People sometimes ask me – what’s a Podcast? What is Living The Dream? How do I see/hear what you do? What is that show you do? What do you guys cover? What is the show about? Do you work for Disney? I LOVE these questions – and I love the friends and family that ask them. It means the world to me that you are interested. Thank you!

At Living the Dream Podcast, we know it’s not just about achieving your goals in the future – it’s also about enjoying your journey along the way! Our goal is be your number one source for all things related to living your Disney dreams and so much more…through creative experiences and inspiration. We bring you interviews with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, authors and other people of interest in the Disney community and beyond. We introduce you to awesome places to visit, keep you up to date on activities, and cover restaurant and food reviews. We offer tips, products, ideas and FUN to enhance your day! No matter where you are in life, there is definitely something for you here.

We are an unofficial fan publication – not associated with the Disney company.

Podcasts (also known as online radio shows) are multimedia digital files made available on the internet for downloading to a portable media player or directly on your computer. It’s like a talk show that you get to listen to whenever you want, such as when you are on a walk, at they gym, or driving to work. I am extremely overjoyed and thankful co-host Living The Dream with my good friend Joe Pardo. In addition to being my partner on the air, Joe has been instrumental in all the camera work for the video channel, web site building, technical audio for the show and more.

I am having a blast booking our interviews, helping to organize meetups with our listeners, assisting with social media, writing scripts, securing our sponsors, and administering contests! Special thanks to the Krista Joy Enterprises, Inc. Dream Team for their help with graphics, content creation on the blog, and SO much more!

We couldn’t accomplish it all for you (and make it look so easy!) without them.

There is so much to do – working together has been awesome –  and the show has opened doors us that we could have never thought possible. We have enjoyed things like backstage tours of Walt Disney World, amazing events on property, relationships with stars in the Disney community (folks that we never dreamed we’d even get to meet!) and wonderful feedback from our listeners and friends. I am always in a good mood and feeling great during and after each podcast. I hope you will tune in and enjoy the same!

We are so proud to have the amazing Mike Brassell – voice of the Living With The Land and People Mover attractions at Walt Disney World introduce our show each and every week! 

Podcasting has been on my list of things to do since I began blogging here at Disneyways, because it fits in to our mission and goal to bring you Disney magic where ever you are!  I can’t begin to tell you how thankful I am for this wonderful opportunity. I truly love being a part of the many different facets in front of the mic, and behind the scenes. The show has been very successful and has a large audience, but if you aren’t yet listening in – we need YOU!

Here are some ways to tune in:

Visit LivingTheDreamPodcast.com directly from your computer and click on your show of choice. Make sure your speakers are on. The show will begin immediately.

You can also download the Stitcher Radio App here.

Find us on YouTube here.

Head over to iTunes and subscribe! This will give you access to each episode as soon as it is released. To learn more about how to subscribe to a podcast in iTunes click here.

If you like what you hear – please rate us with lots of gold stars. This makes it easier for new people to discover Living The Dream Podcast when they are searching to upload a new one to their collection.

Please head over and “like” our facebook page HERE and add us to your interests list! We will be posting there daily to help keep you up to date on the latest!

You can also follow us on Twitter  and Instagram!

Thank you so much for the support you have already shown me in this new endeavor. Disneyways readers and subscribers are AWESOME and I appreciate you all more than you will ever know.

Have a magical day!!

PS Do  you want to be a part of Living The Dream Podcast? We are looking for individuals and businesses who offer only the BEST products and services! Please let us know if you (or someone you know!) is interested in sponsoring a future event, giveaways, or even future episodes. We do not accept coupons or any prizes that require action on the winner’s part.  Just fill out this form for more information!

They didn’t actually air this Saturday Night Live Skit with Blake Shelton. You can only find it online. Blake uses the “B” word and mentions he will do some drinking at the end. If you find that offensive you may not want to watch. But, it made me laugh out loud – and I hope it makes you laugh too! Have a magical day and thank you for watching “Joooooohnnn Smiiiiith….”

Living The Dream Podcast has partnered with Homes4uu, Wild Florida and Gatorland, to host an amazing sweepstakes! Click HERE for details and your chance to enter! The last day to play is August 1, 2015.

