There are some wonderful examples of communities of practice growing around farmer-to-farmer extension of permaculture design principles in poorly served regions. How can the global permaculture community organize around the idea of putting permaculture at the heart of rural development, displacing the business-as-usual development programs that promote unsustainable farming systems, by making better use of resources that already exist – resources like the world-wide network of permaculture training centers, and the ubiquitous cell phone?

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Today's show is about time.

Specifically how precious our tiem is, and how we ought not to waste it.

I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

This is one of the most common regrets that people have at the end of their lives. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people don't honor even a half of their dreams and die knowing that it is due to choices they had made, or not made.

How many people listening to this have unfilled dreams?

How many people are really living their lives the way they want?

How many people are listening to this as they drive drive to or from a job that they really don't like and in a perfect world wouldn't be doing?

A type of job that they only go to pay the bills because they have kids, a mortgage, etc, etc..

A lot of people live that life. And that's a life of fear disguised as practicality.

It's a sad way to live, because life is too short.

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Mycologist and author Peter McCoy of RadicalMycology.com takes on the question - I'm new to mushroom foraging, what are some of the unwritten rules of the game?

To learn more about Peter and see all of the ASK Peter episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/peter.

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If your listening to this show then you probably have a garden or have had one at one point and time. And for most of you gardeners summer is your primary gardening time. And for most of North America that's a good time to garden because it's relatively easy. Plants like to grow because day lengths are long and temperatures are warm.. at least for most of North America.

But what if you live in a part of North America, that doesn't fall under under the previously mentioned "most" category...

That's where my guest today, Market Gardener Brian Kowalski finds himself living in Newfoundland...

Summer as he describes it is something like this...

"May is still cold here, ground is just unfreezing, June is cool, average temp is around 4-5 Celsius (40F), but usually sunny with warm days (10-14C, 57F) but May and June night time temps are generally below 4C. July or August will be normal summer weather, 20-30 C, 85F with nights 12-15, 57F, but one them is usually pretty crappy grey foggy and damp with temperatures cool to warm. ...Septembers have usually been ok but there's a noticeable slow down of growth of course as the nights cool and the days shorten. So to answer your question, July or August. Lots of cold frames and row cover."

Living in Newfound weather is one challenge for Brian. He describes the climate as like farming in the shoulder season all summer, windy generally with occasional hurricane, cloudy.

Despite the challenges Brian has made a go of it and is a profitable market gardener. What he is doing is working.

Given that, the goal for this to take a look at how Brian is dealing with harsh conditions to help those of you who might not have such harsh conditions. Another use of this information is to take some of the techniques that Brian has to apply in the summer and apply them to the colder parts of your season, be in the spring or fall shoulder seasons, or the winters...

Listen to the ideas and techniques that he is using and think about how you can apply them to your situation even if your season and his don't match up.

And when it's cold and rainy in October, just be thankful that it isn't June, and you aren't trying to garden in the summer in Newfoundland.

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"At too many companies, and in too many hapless careers, the number one imperative is to avoid failure and embarrassment associated therewith at all costs. My take, failure, supported by wildly imaginative hypotheses and incredibly hard work, is something that companies and individuals must embrace. Frankly at all costs. Unless you’re stretching... wildly, you're not going to reach that brass ring called hyper success amidst a brawl with no rules." Tom Peters

The market and nature of small scale farming is too dynamic.

To succeed you have to be dynamic as well.

That will mean trying things that don't work, and trying things not knowing if they will work.

You're going to have to make assumptions and best guesses. You're going to have to adapt.

And that's what today's episode is all about... adapting and switching it up on the fly...

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THIS EPISODE IS A REPLAY OF PREVIOUS PUBLISHED EPISODE.

This show is a conversation that I had with Mark Shepard about the process of starting up his farm, New Forest Farm, in Viola, Wisconsin.

How did he start?

What was the process like - both on the land and off?

What were the real life financial struggles and challenges that he went through and faced?

Hint... It wasn't easy.

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THIS EPISODE IS A REPLAY OF PREVIOUS PUBLISHED EPISODE.

Homesteader Justin Rhodes of AbundantPermaculture.com takes on the question - How much room do chickens actually need to roost?

To learn more about Justin and see all of the ASK Justin episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/justin.

Farmer John Suscovich of Camps Road Farm and FarmMarketingSolutions.com answers the question - Why aren't you certified organic?

To learn more about John and see all of the ASK John episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/john.

It is through the Global Village Construction Set that Marcin and OSE have set out to change the way that we build the communities of the future. Marcin has said "I'd like to be able to show that a full modern standard of living can be created from any parcel of land using only the local resources on site in a small fraction of time." A modern standard of living created using tools built locally, within the community. Tools built to last a lifetime, being easily repairable, and ever evolving as open source.

This open source model is a powerful tool to help change the future. I see this as a way where a group of farmers could come together, build a piece of this equipment themselves, be able to repair it themselves, and be able to share it amongst themselves without being dependent upon big companies like John Deere and the debt that goes with them. It is this process that minimizes debts, builds strong communities and builds local resiliency, and that is a political shift. You shift the power from the big corporations to the communities and the individuals by empowering them to take back some control.

Like Marcin said, "I think a lot of people are hungry to be productive and find that productivity within themselves." In a land of retail sales, why not empower people to innovate and produce, not consume, the future that they want in the factories of new, not of old? Why not make that dream of permaculture and polyculture based landscapes and farms more possible by providing blueprints for the equipment that you can build to do the work? Literally. If you want to build it, you can, because we are talking about a future where you hold the blueprints yourself. That is the future that OSE is creating and that is what we are talking about today with Marcin Jakubowski of Open Source Ecology…

Show Notes: www.permaculturevoices.com/61

Mycologist and author Peter McCoy of RadicalMycology.com takes on the question - "I'm attempting your technique of decomposing cigarette butts with oysters. I have them growing on coffee grounds and I'm curious about using coffee as the substrate. I know it's probably not the best, but can I move to feeding it cigarette butts or would it be too much? And I'm also curious as to  whether or not there's more research done that suggests that the mycelium can broke down all or some of the toxins from used cigarettes butts."

To learn more about Peter and see all of the ASK Peter episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/peter.

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Today's episode is a replay of the presentation that Peter Allen gave at PV2 in March 2015..

The presentation is titled Grazing the Savanna: Lessons from New Forest and Mastodon Valley Farms.

