Futuresteading

This heart led Mumma of three has been luring us with images of a dreamy, bloom filled life on her Daylesford apple orchard & words of equal romance via her craft blog for over a decade. She laughs easily, has found balance in being real & makes the simplest of thoughts feel like genuine aha moments. Kate Ulman is wrenchingly honest about the reality of farm life with young children, turning inwards when self care is needed & whether her babies will return to life on the land. Although not at her kitchen table, the intimacy of this conversation feels very personal & will leave your cup full & your heart nourished.Episode notesSeeing your home the way others doRealising she is driven by making, creating & beautyTaking an ugly foundation & making it ‘beautiful’ slowly & sureThe essence of a creative soul raising more creative beingsEvolving with our children who are becoming the people they are going to beCreating a ‘place’ for our childrenThe impact of an early childhood experience on a kibbutzLearning to farm at 30 & retrospectively being amazed they could do itGrowing things organically was our religion but we actually didn’t know howLife before social media - 10 years of ‘ugliness’ because we could afford the beautiful Sharing the raw truth of life on the land with a small familyExpectation vs realitySeasonal appreciation“Every season is another chance to get last years mistakes better”The annual pre Winter crises & assessment of realityPre farming life as a crafter & bloggerAcknowledging there's a time & place for everythingFiling your soul with the small &simple things but being realistic about doing whats possibleBeing kind about expectations“Being a martyr & running yourself ragged is NOT the solution but being aware & keeping it joyful means you can do it forever”Saying “I don't know” comfortablyWhen we take our actions so seriously that it puts other people including the next generation off ever wanting to participate in something worth doing Letting go of the little things like baking bread for the sake of the bigger pictureActively engaging with community wherever a snippet can be garneredPutting her energies into writing a bookTaking back her families story so it wasn’t available to the world onlineRediscovering herself post early childhood mother-domBeing the complete opposite of organisedCreating a plan for ‘older life’ so the love of the farming life continuesWhy bigger is not better. The active vision to make things simplerWhy her mum is her greatest inspiration for her approach to motherhoodHow she became the encourager of creativityDaily exclamation marks of ritual elude her because she follows inspiration insteadWhy her good intentions for ritual get forgottenWhy deep diving quickly into real conversations is important to herHer definition of success as living her truth & being filled with honesty, creativity, availability to the things she cares about Having the confidence to live from your heartGifting your future self by thinking aheadReferencesFox’s LaneSupport the show

Strap in for a fast paced chat with this natural born story teller. From the heady heights of top restaurants, starring in his own reality tv program and radio shows to his definition of “enough” - which begins with rude health and healthy kids before settling with sovereignty of time and community belonging. As practical and grounded as he is charismatic with a touch of aussie larrikin, ‘Westy’ is whip cracking fast making it easy to listen and laugh at his tales - like serving uncooked rice as his first attempt at cooking.This high energy human wraps up the season for us with insights and stories that are endearing and inspiring in equal measure.Episode notesChoosing your island foodsAre you an eater or a foodie ?- Westie grew up as an eater until he was 17 before becoming a foodieEmbalmed cats above the fresh food aisles at the local supermarket Moving from his first out-of-home cooked meal: Raw rice, frozen peas, ham and soy sauce to cheffing in lofty placesHis first wwoofing experience that sowed the seeds for his ‘NOW’ life:Witnessing the loftiest ideal for human life as life on the land growing food, connecting to community, physical workHis winding but whip fast hospitality adventureUsing the age good food guide as a way to get a job and crash landing into Vu De Monde to cut his teethTurning his back on fine dining cuisine to return to the roots of growing food.A yearning desire to really understand the rhythms of foodHow fatherhood changed him, from self to selfless. Why he never wanted to be a ‘phone in’ dadReframing his expectations of fatherhood for him, his kids and his wife.Creating patterns to set up our kids for the rest of their lives and using food as the central guide for this The virtues of tapping into the primal human nature.Transitioning from kitchen to farm grew his understanding of long standing ecological needs.River Cottage - the inside scoop on the steep learning curves and truth behind producing a reality TV program. The juggle of actually living a 365 day farm life but needing to fit in the production of a stage production alongside.The hard work of farming! Far from white clothed lunches under a treeThe repetition needed for growingNow living a life that's the amalgamation of his previous lives Creating a life of belonging in a village across generationsThe perfect combo of small-house big block.Building ritual around food markers, what the gardens providing, when the crayfish and oysters are harvesting, Making an effort to observe the natural spectacles and building ritual around itHis ENOUGHReferences:Aftertaste ABC SeriesRiver Cottage Australia SBS on demand seriesThe Edible Garden Cookbook and Growing Guide - Paul West 2013Support the show

Sharing her evolution from academic keyboard warrior to her current reality of being an agroecological pork and beef farmer who's pretty darned handy with the butchers knife and equally as sharp of mind in her contributions to the UN small scale farming policy initiatives.Tammi Jonas is indeed a force of the natural world, never backwards in coming forwards but mellowing with every decade and sharing her successes and failures for the sake of thousands who are following in her footsteps towards a life of farming democracy.Episode SummaryWe dive right into how she fits it all inLeadership - her style of leading from the front with doggedness and squared soldiersResearch and UN food systems mobilisation Credibility that comes out of the dirtHer commitment to food sovereignty across aaaalllllll the tiers of the movementThe brain breaking need to relate local practices to global policyLinking good global initiatives to local practicesApplying food sovereignty thinking to general consumption issuesTaking power back one skill at a timeWe can’t buy ourselves out of this mess - we literally need to joyfully work competently through the upskilling and sharing of The illusion of choice when you see thousands of items for sale in a supermarket is not a place to genuinely beginWhy she considers herself an “agroecological” farmer (political, social, Agroecological theory of change is considered a science, social movement and practical - dedicated to circular bio economies rather than a purchasing of inputs. Agroecology rejects capitalism but values labour over yield.‘Benefaction’ - enabling the farm to do their tasks joyfullyThe rich reality of running internship programs - who are welcomed with the knowledge that they are becoming food sovereignty warriorsAFSA - first-peoples-first initiativeSolidarity - garnering unexplained wholeness but remembering we are all here for each otherWhy there's value in building a new system rather than creating one from the ashes of the old one.Why the rise and fall of farms and community orgs is part and parcel of the movement and should be encouragedBeing comfortable to share the successes AND the failures as a gift for the greater goodBuilding a de-growth mentality to avoid the ruthless capitalist systemCreating small scale farming businesses that are FUN rather than slaves to growthKeeping her eye on the end game dilutes her need to be binary and rage filledWhy the States are not actually similar to the Australian culture - they are wedded to a growth mentality that we don't have so we have an opportunity to learn from their mistakes.Why it’s ok to scale back from the initial visionFraming ‘enough’ as being disentangled from the capitalist system - seeing the sky, feeding her community and others and being ok to go slow when needed.ReferencesJonai FarmsRighteous Porkchop: Finding a Life and Good Food Beyond Factory FarmsFarming democracyAustralian Food Sovereignty AllianceThanks to our podcast partners:Wwoof AustraliaNutrisoilBuy the BookFuturesteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show

Brooke McAlary has built a life and brand around slow. She's the author of three books, the co-host of The Slow Home podcast and the voice of a movement that says, "Dear Joneses, I'm opting out of the rat race."But hey, that doesn't mean she's exempt from overwhelm. This convo opens with Brooke and Jade swapping stories of exhaustion. File that under honesty. So join us on the couch as we define our zone zero, get our inner turmoil sorted before facing the outer chaos, and discuss a potential inner care deficit.We talk packaged up versions of “balance” “slow” and “simple” and why “tilting” may be more useful; leaning into the most pressing issue of the moment.Why multi tasking is a farce but barefoot bushwalking creates a heady sense of lightness, wonder and awe that just might hold the answers.Say no to fast and yes to slow living with Brooke McAlary.SHOW NOTESWhy her books and pod are basically talking to herself to maintain a slower paceBeing diagnosed with severe postnatal depression Googling in search of solutionsLetting go of the relentless ‘keep up’ approach to lifeStabilising mental health and finding a deeper sense of contentmentLiving life with no bufferOperating at 70% capacity to ensure there’s room for unplannedDefining and protecting zone zeroGetting the inner turmoil sorted before facing the outer chaosAvoiding an inner care deficitThe intrinsic link between inward care and capacity to give Why the words 'balance', 'simple' and 'slow' are all fraughtThe endless wrestle of living counter culturally Learning to “tilt” rather than “balance”The fraudulence of multi taskingExperiencing a loss of connection, celebration and grieving as a result of covidFacing into the need for ‘unlearning’ to build a brave new non-consumerist worldBuilding your tribe without preaching Equating simple with ‘ease’ not ‘easy’ Why simplicity lives in the process of finding easeNoticing = gratitudeFamily rituals that offer hopeBarefoot bushwalking on a bliss waveA designated slow room Reconciling the footprint of travel by embracing her local areaVision Quests Why small actions of care, purpose and values are creating powerful ripples Rebuilding rites of passage for our youth to test and expand resilience and tap into the wisdom from older generationsWriting a letter to your younger selfJump starting our memory making function LINKS YOU'LL LOVEZenHabitsSlow - Brooke McAlaryDestination Simple - Brooke McAlaryCare - Brooke McAlaryRites of passage instituteAlone - SBS seriesVision Quest ChallengesSupport the showSupport the show

