Regenerative Skills

The independence and empowerment of earth bag building with Atulya K Bingham, author of “Mud Mountain”: 035

Today I have a guest with a truly remarkable story and journey into natural building. Atulya Bingham is the author of “Mud Ball” and Mud Mountain, both of which cover her incredible experiences moving to the countryside in Turkey and learning to build her own home with earth bags. She has also written numerous educational manuals on earth bag building, clay plasters and much more as well as blogging about her experiences.
In this interview Atulya talks about how she first moved onto her bare land in rural Turkey after some economic struggles and learned to do without the comforts that she'd grown accustomed to. We also go into detail about tons of natural building techniques including earth bag construction, applications of limecrete, pros and cons of earth bags when compared to other earthen building techniques and much more. Atulya also talks a lot about her process and journey that many of you who are making, or have already made transitions in your lifestyle will certainly relate to. I also caught up with her as she travels around northern Spain and talks a lot about this new transition of her own.
For "The Abundant Edge" listeners only, you can now get 50% off your digital subscriptions to Permaculture Magazine North America by entering the code PMNA50abedge at checkout. Get your subscription today and dive deep into the local and global solutions that go beyond sustainability.
Resources:
themudhome.com

Diversity and the importance of tree guilds with Brock Barker from “The Brockoli Patch” farm: 034

This week's interview is with a good personal friend of mine who is an awesome farmer and experimenter with plants, especially trees. I first met Brock Barker through some mutual friends when he came down here to Lake Atitlan to co-teach on a PDC with some colleagues of mine. Now Brock is the founder and owner of “The Brockoli Patch,” a permaculture farm and orchard outside of Lafayete, Louisiana on which manages an incredibly diverse and productive landscape.
In this interview Brock talks about how taking a permaculture course with the Bullock brothers in Washington state and seeing a mature permaculture system for the first time changed his perspective and way of doing things on his own farm which was originally a market gardening operation. He goes into detail about the fruit tree guilds that keep his perennials strong and healthy, and shares some wisdom from his experiences, trials and errors over the years. This is a really relate-able conversation with tons of great tips for people who are just getting started
For "The Abundant Edge" listeners only, you can now get 50% off your digital subscriptions to Permaculture Magazine North America by entering the code PMNA50abedge at checkout. Get your subscription today and dive deep into the local and global solutions that go beyond sustainability.
Resources:
The Brockoli Patch on FB
Profile of the farm

How technology and chemicals have transformed farming in just one lifetime with Roland James: 033

This is gonna be a pretty special episode in that I'll actually be interviewing a man who has seen an incredible transformation in “conventional” farming during his lifetime. My guest is Roland James, but to me he's my Grandpa. Now Roland grew up in a small farming community in the midlands of England near the southern border of Wales. He well remembers the very first tractors coming onto his family's farm in the early 1940s. Before then all of the fields were plowed with horses or oxen. As he grew up he took over the family farm and adapted to the rapidly changing industry just as the rest of the farmers around him were doing. The stories and perspectives that my Grandpa has are a great reminder of how recent the technological ways of farming really are. As he often tells me, he's seen the first mechanization of simple tasks on the land all the way to fully automated machinery that communicates with satellites to gauge the amount of fertilizer that it spreads on different parts of the farm. All this in one person's lifetime.
This interview is a remarkable look into just how much our food supply systems have changed in such a short time and why many “conventional” farmers struggle to break out of the cycle of debt that keeps them buying industrial chemicals to mitigate the damage being done to their ecosystem.
I hope you find as much value in this perspective as I do and that it will help you better understand how we got into the modern farming systems that we now have.
For "The Abundant Edge" listeners only, you can now get 50% off your digital subscriptions to Permaculture Magazine North America by entering the code PMNA50abedge at checkout. Get your subscription today and dive deep into the local and global solutions that go beyond sustainability.

Taking permaculture based businesses to new heights holistically with Erik Ohlsen of The Permaculture Skills Center: 033

In this episode I got to interview one of my personal heroes Erik Ohlsen. Now Erik wears a lot of hats, he's the founder and director of both Permaculture Artisans, a landscape and design company, and the Permaculture Skills Center, an amazing trade school based in sepastapol ca. Erik also writes and publishes books for adults and children with his company, Storyscapes.
In this interview Erik talks in detail about how he's built synergy and connection into all of his business endeavors. We talk about how he's designed the courses for the permaculture skills center to include mentoring and the profound effect that mentorships have had on his own journey, and we also get into the the skills that aspiring permaculturalists should work to build that aren't necessarily taught in a PDC. This session is chalk full of practical insights and advice
For "The Abundant Edge" listeners only, you can now get 50% off your digital subscriptions to Permaculture Magazine North America by entering the code PMNA50abedge at checkout. Get your subscription today and dive deep into the local and global solutions that go beyond sustainability.
Listen in at the end of this podcast to find out how you can win your own copy of "The Urban Farmer" from New Society Publishers
Resources:
http://www.permacultureartisans.com/