In this talk Peter will share the lessons he learned establishing and managing multi-species rotational grazing operations in a well-established permaculture setting at Mark Shepard’s New Forest Farm, and now in a newly emerging setting, at Mastodon Valley, where he is planting tree crops, grazing a suite of animals, thinning forest, constructing an off-grid homestead, and building a broad-acre permaculture farm.

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Homesteader Justin Rhodes of AbundantPermaculture.com takes on the question - I notice you give your chickens fermented or soaked grains each morning.  Can you give us the recipe on what grains you use?  And the process?

To learn more about Justin and see all of the ASK Justin episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/justin.

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THIS EPISODE IS A REPLAY OF PREVIOUS PUBLISHED EPISODE.

Grant Schultz joins me to talk about developing a perennial polyculture in the middle of row-crop corn and soy country Iowa.

He discusses a lot of the innovation and developments taking place on his farm, including some really innovative ways of doing GPS keyline design.

We spend a lot of time talking about the business of farming. The importance of monitoring cash flows and being cash flow positive. And how Grant is using USDA funds to help pay for pieces of his system and getting moving in the right direction.

Key Takeaways:

Importance of making your operation cashflow the whole time. Expenses will pile up so start getting cashflow and a customer base early.

Consider buying rootstock and graft it over later. It is much cheaper to go that route and grafting isn't that hard.

Get plant systems going early on. It is fairly inexpensive and gets the system starting to advance.

Have a plan but evolve as you go. Having an end in mind gives you a goal and a direction to head in, but things will change along the way as you learn the intricacies of the system.

Plant the earliest maturing fruit trees downslope. That way when you are browsing them the manure runs downhill.

How do you want your system to look at maturity and what are the action items to get you there? Then the thing to do is the one with the most impact. What has the earliest yield to get you to the move to the next impact item.

Do not underestimate the importance of monitoring and planing out cashflows.

When you are farming on broad acres you have the same advantages that conventional farmers have. Crop insurance.

Consider using a nurse crop that also cash flows. Grant's example of raising oats for cover crop seed.

Consider the balance of high value versus high labor. Is the value worth the labor?

There is a huge need for more local genetic permaculture plant material.

Recognize the importance of planting dense. Buy trees in mass. It gets cheap and doesn't cost you more to plant at high density. You take advantage of genetic selection and protect yourself against losses.

Irrigate your trees if possible - think keyline, swales. Growth rates of trees that are irrigated versus those that aren't is huge when the trees have consistent water availability. Consider the economic impact of the yield with water versus no water. The work now can make you a lot more money down the line.

Take advantage of all available resources: USDA, NRCS, EQIP. When starting out pre-sell as much as you can. Build a local customer base from Day 1.

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THIS EPISODE IS A REPLAY OF PREVIOUS PUBLISHED EPISODE.

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This is Part 2 of that series and today we specifically focus on the pro’s and cons of selling to restaurants taking into account high maintenance versus low maintenance.

Given that this is Part 2 it probably makes more sense to listen to Part 1 first, Episode 17 - All Customers ARE NOT worth Selling To, An In-Depth Look at High Maintenance versus Low Maintenance Customers.

But you won’t be totally lost in this one if you haven’t heard that episode.

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THIS EPISODE IS A REPLAY OF PREVIOUS PUBLISHED EPISODE.

As my guest today David Pagan Butler of OrganicPools.co.uk says, "If you want really healthy water, you want it full of life; not devoid of life."

That is what today's show is about. Creating the conditions for life to happen within the water in natural swimming pools. Natural swimming pools unlike their chemical counterparts use no chemicals. The pool water is cleaned biologically by plants and organisms within the water. No smells, no chemicals, no pathogens, biology creating water so clean you can drink it.

David has developed a system of building natural pools that is both cost effective and ecologically enhancing. Natural pools that utilize natural biological processes to keep the water clean. The classic case of nature doing something equal to or better than some chemical made in a factory - clean, pathogen free drinking water, in swimmable form.

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As Joseph Campbell, the originator of the follow your bliss concept stated...

"if you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be.'  When you do learn to recognize it and when you do find it, Campbell contents that it put’s your life on a different track…"  The Power of Myth

Should you walk into the unknown following your bliss with the hope that it will lead to open doors?

In many ways yes and in many ways, no...

Because your bliss gets you started on the journey, but that journey may or may not lead to livelihood and opportunity...

Bliss is just one part of the journey, one tool to use along the way...

Given that, should you simply follow your bliss, and is that the best advice in the world or is it the worst advice in the world?

One of the many ideas that I’ll explore in today’s show with Javan Bernakevitch.

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It's currently April 5, 2016.

Today's episode focuses on starting and transplanting Salanova via micro soil blocks.

Curtis will talk about how he starts Salanova lettuce using the blocks and the advantages for doing so.

We also run a quick time and cost analysis of starting lettuce in blocks versus cell trays to show the comparison.

At the end of the episode I go over a recipe to use for the micro blocker and some basic techniques for using it.

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Where do you draw the line between this isn't working, but I can figure it out, and this will never work? Let's just accept the fact that farm start-up is going to involve it's fair share of struggles. How long should those struggles continue? Because there is no sense wasting your time, your life's energy, sacrificing the relationships in your life, as you pile on monumental amounts of stress if you don't have the skill, the will, or the resources to make it work. At some point should you draw the line and just say, maybe this isn't right for me, it's not working? When you find yourself scraping by ask yourself why, and what you can do about it, annd just maybe you will realize that your model doesn't work, or you're not very good at it. Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/tuf35

Is there a place for permaculture principles in a bio-intensive approach to successful ( and profitable) small-scale vegetable production?

For more than a decade Jean-Martin and his wife have been making a living farming on 1.5 acres of land. Last year they sold for more than $140 000 in sales (with a profit margin of around 45 %) by selling freshly harvested vegetables trough their 140 member CSA and seasonal market stands.

The secret of their success resides in the low-tech, high-yield methods of production they have developed at les Jardins de la Grelinette.

This talk was presented live at PV2 in March 2015.

View the slides at permaculturevoices.com/b29.

Joel Salatin speaks on successional farming - partnering the older generation with the next generation of farmers.

This is an excerpt of an interview that I conducted with Joel Salatin on May 22, 2013 in Big Bear Lake, CA.

Listen to another podcast with Joel at permaculturevoices.com/89

Can you accept in the beginning that what you are doing may not work?

Because, guess what, it might not.

But as long as you keep trying something will..

You just have to be willing to continue on until then. And if you are willing to accept that, then save yourself the time, money, and stress and quit now.

This path isn't for everyone and that's fine.

Regardless of what decision you make, just be content with you own decision.