The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival is one of my favorite times of the year to visit Epcot. Sure the food, merchandise, cooking demonstrations and drinks are fun…but for me…it’s also got a lot to do with the Ocean Spray Cranberry bog. When I saw photos of various members of the media donning waders and being served food and drinks INSIDE that bog, I thought to myself, that is how I will KNOW I have truly arrived! Sadly, despite my best efforts, my Epcot cranberry bog days are yet to come. But that’s OK – everyone has to have a Disney dream, right? Mine just happens to involve wearing waders!

Here are those elusive waders! All lined up and ready for the media to wear!

That beautiful bog, and cranberries in general are still just as fascinating to me. The Epcot cranberry bog is over 1300 square feet and home of 500 pounds of cranberries! It is a site to see in the middle of a theme park! Cranberry growers as well as cast members standing in and around it, are happy to engage guests with facts and information on how the fruit is not only harvested but also used. Here is some fun information that I have learned so far:

Wet Harvesting

A lot of people think that cranberries grow under water. Makes sense, since we usually see the berries floating on top of the water. Cranberries do not grow in water however. They grow on long running vines in marshes or “bogs” made up of acid, peat soil and sand near wetland systems. The floating cranberries we’re seeing is actually the result of wet harvesting. The bog is flooded with up to 18 inches of water the night before the berries are to be harvested. Once the area is flooded, the berries (which have air pockets) float to the top. For those stubborn cranberries still left hanging, a tractor-like machine called a “ruby slipper” comes through and “slips” the ruby berries right off their vines. From there, they’re corralled together, loaded into trucks, and shipped off to be processed into all their different forms. A few of those lucky berries will end up at Epcot for the bog display.

Dry Harvesting

Fresh cranberries, the ones you buy in the produce aisle every fall, are harvested using the dry method. Not quite as glamorous if you ask me…but it’s the best way to get the absolute freshest of berries. For this, cranberry growers use a mechanical picker that looks like a large lawnmower. It has metal teeth that comb the berries off the vine and deposit them in a burlap sack at the back of the machine. I would imagine this is much easier then picking them all by hand like they did in the old days!

It’s not just about sauce and jelly. Every part of the cranberry plant has a purpose for which it is used. Greens are reused in compost, juice is pressed, and the skins become Craisins. (By the way, be sure to pick up a free sample pouch of craisins at the booth near the Epcot cranberry bog! Who says nothing at Disney is free?)

Beginning with the Native Americans, who used cranberries in medicines and clothing dyes…modern people are still finding creative uses for cranberries. Cranberries can be added to countless dishes, from quick breads, yeast breads, salads, relishes, salsas and chutneys, to soups, grain-based entrees and of course, desserts. It’s always a good idea to add a half-cup of chopped cranberries to your favorite banana bread or apple muffin recipe.

Drop some into your leafy green/spinach salad (especially good with dried cranberries), or toss a handful into a pilaf or stuffing. Impress your dinner guests with a cranberry glaze, or slow-cook some berries with your favorite chicken or pork. Before baking apples, fill the cored centers with cranberries, then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Have you ever heard of cranberry mustard? It is said to get the pork and salmon on your plate singing! (Just heat some whole-berry cranberry sauce with a touch of sherry and honey, mix with an equal amount of your favorite brown or Dijon-style mustard, and if you like, throw in a dash of ground ginger. Voilà! Homemade cranberry mustard…mmmm…)

Some very successful musicians even decided to name their band “The Cranberries”. Do you suppose they are fans of the fruit as well?

Photo credit The Cranberries

So, there you have it. Who knew cranberries could be so useful – and inspirational enough to name your rock band after them? Just remember the next time you are at the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, be sure to slow down a bit to appreciate the cranberries, and that beautiful Ocean Spray cranberry bog. It’s the stuff Disney dreams are made of (OK..well…maybe just mine!)

**This article was originally posted in the September 2013 Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW Newsletter 

Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free at WDW  is an amazing website customized just for guests of Walt Disney World who have special dietary needs. I would like to thank Sarah Norris – editor and founder of GFDF at WDW for her friendship and partnership through the years! Be sure to check out the amazing resource that she has created!