shaped by design, a lifelong connection to the outdoors, and a fierce commitment to sustainability. From making the business case for environmental responsibility in corporate America to building one-of-a-kind birdhouses with his wife, Susan, Bob proves that it’s never too late to put your values at the center of your work. We talk about the courage to pursue a new creative chapter, the business of sustainability, and why birds are having a moment. From backyard birding and biodiversity to healthy ecosystems and the restorative power of birdsong, this conversation explores how connecting with nature can change the way we see our homes, our communities, and our responsibility to the world around us. The conversation also celebrates our recent Arcadian Revival birdhouse collaboration with Rustik Roots, inspired by Greek Revival architecture and released in support of the New York City Bird Alliance. It’s a reminder that thoughtful design, bird conservation, and environmental stewardship can come together in beautiful and meaningful ways. Discover Rustik Roots, explore Arcadian Revival, and join us in celebrating the birds and the people working to protect them.

What does it look like to build a life around the belief that caring for people and caring for the land are inseparable? In this episode of Things I Learned from My Mother, from Arcadian Revival, I sit down with Corinne Hansch, co-owner of Love-in-Mama Farm, an organic, regenerative vegetable and flower farm in New York’s Mohawk Valley. Corinne is a farmer, author, entrepreneur, and mother whose work is guided by a conviction that has shaped her life and business: farming is an act of public health and public service. Corinne and her husband grow more than 500 varieties of plants, cultivating organic produce and flowers while prioritizing soil health, regenerative farming practices, pollinator protection, and a thoughtful relationship with the natural world. Their farm is a testament to what can happen when agricultural stewardship and entrepreneurship are guided by a clear set of values. They also make a point of donating produce that would otherwise go unused, extending the impact of their work beyond the farm and into the surrounding community. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Corinne to source flowers for floral workshops and creative installations, and her farm’s organic produce has been a staple in our home since we moved to Saratoga County. I have long admired the care and conviction she brings to her work. In this conversation, we explore where that sense of responsibility began, how her mother instilled in her an early understanding of public service, and how her parents helped her see what entrepreneurship could make possible. We also discuss Corinne’s new book, Microgreens and Shoots: How to Select, Grow, Harvest, and Package Nutrient-Dense Greens for Profit, published by Chelsea Green Publishing. The book draws on her experience as a farmer and entrepreneur, offering practical guidance for growing and bringing nutrient-dense greens to market. It reflects a broader philosophy that runs through everything Corinne does: that meaningful work can be both economically viable and deeply beneficial to the people and places it serves. Our conversation also turns to her latest endeavor: creating a café in a historic diner in downtown Amsterdam, New York, in an area that has experienced limited access to fresh, nutritious food. It is another expression of Corinne’s belief that food is about more than what we grow. It is about access, health, connection, and the possibility of building stronger communities around the table. For me, what makes Corinne so remarkable is the consistency between her values and her everyday life. Her care for the land, her family, her customers, and her community is evident in the many ways she chooses to show up in the world. She embodies a kind of stewardship that extends well beyond the boundaries of a farm, reminding us that the most meaningful enterprises often begin with a simple question: How can the work we do make life better for someone else? Join us for a conversation about organic farming, regenerative agriculture, local food systems, entrepreneurship, motherhood, generational wisdom, and the many ways our relationship with nature shapes the way we care for one another. This is Things I Learned from My Mother, a podcast from Arcadian Revival exploring the wisdom we inherit, the lessons we carry forward, and the enduring connections between home, land, nature, and community. ABOUT CORINNE HANSCH & LOVE-IN-MAMA FARM Love-in-Mama Farm is an organic produce and flower farm in New York’s Mohawk Valley, co-owned by Corinne Hansch and her husband. With more than 500 varieties of plants, a commitment to regenerative farming and soil health, and a focus on nourishing their community, the farm brings together agriculture, entrepreneurship, and public service. Corinne is also the author of Microgreens and Shoots: How to Select, Grow, Harvest, and Package Nutrient-Dense Greens for Profit, published by Chelsea Green Publishing. ABOUT ARCADIAN REVIVAL Arcadian Revival brings together design, nature, food, art, land, and community to explore how we live, what we value, and how we care for the world around us. As a design and culture house, Arcadian Revival connects creative expression with the everyday experiences that shape our relationship with one another and the natural world. Through interiors, gardens, publishing, storytelling, products, and shared experiences, we celebrate beauty, craftsmanship, generational wisdom, and the enduring value of stewardship. Things I Learned from My Mother is a podcast from Arcadian Revival exploring the connections between people, place, and the natural world. Through conversations with farmers, artists, designers, entrepreneurs, and community builders, we explore the wisdom passed between generations and the values that shape how we live, create, and contribute to our communities. At its heart, Arcadian Revival is about bringing people together and renewing our relationship with the world we share.