Do yourself a favor and think about this long and hard, because it is a life changer. 20 years from now, do you want to look back and say you went for it, or regret not going for it.

Hopefully this show will lead you down the path of no regrets, and make your journey a little bit easier.

More about The Urban Farmer at permaculturevoices.com/tuf27

In this talk Greg Judy talk covers the steps used to find leased land and build a multi-species grazing operation from scratch.

Livestock can be a blessing or a curse. It's all in the management. With smart management livestock become a multiplier on the landscape. By using a variety of livestock to manage the forages it allows better utilization of plants. Harvesting much more solar energy through the wide selection of different plant leaves.

This is a message that Greg Judy has come to learn, live by, and not preach.

Greg's story is remarkable. He is someone that went from almost broke to financially successfully and paying off his farm and house in three years. He did it by grazing cattle on land that he didn't own, leased land.

This talk was presented live at PV1 in March 2014.

Greg will be speaking at PV3 in March 2016.

Learn more about Greg at permaculturevoices.com/b28.

Work to learn, not to earn...

Understand where you want to go, understand why you want to get into it, figure out a smart systematic way to get there, and work hard in the process.

And give yourself the forgiveness to make mistakes, but have the wherewithal to analyze those mistakes so you can adapt going forward.

That's what this episode is all about.

Taking the time to think long term and setting yourself up for long term success in the beginning.

Part of setting yourself up for success is knowing some of the common pitfalls, so you can avoid them.

In this episode we delve into more common reasons why many farmers struggle.

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Peter and Grant met at a Darren Doherty workshop in 2012 as landless farmers with the shared dream of regenerating landscapes.

Since then, they’ve both landed properties, planted thousands of trees, and developed large-scale permaculture farms. They will share their stories of how they acquired land and rapidly deployed permaculture in different ways in different places, amid different contexts.

Peter farms at Mastodon Valley Farm in the ridges and valleys of southwestern Wisconsin, and Grant at Versaland in the rolling hills of Iowa. This talk was presented live at PV2 in March 2015.

View the slides from this presentation at permaculturevoices.com/b27.

This is an excerpt of an interview that I conducted with Joel Salatin on May 22, 2013 in Big Bear Lake, CA.

Listen to another podcast with Joel at permaculturevoices.com/89

It's August 25, 2015 which means we are at the tail end of summer and shorter, cooler days are coming as fall nears.

We are in one of those unique periods in the year known as the shoulder season, the transition periods at the end of one season and the beginning of another.

They can be tricky time periods for farmers to navigate.

Day lengths start getting shorter, temperatures start getting cooler, and the weather starts to change.

As a farmer this is one of those time periods where it critical to be able to adapt.

You need to be able to understand the changes that are taking place in your biome and plan your crop rotations accordingly.

With an ever changing climate each situation is different and each climate is different, making these shoulder seasons tough to explain.

This episode should shine some light on the topic and give you a general approach that works.

It's this approach, and methodology, that lies at the core of every farmers ability to adapt.

Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/tuf25

Appropriate technology plays a critical role in permaculture systems. Developing, documenting, and sharing these tools and systems can turn dreamers into true permaculture practitioners.

Grant will discuss home and hot water heating using regenerative energy sources, year-round food preservation in a permacultural context, and functional transport including cargo bikes among other topics.

This talk was presented live at PV2 in March 2015 by Grant Schultz of Versaland.com.

Learn more about Grant at permaculturevoices.com/b26

As a farmer, how do you communicate what you have to sell each week, how much it costs, and when you need orders placed by, so you can deliver it on time?

You use what is called a fresh sheet.

At it's simplest a fresh sheet is a list of what you are selling currently on the farm, and for what price.

A fresh sheet is more than a current inventory list. It also reminds ever-busy chefs that you have product that they probably want.

If you've never made a fresh sheet before, this episode may prompt you to make one.

It's a whole bunch of little tips and tricks to help you design, create, and maintain an effective fresh sheet.

Listen to past episodes at: https://www.paperpot.co/podcast

Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/

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Learn the tools, techniques, and costs of establishing a productive silvopasture – a production system that produces yields from every layer. Beginning with bare land, you’ll understand harvest planning and sourcing trees, seed, livestock, and equipment. Also learn what can potentially be built, bartered or bartered.

This talk was presented live at PV2 in March 2015.

See the slides for this talk at permaculturevoices.com/b025.

This episode is all about the art of farming.

Creating a framework, and understanding the overlying philosophy about why you do what you do, and leaving yourself some room to maneuver within that philosophy.

Learn more about Curtis at permaculturevoices.com/tuf23

Listen to past episodes at: https://www.paperpot.co/podcast

Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/

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This episode is all about being a better provider to your customers...

In this episode we dig deep into sourcing products from other farmers, breaking into new markets, working with chefs and soliciting feedback.

It's currently August 4, 2015 and the inevitable has happened. Curtis is short product, and he is having to source those products from other farmers to keep his restaurant customers happy...

Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/tuf22

In this episode Curtis and I are joined by new farmer Rob Kaiser.

Rob is a few months into his farming journey. And like Curtis he didn't come from a farming background. He came from the corporate world. A few years ago Rob realized that the path that he was on, wasn't right for him anymore, and he needed to change. One part of that change was an entry into farming.

In this episode Rob will talk about his transition into farming and the plan that he has put into place to make the transition. He'll touch on how he has dealt with not knowing everything. And how he has dealt with the good times and the really bad times that are unavoidable when you start any new business venture.

One key to Rob's progress has been to surround himself with successful people to make his go a little easier by leveraging their experience. And it's worked because progress is being made and Rob is slowly making the change that he not too long ago dreamed about. The idea, the dream, has become a reality. It's happening.

For all the new farmers and aspiring farmers out there, this episode will shed some light on the early parts of the journey, showing that you are aren't alone, even though we all feel like we are at times. There are others out there trying to do what you want to do. Keep at it and and be the change. And as Rob will say in this episode, "You may not be able to change the world, but you can change yours."

More about the show at permaculturevoices.com/tuf21

Listen to past episodes at: https://www.paperpot.co/podcast

Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/

Follow PaperpotCo on Instagram:http://bit.ly/2B45VKQ

You need to ask yourself - Are you approaching farming as a hobby or as a livelihood?

There's no right or wrong answer.

But you need to be clear with your decision and set your expectations accordingly.

Because approaching farming as a business is dramatically different than approaching farming as a hobby.

To sum this all up be clear in your own head of the distinction between farming as a hobby, and farming as a career. No BS. Know what the answer is and make all, all, of your choices on the farm accordingly.

