Benji’s plant journey started with helping his dad in the garden where he grew a lot of veggies and fruits. As he grew older, he started having a few houseplants of his own. He majored in environmental studies at the University of California Santa Cruz. Now he’s living in Los Angeles, California where he does content creation on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube full time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY8fILQEZuc
Where you can find Benji:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benji_plant/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@benjiplant
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/benjiplant
Thank you to our drink sponsor Blue Ridge Winery.
The Dream of Blue Ridge Estate Vineyard and Winery took root in 2010 with a trip to the West coast, where Randy and Tiffany’s hearts were captured by the beauty of sprawling vineyards and magnificent wineries. Their vision was to create a relaxing, elegant yet informal experience where hand crafted small batch wines are enjoyed. Blue Ridge Winery is nestled in the country side of Saylorsburg, PA, overlooking the Vineyards, with a beautiful valley view of a Christmas tree farm.
You can find more information at https://blueridgeestatewinery.com/
Wine Down the Week is created in partnership with:
Soltech Solutions: https://soltechsolutions.com/
Steel City Plant Co: https://steelcityplantco.com
Domaci Home: https://domacihome.com
Lehigh Valley With Love: https://lehighvalleywithlovemedia.com
Transcription:
Angie 0:10 Hey plant fam, welcome to Wine Down The Week with Angie, I'm your host Angie - and owner Steel City Plant Company here in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. This podcast is brought to you by Soltech Solutions. Today we chat with Benjamin Le - Benji's plant journey started by helping his dad in the garden where he grew a lot of veggies and fruits. As he grew older, he started having a few houseplants of his own. He majored in environmental studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Now he's living in Los Angeles, California, where he does content creation on Tik Tok, Instagram and YouTube full time. Welcome, Benji - we're so excited to have you!
Benji 0:45 Hello! Hi Angie.
Angie 0:48 Okay, so we were chatting for a bit off screen before we got started, and this is your first time on a podcast?
Benji 0:55 Yes! And I've always wanted to be on one.
Angie 0:57 So honored to be your first. Thank you for being with us today. I'm a huge, huge fan of your content - all the amazing videos and photos that you create! And, just tell us a little bit about that first... and how you got into content creation. How long has that been going on?
Benji 1:20 So I started creating content mostly... well, I started my plant Instagram in August of last year. Just for fun, like... Oh, I saw people were doing it - so let me post my plants too! And then that was just like something that I did! Like shared some pictures, and my family and my friends followed me and like... they didn't give a.... they didn't care! They were just supporting me, like: "oh, like that's cute". And in November, my friend was telling me: "You should do like a tik tok or something!" I did not use tik tok whatsoever. And he was like: "people would enjoy what you're doing". And I was like:... "well, they would!"...like I think that they would enjoy what I'm doing, I just don't know how to film it or anything. And then I just made a tik tok! But like my first tik tok.... I made it and then nothing really happened for a day. And I got like three comments. And they were all from like these 10 year olds. And I was like: "why?" Like - why am I showing up on these 10-year-olds algorithms? And then the next day, it kind of blew up and got a bunch of views. I think it was like a million views or something? And then I got so overwhelmed! I was like: "I can't do this, too many people are seeing my face.." and like my friends are like: "Oh my god, I saw you on tiktok!.. and I was like - I can't do this anymore! So I was like really considering just... stopping. I was like: "I don't know if I can handle this. Should I just delete everything? This is too much for me"! And then I started getting more followers on Instagram and stuff! And then, you know, I kind of got over that major anxiety. Because I feel like once you're on the internet...you're on the internet.... forever. And that was just really scary for me to put myself out there where so many people can just - watch me? You know, like people from school and things like that...
Angie 3:09 Yeah.
Benji 3:10 And then I just kind of kept going with it. And then I found like my style, I feel like through that? And yeah! A year later, now I'm here on this podcast! So!
Angie 3:23 Amazing. well thank you again for being here. We can't wait to dive more into all of that! But before that, what are you drinking today?
Benji 3:31 I actually don't know. haha!
Angie 3:33 I love it.
