What if the plants around you held ancient magic… and modern medicine is just catching up?

In this fascinating episode of Dairyland Frights, host John dives deep into the world of witchcraft, herbal magic, and the paranormal with acclaimed author Varla Ventura.

From growing up with a practicing witch mother to writing bestselling books on enchanted plants, folklore, and the supernatural, Varla shares incredible stories that blur the line between science, magic, and mystery.

• 🌿 The Power of Enchanted Plants
  • How plants like foxglove shaped modern medicine
  • The shocking connection between herbal folklore and real medical breakthroughs
• 🧙‍♀️ What Is a Green Witch?
  • Nature-based magic explained
  • How plants are used in rituals, healing, and intention-setting
• 🧠 Lucid Dreaming & Psychic Beginnings
  • Varla’s childhood experiences with dreams and spirits
  • How early exposure shaped her paranormal worldview
• 👻 Are Ghosts Real?
  • Why proof may never exist—and why that makes it more compelling
  • The difference between belief, experience, and evidence
• ⚖️ The Truth About Witchcraft
  • Breaking down myths from Salem to modern-day witches
  • The “Threefold Law” and different philosophies in witchcraft
• 🪦 Forgotten Death Rituals
  • Strange historical funeral traditions (yes… food over coffins)
  • How modern culture has disconnected from death and grief

• The paranormal may never be proven—but that’s what keeps it alive
• Ancient plant knowledge is influencing modern medicine more than ever
• Witchcraft is deeply personal, intuitive, and not one-size-fits-all
• Our relationship with death, nature, and the unknown is evolving

If you’re into:

• Paranormal stories 👻
• Witchcraft & occult knowledge 🔮
• Herbalism & natural medicine 🌿
• Deep philosophical discussions about reality

…this episode is going to hook you fast.

Despite some technical issues, this episode is packed with insane value, storytelling, and insight—and Varla will absolutely be back again.

“We may never prove the paranormal… but we’ll never stop chasing it.”

What happens when magic meets murder? In this episode of Dairyland Frights, host John dives into a fascinating conversation with acclaimed mystery author John Gaspard, creator of the Eli Marks Mystery Series.

From sleight-of-hand illusions to real-world storytelling, this episode explores how magic, mystery, and the paranormal intersect, and why sometimes the scariest things aren’t supernatural at all.

John Gaspard joins the show to discuss:

• The origins of the Eli Marks mystery series

• How magicians think differently, and how that shapes storytelling

• Writing mysteries that are both clever and fair to the audience

• The blurred line between illusion, deception, and belief

• His thoughts on ghosts, the afterlife, and unexplained experiences

• Behind-the-scenes insights into indie filmmaking and writing

Plus… a real-life unexplained moment involving a disappearing cup of coffee that might just make skeptics think twice 👀

• Author of the Eli Marks Mystery Series (10 books strong)

• Creator of the Como Lake Players Mystery Series

• Host of Behind the Page: The Eli Marks Podcast

• Indie filmmaker with multiple low-budget features

• Expert in blending magic, mystery, and humor into compelling stories

His work dives into the psychology of deception, something magicians (and killers?) understand better than most.

• Why magicians make perfect detectives

• Using real magic techniques to solve fictional crimes

• Crafting mysteries where the audience has all the clues

• Do ghosts exist?

• What kind of evidence would actually prove it?

• The psychology behind paranormal experiences

• Outlining vs “discovery writing.”

• Avoiding writer’s block

• Building compelling villains without revealing too much

• The realities of indie filmmaking vs Hollywood

• Why storytelling should always come from passion, not profit

• A skeptic’s take on ghosts that will spark debate

• The concept of “fair mysteries,” where readers can solve them too

• A real story about a vanishing coffee cup in a New York hotel ☕

• Why magicians understand deception better than anyone

If you love:

• Paranormal podcasts

• Mystery & thriller storytelling

• True crime with a twist

• Writing and creative insights

👉 This episode is for you.

In this chilling episode of Dairyland Frights, host John dives deep into the paranormal with Loren Purcell, aka “The Mystic Chick” a psychic medium, energy empath, and paranormal investigator based in Illinois.

Loren shares her origin story, beginning with a near-death experience at just two years old that opened her connection to the spirit world. From there, she developed the ability to see, feel, and interpret energy, leading her to investigate haunted homes, historic mansions, cemeteries, and more.

This episode explores:

• The difference between ghosts, spirits, and negative entities

• How energy frequencies impact paranormal encounters

• Why some people experience hauntings—and others don’t

• Real-life investigations, including a 15,000 sq ft haunted mansion

• The terrifying truth about entities posing as spirits

• Why new homes can still have paranormal activity

If you’ve ever wondered what’s really lurking beyond our world… this one gets creepy.

Loren explains how being an energy empath allows her to:

• Sense emotional and physical pain

• Detect spirits and environmental energy

• Identify disturbances in homes and locations

Loren has investigated:

• Historic mansions

• Cemeteries across Illinois

• The Dole Mansion in Crystal Lake

• Abandoned and energy-charged sites

She reveals how location energy, trauma, and history create paranormal hotspots.

One of the most intense discussions of the episode:

• Ghosts = human spirits, often tied to trauma or unfinished business

• Negative entities (demons) = never human, feed on emotional pain

• Residual hauntings = energy loops replaying events

Loren warns that some entities can disguise themselves as innocent spirits to gain trust.

Loren explains how:

• Trauma, grief, and stress lower your “frequency.”

• Certain environments attract negative entities

• Vulnerability can lead to attachment or influence

She also reveals why buying a home during emotional turmoil can lead to dangerous outcomes.

A shocking case involving:

• A massive historic mansion

• Paranormal sightings throughout the home

• Emotional chaos between homeowners

• Hidden trauma embedded in the property

Loren uncovers both spiritual AND environmental causes, proving not all hauntings are what they seem.

Loren (with a background in psychology) discusses:

• When paranormal experiences may be mental health-related

• How to distinguish real hauntings from internal struggles

• The importance of approaching cases responsibly

• A ghost story involving a tragic death, seeking justice

• A terrifying case of a negative entity posing as a child spirit

• Why cemeteries aren’t always haunted—and homes sometimes are

• The truth about sleep paralysis and paranormal overlap

• Everything is energy, and your frequency matters

• Not all hauntings are ghosts

• Vulnerability can open doors to the unknown

• The paranormal world is far more complex than we think

• 🌐 Website: mysticchick.net

Dairyland Frights explores the darkest corners of the Midwest and beyond—featuring real ghost stories, haunted locations, cryptids, and paranormal investigations.