It’s spring in upstate New York, also known as Mud Season. In this episode, I go searching for the answers to its riddles: why Mud Season exists, what’s really happening down there in the ground, and why the ground breathes more heavily when it's stressed out – just like me.
To guide me through it all, I visit Dr. Jane Lucas, a soil ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. We talk about microbial dormancy, stressed-out soil experiments, why New York has such intense mud, and whether it’s possible to have a mud season on Mars.
It turns out one teaspoon of soil contains more microbes than there are humans on Earth. That's over 8 billion microorganisms in just one spoonful – an incomprehensibly dense and diverse ecosystem beneath our feet. Mud Season!
Guest:
Dr. Jane Lucas – Soil ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, lead researcher on the Stressed Out Soils (SOS) project
Topics Covered:
- What is Mud Season, really?
- Why the Hudson Valley’s soil is so soggy
- What topsoil has in common with stressed-out humans
- How warming, drought, antibiotics, and fungicides affect soil health
- Why microbes might be your garden’s secret workforceWhy dirt isn’t dead (it’s just misunderstood)
Extras:
- Watch my tour of the Stressed Out Soils site on Instagram: @jamescave
- Hear more from Jane Lucas on From the Forest: catskillforest.org
Want to know if Mars could ever have a mud season? Subscribe to the J'Fay Supreme level to hear this Audio Exclusive.
- Upgrade to J'Fay Supreme for the bonus audio: $5/month or $50/year → Subscribe here!
Help Spread the Mud: Love the show? Email your favorite neighborhood local newspaper editor and let them know The Jiffy Audio Newsletter Podcast exists. Because next time they publish a roundup of upstate podcasts, I'd love to make the cut. It might be hard to describe, but just tell them it will all make sense one day.
Thanks for listening all the way to the end. Until next time, I’ll see you on the Instagram feed!
Subscribe to my newsletter, The Jiffy!
"The Jiffy Audio Newsletter Podcast" is an audio documentary zine – the official podcast of The Jiffy – exploring the odd histories, cozy mysteries, and surprising characters of upstate New York. Each episode is a small adventure, told with curiosity, humor, and the occasional text message from a stranger.
New episodes drop every other week. Subscribe, share, and take the scenic route with us.
Follow James on Instagram: @jamescave
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