LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY

The Sea That Built Whidbey: Stories from Our Maritime Past

Welcome back to the Local Whidbey Podcast and another episode in our special Saltwater Lives series, where we're exploring the people, history, industries, and traditions that make life on Whidbey Island inseparable from the sea.
Before there were highways connecting towns, the water was our highway. Steamships carried passengers, freight, livestock, and mail. Fishermen, loggers, farmers, shipbuilders, and merchants all depended on the surrounding waters. Nearly every chapter of Whidbey Island's story has a maritime connection.
Today's guest is someone who has spent decades preserving and sharing those stories.
Lee James is a respected maritime historian, author, researcher, and longtime educator whose work has helped document the rich nautical heritage of Whidbey Island and the surrounding waters. Through years of research, public presentations, and historical interpretation, he's become one of the island's most knowledgeable voices on the people, vessels, industries, and events that have shaped this remarkable place.
When I began planning this episode, Lee was recommended by Peter Wells, the President of the Whidbey Island Maritime Heritage Foundation, saying he would bring both the historical knowledge, and the storytelling needed to tell Whidbey's maritime story. I'm grateful he accepted the invitation.
In this conversation, we'll travel through centuries of history—from the island's earliest inhabitants and the arrival of European explorers to the growth of shipping, fishing, commerce, the Navy's influence, and the maritime traditions that continue today. Along the way, we'll hear some fascinating stories about the people who made their living on these waters and why preserving this history matters for future generations.
So, let's cast off and dive into the remarkable maritime history of Whidbey Island with historian Lee James.
Lee, welcome to the Local Whidbey Podcast. It's wonderful to have you here.
Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY at @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM and on Facebook.
You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com.
PODCAST SPONSORED BY THE OAK HARBOR CREATIVE FOUNDATION. Click on link to show your support for the Oak Harbor Performing Arts Center.
 

WHIDBEY SEAFOOD: From Sea to Table with Andrew Hosmer

There's a particular rhythm to life on Whidbey that you can't find anywhere else—a tide-driven cadence that shapes everything from when we wake to what ends up on our plates. In the "Saltwater Lives" series, we're diving into the stories of those whose lives move with the water, whose hands bear the marks of nets and lines, and whose identities are woven into the very salt spray of this island. Today, we're sitting with Andrew Hosmer of Whidbey Seafoods, two generations carrying forward a legacy built on the waters surrounding us. Their story isn't just about catching fish—it's about stewardship, family, and what it means to build a life tethered to the sea, ensuring that every meal travels from the ocean to the table under their own watch.
https://whidbeyseafoods.com/ and on INSTAGRAM / FACEBOOK
 
Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY at @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM and on Facebook.
You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com.
PODCAST SPONSORED BY THE OAK HARBOR CREATIVE FOUNDATION. Click on link to show your support for the Oak Harbor Performing Arts Center.

DR. FLORIAN GRANER & THE STORIES HIDDEN UNDERWATER

Some people look at the ocean and see a frontier; others see a home. For Dr. Florian Graner, the waters around Whidbey Island are both a laboratory and a canvas. He is a scientist, a conservationist, and an award-winning filmmaker who has taken the hidden world beneath the waves and brought it to screens across the globe. From his work with Disney and Netflix to his latest acclaimed film, Orcas — Life in Black and White, Florian uses light and motion to tell stories that demand we pay attention. Today, we explore how he balances the rigors of science with the art of cinema, and why he believes that seeing is the first step toward saving our coastal environment.
FLORIAN GRANER SEA LIFE PRODUCTIONS
INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK
SOUND WATER STEWARDS
 
Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY at @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM and on Facebook.
You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com.
PODCAST SPONSORED BY THE OAK HARBOR CREATIVE FOUNDATION. Click on link to show your support for the Oak Harbor Performing Arts Center.

