Farm Small Farm Smart Daily

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

Direct download: TUF005-04292015.mp3
Category:permaculture,agriculture,farming -- posted at: 7:27am PDT

Permaculture is a framework that can be integrated into any interest and passion. It helps us use and value patterns from a sophisticated long-term, systems-thinking approach to solve problems. Through it we can re-invent and re-design what it means to learn, educate, and be educated.

Putting in a swale or planting a tree alone is not going to be a long-term solution to our problems. To have a long-term impact we need a culture that understands, values, and utilizes the ethical design science principles of permaculture.

We must bring permaculture thinking mainstream and make it a thriving movement that shapes this world.

This must occur both locally and globally. To accomplish this we must get our youngest problem solvers, our children, to use the permaculture methodology to start asking and finding answers to problems. This talk was presented at PV2 in March 2015 by Jen Mendez of permiekids.com.

Listen to more at permaculturevoices.com/podcast

Direct download: A5-JenMendex-04272015.mp3
Category:permaculture -- posted at: 6:29am PDT

In business there is no such thing as new business, there is only other people's business. That's the subject of today's show.

Strategically planning your business so you can capture a share of the business. Doing that planning ahead of time, so you don't end up spending a lot of money, time and energy going in the wrong direction selling something that people don't want or can't pay for.

Most people don't do that "The problem is, most people don't spend as much time thinking about it as they should. They just try and go do something that they think is exciting, and they don't really test it as much as they should."

The goal of this show is to get you thinking. Testing your ideas and thinking them through to determine is the concept really worth the time, energy and money involved?

Let's tackle that subject today with Bill Bean.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/107

Direct download: PVP107-04232015.mp3
Category:permaculture,business -- posted at: 6:45am PDT

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

Direct download: TUF004-042222015.mp3
Category:permaculture,agriculture,farming -- posted at: 6:14am PDT

The United States Greatest Permaculture Challenge?

There are enormous challenges and contrasting opportunities inherent on Indian Reservations today. One one hand you have sovereign nations inside the US which are in a state more depleted than most third world nations but, on the other hand, they have opportunity to lead in a way they never have before.

Permaculture abundance in the setting of a typical reservation can be so dramatic because of the endemic scarcity. In particular, The Navajo Nation could be the most dramatic demonstration in the US of what is possible with Permaculture.. The fact that the Navajo Nation is the largest reservation in the US and also happens to be the largest brown spot on the map of the US should give anyone who really believes in Permaculture an insatiable desire to show its restorative powers.

If Geoff Lawton can turn heads with 10 acres in Jordon what could the attendees of PV2 do with 17 million acres in the middle of our country? Can Permaculture afford not to take a serious look at such projects? Come spend 5 minutes listening to a challenge that may engage you in the most restorative project our nation has ever seen.

For more information on Grant's project visit: https://www.facebook.com/PermacultureProvisionProject

This talk was presented at PV2 in March 2015 by Grant Curry.

Listen to more at permaculturevoices.com/podcast

Direct download: A5-GrantCurry-04202015.mp3
Category:permaculture -- posted at: 6:00am PDT

This episode is a presentation given by Erik Ohlsen at PV2 in March 2015.

Learn real world tools for design and implementation of Permaculture based contracting businesses. Permaculture principles applied to business design. Use the ethics of permaculture as triple bottom line.

Create a marketing plan that has a social impact. Imagine being able to make a career out of your passion for Permaculture. Create a business that catches millions of gallons of water, builds soil on hundreds of acres, plants hundreds of useful trees every year, restores native habit, redesigns our cites our schools and new developments.

Join Erik Ohlsen, Principal of Permaculture Artisans and Executive Director of The Permaculture Skills Center as he shares tangibles recipes for economically, ecologically and socially just businesses.

Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/106

Direct download: PVP106-04172015.mp3
Category:permaculture,business -- posted at: 6:00am PDT

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

Direct download: TUF003-04152015.mp3
Category:permaculture,agriculture,farming -- posted at: 6:00am PDT

Nature’s been using biochar to replenish soil carbon for millennia. Taking our cue from her, we’ll unravel what biochar is and how it works to build long-term soil health. We’ll explore techniques of making your own biochar simply and affordably regardless of where you live.

This talk was presented at PV2 in March 2015 by Gloria Flora.

Listen to more at permaculturevoices.com/podcast

Direct download: A5-GloriaFlora-04132015.mp3
Category:permaculture -- posted at: 6:00am PDT

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

Direct download: PVP105-04102015.mp3
Category:permaculture,agriculture,farming -- posted at: 9:01am PDT

Week 2:

It's mid-March and the farm is now in what Curtis calls the setup phase. He has started selling some overwintered crops and he is adding to his restaurant customer base.

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/tuf2

Direct download: TUF002-04082015.mp3
Category:permaculture,agriculture,farming,SPIN Farming -- posted at: 7:00am PDT

Community food forests are rapidly emerging as part of a new trend in the local food movement to promote food literacy and build community. This talk will discuss what community food forests are and the motivations that are propelling their establishment in urban areas across the United States. The social dimensions of partnerships and management processes that can help them succeed will be highlighted along with who some of the key players typically are. These projects are an example of how permaculture can be scaled-up to the community level. Come found out about the many reasons they are important.

This talk was presented at PV2 in March 2015 by Catherine Bukowski.

Listen to more at permaculturevoices.com/podcast

Direct download: A5-CatherineBukowski-04062015.mp3
Category:permaculture -- posted at: 6:00am PDT

What if you had all the time, money and energy in the world?

What would you do?

Frank’s wife asked him that question 5 years ago, and he realized he needed to get out of the Navy, make mead and share it with people. Hear how connecting with his passion to do good for people and planet through mead making has inspired a ton of personal growth and now a successful business that is shifting paradigms in the markets it serves.

This talk was presented at PV2 in March 2015 by Frank Golbeck of Golden Coast Mead.

Listen to more at permaculturevoices.com/podcast

Direct download: A5-FrankGolbeck-04032015.mp3
Category:permaculture,business -- posted at: 6:00am PDT

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

Direct download: TUF001-04012015.mp3
Category:permaculture,agriculture,farming -- posted at: 6:00am PDT

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