What does a river teach us? And are you someone who is in love with rivers? An affirmative yes to latter question is the hope and mission of Esopus Creel founder, Todd Spire. In this episode of Things I Learned from My Mother from Arcadian Revival, I sit down with Todd, a Catskills fly fishing guide who is devoted to helping people not only with fishing, but with the connection the river offers. I have been following Todd’s work with Esopus Creek since it began, during the years when I lived in Brooklyn and was craving a deeper connection to the natural world. Long before I knew him personally, I was drawn to the way he approached rivers, writing, and community. His work has always carried a sense of beauty and depth that stayed with me, and I wanted to understand more about his philosophy behind it. Todd and I talk about fly fishing as an art form, a practice in presence, and a gateway into a much larger experience of the natural world. We talk about the greatness of the Catskills, the Esopus, and all that unfolds when we're in the water. It feels like we barely scratched the surface, and yet touch on profound topics of grief, loss, meditation, and one of my favorite topics, the shared human experience. Our conversation moves beyond fly fishing into community building, environmental stewardship, and legacy. And herein the river becomes a metaphor for all of it. Todd is also an extraordinarily gifted writer. There is a particular beauty in what he shares, and an elegance in his depth in perspective. I hope this conversation inspires a reason to consider how the river opens pathways of reflection and exploration not just of the natural world, but of the life inside each of us as well. About Todd Spire and Esopus Creel: Todd Spire is the founder of Esopus Creel, a Catskills fly fishing guide service centered on the Esopus and the experience of falling in love with rivers. Through guided fly fishing trips, writing, and community, Todd invites people into a deeper relationship with the water, the landscape, and one another. Things I Learned from My Mother is a podcast from Arcadian Revival about home, land, nature, culture, stewardship, and the wisdom we inherit from the people who came before us.

What does an old house mean to us? For this episode of Things I Learned from My Mother from Arcadian Revival, I sit down with Elizabeth and Ethan Finkelstein, the founders of Cheap Old Houses, to talk about much more than old houses. Over the past decade, Cheap Old Houses has introduced millions of people to forgotten houses across America: places with peeling wallpaper, original woodwork, old kitchens, beautiful proportions, histories, and stories that might otherwise disappear. What began as an Instagram account has grown into a cultural phenomenon and a much larger conversation about how we think about home, history, architecture, preservation, and the places we choose to invest in. Elizabeth and Ethan have created something remarkable by helping people see possibility where others might see decay. In this conversation, we talk about why old houses continue to capture our imagination, and what it is about their imperfections, materials, craftsmanship, patina, and accumulated history that can feel so meaningful in an increasingly fast and digitally mediated world. We talk about the sensory experience of an old house: the perfect creak of a stair, secret nooks that carry magic. These details connect us to something tangible at a moment when so much of our lives are becoming increasingly virtual, automated, and shaped by artificial intelligence. We also talk about the enormous cultural footprint Elizabeth and Ethan have created through Cheap Old Houses and how their work has expanded beyond individual properties. Saving an old house in a small Midwestern town, a rural community, or another part of the country is not only about preserving a building. It can mean preserving a piece of local history, supporting a community, maintaining a sense of place, and giving a future generation the opportunity to encounter something that might otherwise have been lost. Stewardship is a central theme of our conversation. We talk about what it means to invest in an existing home rather than simply replacing it, and the environmental, financial, emotional, and cultural dimensions of restoring an old house. We explore sustainability not simply as a question of energy efficiency or environmental impact, but as a broader question of whether the things we build, repair, care for, and pass along can endure. There is a deeply human side to the work. Elizabeth and Ethan share stories from their own childhoods and experiences with houses and places, and we talk about why certain buildings stay with us. We discuss the emotional connection people develop with homes, the responsibility that comes with taking on an old property, and the idea that a house can belong to a much longer story than the people living in it at any given moment. Old houses often carry architecture, memory, culture, environmental stewardship, history, and human experience at once and is perhaps part of the reason Cheap Old Houses has resonated so deeply with such a large audience. In a culture increasingly oriented toward speed, novelty, convenience, and digital connection, there is something powerful about being reminded that some things are worth slowing down for, repairing, learning from, and carrying forward. This is a conversation about old houses, but ultimately, it is about what we choose to preserve, what we value enough to care for, and what we hope will still be here when we are gone. Elizabeth and Ethan Finkelstein are the creators of Cheap Old Houses, the widely followed platform dedicated to sharing affordable historic homes and inspiring people to preserve and restore them. Through their work, they have helped bring historic architecture and preservation into the mainstream and created a community of people interested in old houses, restoration, architecture, and the stories embedded in the places we inhabit. Things I Learned from My Mother from Arcadian Revival is a podcast exploring home through stories, generational wisdom, and our relationship with the natural world. In this episode we confirm that home is never just a house, it is part of a much longer story.