It is week 20 of the urban farm season - July 28, 2015.

Learn more about The Urban Farmer at permaculturevoices.com/tuf20

Listen to past episodes at: https://www.paperpot.co/podcast

Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/

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This romantic notion of farming - working outside, hands in the soil, sowing seeds, and then nurturing those crops to harvest. While all great, and all true, they are just a piece of the farming pie. And this is where problem's start to arise.

The romantic view pulls people into farming, on just that, a romantic view, not a realistic full picture. And one part of reality is sales and moving product.

Many people don't think about how they are actually going to sell these crops that they harvest. Maybe just assuming someone will want to buy them, everyone needs to eat, right?

A dangerous assumption. And it is no doubt one of the reasons why you hear about so many small scale farmers struggling. They invest a lot of time in the dream, but not how they can actually make that dream a successful and sustainable reality.

Today we will take a look at that idea as we discuss how to sell your farm products, so you can keep working on the farm.

This episode is detailed dig into CSA's and farmers markets. What's worked for Curtis, and what hasn't. Strategies that can help you succeed..

It is week 19 of the urban farm season - July 21, 2015.

Learn more about The Urban Farmer at permaculturevoices.com/tuf19

Listen to past episodes at: https://www.paperpot.co/podcast

Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/

Follow PaperpotCo on Instagram:http://bit.ly/2B45VKQ

As a farmer and as an employer it is important to have systems in place. To know why and how you do something. This helps you understand what you do and it allows you to communicate what you do to an employee.

When you have clear, defined systems in place it takes most of the guesswork out of the equation. This allows you to produce a consistent product quickly and efficiently. And it also allows you to troubleshoot problems when they come up. Because if everyone does things the same way, and something goes wrong then you can quickly tell whether it was operator error or system error, and fix the problem.

When you have an employee that understands why you do what you do and how you do what you do, then it comes down to when you do it. Time can be tight on a farm and things can get hectic, so it pays to take a little extra time each day to schedule out the upcoming day.

This episode is all about setting up and establishing systems to make the work that is done on your farm more effective.

It is week 18 of the urban farm season - July 14, 2015.

Learn more about The Urban Farmer at permaculturevoices.com/tuf18

Listen to past episodes at: https://www.paperpot.co/podcast

Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/

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There are all sorts of things that Curtis does to make his efforts more efficient and more effective. Some are complex and involve a lot of time studying spreadsheets, and others are simple like minimizing you transit time.

Growing the business while working less hours. That's something that we all want. It isn't always easy or straightforward, but it is possible. it's something that comes with experience if you take the time to analyze all of your processes and see where you can make them more efficient.

Interplanting is a good example of this. Interplanting has allowed Curtis to grow more crops in the same amount of space. This maximizes the use of his land by growing more in the same space.

Curtis has also figured out how to optimize tasks on the farm that pay. Think sales related tasks like ways to harvest product quicker and more efficiently, and ways to package product in a way that satisfies customers and saves prep time.

But, there are a lot of tasks on the farm that simply don't pay. Things like weeding. And as a farmer you don't get paid to weed. Yet it has to be done.

Using Landscape fabric to prevent weeds and using tarps for stale seed bedding are two passive systems that Curtis uses to prevent weeds from germinating. There are also more active preventative measures than be done to help mitigate weed pressure. Things like pre-emergent flame weeding and no-till bed preparation. While these activities require work, they work in your advantage by using some time now, in order to save a lot of time later.

Those are the types of things that we're talking about today Streamlining Tasks and Being More Efficient. Tips for Maximizing Effort and Time on the Farm.

It is week 17 of the urban farm season - July 7, 2015.

Learn more about The Urban Farmer at permaculturevoices.com/tuf17

Listen to past episodes at: https://www.paperpot.co/podcast

Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/

Follow PaperpotCo on Instagram:http://bit.ly/2B45VKQ

Farming in the city is something that Curtis has done ever since he started farming 5 years ago. But he hasn't always farmed, just inside the city. At one point in time he actually farmed a two acre plot outside of the city with another farmer. He did this in addition to farming his urban lots. So he had a multi location farm with small plots inside the city and one large plot outside of the city. As a result he saw first hand the differences between farming more land and less land - because there are a lot of differences.

In this episode we will dig into those differences and hear what it was like farming two acres and how it was different than farming a third of an acre.

We will touch on the various different models for selling products off of a farm - think CSAs versus selling directing to restaurants. We'll talk about the differences between each of the models.

As you will find out each market, each farmer, and each farmer will have to experiment to find the best fit for them. What works for one farmer and in one market, might not work for the next.

It is week 16 of the urban farm season - June 30, 2015.

Learn more about The Urban Farmer at permaculturevoices.com/tuf16

Listen to past episodes at: https://www.paperpot.co/podcast

Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/

Follow PaperpotCo on Instagram:http://bit.ly/2B45VKQ

This week we will get into how Curtis went about getting his very first piece of urban farm land over 5 years ago. We will talk about what worked and what didn't work when he was just starting out and trying to gain access to land.

The unique part here is that this was all happening in the beginning. Before Curtis had built any social capital from being an active urban farmer. There were no demonstration sites or track record to refer to, it was only one person saying this is what I am gonna do, are you interested in helping.

As you will hear Curtis eventually found his first piece of land to farm. That got the ball rolling and from there he never looked back.

It is week 15 of the urban farm season - June 23, 2015.

Learn more about The Urban Farmer at permaculturevoices.com/tuf15

Listen to past episodes at: https://www.paperpot.co/podcast

Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/

Follow PaperpotCo on Instagram:http://bit.ly/2B45VKQ

To be successful as an urban farmer you need to be able to quickly adapt and solve problems on the fly.

In this episode we talk about how Curtis has had to adapt in the past and how his system allows him to change his production quickly.

I also talk to Curtis about five mistakes that I see a lot of farmers make when they get into the farm business. Together we discuss these common mistakes and how you can avoid them. We will give you straightforward, honest, actinable advice that you can put into use today and hopefully keep you out of trouble and increase your chances of farming success.

It is week 14 of the urban farm season - June 16, 2015.

Learn more about The Urban Farmer at permaculturevoices.com/tuf14

Listen to past episodes at: https://www.paperpot.co/podcast

Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/

Follow PaperpotCo on Instagram:http://bit.ly/2B45VKQ

It's June 9th and the farm is in full production. As you heard last week a big part of that production comes from greens. Greens that are being cut and cut and cut.

That's resulting in a lot of product that is being sold to restaurants, distributors, and farmers market customers.

This we we talk about deliverying that product to restaurant customers and how that day looks from harvest to delivery.