Benji 3:34 It's... it's a sparkling? It's a sparkling wine. I just grabbed this like 20 minutes ago, I went into my fridge, and I was just looking through my housemates wines. And it's like a sparkling white wine.... I don't know what kind. But yeah, I was like: "Can I... can I take this? For a podcast?" and he was like: "what do you mean?" And I was like: "....Nothing, I'll explain it later", because I haven't told them about it yet.
Angie 4:00 Well, it looks very refreshing! I am drinking Delicious, Sweet Red from Blue Ridge Winery. So very excited to have them as our sponsor today! So big thank you to Randy over at Blue Ridge. This is absolutely delicious! I love love, love red wine. And I love sweet red wine. So cheers!
Benji 4:20 Cheers. That's it's like 2pm here, so...
Angie 4:28 Oh no way! That's amazing. I always forget about the time difference. So a little day drinking, you know, not a bad job!
Benji 4:36 just a little bit...
Angie 4:38 So we're gonna kick it off with an icebreaker called Petal and Bud. So 'Petal' is something that happened recently that was exciting! And 'Bud' is something coming up that's exciting. So I'll kick it off to give you an idea! So something recently... you may be able to tell from my surroundings...we decorated for Christmas at the plant shop this week! Very, very Fun. We're in the Christmas City here in Bethlehem. So it's a very big deal! We had Christmas music blaring before we hopped on this podcast.
Benji 5:08 I don't really get that in California haha!
Angie 5:10 Yeah, yeah. It's already very cold here. I had to make a plant run today, and normally I'd leave them in my car, or at least overnight until I had help bringing them in tomorrow, (Our shop is on the second floor, so it's like 27 steps to unload plants.... It's very fun). And I realized it's gonna drop into the 30s tonight...so I had to bring them inside. But you guys don't have that problem huh?
Benji 5:34 No, I'm pretty thankful for that. I know people are like: "How are you preparing for winter?" I'm like: "Uhh, What do you mean?"
Angie 5:42 Step One: move to the West Coast! Haha - let's see what's coming up that's exciting ? So this week, we set up....so not only are we gonna have our plant shop open, but the Christmas City Village kicks off this weekend on Main Street in Downtown Bethlehem. And that is actually where we got our start! And it's SO much fun. And last year, we didn't have a storefront yet - we just started our business as a hut... a German-Style Christmas Hut out on Main Street, and we decided to bring it back this year! So going back to our roots, we're gonna have our location in two spots!
Benji 6:19 How's that going to work with it being like...so cold?
Angie 6:22 Oh, my God. So my plan? So that's a good question, because last year, it was a heatwave here. So it was 75 and sunny both weeks that we were there - so we didn't have to worry about it, and I jumped in last minute. But like I said, it's already cold now. So, my plan is to only take like cacti and succulents down there. And all of our plant accessories that we sell, and then send people... the Hut's right outside our shop... I'm going to send people inside to buy the plants.
Benji 6:48 Okay, but yeah, that totally works. Yeah, lure them in with the cool things. And then like: "By the way, there's like a shop up there, you can..."
Angie 6:59 We sell a LOT of other stuff, too. So we'll probably have enough to go around - but it's gonna be craziness! And we're also a stop on the Holiday Cocktail Trail in two weeks! And this coming weekend, we have the Lehigh Valley Plant Crawl - so that... the Lehigh Valley is the region that we live in.... So it's like a bunch of cities close together.... And all the plant shops across the region partner together - and we have a passport - people purchase the passport and visit each plant shop that weekend, and then they get entered to win a prize.
Benji 7:30 Oh, so is it like...It's like a pub crawl, but for plants? And then are people going to different plant shops and buying multiple plants? So they're just like carrying it with them?
Angie 7:40 Yes, yes. It's craziness.
Benji 7:42 I feel like the east coast plant community is so much more like.... tight knit and there's so many more activities than the West Coast! Like, you guys are always having plant swaps and things like that! And I'm like: "I've never been able to participate in that yet...". But maybe because I only really got involved in the community when COVID hit? So maybe that's why..
Angie 8:02 That's true. You'll have to come visit us and you can start all these things on the West Coast - you would be the leader!