Damon Gameau - A call to arms for storytellers! It's time to shine the spotlight on our story tellers; the creatives, film makers, artists, poets, chefs, writers and musicians. "If our storytellers cannot find a way then the way cannot be found". Join Jade & Damon in this conversation about defying the attention economy, ways to avoid being numbed but the inertia of the system (which is not actually our friend - despite it being dressed up that way) and why rites of passage could be the answer to rebuilding our culture .Finally, we ask the big question - how do you define ENOUGH. If you've loved Damon's films 2040 & That Sugar Film you're in for one exceptionally powerful convo with this captivating & clever creative.Episode SummaryPeople are seeking leadership that doesn’t use language without humanisationSo much of the story we are told now is dictated by extraction, competition, rivalry,The shift from humans with animus beliefs to industrialised beliefsDefining our collective stories through the feedback from our creative & soul stirring storytellersDefying the attention economy by stepping away from the barraging information torrent to allow for conscious decisionsFinding your place in action Choosing to understand rather than polarisingSlowing our judgement despite the push for pace - let a slowly defined opinion be yours Acknowledging we agree on a desire for community, healthy children, access to food….and we are not actually dividedTaking responsibility of our own individual actions and teach our children to listen & to understandWhy its NOT human nature to be greedy & selfish, because we've evolved through a deeply cooperative, symbiotic spirit.Rewrite our culture away from competitive nature & highlight our dependency on each other Finding your path of individualism within the collective Deradicalising the truth of what we need to doConsidering context when storytelling to shift the needle Building a less fragile systemWhy it’s not a nationalist sentiment if you want sovereignty of independenceShifting from being a consumer to being a citizenBuilding wings that will allow us to fly high and thrive with our culture providing the windManifesting creativity and ingenuity by working with our kidsShaping, creating and changing culture through coexistence, lateral thinking and practical skills - starting with the education of our childrenThe dance between peril and possibility Turning emerging science into magical stories to captivate kids imaginations Prison inmates in the States spend more time outdoors than our childrenThe ongoing process of unlearning as flawed humans Deciding what’s enough. Do you keep working beyond your enough to go slower or do you keep going to give to others. Rites of passage as a pathway to regenerationAyahuasca ceremonies, breath workTaking a glimpse into the “other” to fill the gap left by a crises of meaningReferences“Surviving the future, culture, carnival and capital” - David FlemmingRites of Passage InstituteRecapture the Rapture - rethinking god, sex and death in a world that's lost its mind - Jamie Wheal2040 Film - Directed by DamonThat Sugar Film - Directed by DamonSupport the show

Annie Raser-Rowland is the co-author of two of our most treasured books; The Weed Forager’s Handbook and The Art of Frugal Hedonism: A Guide to Spending Less While Enjoying Everything More. Annie is an artist, horticulturalist and adventurer who has a knack for thwacking you with the truth -- in the best possible way.If you don't know this marvellous lass, that's probably because she keeps a pretty low profile online, preferring to spend her days in a state of sensuous connection with the world, pursuing everything money can't buy. And she has some excellent tips for helping you do the same.Annie and Catie cover a lot of ground in this convo, from hitchhiking adventures and weed foraging to chronic conditions, choosing life over career and controversial acts in the face of climate change. We know we say this every time... but this one's a goodie!SHOW NOTESSingle parent family taught her to be independent, responsible, frugal.Epic hitchhiking journeys around Australia.Discovering different ways of having fun that don’t cost money.When hitchhiking becomes a form of talk therapy.Attention as a practise.What to do when Monkey Mind takes over and you stop seeing the beauty in the everyday.Humans as story-addicted creatures.Solistalgia — when you’re nostalgic for where you are.The rate of change in modern society and how that disrupts a sense of place, belonging.How to plant yourself in new places. The sensory pleasure of the weather.Weather makes landscape and landscape makes culture.The origins of her love of weeds.Plant-filtering laser eyeballs that seek out food.There’s food you can eat that has zero environmental impact, beyond homegrown veggies.Writing a novel in celebration of non-utilitarian, fruity, hyper-abundant language.How a cancelled hike led to a quirky storyline.How to orchestrate a life in which time and adventures are plentiful.The beauty of turning down requests (even when they’re super impressive).The conscious choice not to have children.Giving work the flick in favour of life.How a chronic health condition has affirmed her choices and priorities."I’d rather not eat out, not buy new clothes, and spend lots of my time at the beach (which is what I’m currently doing)."Dealing with guilt about working less.Why keep trying to accrue more money more once you have enough?Protestant work ethic upbringing needs to be questioned right now.The ‘work’ of being a low-consumer is valid too.“I believe in the pattern of a society that these frugal habits are part of… and I want to perpetuate that.”Controversial tips for changing the world.Amazement as a tool for appreciating ordinary objects; being less wasteful.It’s a novel time. The rules are now different. Having children being the norm can no longer be part of the status quo. Drive less! Use your car if you would hire a car to do that thing, otherwise, find a different way.Good times with human beings is not something to be lazy about. Cultivating the skill of conversation. LINKS YOU'LL LOVEThe Weed Forager's Handbook ~ Annie Raser-Rowland & Adam GrubbThe Art of Frugal Hedonism ~ Annie Raser-Rowland & Adam GrubbSupport the show

This family of four live a largely non-monetary existence on a quarter-acre permaculture plot on Djaara peoples' country/Daylesford. They describe themselves as neopeasants, defined by the gardens & forests they tend, the resources they glean & grow, the community they're part of and the technologies they both use & refuse.They practice permapoesis, which simply means permanent making or regenerative living -an antidote to disposable culture - & show us what's possible when creativity, reverence & reciprocity is placed at the heart of human existence.SHOW NOTESA frugal background + time on a kibbutzEarly skills in propagation and a deep desire to grow thingsAn attraction to counter culture & eternal questioning of injusticesFinding peace by the Mittagong creekWorking as a couple to overcome grief over the dominant cultureGrowing a new story out of the old story -- about community, not just one ideaThe holistic awakening of permacultureMoving from clock time to ecological time Daily connection to the natural world; chanting, observing, meditatingCreating an art practice that is not separate from everyday lifeAvoiding monotonous and tedious work through neopeasantryWhy Covid has helped us register our collective exhaustionGiving up cars and moving at an ecological paceBeing cash poor yet time rich in frugal abundanceTime offline allows a songful, interconnected, wildness that is about observation and interactionThe importance of rites of passage -- how do we bring them back?Recognising the value of the child-to-adult process and parent/child separationGrief circles -- “for crying out loud”. Sharing, howling, laughing, storytelling and bearing witness to each other.Giving back to the forest via humanure, menstrual blood, tearsHow fire has held our stories since the beginning of timeDaily gratitude ritual of naming the inputs needed for each mealGrowing layers and building gifts to share with our community by accepting ourselvesGetting the dance right between consciousness and overwhelmWhy being aware of ideology is importantWhy activism and politics need complexityA brief history of patriarchal dominance, removing feminine power in the popular cultureLINKS YOU'LL LOVEArtist as Family -- YouTube, Instagram + blogHow Goats are Regenerating a Forest and Protecting This Town from Bushfire -- Happen FilmsA Branch From the Lightning Tree - Martin Shaw The Wild Edge of Sorrow - Francis WellerThe Invention of Capitalism - Michael PerelmanPodcast partners ROCK!Nutrisoil Wwoof AustraliaBuy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show