We also talk a lot about crop planning. How do you know what to plant now so you have it harvest later, and how do you know that you will have a market to sell that product to later.

It is week 13 of the urban farm season - June 9, 2015.

Learn more about The Urban Farmer at permaculturevoices.com/tuf13

Listen to past episodes at: https://www.paperpot.co/podcast

Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/

Follow PaperpotCo on Instagram:http://bit.ly/2B45VKQ

It's June 2nd and the farm is in full production. As you heard last week a big part of that production comes from greens. Greens that are being cut and cut and cut.

That's resulting in a lot of product that is being sold to restaurants, distributors, and farmers market customers.

This week we get into sales, crop planning, planting density, and the ability to cut greens multiple times.

It is week 12 of the urban farm season - June 2, 2015.

Learn more about The Urban Farmer at permaculturevoices.com/tuf12

In this episode Curtis talks about:

- How his no till beds are working out and performing.

- His strategy for what types of tomatoes to grow.

- How he grows his tomatoes. What cultural practices is he doing.

- How he interplants other crops between his tomatoes.

It is week 11 of the urban farm season - May 26, 2015.

Learn more about The Urban Farmer at permaculturevoices.com/tuf10

Listen to past episodes at: https://www.paperpot.co/podcast

Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/

Follow PaperpotCo on Instagram:http://bit.ly/2B45VKQ

In this episode Curtis answers questions on..

-How much land you should start with your first year?

-How much you could expect to make your first year of farming?

-How he does his harvesting?

-How he deals with crop residue in his no till beds.

-Raised beds. A fit or not?

-Does he thin his seeds?

-Are pelleted seeds worth the cost?

-How you should start a relationship with chefs when production is inconsistent?

-Is he subject to food handling regulations? 

It is week 10 of the urban farm season - May 19, 2015.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/tuf10

Listen to past episodes at: https://www.paperpot.co/podcast

Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/

Follow PaperpotCo on Instagram:http://bit.ly/2B45VKQ

Start with water, your most valuable form of capital, and retain as much of it as possible on the property in order to rehydrate the landscape.

We can use efficient landscape design to control the flow of water to slow it, spread it, and sink it allowing the water to infiltrate into the soil, giving the plants water to do their work.

Then nature will start building soil and creating microclimates and shade. But none of that will happen without water.

Zach Weiss an ecological landscape designer from Montana and a student of Sepp Holzer joins me to talk about creating a water retention landscape.

In this episode we will talk more about what he has learned from Sepp and get more into his own ideas on how water retention can have a dramatic effect on the landscape.

We touch on everything from building ponds and sealing ponds to catchment used to feed dams to the three zones of any body of water. An episode for designers and homesteaders alike.

See videos and other content related to this episode at permaculturevoices.com/109

In this episode we talk about acquiring new farm land. What it takes to get new land, how land deals are structured, and what information you want to know from a land owner before entering a land deal.

We also discuss how you convert a conventional lawn over to a production urban farm plot. What are the steps involved?

It is week 9 of the urban farm season - May 12, 2015.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/tuf9

Listen to past episodes at: https://www.paperpot.co/podcast

Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/

Follow PaperpotCo on Instagram:http://bit.ly/2B45VKQ

It is week 8 of the urban farm season - May 5, 2015.

In this episode we take a deep dive into direct seeding. When is it appropriate, how Curtis does it, and how he optimizes his direct seeding to maximize production for yield and quality.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/tuf8

Listen to past episodes at: https://www.paperpot.co/podcast

Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/

Follow PaperpotCo on Instagram:http://bit.ly/2B45VKQ

It is week 7 of the urban farm season - April 28, 2015. The setting for this show is Kelowona, BC, Canada. 

This episode focuses on the role of the urban farmer in the community.

Problems Curtis has had with people in the city and how he has dealt with them.

And what skills it takes to be an urban farmer. 

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/tuf7

Listen to past episodes at: https://www.paperpot.co/podcast

Increase farm efficiency with the Paperpot Transplanter and Other Small Farm Equipment at https://www.paperpot.co/

Follow PaperpotCo on Instagram:http://bit.ly/2B45VKQ

Many veggie and fruit growers are quick to write off home delivery as inefficient without considering the value it can add to their farm produce.

For small-scale farmers whose customer base is urban, a well-structured CSA with home delivery can be more profitable and efficient than selling at the farmers’ market, and more appealing than drop-off points.

In this short talk, veggie grower Jordan Marr will discuss the operation of his home-delivered CSA, and how to structure such a program to maximize the benefits to your farm.

This talk was presented at PV2 in March 2015 by Jordan Marr.

Jordan podcasts at theruminant.ca

Listen to more at permaculturevoices.com/podcast

It is week 5 of the urban farm season - April 14, 2015. The setting for this show is Kelowona, BC, Canada.

Urban Farmer Curtis Stone is going gangbusters in what he calls the setup phase on his farm - getting all of the major things done on the farm plots before the season gets underway. Things like preparing the soil, starting plants in the nursery, putting down weed control measures, and getting infrastructure in place. Part of that infrastructure involves getting your irrigation systems in order.

This we talk about setting up irrigation systems, poly low tunnels, and trying out new crops.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/tuf5

It is now April 8 and we are another week into the Urban Farm season with Curtis. What's happened on the farm so far.

At this point in the season Curtis has prepared most of the growing beds on his various plots for the upcoming farm season and that includes switching a lot of his production methods over to more of no-till style. He has been spending a few hours each day on farm related activities. This season is just getting underway and this year he isn't doing it alone. He is doing it with the help of a new full-time employee. A move that Curtis hopes will allow him to work more on the business, not in the business.

This week we will be talking about his new employee and how the onboarding and training process is going.  We will also talk about the financial impacts of hiring someone - when do the additional costs make sense?

In this episode we will talk a lot about pricing and how Curtis prices his products. He has found a pricing system that works and has kept his prices consistent since he started farming a few years ago.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/tuf4

Week 3:

It's Tuesday, March 31st, and the first farmers market is coming up in four days. What's Curtis up to?

In this episode we are talking about how Curtis maximizes his efforts on the farm by staying organized. And how he is switching his beds over this year to a no-till strategy.

This show is the story of urban farmer Curtis Stone.

Curtis is an urban farmer who farms on 15,000 sq.ft. in Canada. He has been farming in an urban setting profitably for 5 years. We are going to follow Curtis on a journey through a full farm season, taking you behind the scenes each week to see what being an urban farmer is really like. It isn't always glorious, but it's real.