Benji 8:03 Yeah, I was actually... I might do plant swap soon.
Angie 8:12 Yeah, that's a great idea!
Benji 8:13 Maybe this weekend or something - Just on Instagram: "Hey, guys come to this park!"
Angie 8:16 Have a pop up?
Benji 8:18 I don't really know how.... I've never been an organizer before! So, I don't know how many people would show up. I don't know, Do I need to bring the tables? Well, I don't know!
Angie 8:28 Maybe if you did it in a park or something...? Keep it simple for the first one.
Benji 8:32 Yeah, yeah. We could rent tables? I don't know. I'll figure it out. But yeah!
Angie 8:37 I love it. If you need any tips, we can chat offline - I can let you know all of my planning ways!
Benji 8:44 Yeah, that would actually be really nice. Yeah.
Angie 8:46 So what do you have going on? What was your Petal and Bud?
Benji 8:50 Okay. Petal - I recently set up this really cool Ikea plant-cabinet thing. So you probably know about the IKEA greenhouse cabinets already? But I did this paludarium - so it has like a water feature inside of it, and it has a mister - and it has live moss all around it. So, I was kind of bored with my cabinet...like, it was just plants inside of a cabinet...you know? But now it's this whole little ecosystem thing. And I've just been enjoying it so much. Like, just watching it.... like, I sit and I stare at it!
Angie 9:27 That's incredible. It's probably so stress reducing to just sit and watch it.
Benji 9:31 Yeah, like the mist is flowing in the water and stuff! It took me like five days to make.
Angie 9:38 I was gonna say... I need one! But I'm like: "I don't think I know how to do that..." So...
Benji 9:40 It's funny! People comment: "I want one!". And I'm like: "It's kind of a lot of work.... I don't know if you really want....". Because you can't just go out and buy it you know? You have to like.... make it!
Angie 9:51 Make it! Oooh, and then care for it!
Benji 9:54 Well, actually, the care isn't too bad! I just spray every once in a while and that's pretty much it.
Angie 9:59 Okay, that's amazing. Maybe one day!
Benji 10:03 Yeah, I made a YouTube tutorial if you want to watch!
Angie 10:06 Oh perfect! Cool - and as for our listeners - what is your YouTube channel so that people can find you?
Benji 10:13 I'm Benjiplant... with just Benji nospace plant on YouTube and Tik Tok. But on Instagram, I'm Benji underscore plant.... Because someone took the name Benjiplant! And I'm trying to message them: "Hey, like, would you be willing to sell your account name?" - But I think that they've been inactive for years....so I just like... maybe I have to wait for Instagram to deactivate their account?
Angie 10:38 Yeah! That stinks when you know they're not really using it - like they don't need it as much as you do!
Benji 10:42 I was like: "I'm offering you some money...!" - I've messaged them probably like four times over the course of this entire year. Maybe.... Maybe they'll respond.
Angie 10:54 Oh my god! Hahah - So what do you have coming up then that's exciting!
Benji 10:58 I'm gonna film a house tour and a plant tour soon - which is always really fun, because then I'm able to talk about all of my plants and show all of my plants in a single video! So I'm pretty excited for that. Because those are always fun... people like seeing those things and like, seeing what I have. So yeah, hopefully I'll film it this week - but pretty excited for that.
Angie 11:22 I'm excited for that! I want to see! Your content is so beautiful - Like I can't even imagine what your entire space looks like.
Benji 11:31 I know - and I haven't shared it yet, because I don't know why - I just feel like: Oh, I need....". That's why I've been trying to do a apartment tour/plant tour for months now. But I'm like: "Oh, I need everything to be how I want it!", so that way I don't feel like I need to do another one in the future. But yeah, I think it's pretty much how I envision my place to be now!
Angie 11:54 Yeah. Oh, I can't wait! Okay, we're gonna play a drinking game. We're gonna play Never Have I Ever except it's going to be plant themed. So anything plant related - Never Have I Ever.... we're going to just do five fingers. And whoever runs out of fingers first has to drink.
Benji 12:14 Okay.
