Kudzu Project
Stories that grow wild. Hosted by Nick Lucey, The Kudzu Project delivers voices and conversations from Western North Carolina, the Appalachians, and beyond — tangled in history, rooted in community, and blooming with life. Recorded in Hendersonville, NC by the Lucey Agency.
Episodes
29 episodes
Terrye Jacobs: Downtown Hendersonville in Full Bloom
Each spring, Hendersonville, NC's Main Street blossoms into a flowery wonderland during Garden Jubilee — one of the largest gardening shows in Western North Carolina and one of the biggest annual events in the city. Nick sits down with local ce...
Phill Hanson: Confessions of a Special Forces Sergeant Major
Phill Hanson has lived a life most people only read about. A retired U.S. Army Special Forces sergeant major, he spent decades operating at the highest levels of military and national security — from Southeast Asia to Central America, to some o...
Live, Laugh, Lucey: Lessons from My 94-Year-Old Dad
It's not every day you get to interview your own father on your podcast. So when my dad, William Lucey, came to visit us in Hendersonville recently, I didn't want to squander the opportunity to capture his story — and his voice — on tape. At 94...
The Apple of Their Stepdad's Eye: The Story of Holt Orchards
There's no such thing as sibling rivalry at Holt Orchards in Flat Rock, North Carolina ... just a whole lot of teamwork and family pride. Brother-and-sister duo Tracy Cavagnaro and Todd Kirmss are car...
From WNC to DC: Jeff Miller and the Blue Ridge Honor Flight
The Blue Ridge Honor Flight didn't start as a national movement. It began as a local effort to do something simple, and honestly, long overdue. The mission: Give Veterans the opportunity to visit the memorials built in their honor.Jeff M...
From One Idea to Two Dozen Episodes ... and the Road Ahead
Six months ago, the Kudzu Project started with a simple idea: sit down with good people and have great conversations. No roadmap. No strategy. No script. Just a belief that the stories of folks here in Henderson County, across Western North Car...
Sewing a Movement: Georgia Bonesteel and the American Quilt Revival
Long before YouTube tutorials and Instagram reels, Georgia Bonesteel was teaching America how to make quilts — one stitch at a time. Georgia helped spark a nationwide quilting revival through her PBS series Lap Quilting with Georgia ...
Chuck Edwards: From the Golden Arches to the Halls of Congress
In this episode of the Kudzu Project, Nick sits down with Congressman Chuck Edwards, a Western North Carolina native whose story begins right here in Henderson County. Born in Waynesville and raised in Hendersonville, Edwards got ...
Breaking Free: Tiffany Lucey on Escaping Control and Building a New Life
If you live in Henderson County, North Carolina, chances are you've seen Tiffany Lucey before. As the Social Media Coordinator for the County, she's become a familiar face on Instagram reels and Facebook videos, helping tell the story of local ...
From Addiction to Recovery: Daniel Conway's Mission to Help Others Find Their Way Back
Daniel Conway knows addiction from both sides of the table.Today, he serves as the Program Coordinator for Henderson County's Adult Recovery Court (ARC), a program designed to help individuals break the cycle of addiction and incarcerati...
From Georgia Roots to Carolina Soil: Steve Pettis Dishes the Dirt
In this episode of the Kudzu Project, I sit down with fellow Marine and podcaster Steve Pettis, Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension in Henderson County. Steve helps farme...
Called to Serve: Adam R. Smith and the Frustration that Fuels his Fight
SPECIAL EPISODE DROP!I had the opportunity to sit down with Adam R. Smith, congressional candidate in North Carolina's 11th District, who took time out of his busy campaign schedule to join me on the Kudzu Projec...
The Story Behind the Story: Mary Davis Gage of "Getting to Know Hendo"
In this episode of the Kudzu Project, I sit down with storyteller Mary Davis Gage, co-host of the Getting to Know Hendo podcast. Mary has a gift for spinning a yarn — whether she's sharing a story on stage or helping spotlight...
The Home Front: Conversation with Hendersonville City Council Member Gina Baxter
In this episode of the Kudzu Project, I sit down with Hendersonville City Council Member Gina Baxter to discuss her path to public service, her love of the region and its culture, and the issues that matter most to her. Gina brings a b...
Guadalcanal Diary: Marine Private Luther Rhodes Finally Heading Home
More than eight decades after he was killed in action on Guadalcanal and declared MIA during World War II, the remains of Marine Corps Private Luther Rhodes are finally coming home to rural Henderson County, North Carolina.In this follow...
Mayor Barbara Volk on Leadership, Longevity, and her Love of Hendersonville
In this episode of the Kudzu Project, I sit down with Barbara Volk, the first female and second longest-tenured mayor of Hendersonville, North Carolina, for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, legacy, and love of ...
Food is Love: An interview with Stacy Fields of Mini Batch Bakery
In this episode of the Kudzu Project, I sit down with Stacy Fields, owner of Mini Batch Bakery in Hendersonville, NC, to talk about why food is love — and how baking is her love language. Stacy shares her journey from sma...
In the In-Between: Loss, Listening, and Looking Ahead
In this short episode of the Kudzu Project, host Nick Lucey reflects on the quiet, unsettling space between Christmas and the New Year — the pause before everything resumes moving again. As 2026 rapidly approaches, we look back on a ye...
The Power of Family: Turning Survival into Strength with Cheryl Stuller
In this episode, I sit down with Cheryl Stuller, owner of Stuller Power Solutions in Hendersonville, North Carolina, for an honest and inspiring conversation about resilience, perseverance, and rebuilding life from the ground up. Cheryl shares ...
Real Talk with Rev. Anthony McMinn, President & CEO of the Hendersonville Rescue Mission
In this episode of The Kudzu Project, I sit down with Rev. Anthony McMinn, President and CEO of the Hendersonville Rescue Mission, for a powerful and raw conversation about leadership, faith, and community. Rev. McMinn re...
A Community in Alignment: Dr. Jenn Hensley on Growth, Wellness & Leadership
Dr. Jennifer Hensley has spent more than two decades helping people feel more aligned — as a chiropractor and wellness professional, Hendersonville N.C.’s Mayor Pro Tem and now — candidate for Mayor in 2026. In this episode, we explore the back...
A Love Letter to Hendersonville: Interview with Bryan Byrd of Flat Rock Cinema
In this episode of the Kudzu Project, we sit down with Bryan Byrd — a Hendersonville resident for the past two decades, a local realtor, jovial emcee, and owner of the Flat Rock Cinema, a beloved neighborhood movie theater off the Gree...
Man on a Mission: Interview with Commander Bill Manofsky, USN (Ret.)
In this episode of the Kudzu Project, we sit down with Commander Bill Manofsky, USN (Ret.), a remarkable figure whose life blends aviation, engineering, and quiet dedication in ways few ever see — or hear. A retired naval officer and P...
A Life of Service: My Conversation with Alan Yeck of the Veterans Healing Farm
In this special episode, I sit down with Alan Yeck, Director of the Veterans Healing Farm in Mills River, N.C., to talk through a lifetime shaped by service. Alan shares stories from growing up in a military family, joining the United States Ma...
Back to Basics: Fiscal Fundamentals & the Future of WNC with Daniel Andreotta
In this episode of the Kudzu Project, I sit down with Daniel Andreotta of Integrity Financial Group to talk about where the economy really stands—nationally, regionally, and right here in Henderson County, NC. Daniel works every day with famili...