Stay tuned, and enjoy the journey.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/tuf3

My guest today is Cherrie Nolden a Masters and Ph.D candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She says "If animals are not managed to maintain vegetation, they are going to destroy the vegetation."

Cherrie is an absolute wealth of knowledge when it comes to goats. She combines a lot of academic research with years of practical on the ground experiences with goats. She is going to provide an different view on this often misunderstood species. This episode is very specific, and it is going to be an indepth look at goats and how we can manage them in a way that actually helps, not hurts the land. You will learn a lot about goats in this episode.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/105

Week 1:

It's mid-February and the farm season is just beginning. Most of the work on the farm is preparing for the warmer months ahead. A lot of time is spent planning and preparing for the year ahead.

This show is the story of urban farmer Curtis Stone.

Curtis is an urban farmer who farms on 15,000 sq.ft. in Canada. He has been farming in an urban setting profitably for 5 years. We are going to follow Curtis on a journey through a full farm season, taking you behind the scenes each week to see what being an urban farmer is really like. It isn't always glorious, but it's real.

Stay tuned, and enjoy the journey.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/tuf1

Grant Schultz presents on trees from VersaLand in Iowa City, Iowa.

This presentation focuses on the propagation of trees to be used in tree crop style systems. There is a lot of information on tree buying, grafting, nurseries, and rootstocks. Grant touches on things like the cost versus time trade off of grafting trees versus buying pre-grafted trees and how trees prefer fungal environments and how you can create those environments.

This is the recording of a presentation that Grant Schultz gave at a workshop at VersaLand in October 2014.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/b019

Information on Grant: VersaLand.com

Texas farmer and design consultant Ben Tyler comes on the show to talk about restoring native tall grass prairie.

He is using the natural destructiveness of hogs to remove invasive species and clear the way for tall grass prairie. He is integrating the prairie restoration into a tree crop system that provides yields in the form of nuts and woody forage.

Ben is someone who is out there managing the landscape to restore it to the way that it was while generating some yields in the process. Ben knows A LOT about plants and discusses a variety of woody forage plants and tree crops.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/b017

On this show Adam and I talk about an early trip that he made to the Acres USA Conference and how he benefitted from that experience, stating "I was just at a point where I realized that for me to make the next step forward with the farm, I had to make a big step." We also touch on one of his worst experiences on the farm and how he recovered and moved past it.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/pv2shorts

Neil Bertrando joins me to talk about the broadacre and farmscale permaculture design workshop we both attended at Grant Schultz's Versaland, Darren Doherty of Regrarians, our thoughts on both of those guys and broadacre design, and Neil's design experiences in the high desert of Nevada.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/98

Kevin Hauser of Kuffel Creek Nursery in Riverside, CA joins me to talk about growing apples in warm, dry climates. Despite popular myths many varieties actually do really well and thrive in these types of climates.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/97

This episode is a replay of Dr. Elaine Ingham’s keynote talk, Building Soil Health, from PV1. To introduce the talk, Dr. Elaine Ingham says…

A revolution in our understanding of soil has been taking place. “Conventional” agriculture requires ever-increasing inputs and energy into the system to maintain production, while natural systems reduce the disturbances in the system, while increasing production. Historically, soil science ignored or dismissed soil life as important, in large part because the methods used to study organisms in soil were mis-leading, inaccurate and missed about 99% or more of the species present in soil. With the advent of microscope methods and genetic assessment of soil life, we are beginning to unravel the mysteries of the soil. Understanding soil life is critical if we want to be sustainable; we need to work with nature, instead of waging war on natural laws as we do in our agricultural systems, to the detriment of people and the planet.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/96

Steve Gabriel author of Farming the Woods joins me to talk about forest farming. Growing agriculture crops within the forest, beneath the already existing tree canopy. We could grow things like mushrooms, ginseng, medicinal herbs, berries, all while harvesting nuts and tree saps. Economic yields coming out an already established perennial system, no plowing required.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/94

PV2 Info: permaculturevoices.com/pv2

This show is a conversation that I had with Mark Shepard about the process of starting up his farm, New Forest Farm, in Viola, Wisconsin. 

How did he start?

What was the process like - both on the land and off?

What were the real life financial struggles and challenges that he went through and faced?

Hint... It wasn't easy.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/91

PV2: permaculturevoices.com/pv2

While American Guinea Hogs are suited to a wide variety of environments and will do better than most breeds on low grade forage, they prefer lush pastures with clover along with access to minerals, kitchen scraps, quality hay in winter, clean water to drink, access to a muddy wallow, minimal shelter from precipitation and wind, dry bedding, and perhaps a small amount of grain. They thrive where ranging and grazing is a constant activity giving them plenty of exercise. They are minimal rooters when good grazing and adequate feed is available.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/86

Key Takeaways:

-Even if the worst happened and the business failed. How bad would it actually be?

-Learn stuff as you need to. You don't have to learn everything up front. Doing is more important that constantly trying to learn more and know it all.

-Often times a hard commitment or commitment to deliver is what can really make you go out and take something on and work it out and make it happen.

-If it has been done before, then it can be done.

-Realize the power of saying no. You can't do it all.

-Don't over complicate the model. Get it up and working and stable, then innovate, tweak and push the limits.

-Consider the value of your time. Are you spending your time doing high dollar activities?

-80% of your profits come from 20% of your crops. What crops are you focusing on?

-80% of land is dedicated to high and medium value crops.

-You don't have to quit your job to do this. Start on the side.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/83

In Woody Agriculture, crops would be planted only once in a lifetime. The use of woody perennials for agricultural staple commodities production would result in little or no use of tillage, as well as the presence of a permanent cover during both the growing and the dormant seasons. Not only would this lead to a vastly lower rate of soil loss and less runoff into water supplies and aquatic environments, but there would be a reduced need for the fossil fuels consumed in plowing and tilling. In addition, use of pesticides needed for the establishment of annual plants could be sharply reduced. A further important benefit would be the reduction of soil compaction, since far fewer trips through the fields with heavy equipment would be required.

Key Takeaways:

Breeding: You cannot work with more than two traits at the same time. The most important trait is to have a population that actually survives.

When you sell products off of your farm (like nuts) you are exporting a lot of minerals. It is important to remineralize your soil. You can use sheep and chickens in hazelnut systems to remineralize and fertilize the soil.

Hickory and Pecan work well with hazelnuts. Chestnuts don't do as well given different soil pH requirements. Find the old timers growing tree species that you want to grow in your area. They may have long tested genetics suited for your area.

Hazels are wind pollinated, so you don't' need immediate close proximity for insect pollination.