Bugger off dogmatic rules - who wrote those anyway. Push off unfaltering sustainable existence - you're leave us feeling guilty. Shhhh up incessant Instagram perfection - its not real! Tune in to this fire cracker of fresh air to recalibrate your judgment beacon and give yourself a break while you learn to a make a difference in a way that works for you. Could that be quiet food related activism or perhaps sharing practical skills in your community, or waking up to the plastic explosion in our lives and actively curbing your contribution. Perhaps its pickling...everything in sight! What ever your path, Alex is unwaveringly supportive of anyone having a go at even the smallest of things & her final word of advice ' slow down, don't peak too soon...its a long path & its not getting any easier'Growing up in a share house that loved to cook in her formative years Creating community around the share plateBeing ok with fish fingers and frozen peasLetting judgement go to make a difference while being acceptingEducation to build hope & practical skills during this climate emergencyThe exhausting weight of being sustainable 24/7Wanting to help people fall in love with their kitchens again without ideologyBeginning a business with her husband despite limited experienceDiscovering pickling when her kids were tiny & she was losing her mindPickling as an onramp to a simpler sustainable lifeLying awake thinking about wasting cumquatsPutting community abundance to good use in a pickling jarCrossing language barriers to learn food preservation methods from her neighbourhoodTaking twists & turns in businessWhy now is the time to stand up & shout really loudlyNo person can avoid having to make regenerative choicesGetting bolder with ageTrading with locals who swap backyard produce for coffeeNavigating a food business through covid Avoiding being black and whiteMaking spaces where its simple for people to make a contributionChoosing her favourite pickleYou don’t have to make mega batches of food to make a contributionEating and using what you’ve got to reduce food wasteChoose one thing, while you build your habits and reframe your practicesDo we all need to be a little uncomfortable in order to make us all think and create other solutions,Wake up and stop being passive, owning your decisions or solutionsUsing scraps from the bin to create magicIf it can be used - use itSaving money by using every single part of every single thingLucky dip cupboard - food without labelsThe process of writing a cook bookReplacing the guilt with creativity in the kitchenThe disservice of instagram perpetuating perfectionPearl of wisdom - going slower in our change journey to ensure longevityReferencesCornersmith - Use it allCornersmith - Food Savers Guide A-ZPodcast partners ROCK!Hidden Sea - Wine that saves the seaNutrisoilWwoof AustraliaBuy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show

From your balcony to the nature strip, citizen science to observing recolionising birds - however you interact with the outside world, there are so many reasons and so many opportunities to do so every, single day!As the co-author of the recently published book "A guide to the creatures in your neighbourhood" Diette encourages us in this conversation to reignite our childhood curiosity of the natural world by working harder to find the extraordinary in the ordinary - not just looking and seeing but asking WHY and taking the leap to contribute in some small way. SUMMARYGetting interested in ‘nearby nature’Not just telling people about nature but offering ideas for action and activitiesWorking collaboratively and managing dynamics, Being intrigued by the combative nature of natureThe role of creativity in scienceIt's not so much about the facts but the way this knowledge is sharedLearning to have public conversations about science to allow difficult conversations to unfoldAmusing ourselves at ‘A’ rather than endlessly going from A to BThe value of learning through codesign and collaborationThe value of citizen science as a gateway to connecting with natureStorytelling as part of our intuitive human conditionWellbeing benefits of nature and all the reasons to get involvedAccepting the way the younger generation learnWe know so little about so muchReinstating rituals in urban environments for our young peopleGenuinely listening to the kids to understand their perspective and their needsKids capacity to be resilient is being impacted by over connectionGiving kids agency of their journeyThe adolescence dip in their connection with nature in whatever path interests themPracticing what he preaches - learning new things every day - relax, watch and observeNot just looking and seeing but asking WHYDid you know worker ants and bees are all femalesThe pros and cons of personification of natural world elementsCreating mindful moments in nature without the need to be an ‘expert’What the the parts of the everyday that we should be talking more about?Our dependency on pollinators for our food securityReferencesField guide to creatures in your neighbourhood - Diette HochuliPodcast partners ROCK!Hidden Sea - Wine that saves the seaNutrisoilWwoof AustraliaBuy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show

When was your moment of realisation that life, including our own, is finite & that the climate will impact our way of life. How are you processing this? Claire asks, ‘how are you using your skills, networks & privilege to add your weight to the climate movement & shares the value of processing our individual climate grief & collective efforts. Processing climate grief Catalysing change within your own communityYou can’t work on any part of nature without understanding and working on climateCognitive dissonance of our every day existenceBecoming clear & present in the reality of what life will be for her later years & her children livesClimate grief results in exhaustion, sadness, overwhelm, Its ok to feel frustrated, distressed, anxious - things are NOT normal, we are collectively experiencing trauma There are rising levels of pre traumatic distress due to the climate realitiesIt’s emcombant on me as a person in a position of privilege to share my skills and knowledge with those who have less agencyComing to terms with the fact that life is finiteStepping outside the western paradigm of endless productivityLearning from first nations people Using acceptance and commitment therapy as a way to move forwardMinimising ebbs and flows of grief with the agency that comes from actionShunning a Pollyanna view of the world - there’s no hero coming to save us. We all have a role to contribute to our collective efforts and leverage existing relationshipsWe can all make a choice about fighting or flighting - being consructuve or active or distructive and dismissive is our choice aloneAcceptance of the inevitability that fossil fuels are on the way outWe are in the middle of an epidemic of loneliness - especially 19-25 years olds, this can spiral our community connection and collectiveThe value of participating without having to be the expertCreating ancestral totemsBuilding gratitude practice into your every day via living creatures that connect us all to our ancestorsThe way behaviour change flows through networks via those on the edge of multiple networks - this is often ‘everyday’ folksClimate deniers are a very small percentage of AustraliansReframing success to celebrate the spirit of co-operationShowing politicians that we want to be connected and interrelated will be transformational for politicians to seeTaking kids on this journeyGo where your interest is strongest and the need is greatestWe have to enjoy the world we are in otherwise whats the point in fighting for itImperfection is the beauty of human nature and imperfect is most liely to be the journey we go on as we decarboniseAction on climete means more of the things we love (like the sun comig up) but less of the things we actually cant maintain (consumables)ReferencesTogether we can - Claire O'RourkeCarol SandfordClimateactionstartshere.comAustralianparentsforclimateactionPodcast partners ROCK!Hidden Sea - Wine that saves the seaNutrisoilWwoof AustraliaBuy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show

SummaryAkin to a cuppa while flicking through photo albums, this conversation is rich with stories of her lived experiences across every continent & through many decades. This wisdom holder has offered her life in service by knowledge sharing. A much respected permaculture educator, her foundation is science based, heart felt & relational in every way. Her practical generosity has contributed to refugee camps in war torn countries and her commitment to empowering communities without becoming a guru is refreshing. Show NotesAdaptation principles - Observe carefully, backup functions, seeing solutions, being prepared to make change & noticingIs water more destructive than drought?Creating a culture where people are comfortable to listen to their intuitionThe critical value of eco literacy - taught in childhood but forgotten in adulthoodBuilding confidence in ourselves to enact changeOperating as a community rather than individuals who are side by sideLooking for change outside of ‘lobby groups’The power of the collective rather than individual leadersIntuition is when you know something from a prior sensory input but haven't made it conscious yet - this relies on eco literacy and enables us to come up with solutionsHer Vietnamese experience - connecting traditional knowledge with permaculture principles using the pyramid approach of community teaching Removing guru’ism by teaching locally and inbuilding principles that ensure the original teacher is no longer needed because the knowledge is in the community Her scientific background has ensured she is less inclined towards whims, rather its focussed on critical thoughtMaking people eco literate by starting with a focus on the fundamentalsWhy permaculture is not western middle class - it is adaptable to traditional knowledge?The role of traditional ritual and custom in building community - the Songs of CommunitySinging to recognise climate, topography, people, direction, acknowledging the power and might of the natural over humans - keeps us small and in a sense of wonder Reading plants as secular or sacredRitual is acknowledge of our small scope, observation and aweSeeing permaculture as a jigsaw where we can take the pieces we need for the places we are inPermaculture is not an armchair discipline - it’s a discipline of service through knowledge sharing We are all as poor as the poorest person The power of permaculture in giving individuals agency and the ability to bring changeWhy waving $500 each week and a vibrant garden is enoughReferencesThe Earth Restorers Guide - Rosemary MorrowEarth Users Guide - Rosemary Morrow Podcast partners ROCK!Hidden Sea - Wine that saves the seaNutrisoilWwoof AustraliaBuy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the showCasual Support - Buy Me A CoffeeRegular Support - PatreonSupport the show