Angie 12:15 Or let's say every time a finger goes down, you have to drink...let's make it fun. It's only two o'clock your time... you have all day to drink! HAHA - Let's get started. Okay, I'll start. Uum.... never have I ever... I don't want to jinx myself though - these are stressful! Never have I ever killed a spider plant!
Benji 12:37 No, I haven't. I don't think! I had one spider plant... and now it's not here anymore, but I don't know what happened to it?
Angie 12:44 Haha, like - I lost it along the way!
Benji 12:46 I had it - it was one of my first plants I had when I was in college.
Angie 12:50 Oh yeah!
Benji 12:51 I don't think it died, I think I gave it away. Yeah.
Angie 12:53 Okay, that doesn't count them. All right, your turn!
Benji 12:56 Okay -Never have I ever owned more than three hoya.
Angie 13:04 Nope.
Benji 13:06 I just... I'm just not that into hoya.
Angie 13:09 I'm newly into Hoya. So I'm like... personally I mean... we carry them in the shop, obviously. But, because my... (I've been talking about this on every podcast cuz I'm crazy), but my one that I have at home just bloomed so... now it's like a whole different ballgame... now that I saw it bloom.
Benji 13:25 which one is it?
Angie 13:26 It's the tri-color and it smells amazing. So yeah - but it took seven years! So yeah. Okay - oooh, Never Have I Ever done a plant tik tok! Ah hah - gotchya! Hahah
Benji 14:00 - Well, Never Have I Ever sold a plant! Well, okay, okay, I should rephrase that. Never have I ever sold a plant at a brick and mortar store... because I have sold a few plants!
Angie 14:15 Ok fair! Never Have I Ever...hmm... Never have I ever had more than 65 houseplants in my apartment.
Benji 14:34 Okay, okay that's.... I've actually never counted them! But I know it's definitely over that number. I feel I don't know if this one would get you but I feel like it would get a lot of people.... never have I ever killed a fiddle leaf fig.
Angie 14:54 Oh yeah. And it's it's fresh! like it too soon for that joke. R.I.P.
Benji 15:02 I've only ever had one, I've had it for like three years, and it's like, never been a difficult plant. But I know everyone's always like: "Oh, it's so hard". Like, that was...
Angie 15:14 So weird! The ones in our shop are thriving. They're like growing really fast. Amazing! And then in my apartment... I think it just depends on your space! Like you have to have the right formula of light and my apartment is not that...
Benji 15:27 They need a lot more light than people give them.
Angie 15:29 They do. Yeah, yep. And we have a ton of light that comes in here so they're happy. All right. Never have I ever.......Never Have I Ever propagated a plant into FULL size.
Benji 15:53 Yeah, definitely. I have. Yep.
Angie 15:59 I'm beating you!
Benji 16:01 Okay, never have I ever - never have I ever seen snow in person during Christmas?
Angie 16:12 Okay - we are planning a trip! You're gonna come visit here. You're gonna love it here.
Benji 16:16 You know what's so funny? In California, people will GO to see snow. I don't know if you've heard of this... but like, during winter time, because it doesn't really snow....
Angie 16:24 Where do they go?
Benji 16:26 There's like some places in California where it snows. So they go to those places... like Big Bear is a popular one. Even though I went in December and it wasn't snowing! Yeah. But then they also do like - fake snow? Where they man-make snow? Yeah, it's so funny! East Coast people are probably like - "what the heck"?
Angie 16:47 Yeah! I mean, I LOVE snow. So we get all four seasons here. And summer is my least favorite - and fall's my favorite - winter is probably the next best. Love a good snowstorm. It's just so pretty. You have to see it - we're gonna make it happen.
Benji 17:05 I always wanted a snowy Christmas!
Angie 17:09 Yeah! I'm super pumped - We - my fiance and I - just planned a trip for my birthday to go to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and do like all the snowy Hallmark activities. So I hope it snows!
Benji 17:24 Exciting!
Angie 17:26 Yeah, I don't know.... I'm like in the sun right now and happy.
Benji 17:29 I might be in New York for New Years! So, hopefully it snows then. I don't know what it's like over there. But I think it would snow.