How to regenerate damaged and polluted waterways with Tom Duncan of Aquabiofilter: 032

I'm really excited about today's guest. In this episode I'll be speaking to Tom Duncan, one of the visionary leaders behind Aquabiofilter, a water cleaning and regeneration company based in Melbourne, AU. Tom has been involved in some of the most ambitious and successful watershed cleanup operations in history with major projects in China, Malaysia, and Australia that have helped to restore lakes, rivers and wildlife reserves. I became inspired by Tom's work after seeing his webinar presentation on the Sustainable Design Masterclass with Neal Spackman and Raleigh Latham a few weeks ago and couldn't wait to share his insights with all of you.
In this interview Tom talks about how he got started in water restoration and cleanup, the biology behind how wetland plants, and specifically their root systems help to filter and absorb excessive nutrients and toxins from the water, and the ingenious floating wetlands that he helped to design based on the ancient indigenous systems that utilize natural materials to create rafts that can be farmed. Tom also discusses some of the ways that all of us can get involved and start helping to clean and manage the contamination levels in our own watershed. This is a really informative interview so for those of you as excited about the potential of regenerating damaged water systems with plants and natural materials, grab your notebooks
For "The Abundant Edge" listeners only, you can now get 50% off your digital subscriptions to Permaculture Magazine North America by entering the code PMNA50abedge at checkout. Get your subscription today and dive deep into the local and global solutions that go beyond sustainability.
Listen in at the end of this podcast to find out how you can win your own copy of "The Urban Farmer" from New Society Publishers
Resources:
http://www.aquabiofilter.com/

The key to client attraction for your permaculture design business with Pete Widin of Artisan Environments LLC: 031

My guest today is Pete Widin, founder and owner of Artisan Environments, LLC and the creator of The Professional Permaculture Designer online course . I reached out to Pete after reading an article he wrote for my friend William Horvath's page Permaculture Apprentice in which he wrote about some of his best tips and strategies for attracting your ideal clients for a permaculture design business. Now I know that a lot of my listeners and permaculture enthusiasts out there have taken their Permaculture Design course and have stalled because they're not sure how to use their new skills to create a business or an income, and that's why I got in contact with Pete.
In this interview Pete talks in depth about how he transitioned from a masters in landscape architecture and built up a client base of wonderful and enthusiastic individuals that were passionate about his design services. He also talks about some of his favorite tactics for finding new clients when your business is just starting out, and the importance of finding your niche within the broad world of permaculture. Make sure to listen all the way to the end where Pete introduces his free course for those of you who want to learn in depth about building your client base for your design services.
Resources:
Click below to join the Free Get Design Clients Challenge course
https://app.convertkit.com/landing_pages/244440?v=6
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProfessionalPermacultureDesigner/

The hidden side of natural building, how to start your own build project and more with Oliver Goshey: 030

today's episode is going to be a bit unusual in that I'll be stepping over to the other side of the microphone as my good friend and permaculture blogger Mike Vair Haley writer of the blog Permaculture Hami asked me to do an interview with him for an article. Mike is a teacher/traveler spending this year going around the world and documenting interesting sustainable designs along the way. He also writes a lot about how permaculture can be applied in unexpected ways such as in finance, government, and business. I highly recommend that you check out his blog at https://permaculturehami.blogspot.com and I'll also have a link to it in the show notes of this episode on the website.
Since he wanted to know more about natural building and natural materials, we sat down on my front porch on a beautiful Sunday afternoon and just made a fun conversation out of it. In our little session Mike and I talk about what natural building really means, and why I'm so careful to include the full spectrum of materials and even waste stream products in the definition. We get into ways of creating a more healthy and regenerative living space with natural renovations in industrial homes and I end up geeking out about everything from the intricacies of regenerative ecological design, some common myths and misconceptions about natural building, and even some really simple and actionable steps to making and applying your own clay based plaster in your home. Now normally I give more of an introduction and background for my guests but since I've already introduced myself and talked about my own history back in episode 1 of this show, I'll spare you all the repetition and anyone who's interested can always have a listen to the abundant edge intro episode. So here's me and Mike Vair Haley talking natural building
For "The Abundant Edge" listeners only, you can now get 50% off your digital subscriptions to Permaculture Magazine North America by entering the code PMNA50abedge at checkout. Get your subscription today and dive deep into the local and global solutions that go beyond sustainability.
Listen in at the end of this podcast to find out how you can win your own copy of "The Urban Farmer" from New Society Publishers
Resources:
Permaculture Hami Blog
the real cost of a natural building
earthen plasters article
soil testing article