Spending time in wild places has taught this 5th generation farmer to quietly find ways to listen to others, those who often don't have a voice but have so much to teach the rest of us. The challenge is in finding ways to give them their own way of being deeply heard.Engaging in relationships with local traditional owners is the beginning of her journey of uncovering history and rebuilding the path forward. To make this possible, Tanya leans on love, not the 'sugarised' popular culture version, but the kind that asks us to step into harder, more complicated challenges where climate is creating environments which are anti life. Tanyas 'tomorrow' is focussed on growing her heart big enough to lean into the challenges we all need to confront."Despite it feeling vulnerable - we need big love to stay committed to our people, place and the challenges faced by humanity. Show NotesNavigating succession planning on the family farmWhy she farmsHer love of music took her to Tenant Creek and taught her how to listenWilderness School in the USASuccess = love for and from others, love for place, love for landReckoning with the truth of farming land that was colonised by her family and never cededLove for the visceral raw beauty of the country she calls homeDoing the work required to repair the damage done.Using ‘invisibility’ to navigate a male dominated farming sectorHer dads support to be what she wanted to be despite being femaleIdentifying with women who were not ‘visible’ but were still offering valuable contributionFinding maturity and strength in your own way and timeBeing part of a team on family farmsDeeply listeningExploring solo, observing the outside world until the connection with self is seamlessLetting the outside wash over questions you are wrestling with The formative experience of living with indigenous Australians on countryExperiencing what it feels like to be a white minority - a necessary unsettling experience to gain profound perspective and humilityDiversifying her farming to incorporate horticulture as well as livestockActively seeking time in community where collective efforts were her salve to city lifeUsing community dance to release unspoken tensionsHer love of music and dance since very early childhood - fluid, joyful, embodied wonder that gets us out of our heads - she now dances in the paddock with her sheep Breaking into song with her gran in her last week of lifeThe power of community to dissipate griefLeaning into grief with open emotion and active presence while we celebrate and harvest memoriesGrieving collectivelyBeing reassured by the sense of their being a collective effort Her freelance for WondergroundBeing apprenticed to country as a way of caring ReferencesDavid Org - Ecological LiteracyWonderground JournalPodcast partners ROCK!Hidden Sea - Wine that saves the seaNutrisoilWwoof AustraliaBuy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the showCasual Support - Buy Me A CoffeeRegular Support - PatreonSupport the show

Nestled in a multi hundred year old barn in Vermont, USA, is Luke Larson, his wife & children. Creating art with 600 year old timber is no mean feat, especially when it’s the wood which leads the way with a language that takes a lifetime to learn. As an analogy to the way we could all interact with the natural world, Luke's love affair with this way of life is absolute and pretty darned compelling when you hear him explain how he discovered it, why he continues it and what his community looks like within it. Show NotesWalking a mile through the woods to his grandfather's woodshopGratitude for his team who are as committed to ancient skills and community as he is.Marvelling at the walls of the barns which housed people, animals and creatures of all kindsDiscovering 1870’s account ledgers - a window into a past way of existenceOne of 8 children with thoughtful, open, practical parents who sowed the seedsThe onsite processing facility his parents built on their family owned, community scale dairy farmHand tools offer an opportunity to learn the nature of individual trees and working WITH natureRight from the get go timber framing is about understanding how the timber will evolve over the coming 200 hundred yearsWoodworking teaches him to understand his place in the ecosystem - listeningAccepting you are forever a student of the wood not the other way aroundRiving - the Scandinavian process of reading the timber to build boats by listening to the song that its singingWhat made him say yes to being on a television seriesKeeping Vermont's built culture alive and sharedThe plus’s and minus’s of having a modern day datasystem available to us. Ensuring this doesn’t replace face to face and generation to generation interactionsHis intentional approach to how he lives his life as students who are intentionally pursuing a lifestyle that he is in love with.His community encyclopedia of knowledge which becomes more available as trust is built and relationships are forged Raising his own barn with his community around himTranslating the lessons he learns from trees to other spheres of the natural world.Rituals of barn raising Timber frames cannot be made alone - they require a team and this is part of its magicRitualising the teams safety - taking the mundane and bringing reverence to it.Using the dark, quiet moments to maintain his hand tools and honour themMarvelling at the aesthetic touches of days gone by - why did they value these small touches when life was easily as busy as our modern day.Gratitude for his grandfather who allowed him to lean on his workbench Staying intentionally small Balancing business with the need to give back to communityWhy teaching 60 school kids in using hand tools and listening to the nature of wood has been the highlight of his careerHow centring it can be to hold and listen to wood. Learn from the tree.Reference:Green Mountain timberframes - blog Podcast partners ROCK! Hidden Sea - Wine that saves the sea - 10% discount when you quote 'Futuresteading'NutrisoilWwoof AustraliaBuy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the showCasual Support - Buy Me A CoffeeRegular Support - PatreonSupport the show

Beginning with gratitude, listening to her desire to be of service, seeking challenges and not seeing obstacles is the approach Ronnie Khan takes to keep her work nourishing. Her advice...do something, little things, every day. Even though the fire is so big, each and every one of us can use a teaspoon , if millions of us use a teaspoon , we can put the fire out through everyday actions that make a difference.Her calling was in food relief, what's yours? SHOW NOTESHow her destiny has led her to a purposeful lifeThe influence of a childhood in an apartheid South AfricaWhen you see inequality visibly before your eyes, it’s very hard not to feel defensive of itThe whiplash of moving from apartheid to a socialism centric kibbutz - You work according to your ability & get what you need.Why moving to Australia allowed her to find her destiny in the last 20 years of her lifeShe felt Australia was home the moment she arrived.She would hate for someone to feel that you cannot find your destiny unless you have a deep connection to place. Why finding your calling is not LUCK - gratitude is the keyBeing 50 before discovering her callingCreating solutions not problemsEmpowering people to be food literate and nourish themselves with foodNurturing volunteers in the way they ought to beWhy not everybody needs to start a charity but to find their empowerment to be themselves Her reasons to write a book - an ordinary person who ended up doing something that is extraordinary, a practical lesson for others to learn from.Mixing family and businessOur options to address calamity - teaspoons are one way of putting the fire out.Why she gifts a teaspoon with each of her booksWhy there's nothing prescriptive on the path to change.Look in the mirror and you will see the joy & your purpose - you can’t buy purpose What brought you the most joyHer purpose does not waver because it is way bigger than her - her purpose is to serve.4000 volunteers and still onboarding. People love their energy and love that they listen and value their most previous commodity (time)Free supermarket - take what you need and give if you canOz Harvest cannot operate without magnificent peopleFinding ways to build volunteer retentionCommunity is the new Immunity - we need connection and more value for more peopleCovid has lifted a veil - removed a mask for the potential for who we could beWe had become human doings and not human beings - how do we be, on this planet, honor nature and stop destroying the things that keep us alive.The more you can see you can doBeing able to use your voiceDon’t ever underestimate the power of you as an individual and the actions you can take.References:A repurposed life - Ronni KahnOz Harvest Podcast partners ROCK!Hidden Sea - Wine that saves the seaNutrisoilWwoof AustraliaBuy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the showCasual Support - Buy Me A CoffeeRegular Support - PatreonSupport the show