Angie 17:38 Yeah, yes. already pretty cold. We're only an hour from New York where I'm at right now. So we're super close. Alright, whose turn is it? Is it my turn?
Benji 17:49 I think it's your turn. Yeah. Okay.
Angie 17:50 Never have I ever been in warm weather for Christmas? Haha! Wait... that had nothing to do with plants! It's fine. What was...
Benji 18:02 Oh is it supposed to be plant related? I like totally - I forgot I forgot.
Angie 18:08 Me too!
Benji 18:11 Um, never have I ever owned an aloe vera.
Angie 18:19 I have. Benji
18:21 They grow outside in California like wildly so I've never.... they're like everywhere outside, so I just never think to get one? Because I could just like pick it off the ground. There's so many succulents and aloe vera and stuff and cactus just growing outside in LA.
Angie 18:39 Okay. All right. Have you seen the movie - The Holiday with Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet? Where they swap homes?
Benji 18:46 What year was that one?
Angie 18:47 In like early 2000s. They swap homes for the holidays and they're like on different ends of... in different countries! But like - WE need to just do a holiday swap!
Benji 18:58 Yeah.
Angie 18:59 I'm gonna come live your life and look at the succulents growing in the wild like - whaat?
Benji 19:04 And there's like fiddle leaf figs here growing outside and like rubber plants and some monsteras too! Some people plant monsteras in their front yard. And I'm surprised they live, because sometimes the sun is super hot.
Angie 19:16 Mm hmm. Oh, yeah. Well, that's just how plants are. Put them outside, and they can grow through frickin concrete but like inside? They need like the perfect ecosystem. Okay, never have I ever fertilized my plants once a year. Like I just don't do it.
Benji 19:39 I definitely do it more than once a year....
Angie 19:41 Do you?? I don't even do it once a year! They're fine! I mean, we do at the shop, again. I shouldn't say.... yeah, I'm talking about my personal collection.
Benji 19:49 I think it depends on like, what soil you have and like how much light you give them. Most soils will come with fertilizers in them - like organic fertilizers. Like bat guano, worm castings, things like that. But - the soil that I use doesn't have any fertilizer in it. So I like have to constantly supply the nutrients.
Angie 20:13 That's probably why...the soil I use has fertilizer in it.
Benji 20:16 Yeah, so it's like not really super necessary. And if you're not getting like too much light, like if they're not being blasted by the sun, then they won't really need fertilizer too often. Yeah.
Angie 20:28 Yeah, we have a smaller supply of sun over here. I'm sitting in... it was daylight saving. so I'm sitting in the complete dark, and it's only five o'clock in the afternoon.
Benji 20:37 I know, I was like...
Angie 20:39 I know! yeah, it's just depressing. Okay, so I think I beat you - so you need to drink again! So let's dig into you were talking about the plant scene and LA and how it's not really comparable to what you've seen on the east coast. So do you guys have...how did you find your community then?
Benji 21:04 Okay, great. I'm like...I'm like very... wait, what was the last part?
Angie 21:08 How did you gain such a great following? Where did you find your plant people?
Benji 21:11 Um, okay, so I'm kind of new to LA. I've only ever been here for a few months. So I'm not super..... So I'm not the one to comment about the plant scene, because I haven't tried too hard. But from what I've seen, it's not really as - really as active because - I think LA is really spread out. There's a lot of different neighborhoods and cities, and it's sort of hard to get from one place to another because the traffic is SO bad. Yeah. But I was in a Northern California plant group - because, you know, there's Northern California and like Southern California - and Santa Cruz was in Northern California. And their plant community was seemingly a lot more tight knit because the Bay Area I feel like, is more easily connected, in that sense. But yeah, I just haven't. Like - I joined a few Facebook plant groups in LA, and it just didn't really feel the same. It's like going to a new school kind of! I was like: "Oh, I don't know if this is for me..." - And I got kind of shy and stuff. So I didn't really reach out - and I'm not active on Facebook really anymore. But I guess I found my own, plant community on social media. I don't really even know where most of the people are from. They're kind of everywhere - right? There a lot of people in California that I have noticed - but then a lot of people internationally, which is super cool. I get comments like - like they'll leave a nice comment, and they'll be like: "From the Philippines!" or like "From India!" or "From Brazil!". And I'm like: "Oh my gosh, that's so cool!".