Coppicing to the ground every 10 years can help to rejuvenate the plants.

permaculturevoices.com/79

Today I am talking with David Sachs. David is working outside of the farming world and is trying to transition to working within the farming world. His family owns and operates a farm in Virginia; his dad runs the farm and David sees a future where he takes over the farm. David is a big believer in permaculture and sees his future on the farm involving more permaculture design incorporated into the farm's operations. But it is easier said than done within a family dynamic. Because within the family they are trying to balance the running of the farm and paying the bills with potentially incorporating more permaculture strategies. Not an easy to make decision. Add in the fact that the family is relatively new to farming and getting all sorts of advice from everyone out there - neighbors to the agriculture extension offices - challenging to say the least.

Never the less they are progressing ahead with the farm and doing some great things. In an area that grows a lot of corn, they are now the only organic wheat grower in their area. They are starting up a small scale mill to value add that wheat by turning it into flour. They are making a go of it and starting to look at a future that might involve grazing animals and strategically managed woodlots. They are approaching the transition strategically and systematically, working within the context of reality.

Hopefully something within this episode strikes a chord with you.

Show Notes: www.permaculturevoices.com/64

An interview with Phil Rutter of Badgersett Research Corporation.

We talk about why perennial based woody agriculture is important and how chestnuts and hazelnuts fit into that. We also talk a lot about plant breed and using mass selection to find genotypes that have the traits that you are looking for.

This episode is pretty dense and has a ton of information in it for anyone looking to breed plants. Phil is brilliant and I think I learned more about plant breeding my conversations with him than I ever have anywhere else. Given how much information is in this episode and how long this episode is, I have split it into two parts. This is part 2 of 2.With the first part as episode 57.

Take it all in, enjoy it, and most importantly do something with this information.

Show Notes: www.permaculturevoices.com/58

An interview with Phil Rutter of Badgersett Research Corporation.

We talk about why perennial based woody agriculture is important and how chestnuts and hazelnuts fit into that. We also talk a lot about plant breed and using mass selection to find genotypes that have the traits that you are looking for.

This episode is pretty dense and has a ton of information in it for anyone looking to breed plants. Phil is brilliant and I think I learned more about plant breeding my conversations with him than I ever have anywhere else. Given how much information is in this epsidoe and how long this episode is, I have split it into two parts. This is part 1 of 2.With the second part dropping this Friday, July 11 as episode 58.

Take it all in, enjoy it, and most imporantly do something with this information.

Show Notes: www.permaculturevoices.com/57

My guest today was persecuted and ridiculed for his ideas for over 50 years. In his words, "people have often asked me how I have been able to put up with so much abuse, ridicule, and damage... attempts to destroy me financially and so on, and it comes down to in my case - caring enough. If you care enough about your something then it's not casual, you will do whatever you have to do, even if give up your life for that cause." Fortunately he didn't have to give up his life for the cause, but he did have to keep pushing forward with his ideas and beliefs year, after year, after year, while few people listened..

That all changed in Longbeach, California in 2013. At the age of 77 after 50 plus years of ridicule, it would all change in 20 minutes. It was then and there that Allan Savory went on to deliver his epic TED talk that would go on to captivate the world. Now he was a hero. Suddenly everyone was interested in hearing what Allan Savory had to say.

Persistence and his belief in what he stood for had paid off.

The world suddenly cared. But would they act? For that only time will tell.

As Allan goes on to say in this episode, there is a world of opportunity out there and it is critically important that all hands are on deck. Whether you are a landowner or not, you can help. You can help by spreading the word because No organizational institutions will accept paradigm shifting science ahead of public demand to do it. You are the pubic, and you must demand it. You can make a difference. Don't ever forget that.

Together we can all make a difference.

Keep that in mind as you listen to this episode.

The future is in our hands. Where do you fit into it?

The story of holistic management and the struggle and success that went with it, a conversation with Allan Savory..

Show Notes: www.permaculturevoices.com/55

This is the one year anniversary of the first episode of this podcast which was published on June 5, 2013 - Gasification and Wood Gas. Since then 60 other episodes have been published.

Thanks for a year of support. There is a lot more to come.

In this episode I highlight the top 10 episodes that were most impactful to me.

Going forward... What do you want to hear more about? Who would you like to hear from and what subject matter and content really help you? Let me know and I will try to work that into the podcast schedule.

"It is easy to focus on what you don't have and how much something costs. What you need to do instead is focus on what have and what you can do to make it work. People undervalue what they have, and overvalue what they don't have or want."

Show Notes: www.permaculturevoices.com/49

How many people want to be a homesteader?

Living off the land, off the grid, working for themselves, and around their family - The Good Life, just like Helen and Scott Nearing described so many years ago.

A lot, or at least some version of it, so I think. Well not many people actually do when it comes to put the boots on the ground and head out to the woods. Today I am talking to someone who has. It's Cliff Davis from Spiral Ridge Permaculture.

Cliff is currently living off grid in Tennessee with his family. He doesn't work for the man, he works for himself as a farmer, a teacher, and a consultant. Along the way I think he has acquired an absolute ton of knowledge about the land, and about life. He is a wise dude that loves the life he lives and what he does, something I think that will be obvious when you hear him talk.

If you've ever considered homesteading or starting a permaculture farm, consider taking a trip out to Tennessee and Cliff's farm. I am sure you will learn a lot from Cliff, not just what he teaches, but what he does. I don't think you'd regret it...

Show Notes: www.permaculturevoices.com/47

This is the full presentation from one of Greg Judy's talks from PV1.

Greg and his wife Jan are farmers from Rucker, Missouri. On their farm, Green Pastures Farm, they raise cattle, sheep, horses, goats, pigs, and chickens on grass pasture in balance with nature. They don't use any antibiotics, no hormone implants, and no grain. The livestock graze rich pasture 100% of their lives.

They use rotational grazing on their farm, which means they are constantly moving the livestock to fresh rested pasture to graze and let the previous grazed pasture rest so that it can grow back undisturbed. Their pastures are rich in clovers and many species of natural grasses. They don't use any chemical fertilizers or herbicides on any of the pastures. Large populations of birds, ants, worms, butterflies, spiders & bees build soil and control pests.

Show Notes: www.permaculturevoices.com/45

Shannon Jones, a young farmer from River Hebert, Nova Scotia joins me to talk about what it is like to be a young farmer on her farm, Broadfork Farm. She started the farm with her partner Bryan Dyck in 2011.