Discovering the value of craft in her early 20's led Harriet towards the natural dye revolution, forming her pathway into weaving. “I took a one day class in basketry & haven't had another job since ” As a talented weaver, Harriet now believes everyone can & should be creative. She shares the joys & challenges of delineating between a job and a creative passion and talks of our primal attraction to hand made things because of the energy &^ essence the otherwise inanimate object has. Join us in this conversation of 'communal remembering of weavery' and perhaps you too will make "can you pull over" your most said phrase. Show notesHer first heartbreak when they had to leave her childhood homeRebuilding her identity Building a ‘good life’ as rentersContemplation of life on the trading cycle rather than a money oriented one Falling in love with fabrics and traditional village lifeBuying beanies as their first enterpriseHer early adult years running an ethical trade businessIconography stories in weavings Weaving - a really easy way to be connected to natureForaging, connecting to seasons, learning the way of the land and getting her hands in it“It’s a long relationship you have with your creativity, it ebbs and flows, it comes with you, sometimes it’s working but sometimes it's incredibly challenging”Mastering something is a fraught concept - there are always more angles to be explored.Honoring her Dad by using materials from a fallen tree on his property to create a table for her family.Passing objects of meaning from one generation to the next along with knowledgeWhy her ‘voice’ is defined by her creativityA drive towards beauty for beauty's sake gives her hope.Her Dads curiosity - “can this beauty be an accident or is there something more powerful than all of us.Why art is a disciplined practiceThe practice of weaving is an ancient memory - before agriculture even. It had a functional purposeHer ache to sit at the feet of those who are willing to teach the scholarship of basketryThe communal remembering of basket weaveryThe double edged sword of using technology to share traditional skillsThe magic of weaving to crack open emotional connectedness and vulnerabilityWorkshop junkies who adore the emotional release of the artExploring the potential of a new material; hairy panic is her latest materialThe tactility of weaving - you can’t imagine it into being you have to get your hands inIt opens your eyes to the seasons and the changes in the landscape Planting a weaving garden or a dye gardenThe hypocrisy of travellingRewriting factory production by buying direct from fair trade craftsman There's no machine to make a basket - if its cheap, what were the conditions of the person who made it.Every decision you make requires us to be awake to the impact that decision has.Try not to buy things just because they are cheapMutual reciprocity and obligationHosting a street party in rural communitiesReferencesHarriet GoodallPodcast partners ROCK!Hidden Sea - Wine that saves the seaNutrisoilWwoof AustraliaBuy the Book - Futuresteading - Live like tomorrow mattersSupport the showCasual Support - Buy Me A CoffeeRegular Support - PatreonSupport the show

Author of Practicing Simplicity, Jodi Wilson faced a fear of complacently which grew bigger than her fear of change and it prompted her to pack her 4 young chillins into a caravan for a life on the road and the building of a whole new rhythm. Over the coming years, they got comfortable in the discomfort of change, uncertainty and discovered that the ritual of stirring porridge shouldn’t be underestimated, nor should the remarkability of the ordinary. She encourages us all to take small steps and make brave choices. We need to step outside our front doors, go for a walk and chat to our neighbours.*Recorded pre federal electionDeciding, on a whim to take her 4 children around Australia in a caravanLetting her intuition dominate her decisions towards a leap of faithConsciously close mental tabs Unravelling the sense of obligation to time frames and social normsIf we are privileged enough to make choice, we have a responsibility to make changeWhy it’s important we don't get stuck in our bell jarHow a life on the road in a caravan with 6 people helped refine what we really need in our life.Making conscious decisionsSustainability as humans - constantly running,Creating a life she believed in not one she was wedged intoIntuition led - heart and gut. If it doesn't feel right it can’t be continuedWhy she cant access her intuition or gut instinct if she is anxiousSpending time in nature, barefoot on sand, in deserts, Finding a sense of belonging and connection in ancestral landscapesMaking major decisions via a woven path of experiencesThe romance of a roadtrip was appealing but the reality was that I had to get dirtyYou carry the dirt of your travels are carried in the crevices of your skinReminiscent stories of they’re 2.5 years on the roadSettling in Tassie in a 1950’s bungalowDefining what it is you DO WANTCreating ritual and time for self while on the roadLooking at the stars and basking in the silence of the nightCreating more time in your life because of the choices we’ve madeSimplicity starts where you are with what you have - simplicity is an attitude and a mindsetSimplicity ebbs and flows with the demands of our livesCollective heartache and collective exhaustion We haven't evolved from the primal beings we are but we have been distracted.Nothing gets done unless you take small steps towards itReplacing the perfectionist hurdles of ‘shoulda’ with the compassionate reality of “I will when I can”Feeling like a local when the neighbours stop for a chat and the shop owners know your nameLiving with little and raising her kids to see this gives her hopeReferencesPracticing Simplicity - book, blog and socials of Jodi WilsonKirsten Bradley Futuresteading conversationRadical Hope ClubPodcast partners ROCK!Hidden Sea - Wine that saves the seaNutrisoilWwoof AustraliaBuy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the showCasual Support - Buy Me A CoffeeRegular Support - PatreonSupport the show

We have lost a giant! Dan Palmers death has left many of us feeling not only shocked and deeply saddened but dismayed and destabilised. He was an individual who embraced his role as a 'challenger' of the accepted, he leaned into the hard questions and held the hand of a movement which was all the better for his efforts to make it stronger through open and honest conversation. He pushed his comrades to seek more, made us comfortable in the uncomfortable, offered us tools to navigate this and was beating the drum for all of us to transition our paradigm as quickly as we could manage. His trademark wit, disarming knack of bringing the personal into the professional and forever returning to the 'human' was a talent.I've no words to reconcile our collective reality in having lost such a beautiful man and important voice - its hardly believable. But mustering your people, genuinely checking in on each others mental health and remembering we are mere humans who are fundamentally collective beings is an important place to begin.Go gently, be kind and love openly.In honour of an incredible individual - enjoy his wise words. xLINKS YOU’LL LOVEMaking Permaculture Stronger PermablitzLandedHolistic Decision MakingVery Edible GardensAllan SavoryBrian GoodwinCharles EisensteinPodcast partners ROCK!Hidden Sea - Wine that saves the seaNutrisoilWwoof AustraliaBuy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the showCasual Support - Buy Me A CoffeeRegular Support - PatreonSupport the show

Recorded just days after the Federal election, Gabrielle Chan doesn't mince words - even when bone tired. A celebrated journalist with the Guardian, outspoken advocate for rural Australia and encourager of individual agency. "Our system has been made up buy people and it can be rewritten by people". Lets not wait for Government to bring change but get active and organised now during times of abundance. Show NotesConnecting the grass roots regen ag movements with top down politicsThe need for change in our food, water, land management policies“We export a lot of sausage sandwiches - beef and wheat”Why it’s time to change the narrative around Australia's ag sector Why ‘level playing fields’ are a farceThe fragility of financial deregulations, long global supply chains increasing disease, increased drought - how do we as a sovereign nation reassure ourselves of continued prosperityThe potential for rural policy to create the framework that allows smaller scale and regen practices to thriveThe power of the colonial squatacracyHow do we bring policy reform to ag so it has relevance for smaller scale 7 regen practices to thriveThe potential of utilising the “voices for” movement as a model for local food to growWhy we need to re-engage with politics The thing that only Govt does is set the ground rules for how we conduct our business. People need to be involved in politics to influence its directionThe need for strategic water policy to better support us on the driest continent on earthTalking about water, food and skills while we are in times of abundanceWhere does the role of govt need to stop and allow room for community to pick upThe ongoing debate about why we do not yet have drought policy or food policyRefine what you want to change - get organised and get active in the arena from bottom upThe big secret - we are ALL MAKING IT UPHer slow, gradual, accidental path to being a communicator.Her writing approach - just keep writing, push through the creative barriersThe process of sitting down and ordering your thoughts results in a unique Connecting the systemic dots through political reportingThe history of farming and nature controlThe Connectivity of farming to EVERYTHING ELSEAg and environment are different political portfolios - WTFWe cannot have an economy without an environmentThe need for the economy the environment + the desires of the humans involved in farming to be interacting The need to account for ecological resourcesQuestions the fundamental systemsFinding optimism in the work done by othersHaving faith in humanityConnecting people to spark changeReferencesAcres and Acres in CorryongWendell BerryThe Guardian Podcast partners ROCK!Hidden Sea - Wine that saves the seaNutrisoilWwoof AustraliaBuy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the showCasual Support - Buy Me A CoffeeRegular Support - PatreonSupport the showSupport the show

