{"podcast":{"title":"Springs and Things: Your Insider's Guide to Colorado Springs Culture & Community","slug":"springs-and-things-7088548","podcast_index_feed_id":7088548,"rss_url":"https://feeds.transistor.fm/springs-and-things","website_url":null,"image_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/zy_pWZInQ-ysPPjw7H_DLAwYDfUJJb7SGygHCmjNwVg/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS81YTM4/MjRmYjM5NGEyMjI5/OWQ5YzI5NWUxN2Zm/ZDBjZS5wbmc.jpg","author":"Lauren Ferrara and Carly Ries","episode_count":92,"summary":"Welcome to Springs and Things, the podcast where two close friends spill the tea on all things Colorado Springs! From culture and community to hidden gems and neighborhood lore, we’ve got it covered. Join us as we sip our coffee (or maybe something stronger) and dive into the stories and secrets that make this city so unique. Whether you're a local or just passing through, our fun, light-hearted, and always entertaining take on the quirks, hot topics, and insider tips will keep you coming back for more. Discover what’s really happening in the Springs—beyond the mountains and parks!","last_synced_at":"2026-07-28T22:21:20.784137+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/springs-and-things-7088548"},"episode":{"title":"Venetucci Farm Proves Colorado Springs Knows How to Save What Matters","slug":"venetucci-farm-proves-colorado-springs-knows-how-to-save-what-matters","published_at":"2026-07-21T11:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/springs-and-things-7088548/venetucci-farm-proves-colorado-springs-knows-how-to-save-what-matters","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/springs-and-things-7088548","url":"https://share.transistor.fm/s/f07d31c0","audio_url":"https://media.transistor.fm/f07d31c0/b99ddee5.mp3","summary":"If you grew up in Colorado Springs, you probably came here for a free pumpkin in kindergarten. Then in 2016, PFAS contamination from the Air Force's firefighting foam made it impossible to grow food on the land, and the future of the last working farm in the community went completely dark. This week we're recording on the farm itself with Sam Clark ( Pikes Peak Real Estate Foundation ) and Nikki McComsey ( Gather Mountain Blooms ) about how a beloved pumpkin patch became a two-acre flower farm hosting weddings, music festivals, and monthly bloom celebrations, while still giving away free pumpkins to every kindergartner in El Paso County. In this episode: Who Nick and Bambi Venetucci were, and why they gave the whole farm away The 2016 PFAS discovery and the winter Sam thought the farm was finished Why flowers were the perfect answer to contaminated soil and water How a conservation easement protects the land from development forever Nikki's path from debilitating concussion to full-time flower farmer The kindergarten pumpkin program, and the education requirement attached to it Rocky Mountain Flower Fest on August 8 with Patchwork Jack and Grass It Up Monthly flower festivals: ranunculus, sweet peas, zinnias, sunflowers, dahlias Colorado Youth Outdoors' new CORE program on the property The spreadsheet math behind making sure every event has enough blooms The barn renovation and bathroom project (and why it matters more than it sounds) Picks of the week: Anglers Covey 's $10 intro to fly fishing (they hand you a $15 gift card) and Pizzeria Leopold in Old Colorado City. Loved this one? Leave us a five-star review, share it with a friend who needs a farm day, and subscribe on Apple or Spotify.","meta_description":"If you grew up in Colorado Springs, you probably came here for a free pumpkin in kindergarten. Then in 2016, PFAS contamination from the Air Force's firef…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2330,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/springs-and-things-7088548/episodes/venetucci-farm-proves-colorado-springs-knows-how-to-save-what-matters/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/springs-and-things-7088548/venetucci-farm-proves-colorado-springs-knows-how-to-save-what-matters.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}