One of the biggest things happening in the (gardening) world right now is the new USDA Hardiness Zones Map! Plus horticulturist and garden educator Peggy Riccio is joining us on the podcast to talk about her information-packed garden website resource, pegplant.com and to answer 5 Questions!   Peggy talks about why basil is her favorite garden herb… and not just Genovese basil, but all of the basils! She also shares her recipe for flavorful Thai Basil Syrup.  Peggy runs the well-known garden resource website PegPlant.com and during the pandemic she launched a Facebook group dedicated to Culinary Herbs and Spices. You can find her FB group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/culinaryherbsandspices Peggy’s shoutout today was True Love Seed’s podcast, Seeds & Their People. https://trueloveseeds.com/https://trueloveseeds.com/blogs/satpradio This is a wonderful seed company dedicated to the preservation of seeds, stories, cultures and cuisine! Before the interview, Bevin shares some big news from the gardening world! First, Baker Creek Seed Company’s annual Whole Seed Catalog is starting to arrive in mailboxes across the country! This is always an exciting time of year. The catalog is the largest in the world, 532 pages! The Whole Seed Catalog is loaded with beautiful photos and seed stories, including a couple of seed stories researched and written by Bevin. He’s giving away a free copy of this incredible catalog in the Seeds & Weeds Facebook Group!  One of the biggest things happening in the (gardening) world right now is the new USDA Hardiness Zones Map. The last map was released in 2012 and since then, more than half the country has shifted up a half-zone warmer!! Bevin shares his thoughts on this situation and reads an excerpt from a recent Associated Press article. You can find the article here: https://apnews.com/article/garden-hardiness-climate-change-usda-zones-89d78178703e30bc3fd948ceaff61e7f Join the Seeds & Weeds Facebook community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/seedsandweeds And as always, big thanks to all of our Patreon subscribers.. we appreciate every one of you! Thank you for supporting the show!  Remember, you can always support our podcast by joining our Patreon for as little as $3/month at www.patreon.com/smallhousefarm Connect with us! Join our special Seeds & Weeds Facebook Community! IG: @small_house_farm FB: @smallhousefarm YT: @sm Small House Farm has everything you need for your holiday shopping! Books, herbal products, botanical artwork and so much more. Make it a handmade holiday with Small House Farm. The Seeds and Weeds Podcast is made possible in part by Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company - America’s top source for rare and heirloom varieties from around the world, and publisher of The Whole Seed Catalog. Their 2024 catalog is chock full of heirloom goodness; new varieties, recipes, stories, and gorgeous photographs! Order yours now at www.rareseeds.com Support the show