THE ISLAND AS REFUGE: T KIRA MADDEN AND THE STORY OF WHIDBEY

Why would someone come to Whidbey Island to disappear? Novelist T Kira Māhealani Madden talks about refuge, memory, and the island at the center of her new novel 'Whidbey'.
Today on Local Whidbey Podcast, I’m joined by T Kira Māhealani Madden, an award-winning writer whose highly anticipated new novel Whidbey is set right here on Whidbey Island.
T Kira first came to national attention with her debut memoir, 'Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls', a fearless and lyrical coming-of-age story that became a New York Times Editors’ Choice and was a finalist for both the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Prize and the Lambda Literary Award. The book established her as one of the most compelling literary voices of her generation, praised for writing that is both deeply personal and unflinchingly honest.
Beyond her books, T Kira is also the founding editor of the literary journal No Tokens, has received fellowships from renowned writers’ residencies including MacDowell, Tin House, and Hedgebrook, and currently teaches creative writing and Indigenous literatures at Hamilton College.
In her new novel 'Whidbey', one of the most anticipated literary releases of the year, Madden turns to fiction but continues exploring questions of memory, trauma, and survival. The story begins with a woman arriving on Whidbey Island seeking distance from her childhood assaulter. She retreats to a quiet cabin, trying to disappear into the rhythms of island life — the forests, the shoreline, the animals — while confronting the resurfacing presence of the man who abused her as a child and has reentered her life in adulthood.
Rather than a bustling portrait of island life, 'Whidbey' uses the island as a place of refuge and reckoning — a landscape where solitude, nature, and distance give space for a character to wrestle with what she’s been carrying for years.
The book launched yesterday, March 10th — and with the author visiting the island on March 19th at Kingfisher Bookstore in Coupeville — it felt like the perfect time to talk about why this particular place became the setting for such a powerful story.
T Kira, welcome to the Local Whidbey Podcast.
Follow T Kira Madden on INSTAGRAM, at her WEBSITE and preferably, buy the book at Kingfisher Bookstore in Coupeville.
Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY is on @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM
You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com.
Local Whidbey Podcast is sponsored by THE MEDIA INSIDERS' AI DESK.

WHERE STORIES GATHER: MEG OLSON and the SOUL OF COUPEVILLE

Meg Olson is one of those people who make a town feel like home.
If you’ve ever walked into Kingfisher Bookstore and felt immediately welcomed, challenged, entertained, or gently told what you should be reading—there’s a good chance you’ve met Meg Olson.
Meg is the owner of Kingfisher Bookstore in Coupeville, and she is funny, outspoken, wildly knowledgeable, and absolutely unafraid to jump in and help—whether that means finding the perfect book, rallying behind a cause, or showing up for her community when it counts.
Kingfisher isn’t just a bookstore—it’s a place for ideas, conversations, author events, and the occasional opinion, and Meg has been at the center of all of it. She’s helped shape the literary life of Whidbey Island while proving that an independent bookstore can be smart, bold, welcoming, and deeply human all at the same time.
Today, we’re talking about books, business, community, and what it really takes to run an independent bookstore with heart, humor, and a very strong point of view.
If you have been listening to me for a while, you know I adored Meg! She is my kind of human.
Subscribe to the Kingfisher Newsletter and FOLLOW on INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK.
 
Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY is on @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM
You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com.
Local Whidbey Podcast is sponsored by THE MEDIA INSIDERS' AI DESK.
 

WHAT THE BEES KNOW: MEAD, MEANING, and MAKING a LIFE ON WHIDBEY ISLAND

If you’ve ever thought mead was just a medieval novelty — or something overly sweet — today’s conversation might completely change your mind.
On Whidbey Island, there’s a meadery that’s quietly redefining what mead can be by blending honey, botanicals, fermentation science, and a deep respect for pollinators and place.
Hierophant Meadery in Freeland is owned by Jeremy Kyncl and Michelle Scandalis — two herbalists-turned-mead makers who believe that flavor tells the story of an entire ecosystem. From locally sourced honey to herbs grown on their own land, their work is rooted in sustainability, education, and curiosity.
Today, we’re talking about how they found their way to mead, what it means to build a values-driven business on Whidbey Island, how bees and botanicals shape everything they do — and where they hope to see this island go in the next five to ten years.
This is a conversation about craft, community, and paying attention to the small things that make a place special. I’m excited to share it with you.
Jeremy Kyncl and Michelle Scandalis from Hierophant Meadery — welcome to the show.
Shop online with Hierophant Meadery and check out their upcoming events.
https://hierophantmeadery.com/
FOLLOW: FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM
 
Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY is on @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM
You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com.
Local Whidbey Podcast is sponsored by THE MEDIA INSIDERS' AI DESK.

THE FARM-HER OF FOGGY HILL FARM

Today on the Local Whidbey Podcast we are honored to have Alanah Lawrason, known in these parts as the “Farm-Her” of Foggy Hill Farm. Nestled on Whidbey Island, Foggy Hill is a two-acre vegetable and cut-flower farm that’s as much about growing community as it is about growing food. Alanah has been farming in some capacity for about eight years — including roughly five years here on Whidbey — learning everywhere from Houston non-profit gardens to AmeriCorps in Arkansas to local farms like Willowood and Foxtail before striking out on her own.
Her mission? To grow nutritious, chemical-free food and joy-bringing flowers. To help people reconnect with where their food comes from. To build slowly, with intention, and in community.
We’ll dig into how she does all that: the challenges, the triumphs, what it means to farm here on Whidbey, and how we all can support our local food systems. Get ready to hear from someone whose hands are in the soil, whose heart is in the flowers, and whose vision is rooted in growth — both literal and community-wide.
Let’s chat with Alanah!
Follow FOGGY HILL FARM on INSTAGRAM.
Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY is on @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM
You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com.
Local Whidbey Podcast is sponsored by THE MEDIA INSIDERS' AI DESK.

THE STORY BEHIND THE VOICE: FROM TECH to COMMUNITY BUILDER

Today on Local Whidbey, we’re turning the microphone around — and in the best possible way. I’ve invited someone I admire, Tiffany Scribner, Program Manager for Leadership Whidbey, to step in as our guest host.
If you know Tiffany, you know she has a gift for guiding conversations, drawing out people’s stories, and helping leaders understand not just what they do, but why they do it. Her work with Leadership Whidbey puts her at the center of community development, mentorship, and personal growth on the island — which makes her the perfect person to turn the tables and interview me today.
I couldn’t think of anyone better to help navigate my own story, my work, and the winding road that led me to Whidbey Island. So for this episode, Tiffany is taking the lead.
Tiffany Scribner: Our guest is someone you already know — the voice, the storyteller, the connector, and the creative force behind this very podcast. Magsy is a communication strategist, entrepreneur, supper-club host, and community builder whose journey winds from corporate tech to creative entrepreneurship to the heart of Whidbey Island.
Her career began as a systems engineer for EDS at Enron, where she learned how complex systems — and people — really work.
After moving to Spokane, WA, she launched Nosey Parker, a character brand that helped local retailers embrace digital communication long before “influencers” existed. Over the years, she’s supported more than 220 retailers, worked with self-employed, startups, and founders, and even helped entrepreneurs craft the pitch decks that opened doors to real investment. In Spokane, she also was part of team that brought ‘Start Up Spokane’ to wanna-be founders as a mentor.  She would love to bring that here to the Island as well.
She later became Director of Digital Marketing for eWomenNetwork in Dallas, empowering women entrepreneurs across the country.
Since moving to Whidbey during Covid, Magsy has become a meaningful part of the island’s landscape — hosting nearly 900 people in her home through the With Magsy Supper Club and sharing the stories of “audacious islanders” on this very show.
Magsy has spent her life helping other people share their voices — entrepreneurs, creatives, neighbors, and now the people of Whidbey Island.
Today, we get to hear her story.
Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY at @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM and on Facebook.
You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com. 
 