Angie 22:58 That's so cool!
Benji 22:59 Yeah! It's so cool! Just the idea that like people from a different country are watching me, I guess. Yeah, yeah!
Angie 23:08 Do they ask you a lot... Do you get a lot of questions about plant care? If so, like, what's your go to advice for a new plant parent? ...If they're listening to our podcast today?
Benji 23:18 Yeah. So a lot of people do ask for advice. And I try to give advice when I can, but sometimes it can be kind of difficult because like - you don't know what their climate's like - you don't know like any of the information that you need to know to give good plant advice. But generally, I would say - use a lot of soil additives. Not different ingredients, but use a lot of perlite or use a lot of pumice or like - a lot of bark into your soil so it can be drained really well. For my beginner plant parents out there: I recommend like 50% using whatever potting soil mix you can find, and then 50% perlite or pumice. Just because that is super well draining and you will not get root rot most likely... if you're not watering every single day. And that's the number one killer for the for the beginners out there. So yeah - 50% an additive like perlite or pumice and then 50% A potting soil.
Angie 24:19 Love that!
Benji 24:20 Yeah, honestly, you can use anything. Like any potting soil you find. It's not really a big deal most of the time. Like, I'll mix up my potting soils... just whatever I have on hand! Sometimes I've used your Miracle-Gro a lot, because my dad has a bunch of it. And that's fine. But people like to crap on Miracle-Gro. But, I think it's fine as long as you add stuff to it.
Angie 24:46 Right. Love that! So do you have a favorite plant?
Benji 24:52 Okay, so I - I do! But it's different every single day. So..
Angie 24:58 What species are you into right now?
Benji 25:00 Oh species? Well, the genus I've been really into right now is platycerium - so that's like staghorn ferns. And, I have one right here, then have more outside.
Angie 25:15 It's beautiful! I saw it on your Instagram too, is that the one that was on Instagram?
Benji 25:21 Yeah. And they're just, I don't know, they're like - so weird looking! And I like how they're mounted like a deer head - except it's not an actual deer, right? Um, and yeah - they're super interesting. And I like that they're also mounted, so they're not taking up space on shelves and things. So there's a lot of possibilities with where you can put them. I've also recently been into euphorbias, and also caudex plants. Those are the ones that are like - people call them potatoes. They're halfway above the soil, and they have one little sprout coming out. So - that's sort of what I've been into lately! I've been trying to explore different genera for it to be more refreshing and, like fun for me. Yeah!
Angie 26:14 Yeah. I've been into ferns in general, like there's just so... staghorn, like all the different types! Like, I'm just in love - I love it!
Benji 26:24 You can do a lot of really cool stuff with them too. Like, in terms of display, you can - I'm going to this virtual class, in I think like two weeks or something? It's this guy...I forgot what he calls them.... I don't remember what they're called..... but they're like these weird - not weird - interesting arrangements of plants for where he'll put like, ferns on it and hoyas, and just a bunch of like mosses and stuff, and it's just super interesting!
Angie 26:55 So cool! Like art! So it becomes art in your house.
Benji 26:59 Yeah, that's kind of what I've been trying to do with plants lately - is like make them look really nice visually. So I'm like: "Oh, I wan to learn what this guy is doing!" because I don't know how he does it - so I need to learn! So I paid like 25 bucks for this class, and this is all I'm thinking about for the next two weeks. And I have all the materials prepared because you're able to come and make the thing with him, as they give the instructions!
Angie 27:25 Yeah. Oh, I love that! So what is your background in? Were you always into content creation? Do you have a past life here that you left to go into this full time?