SummaryWhat can weddings teach us? To be intentional, to build ritual, to connect with our community, to co-create celebration, to build co-relational practices. Weddings are the perfect ‘on ramp’ for people to consider their long term shift for the way they live their life - its feel good activism that's fun, love filled and purposeful.Show NotesCreating a wedding carbon calculator Her aha moment on the ground in Malawi The average western wedding costs $35k Incorporating more giving into our weddings Using weddings as a chance to give backThe fundamental lack of sustainability mindsets in the wedding sphereCreating a day that represents peoples truth Rewriting wedding cultureCovid weddings - smaller, simpler and more meaningfulReverse the wedding plan design to build from the basics upA midday nap = successEnough is living a life where I can look after myself, my family and my mental health Learning to be satisfied with who we are within ourselvesThe more grateful you are the more generous you are Building your community through your weddingWedding ritualsCoregulating by placing a hand on each others heart and breathing togetherCocreating the wedding with your communitySlowing down and honouring the ceremonyRepeating the wedding rituals with a small group of special peopleWeddings are one of our very last traditions and this means it carries much weighty expectationThe smaller weddings are more intimate and allow more room for open emotional vulnerabilityWeddings that don’t follow the rules but create their own patternsEnsuring that you are awake and heard by each other not just on your wedding day but for a lifetimeThe way you celebrate your wedding day is the foundation for the way you will spend your life togetherIf the wedding planning is all driven by the bride does this set the tone for the relationshipHaving the hard questions about values alignment before you get to the altarReframing value and reconnecting multi generations - yearning to recreate traditional connectionsShared stories across generationsUsing our privilege to share knowledge and action resilienceReducing travel and guest size is the single greatest way to reduce a wedding footprintAvoid imported flowers opt instead for ‘slow flowers’Not letting pinterest be the guide but the seasonsThink about every decision you make as something that can regenerate, sustain or degenerate something or someoneSmall weddings are more relaxedDefining a united vision and purpose of something thats greater than yourselfReferencesLess stuff, more meaningWedding footprint calculatorPodcast partners ROCK!Hidden Sea - Wine that saves the seaNutrisoilWwoof AustraliaBuy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the showCasual Support - Buy Me A CoffeeRegular Support - PatreonSupport the showSupport the show

As the host of the the 'regen-narration podcast, listening, learning and storytelling is this mans lens. Join us in getting comfortable sitting in silence while we wait for the insightsWith an intent for working collaboratively and creating a community of care, this conversation is flowing and abstract, reflecting on our life of fat, comfort and ease while we need to to embrace the discomforts of our future - learning new skills to navigate a world without rose coloured glasses while maintaining action and hope that is meaningful and uplifting.Show Notes Why his podcast is its own entity Why he is as curious and hopeful as all heckMeta narratives of the regeneration movementHow communities are used as political pawns and divided when actually we are stronger when unitedWhat he imagines life will be in 50 yearsWhy he believes our future is not yet written Elite structures are the abstractions blocking all of us from connection to countryWhat he is doing to get around the colonial abstractionsFinding what it is you can bring to others and offering it with generosityHow can we all implement the things we are learning to the way we live our livesBuilding a community of people Navigating the complexities of human-ness in our efforts to rebuild our communitiesCreating a Community of carePrioritising the living systems - not just supplanting the current paradigm solutionsOwning and claiming your own storytelling narrative - be in it, share it, connect with itRemoving binary thinkingRevelling in the space of head/heart truthOur mind (the way we think) is based in biological reality and so is the way we feel - how can we chart a holistic, intuitive, experiential way forwardMore of us are going to feel the sharp edges of climate impactThe power of the in-betweenWhile we’re nothing on our own we are magnificent as a sum of the partsMinimising intellectual explanation and leaving room for a felt experienceIt’s time to come together across cultures, across words, across knowledge barriersOur divisions are usually accentuated by the powers that beReferencesRegennarration podcastKim Ngyuan - Conversations with coalminers about climate changeAmanda Cahil - the Next EconomyPaul Hawken Damon Gameau - Regenerate AustraliaTyson Yunkaporta - futuresteading interviewKing Stingray - indigenous bandPodcast partners ROCK!Hidden Sea - Wine that saves the seaNutrisoilWwoof AustraliaBuy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the showCasual Support - Buy Me A CoffeeRegular Support - PatreonSupport the showSupport the show

Sustainability is not just what you consume. It's a deeply fulfilling way to be in the world. We ask why we can’t just build arks & sail away with a few privileged like minded people & instead define value in seeking a sensorial life w a connection to place & community. Since moving to Indonesia Kristine has learnt that you can’t count in minutes & hours the value of what you produce, she has watched her little boy learn to read nature & that when you unlearn some things it gives you space to learn new things. Author of Anti Trend. Kristine is a Dane now living in Bali, with a long and celebrated career in Design Tech. Her research focuses on sustainable product design, philosophical aesthetics, aesthetic nourishment and above all else the social and ecological responsibility of the design world.Show NotesThrowing it all in & moving to Bali for a new family lifeRecalibrating from a design first approach to a minimalist existenceSo many discarded things in our world - deems things valuelessFocussing on permanence rather than short termismStarting by understanding your aesthetic & pleasure preferencesAvoiding dogma and rules for evolution towards regenerationLooking to designers to take responsibility for what they put into the world How life altering it is to be outside all the time in her tropical lifeHow going barefoot & being out-of-doors connects you to your surroundingsConvenience is the biggest sinner in the face of a sustainable existence Embracing friction & rawness. Avoid smoothness & convenienceChoosing a path that is not just ‘saving ourselves’Preserving ancient traditionsSeeking craft made over mass producedBuilding rhythms that nourish youThe value of journaling & repetition of actionsPassing skills of slowness onto the next generationSeeking out the challenges & avoiding the instantaneous Seeking richness that ritual brings without being labelled with terms like wokeFinding products that are charged by the hands that hold them rather than the machines that spew them out Following intuition to make big decisionsEeking space in order to let creativity flourishHaving to unlearn in order to embrace a subsistence existenceReframing the industrial paradigm for a life with meaningWorking 9-5 is not suited to the majority of humans.Unlearning a work ethic & finding peace with being active but not focussed on ‘output;Seeking a sensorial existenceCeremony - Full moon, new moon, harvest, take on a more indigenous way of navigating lifePhysiological response to the broader happenings Her little boys ability to read natureWhen you unlearn some things it gives you space to learn new thingsReferencesAnti TrendGreen SchoolPodcast partners ROCK!Hidden Sea - Wine that saves the seaNutrisoilWwoof AustraliaBuy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the showCasual Support - Buy Me A CoffeeRegular Support - PatreonSupport the showSupport the show

What would it be like to rely solely on yourself, lean into ecological literacy, to really notice the changing patterns of the season & offer yourself the time it genuinely takes to live intimately with the earth . Claire tells of her pathway to following a calling to initiation - a need to let her social identity rot away on the forest floor & go into a place of deep introspection. Spurred by a primal knowledge that we are living in a world with a deficit in: nature, elders, community, ritual & skills, Claire is rewriting her story & rebuilding the culture around her to become one of eco awakening - it starts with something as basic as an intentional 'wander' or journaling & accepting awkwardness as we relearn the art of village building using pan cultural tools like rhythm, percussion, scent, song, body movement, repetition, nature noticing,Show NotesSpending a year off grid, alone, connecting to her human identityTo do what I could to be a voice for the voicelessHer psyche turned towards a deep interconnectedness which heals the rift between the human soul & natureThe constant flow of the forest sees an intruding human as a benign presenceRewriting her patterns of productivity, structure, Growing from a solo wolf into a community beingWhy she never felt lonely when in the bushLearning the art of community generated & self designed ceremony which links nature & cultureVision quests - multiple days along in a wild place. A way to mark a transition that's already happening. A strong ceremony with an element of ordeal which humbles us & marks us porous to some of the quieter conversations.Deep adaptation is what we’re needing. How can I live well on the land, in community with a thriving culture with wisdom around the journey of adolescence to adulthood. Reclaiming what we've lost, what we've buried but reclaiming culture in a contemporary setting.Hunter gatherers challenge - eating only what you grow, forage or barteredFeasting on community through intention, dedication, time, conflict, conversationsGrief as a community builder Sparking ourselves through rewilding - a full expression of our animus being - creativity, love, vision, vitality, quiet, deep attuned listening, Removing abstractions from our ability to connect to our life support systems - our embeddedness with the web of life“Don't ask what the world needs of us, ask what makes you come alive and go do that because what the world needs most right now is a population of people who are alive”ReferencesNatures apprenticeMy year without matchesRewilding the urban soulJoanna Macy - Active hopePodcast partners ROCK!Hidden Sea - Wine that saves the seaNutrisoilWwoof AustraliaBuy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show Casual Support - Buy Me A CoffeeRegular Support - PatreonSupport the show