PODCAST SPONSORED BY THE MEDIA INSIDER'S 'THE AI DESK'.
 

CHOOSING TO STAY: STEWARDSHIP, YOUTH and THE FUTURE OF WHIDBEY ISLAND

There’s something I love about talking with people who’ve chosen Whidbey Island — people who didn’t just land here by accident but saw something in this place worth rooting into.
My guest today, Hannah Andersen, is one of those people. She’s the Outreach and Education Coordinator for the Whidbey Island Conservation District, and part of a younger generation that’s quietly shaping the island’s future through stewardship, creativity, and community work.
Hannah first came to Whidbey as an AmeriCorps volunteer with Coupeville Farm to School, teaching kids where their food comes from and helping connect classrooms to the gardens and farms around them. Those two years left her deeply connected to the land, the people, and the rhythms of island life.
Now, through her role at the Conservation District, she’s helping residents of all ages understand how their daily choices — from gardening to shoreline care — tie into the larger health of our ecosystems. You’ll find her leading workshops, organizing events like Orca Recovery Day, and building bridges between science, education, and community.
What makes Hannah’s story so interesting to me is that she represents a perspective we don’t always hear on Whidbey — the voice of a young professional who’s building a life here now, in real time. On an island often known for retirees and second homes, she’s asking: what would it take for more young people to see a future here?
In this conversation, we’ll talk about what drew her to stay, the projects that light her up, and how she sees Whidbey growing — not just in numbers, but in awareness and care.
I think you’ll find Hannah’s perspective refreshing and hopeful — a reminder that stewardship isn’t just about protecting land and water but about belonging to a place and helping it thrive for generations to come.
Here’s my conversation with Hannah Andersen, on The Local Whidbey Podcast.
CHECK OUT:
CONSERVATION DISTRICT WEBSITE
INSTAGRAM
YOUTUBE
 
Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY at @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM and on Facebook.
You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com. 
 
PODCAST SPONSORED BY THE MEDIA INSIDER'S 'THE AI DESK'.

HOME COOKIN' CHEF STYLE: A CONVERSATION WITH TOMMY GRELLA

Today on Local Whidbey with Magsy, we’re turning up the heat — literally — with one of the most entertaining chefs to ever land in the Pacific Northwest kitchen scene. You might remember him from The Next Food Network Star back in the day, but these days you’ll find him cooking up something even better — laughter, learning, and a whole lot of flavor — right here in the PNW.
Chef Tommy Grella has built a devoted following on YouTube with Home Cookin’: Chef Inspired Events, where he and his partner, the hilarious and insightful Maggie, turn everyday meals into chef-level experiences for real home cooks. Together, they teach, tease, and taste their way through approachable recipes — all while proving that cooking should never be intimidating, just inspired.
Tommy brings Boston heart, East Coast humor, and Pacific Northwest soul to his cooking — and when he’s not filming, he’s a private chef, fills pantries for those who live on and vacation on the Islands, cooks for those on vacation in our areas, and small events for folks all over the PNW Islands.
There are many reasons I chose Tommy to interview for this podcast. I’ve been chatting with him for several years now on Instagram DM’s regarding recipes, my Supper Club and just making a few of his stand outs, then posting them. He gets a real kick out of that!
Tommy and Maggy love Whidbey Island, as well as Anacortes. They actually serve all the Islands and shop here frequently as well. I can’t wait for you to meet this dynamic duo who make “home cooking” feel like a party with friends.
Let’s chat with Tommy and Maggie.
CHECK OUT TOMMY at HOME COOKIN' on INSTAGRAM, YOUTUBE or FACEBOOK.
 
Follow LOCAL WHIDBEY WITH MAGSY at @LocalWhidbeyPodcast ... Link: INSTAGRAM and on Facebook.
You may also get to know Magsy and subscribe for invites to her supper club, at https://withmagsy.com. 
 
PODCAST SPONSORED BY THE MEDIA INSIDER'S 'THE AI DESK'.