Creative Destruction - Honest Conversations About Farming, Business, And Life

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

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

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

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 farmi

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 serio

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

This episode is a recording of Luke Callahan's presenation at PV2. Want to start your business, but don’t know where to begin? Does starting your business feel scary and overwhelming? In this session, you’ll learn the seven surprisingly simple steps to easily start any business. We’ll analyze a few successful permaculture businesses through this step by step framework so you can see exactly how it works in the real world. At the end of this session, you will have a step by step plan to start your business. Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/104 For all of the audio presentations from PV2 visit: permaculturevoices.com/audio/

We are experiencing the end of an era as a new era in human civilization is beginning. It is a time of great risk but also a time of great potential. We now know that it is possible to restore large-scale damaged ecosystems. It is possible to sequester carbon and re-regulate the hydrological system. It is possible to restore natural fertility and to remove toxicity from contaminated soils and water. We are required to do this so that future generations will live in peace and abundance. For humanity to further evolve it is necessary to transition from a society dedicated to consumption to a society dedicated to ecological function. Although sometimes obscured by the collapse of the old order this heralds a time of full employment, equality, purpose and fulfillment. This is THE GREAT WORK OF OUR TIME and we are called to understand and participate in it. Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/103 PV2 Audio: permaculturevoices.com/pv2audio

In this episode, the second part of a multi-part series, we at some of the critiques of permaculture. And the focus is on an article written by permie Peter Harper in 2003. This series takes a critical look at permaculture itself. The good, the bad, and the ugly. As I sit here today I wonder if the same permaculture that got us here, is the same permaculture that we need to ultimately effect change into the future. The times are different, the people are different, technology is different. I am not simply saying let's rewrite the designers manual with new updates. I am saying let's take a critical look at what is in the manual and tear it apart. What works and what doesn't, and cut out what doesn't. Because if we think that everything in that manual works, we are telling ourselves a lie. Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/102

In this episode, the first part of a multi-part series, we look at what permaculture is. Is it a design science or is it a movement? This series takes a critical look at permaculture itself. The good, the bad, and the ugly. As I sit here today I wonder if the same permaculture that got us here, is the same permaculture that we need to ultimately effect change into the future. The times are different, the people are different, technology is different. I am not simply saying let's rewrite the designers manual with new updates. I am saying let's take a critical look at what is in the manual and tear it apart. What works and what doesn't, and cut out what doesn't. Because if we think that everything in that manual works, we are telling ourselves a lie. Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/101

Toby Hemenway joins me to talk about his upcoming talk at PV2 titled Liberation Permaculture. Permaculture offers more than a path to a sustainable and just food system. It can move entire segments of our society off the radar screens of state oppressors and help return equality, abundance, and justice to people while restoring healthy ecosystems. This talk, being premiered at Permaculture Voices, will tell you how. If you’ve appreciated Toby’s series on permaculture and civilization, you’ll want to see this significant new chapter. Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/100

John talks about the workshop that he will be giving on Sketchup at PV2. This workshop will give the student a crash course in using Trimble SketchUp, followed by a tutorial on landscape modeling and analysis, earthworks and plantings design using freely available tools and templates. 3D modeling is a powerful tool to aid the Permaculture Designer in analyzing and designing water catchment, zones, sectors, earthworks, and plantings. Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/pv2shorts John's Page: johnackley.com/sketchup

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