Do you know where your grain comes from... the farmers name... how they grow it? Woodstock flour are doing their level best to change the last frontier via the power of building relationships and connecting. Join Jade and Courtenay as they get gritty on grains and hear why we need to value its diversity and regionality just like we do wine or cheese. Show NotesWhy food production is the avenue to create the most significant environmental changeFinding a way to fit into the family farm as the 2nd generation via a stone mill & farmers marketsGetting people to think about their grain consumption as they do their veggies or fruitVenturing onto their own farm in RutherglenDiversifying & de-risking as part of the succession planMaintaining identity in the succession processBuilding a farm business that is totally collaborative & openly shares knowledgeThe importance of transparency in building a movementThe power of open minded, interactive relationshipsBuilding a business via the lens of socio-political factorsLand ownership & its connection to class & race - privilegeFacing the confronting reality of land ownership on unceded landCSA model for grainsCovid experiences of customer demandsOpen Road ProjectEducation about true cost of food & reconciling the inaccessibility of this realityThe journey of creating a path to market from scratchThe value of putting yourself into things regardless of financial return in the short timeHolistic management Collaborating with community is often an opportunity to connect with land, find joy through connection to others & learn from all that’s around usAcknowledging the slow pace of us as humansHow do we get the next generation interested in food production?The beauty of rural communities being accepting of each others ways & thinking Finding solidarity in the wine growing communityRising early to paint - no excuses, no interruptionsDefining business roles in a small family business Being deliberate about the daily decisions to ensure balanceHow her painting complements her businessBookending the day at the dinner tableReferencesWoodstock flour websiteFood Connect in BrisbaneOpen Food NetworkKirsten and Serenity Futuresteading InterviewTivoli Road BakeryHolistic Management Riverina Organics Growers GroupPodcast partners ROCK!Hidden Sea - Wine that saves the seaNutrisoilWwoof AustraliaBuy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the showCasual Support - Buy Me A Coffee Regular Support - PatreonSupport the show

Following the shocking & heartbreaking death of her younger sister Indira leant into grief with the help of the natural world. She formed a deep friendship with a tree, learnt the power of self trust & became conscious of death in a way that led her to see puddles as portals into another world.Despite the genesis, this conversation is joyful & powerful.Show Notes Forced to be present - the pressure is off Living the now is how the body and mind forces you to be in grief"The ‘now’ is not muddied by the past or the expectation of the future"Tackling the big topics and being prepared to sit with loss, grief and unexplained emotionsDiscovering that the answers to all the questions sit within you if you're prepared to lean into the discomfortDiscovering it's possible to feel closer to people in death than in lifeThe forgiveness that comes with deathDeliberately seeking the wondrous memories to overcome the sadnessBecoming much more contented and grateful in the face of griefLive while you are alive and don’t die until you are dead - suck the marrow out of life Why the fuzziness has been taken out of life - she is rarely not sure anymoreLearning to listen to herselfLearning to make your backyard your worldWhy her tree is her favourite place on earthWaiting for a generation before we see the impact of our actionsBy being still you realise you're not separate from nature but part of it.Why she no longer sees where her skin ends and the bark on the tree begins Let’s go fly a kite togetherReminding people to seek healing capacity through natureFinding ways to create a sense of boundless space Understanding the impact of the colour greenAllow yourself to be where you areTrust how you’re feeling, what makes you feel betterThe varied faces of griefWhy acceptance wasn’t enough - seeking meaning is the next phaseLearning we are in ‘the line’ Becoming livened by the idea that death won’t elude any of usDiscovering how much knowledge is already in your DNA - but learning how to unlock itUnlearning ‘being the one with all the answers’Spending time with people who are “experts in life”Stepping away from manufacturing experiences Discovering intoxication by being aware of the nature around me rather than the addition of stimulantsThe power of observationBecoming conscious of the subtle nuances in life Being drawn to the force of a treeBaby steps to bring change NOW to open a crack of light in lifeFind the time to build magic into your lifeReferencesThe Space Between the Stars - Indira Naidoo Podcast partners ROCK!Hidden Sea - Wine that saves the seaNutrisoilWwoof AustraliaBuy the BookFuturesteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the showCasual Support - Buy Me A Coffee Regular Support - PatreonSupport the show

Summer is for going slow with your people. We're making the most of this too here at FS HQ. But don't worry, we've created a short & sexy summer season of thought provocation by delving into the archives & reloading some of the best conversations we've recorded over the last two years.If there's a human who represents the quintessential qualities of living like tomorrow matters, it just might be Hannah Maloney. A former front line picketer, Hannah transitioned to a more sustainable approach to advocacy for climate action and First Nations justice when she founded Good Life Permaculture and is now based in Tassie on Muwinina country where days of voluntary simplicity provide time for her community which she collaborates with to teach, design and live with love. Hannah is a radical homemaker who has just released a book, blogs her knowledge for all to learn from and has recently forayed into the world of television presenting on Gardening Australia.SHOW NOTESHannah's transition from frontline activism to a more sustainable pace to avoid burnoutWhy a simple life can be a hard life but when infused with joy, a wonderful lifeFollowing your Shen energyChoosing to sit on the edge of comfort and forcing yourself to cope with discomfort where often the greatest outcome is achievedShowing up despite adversity, for the sake of the individual AND self assuranceDiscovering the wonders of planting, food flowers and fibreGoing to bed in a state of love every dayPractical ideas for swapping resources with our neighbours like your vacuumSeeking ways to be more usefulAvoiding dogma for self and othersLoving people unconditionally where they’re atWhy she wakes at 4am each dayPreserving her natural energyRadical Hope - it's not what you might suspectThe power of imaginationLINKS YOU'LL LOVEGood Life PermacultureHannahs New Book - The Good Life “From What Is To What If” - Rob HopkinsThanks to our podcast partners:Wwoof AustraliaNutrisoilBuy the Book Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/futuresteading)The rockstars who smooth the sound: Open Door StudiosSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/futuresteading)Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/futuresteading)Support the show

Summer is for going slow with your people. We're making the most of this too here at FS HQ. But don't worry, we've created a short & sexy summer season of thought provocation by delving into the archives & reloading some of the best conversations we've recorded over the last two years.Get to know the wild, wise and wonderful Steph Phillips (aka Green and Growing Things) who's living the simple life in rural Tassie.Steph shares her four year transition from “Stiletto Steph” to “Simple Steph”, now raising three nature-loving wildlings in a frugal, seasonal and rhythmic fashion that's our kind of inspirational.In this slow paced and honest convo, Steph talks about everything from making paint from foraged materials to self-compassion, community bonds and her love/hate relationship with social media.One of those positive and affirming conversations that'll make you feel a whole lot better about the world. Listen in.SHOW NOTESRaising wildlings From having a purpose-built shoe wardrobe to her current lifeThe influence of Sir David Attenborough in kicking off her life changesBedding down small changes before you leap to the next changeThe importance of hibernation time: read, think, sit in order to gain strength for the busy timesHelping kids fall in love with the earthAvoiding comparison-itis with really strong boundaries on social mediaWhy we need to stay connected to self, our surrounds, the natural worldThe ‘say and do gap’. The power of leading by example and sitting in your crap.Guiding children with the mantra: “Use your manners and trust your heart.”Moving to Tassie four years agoA day in the life of a family of five who are living intentionally and simplyCreating a farm of ‘pets’Natural activities for kids: foraging, paint-making, collectionsForcing yourself to see the beauty in things; to stop, observe and give them the reverence they deserve.The delight of writing a book that fosters creativity and curiosityBeing kind to ourselves despite feeling the weight of hypocrisyParticipating in things that are out of our comfort zones; womens circles, chanting groupsEveryone has a storyTreating your phone like the inanimate object that it isMaking water colour paints from foraged findsLINKS YOU'LL LOVEGreen and Growing Things on Instagram + OnlineThanks to our podcast partners:Wwoof AustraliaNutrisoilBuy the Book Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/futuresteading)The rockstars who smooth the sound: Open Door StudiosSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/futuresteading)Support the show

