Robert Baran: Inside Bonsai’s Past & Present History - Ep51

I. Episode Summary & Links

            In this episode of the Bonsai Time Podcast, Kevin and Ryan sit down with Robert Baran, one of the world’s most respected bonsai historians and researchers. Robert shares the stories behind decades of archived bonsai knowledge and how he built Magiminiland.com into a global resource for miniature tree history. The conversation explores how bonsai traveled across cultures, how early masters shaped the art, and why preserving bonsai history is more important than ever. You’ll hear Robert reflect on his personal journey, his passion for research, and the untold stories that shaped the bonsai world. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who loves bonsai, history, and the deeper meaning behind miniature trees.

YouTube version is here!

 The podcast version of Episode 51 is here!⁠

Guest Info:

            Robert Baran is the bonsai historian and researcher behind the most comprehensive publicly available bonsai archive linked below, which he is continually adding to. He has also written several articles and contributed to books on this subject.⁠

• ⁠MagiMiniland.org⁠
• Robert also has a ⁠YouTube channel⁠ with a few interviews.
• Robert's various books and book contributions can be found ⁠here⁠.

Sponsor Info:

            This episode is sponsored by our co-host via the Kevin Faris moving sale of bonsai pottery, tools, and trees. View these items at In Vivo Bonsai of Columbus, Ohio, USA in-person, or online (shipping available) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠invivobonsai.etsy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠, or go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.InVivoBonsai.com⁠ and navigate to the consignment ⁠pottery⁠ and ⁠tree⁠ pages.

For Etsy sales, there is currently a 10% off Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal with the code CYBER25.

Mailbag submissions/Community:

• NEW BT DISCORD Chat
• BT Facebook Group

Support the Pod:

            Anytime you listen, subscribe, rate us, or share us with friends you help keep us motivated to keep making episodes for you all! If you want to take it to the next level, you can also help keep the podcast going by donating to us or by sponsoring an episode (contact us directly for that). All donations go back into the podcast such as for our web hosting, recording gear expenses, etc.

See the relevant images and links from this episode below.

Why You Should Apply for the Ben Oki Scholarship with Bob Pressler, Ep31-32

⁠I. Episode Summary & Links

            For this next 2-part series, Kevin and Kelly interviewed Bob Pressler regarding a bonsai scholarship that he helps organize. They talked about why you should apply and how you can boost your odds of success! The Ben Oki Scholarship Fund is awarded by the California Bonsai Society to two recipients a year. Each recipient is granted $1000 to use to further their bonsai education to give back to the bonsai community. Your co-hosts, Kevin Faris and Kelly Lui, are among the previous recipients of this scholarship. For more information on how to apply, please go to ⁠https://www.californiabonsaisociety.com/post/the-ben-oki-bonsai-scholarship-fund-1⁠.

The video version for part 1 / Episode 31 is available here:

The podcast version of Part 1 is available here.

⁠The video version for part 2 / Episode 32 is available here:

The podcast version of Part 2 is available here.

Guest Info:

Bob Pressler is also the owner of Kimura Bonsai Nursery and President of the California Bonsai Society. 

⁠⁠⁠⁠Sponsor Info: 

(INSERT YOUR AD HERE). Email us at bonsaitimepodcast@gmail.com if you would like to discuss sponsoring an episode! Sponsor information will be tailored to your needs but generally is read on air and included in the show notes.

Support the Pod:

            Anytime you listen, subscribe, rate us, or share us with friends you help keep us motivated to keep making episodes for you all! If you want to take it to the next level, you can also help keep the podcast going by donating to us through Spotify or by sponsoring an episode (contact us directly for that). All donations go back into the podcast such as for our web hosting, recording gear expenses, etc. Even $1/month would be a great help!

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bonsaitimepodcast/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

See the relevant images and links from this episode below.

Introducing Our New Co-Host, Kelly Lui - Bonsai Time Podcast Ep 21

            In this episode of the Bonsai Time Podcast, Kevin and Ryan welcome a new co-host to the podcast, Kelly Lui of California. Kelly is an enthusiastic newcomer in the bonsai scene who has already made a splash by winning the Ben Oki Scholarship in 2023 from the California Bonsai Society. Hear the story of how she got roped into our podcast and how we hope to help one another amplify her work sharing the history of the senior bonsai students in the California area and elsewhere.

The video version is available here:

The podcast version is available here.

A Conversation with Dan Robinson - Bonsai Time Podcast Episode 01

        Hello readers! Some years ago I started this blog with the intent to share my journey and pass on wisdom from one of the biggest public bonsai gardens in the US. I especially hoped to share more stories from my teacher, Dan Robinson, as I had not heard of him in my online-only experience with the bonsai community. Today, Dan remains focused on his mission of maintaining his garden and his trees without distractions from the online world (he really does still use a flip phone), but luckily Dan now has a multitude of technology-minded volunteers at the garden who are carrying on sharing his bonsai with the online audience such as through the @elandangardensbonsai Instagram page and other upcoming projects. That said, today marks the release of the first episode of the @bonsaitimepodcast hosted by myself and a fellow Columbus-based bonsai friend, Kevin Faris. With time, Kevin and I envision this podcast serving as a source of edutainment to assist bonsai-growers with a variety of topics and tell the stories of more bonsai artists and trees. The focus of the first episode however circles back to the original purpose of this blog. Dan recently hosted Kevin and me at his garden for a few days of work and collaboration styling trees. During that time, Dan was kind enough to sit down with us for a lengthy retrospective interview on his life in the bonsai. If you are familiar with Dan's evocative style and want to know more about the man behind a uniquely ancient & naturalistic style of bonsai, see the links below.

Find our episodes on YouTube!