Placemaking and connection building to repair our communities with Ridhi D’Cruz and Mark Lakeman of City Repair: 029

Rhidi D'CruzMark Lakeman
I have an extra special interview for all of you today. In this episode I've got not one, but two visionary change makers from the community restoration non-profit City Repair, which is based in Portland Oregon. I've got Ridhi D'Cruz, the co-director of City Repair, and the founder and co-director, Mark Lakeman. They each come from very different backgrounds, but have united to foster thriving, inclusive and sustainable communities through the creative reclamation of public space.
City Repair also facilitates artistic and ecologically-oriented placemaking through projects that honor the interconnection of human communities and the natural world. I know that all sounds a bit complicated, but what's worth knowing is that a large part of their projects involve permaculture garden installations and community spaces built with natural materials, all in urban environments where those types of projects have traditionally been hard to get approved
In this interview, Mark and Ridhi go in depth about the concept of placemaking and why it's so essential in our modern communities. Mark gives incredible insights into the history of colonial advancement through the Americas and how it shaped the landscape and our build environment into one that isolates us from one another. Ridhi goes on to explain their annual event called the Village Building Convergence and how their work has already had an amazing impact on the interconnectedness of the people they've worked with in unexpected ways. At the end, both of them give invaluable advice on how you can take up the mantle and effectively create and facilitate connections in your own community. The answers may surprise you.
For "The Abundant Edge" listeners only, you can now get 50% off your digital subscriptions to Permaculture Magazine North America by entering the code PMNA50abedge at checkout. Get your subscription today and dive deep into the local and global solutions that go beyond sustainability.
Listen in at the end of this podcast to find out how you can win your own copy of "The Urban Farmer" from New Society Publishers
Resources:
http://www.cityrepair.org/

Discovering “Why We Farm,” the book by author Elvira Di’Brigit: 028

My Guest today is Elvira Di'Brigit, the author of the new book “Why We Farm” which is an investigation into the whole truth about life as a modern day farmer. Viewed through the lens of the environment within the Capay Valley of northern California, each chapter features a different model of farming. In each profile, farmers share the stories behind their work and their lives on the farm; the business side of production, the personal challenges they face, and words of advice for the would-be-farmer.  The book asks hard questions and gives a reverent yet realistic picture of a thriving local food system.
In this interview Elvira talks about how she first came to the Capay Valley and her motivations behind wanting to live a farming lifestyle. We talk about how the farmers profiled in her book tell a larger story of modern farming in the United States, and even the trends and challenges facing the agricultural industry around the world. Elvira also gives a unique perspective into the growing community outreach that is strengthening the bonds in the valley and fostering a larger network of resilience that should be inspiring for anyone living a rural community.
For "The Abundant Edge" listeners only, you can now get 50% off your digital subscriptions to Permaculture Magazine North America by entering the code PMNA50abedge at checkout. Get your subscription today and dive deep into the local and global solutions that go beyond sustainability.
Listen in at the end of this podcast to find out how you can win your own copy of "The Urban Farmer" from New Society Publishers
Resources:
on facebook
http://whywefarmcapay.com/

Lucrative city farming on borrowed land with Curtis Stone, author of “The Urban Farmer:” 026

My guest today is none other than Curtis Stone, author of The Urban Farmer. For the better part of a decade, Curtis has been pushing the boundaries of organic gardening in the city and proving through his carefully documented processes that making a profit on small acreage and borrowed land is realistic. H's also the host of a fantastic youtube channel which is practically an ongoing master level course for aspiring urban farmers and small scale market gardeners.
In this interview Curtis shares his incredible formulas for farming on land that you don't own and how to select plants that will give you a maximum profit in a small space. He also goes into some of the most common mistakes that city farmers make, and gives great advice on the first steps you should take to starting a profitable farm in an urban setting.
For "The Abundant Edge" listeners only, you can now get 50% off your digital subscriptions to Permaculture Magazine North America by entering the code PMNA50abedge at checkout. Get your subscription today and dive deep into the local and global solutions that go beyond sustainability.
Listen in at the end of this podcast to find out how you can win your own copy of "The Urban Farmer" from New Society Publishers
Resources:
greencityacres.com
profitableurbanfarming.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/urbanfarmercstone