Benji 27:41 Luckily, I started doing this, like while I was in college, still - in my senior year of college. So, like I did environmental studies and kind of like, sustainability. I was thinking of going into planning - like city planning or like - sustainable planning. But, that field just seems really stressful and stuff like that. Like.... not a lot of stuff gets done. And it's difficult to have an impact. So I was like: "I don't know if I want to do that". And I was kind of lost with what I wanted to do professionally. And I just started doing content creation! And I was like: 'Oh, this is kind of working out". And then like, I had some brands reach out for sponsorships - so I was like: "Whoa, like I can actually do this? Like, as a profession?".
Angie 28:37 That's amazing!
Benji 28:38 Yeah, so I just started doing that! And then I was telling my parents like: "Oh, yeah, I'm looking for jobs! Like, I'm on look out. You know, I'm searching, I'm talking to some people".... But then - yeah, then I'm able to support myself financially. So now they're okay with me doing this. They like seeing me happy with what I'm doing. So I didn't have to leave any job or anything. But the last job that I was doing before I started doing like content creation full time was a fellowship at my school with a lab group where we did sustainable aquaculture research.
Angie 29:25 Wow!
Benji 29:25 Sustainable like fish farming stuff! So kind of similar to what I'm doing now? But different. Yeah, I've always really been into art and stuff when I was younger - but I didn't think it was a viable career path. But now I'm kind of doing my major: which is like, environment stuff, and art sort of - together!
Angie 29:48 So it's a perfect fit.
Benji 29:50 Yeah, I'm really happy to be able to do this. I never knew how to do photography or like videography or anything - so it's been a learning process, for sure.
Angie 30:04 Yeah, that's like a whole other aspect of it! Well, you do an amazing job - and we're so happy for you and congratulations on - just your success! It's just incredible!
Benji 30:15 Thank you.
Angie 30:16 So we are getting - it's getting time to wind it down now. So any last thoughts? Parting messages for our listeners? Where can they find you? Where can they follow along and keep up to date with all the great things you're doing?
Benji 30:31 You can find me on Tik Tok and Instagram and YouTube. @Benjiplant. Benji - no space - and then plant. And then no s at the end! People like to add the: Benjiplantssss, but there's no S! Just so you know. On Instagram, there's an underscore between Benji and plant. I try and post consistently on YouTube and tik tok and Instagram but sometimes it doesn't work out that way. But normally I have content like... every week on YouTube and then every few days on tik tok Instagram, so - awesome!
Angie 31:07 Well, it's also time for our riddle! So let's see if you can get it right. So last week's riddle was: I do not eat food, but I do enjoy a light meal every day. What am I? I do not eat food, but I do enjoy a light meal every day....
Benji 31:30 Okay, so I'm really really bad with riddles and word games and trying to figure stuff out! You don't eat food but you like wait, what was it?
Angie 31:39 a light meal!
Benji 31:41 Oh, so it's a plant, right?
Angie 31:43 Yeah!!
Benji 31:44 Okay.
Angie 31:45 I know. I was overthinking it so much last week, but the answer is: 'a plant'! So for those of you who guessed correctly, keep an eye on our posts. We'll do a giveaway. This week's riddle: What is a cluster of bananas called? Do you want to take a guess? I don't have the answer in front of me, so we won't know until next week. A cluster of bananas...
Benji 32:05 A banana bunch? haha
Angie 32:07 That's what I would guess. So we'll find out! Drop your best guesses in our reviews and comments section and tune in next week on Wine Down The Week with Angie and we will release that answer as well. So thank you, Benji, for joining us today!
Benji 32:19 Yeah it was so nice to meet you and talk!
Angie 32:20 Thank you to all of our listeners for tuning in again this week, and thank you to Soltech Solutions, Steel City Plant Company, Domaci Home and Lehigh Valley with Love and Blue Ridge Winery. Talk to you soon - bye plant fam!
Feng shui is an ancient Chinese craft of aligning structures, objects, and spaces in a climate that achieves harmony and balance in a way that brings harmony and prosperity. The Chinese "feng shui" means "the way of wind and water".
Plants are the 8th most reported pet toxin with over 200,000 potential animal poisoning cases reported per year. The worst part is that 9 out of 10 poisonings happen while the pet is at home. Here is some information on plant toxicity and 20 plants that are non-toxic and safe for pets to be around.