Both Shannon and Bryan farmed on other farms for many years before they started their own farm. The lived simply and knew what they could get by without. That made the transition to farming a lot easier. Their path of frugality is one path into farming. But like Shannon said, find what works for you and don't just copy what someone else did.

At the end of the day it is very clear that Shannon loves what she does. Living her dream, working her dream job, as part of the next generation of farmers.

Show Notes: www.permaculturevoices.com/43

Grant Schultz joins me to talk about developing a perennial polyculture in the middle of row-crop corn and soy country Iowa.

He discusses a lot of the innovation and developments taking place on his farm, including some really innovative ways of doing GPS keyline design.

We spend a lot of time talking about the business of farming. The importance of monitoring cash flows and being cash flow positive. And how Grant is using USDA funds to help pay for pieces of his system and getting moving in the right direction.

Key Takeaways:

Importance of making your operation cashflow the whole time. Expenses will pile up so start getting cashflow and a customer base early.

Consider buying rootstock and graft it over later. It is much cheaper to go that route and grafting isn't that hard.

Get plant systems going early on. It is fairly inexpensive and gets the system starting to advance.

Have a plan but evolve as you go. Having an end in mind gives you a goal and a direction to head in, but things will change along the way as you learn the intricacies of the system.

Plant the earliest maturing fruit trees downslope. That way when you are browsing them the manure runs downhill.

How do you want your system to look at maturity and what are the action items to get you there? Then the thing to do is the one with the most impact. What has the earliest yield to get you to the move to the next impact item.

Do not underestimate the importance of monitoring and planing out cashflows.

When you are farming on broad acres you have the same advantages that conventional farmers have. Crop insurance.

Consider using a nurse crop that also cash flows. Grant's example of raising oats for cover crop seed.

Consider the balance of high value versus high labor. Is the value worth the labor?

There is a huge need for more local genetic permaculture plant material.

Recognize the importance of planting dense. Buy trees in mass. It gets cheap and doesn't cost you more to plant at high density. You take advantage of genetic selection and protect yourself against losses.

Irrigate your trees if possible - think keyline, swales. Growth rates of trees that are irrigated versus those that aren't is huge when the trees have consistent water availability. Consider the economic impact of the yield with water versus no water. The work now can make you a lot more money down the line.

Take advantage of all available resources: USDA, NRCS, EQIP. When starting out pre-sell as much as you can. Build a local customer base from Day 1.

Show Notes: www.permaculturevoices.com/34

Will Harris III from White Oak Pastures joins me to talk about his inspirational journey of converting his one time factory farm to a beyond organic farming operation that celebrates polyculture and closes the loop on wastes.

Will runs the largest USDA organic farm in Georgia farming 1200 owned acres and 2000 leased. He has over 2000 head of cattle and raises 60,000 pastured chickens. He has built two abattoirs on site - one for red meat, one for poultry. He has an organic vegetable CSA and heirloom orchard.

His farm closes the loop on sustainability through rotational grazing, solar power, and the recycling of all of his various "wastes" from his animal operations. All of the wash water, bones, and other animal "wastes" end up back on the land, building the soil over time.

But it wasn't always that way. Prior to 1995 White Oak Pastures raised cattle in an industrial system, a monoculture. Then Will made the decision to change what he was doing. So began the conversion over the beyond organic, mulch-species thriving farming operation that it is today.

Will's story in an inspiration, and another example of what is right in modern day agriculture.

Show Notes: www.permaculturevoices.com/28

This is replay of the webinar that was recorded on December 5, 2013 with Rebecca Krassnoski. Attendees submitted their questions about raising hogs and Rebecca answered them.

the b reels: episodes of the Permaculture Voices podcast that just weren't a fit for the main weekly show. This is content that I have that is worth sharing, but it will be a little more raw, unedited, and no show notes. The b reels can come out at anytime, while the main weekly interview based version of the podcast will always come out on Friday.

These episodes are part experiment, so hopefully they give you as the listener some valuable information. Especially for the listener who just can't get enough permaculture in their life. Enjoy the show, and go out and be a part of the positive change.

And let me know what you think, I would love to hear from you. Thanks for listening and thanks for support us, and permaculture.

www.permaculturevoices.com

Michael Pollan joins me to talk about GMOs, organic food, the industrial agriculture, and his new book Cooked.

Points we hit on:

What will it take to ultimately get GMOs labelled in the US? And what affect will that labeling have.

Rewarding farmers for embracing sustainable practices.

Getting changes in agriculture from the grassroots, corporate and government level.

Getting representation for eaters on the government agriculture committees which are currently dominated by lightly populated corn belt states.

The importance of being able to demonstrate scientifically that we can do what we say we can do - relating to permaculture, sustainable agriculture.

The importance of cooking your own food and the trickle down effects. If you are cooking your own food then you have the ability to shop from local farmers, farmers markets, and CSAs. Fast food supports industrial agriculture.

10% of the food dollar goes to the farmer. The longer the food chain the less the farmer gets. Even the packaging manufacturers make more than the farmers.

By diversifying as a farmer and having more than a single crop you are able to being more of a price maker than a price taker in the commodity system.

Show Notes: www.permaculturevoices.com/23

Cathy Payne of Broad River Pastures joins me to talk about heritage breed livestock and her journey into farming that began in her mid-50's.

Cathy and her husband started changing their diet in their 50's. Their quest for nutrient dense food led them to local farmers, and a lot of visits to their farms. One day they decided, why don't we do this, and they began their journey into farming. They jumped in with the goal of growing the food that they wanted to eat. This meant that they would raise the right animals, the right way - incorporating holistic livestock care, permaculture practices, and sustainable organic farming.

Now they are a few years into their farming adventure. The farm is slowly growing and expanding it's education outreach a long the way. They actively support heritage breed livestock and education via outreach and their on-farm internship program. Both Cathy and her husband feel better than they have ever felt in their life due a combination of lifestyle and nutrient-dense food. They continue to learn along the way and they are making a difference. Keep in mind that they started all of this as virgin farmers.

Key Takeaways from this Episode:
-Start small, observe, then decide if it is worthwhile to scale up.This could be applied to livestock or a commercial crop. It is easier and less risky to make small incremental changes.
-Choose livestock breeds that match your climate and farming style.
-Do not underestimate the importance of data collection on the farm. The data ultimately drives the direction of your breeding program and the farm.
-Breed to suit your environment. Each generation ultimately can improve the genetics for your location since you can selectively breed for the traits that you favor.
-Don't forget value adds. Such as raising wool sheep where you can sell the fleece in addition to the meat.

Show Notes: http://www.permaculturevoices.com/10