Summer is for going slow with your people. We're making the most of this too here at FS HQ. But don't worry, we've created a short & sexy summer season of thought provocation by delving into the archives & reloading some of the best conversations we've recorded over the last two years.Warning: this episode with Rob Greenfield might make you want to do something crazy - like sell all your material possessions, set off on an adventure with only a backpack and faith in human kindness, or build a tiny home from reclaimed materials with your mates.Rob is an activist & humanitarian dedicated to leading the way to a more sustainable, just & equal world. He embarks on extreme projects to bring attention to important global issues & inspire positive change. Rob’s life is an embodiment of Gandhi’s philosophy, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” He believes that our actions really do matter & that as individuals and communities we have the power to improve the world around us. Rob donates 100% of his media earnings to grassroots nonprofits and has committed to living simply and responsibly for life.This conversation strikes the balance between inspiration & groundedness, & will leave you feeling both comforted & courageous. SHOW NOTESFrom shining his car on Sundays at age 25 with dollar signs in his eyes to dumpster diving over 2,000 times and being a beacon for radical change around the world.The decision to transform his life so he stopped destroying the earthMaking one positive change every single week for two yearsIntersectional environmentalism - deeply intertwined problems and their solutionsBuilding feedback loops towards empowerment and a sustainable foundationHolistic decision makingTravelling the world for the same price as the annual cost of a carBuilding freedom by avoiding the minimum monthly repayment trapLiving a life that's not so 'protected’ or ‘insured’The truth: a quality existence takes time, travel, eating, learning, conversing.Spreading excess when you have it so life is more equitable - from those who have enough to those who have too little.Demonetising life relies on more human kindnessThe illusion that money makes us independentTeaching our kids critical thinking and about relationships to thrive in a post carbon economySkill sharing The power of needing each otherThe problems with convenienceThe psychology of changeThe value of minimising judgement and enhancing compassion and understandingStarting with the things which excite you the mostLINKS YOU'LL LOVERob's websiteRob's InstagramThanks to our podcast partners:Wwoof AustraliaNutrisoilBuy the Book Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/futuresteading)The rockstars who smooth the sound: Open Door StudiosSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/futuresteading)Support the show

Summer is for going slow with your people. We're making the most of this too here at FS HQ. But don't worry, we've created a short & sexy summer season of thought provocation by delving into the archives & reloading some of the best conversations we've recorded over the last two years.Have you spent much time in the bush on your own? Do you listen to your heart when making life's big decisions?What about social media - ever given it the flick?This conversation with Tricia Hogbin of little eco footprints might inspire you to do more of all three. Tricia lives with her husband and daughter in a downscaled shipping container, and while her “husband earns the money, she earns their resilience”.She takes her cues from Mother Nature and the moon, and knows the power of taking a breather, slowing down and seeking answers by turning inwards.With a good dose of open and healthy conversation about the life stages of women , all things moon cycles, shamanic witchcraft and spending time alone in the bush, this might just be the conversation all women need to hear to inspire that curious path of listening to one's heart.SHOW NOTESAvoiding the debt trapChildhood commitment to protecting natureObscene naive materialism where consumption is dictating our choicesNature connection gatherings for women, focus on slowing down, tuning into inner self, ritualBarefoot bushwalking, women’s circlesLiving a life by the cycles of the moonExperiencing a wilderness soloStepping away from the grip of social media & taking a six month sabbaticalHaving the same rules for online communications as we do in the real worldRaising children who are resilient, creative and courageousShamanic Womancraft: reconnecting with the earth seasons and the lunar cycles. “A way to facilitate healing by reclaiming our feminine knowledge.” Facing menopausePre Menstural Supervision Maiden, Mother, Maga, Crone“The deeper the journey, the more inwards I face and the smoother the road out in front.”Seeking time with wise eldersTaking time in the forest for wild solitude to create a clear vision and gift yourself timeThe beauty of being uncomfortable and inconveniencedTurning the volume of others down so we can listen to our wise hearts LINKS YOU'LL LOVEWildcraft Australia School of Shamanic Womancraft • Come Home to Your Wild SelfThe Wisdom of Menopause - Christiane NorthrupThe Power Of Menopause with Jane Hardwicke Collings Little Eco Footprints - Website + InstagramThanks to our podcast partners:Wwoof AustraliaNutrisoilBuy the Book Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/futuresteading)The rockstars who smooth the sound: Open Door StudiosSupport the show

Summer is for going slow with your people. We're making the most of this too here at FS HQ. But don't worry, we've created a short & sexy summer season of thought provocation by delving into the archives & reloading some of the best conversations we've recorded over the last two years.Kirsten Bradley has dedicated the last 13 years (in cahoots with partner Nick Ritar and a host of thinkers and doers) to helping people learn permaculture skills for living like it matters.We’re referring to Milkwood, of course. And today we get a backstage pass to the brain of its co-creator; a joyous conversation indeed.Kirsten has a knack for distilling big ideas into bite size words of wisdom, bringing decades of lived experience to our cuppa-tea-with-a-mate interview that will leave you feeling affirmed and hopeful.She shares her trajectory from inner-city artist to iconic permaculture educator, author and champion of back-to-basics living. Her thoughts on long-term renting, community sufficiency, ways of stewarding land (that don’t necessarily involve buying a massive property), how to bypass hypocrisy and why to get comfy with shades of grey.Post-episode, you’ll probably want to knock on your neighbour’s door and offer them surplus garden greens - because, according to Kirsten, community connection is the bedrock of a better life (and planet). Listen, absorb, enjoy.SHOW NOTESLiving in Tassie - autonomy and community sufficiency. Insights from their trials of different ways of living (including family farming, community living, homesteading, share houses).Alternative ways to steward land (other than ownership)Actions to consider now foro a better future: 1. Growing food, anywhere/anyhow. 2. Community involvement - get enmeshed, get involved. 3. Figure out your greatest skills and what you can contribute to and learn from your community.Reframing life towards what mattersWhy helping people reclaim lost skills is the most incredible life path she could have chosen.Bypassing the guilt of hypocrisy and embracing good habits.The value of seeking out ‘wild spaces’.Why getting to know your ecosystem is fundamental to living a good life (your watershed, the First Nations title for the land you reside on, your climate, your seasons)The evolution of thought and practical outcomes which has come from living in different environments and communities.Accepting shades of grey over black and white.Stepping past the one family/one house concept.The tension between tenancy, tenure, community values, land use/management and ownership.How disasters crystallise community bedrock.Why they'd rather steward less land, not more.LINKS YOU'LL LOVERebecca Solnit - “Hope In The Dark”Melliodora PublishingMilkwood - Real Skills for Down-To-Earth LivingThanks to our podcast partners:Wwoof AustraliaNutrisoilBuy the Book Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/futuresteading)The rockstars who smooth the sound: Open Door StudiosSupport the show

Summer is for going slow with your people. We're making the most of this too here at FS HQ. But don't worry, we've created a short & sexy summer season of thought provocation by delving into the archives & reloading some of the best conversations we've recorded over the last two years.This week, Sadie Chrestman that beautiful soul from Fat Pig Farm shares her story of moving to Tassie with partner Matthew Evans to start a new, rural life - in her forties. We ask her what it’s like being ‘that famous treechanger’, why she’s obsessed with the soil, about her pledge to drink tea with strangers, and how she discovered her dream job at 50.Her humble, level-headed wisdom is the antidote to overwhelm and an inspiration for anyone wanting to radically change their life - one pig at a time.SHOW NOTESSadie’s unconventional childhood in India and Indonesia.The impacts of COVID-19 on Fat Pig Farm’s long table lunches. Pros and cons of homesteading (in covid times)Why you can’t isolate yourself from your community (even if you’re pursuing self-sufficiency). Why to knock on your neighbour’s door and say hello - even if you live in the city. How to stop worrying so much about what people think. The beauty of finding something in common with a complete stranger. A pledge to connect at the school bus stop. Why growing food and replenishing the soil helps reassure her in a time of climate emergency.How you can generate your own sense of place - even if you’re a long way from home. Words of encouragement for first generation or “older” farmers. The simple ways we can all begin a transitional path to a better tomorrow. Has Sadie ever doubted the path she’s on? Sadie’s one piece of advice for a better tomorrow. LINKS YOU'LL LOVEThe Good Life: What Makes A Life Worth Living? - Hugh Mackay, Farming Democracy - Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance On Eating Meat; The Real Food Companion; The Dirty Chef; The Commons - Matthew EvansGourmet Farmer - SBS Series Fat Pig Farm + @fatpigfarmThanks to our podcast partners:Wwoof AustraliaNutrisoilBuy the Book Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/futuresteading)The rockstars who smooth the sound: Open Door StudiosSupport the show

Much has changed since we last spoke with this illustrating educator. She shares the ins & outs of life in a house truck, seeking ‘normalcy’ while building her new home in WA & her lived experience of life in intentional communities all over the world. She delights at her recent discovery of sociocracy as a tool for empowering and engaging individuals and we delve into her efforts to stay kind, creative and connected in this time of great transition.Episode SummaryBecoming comfortable with really big changesHer tick boxes for the place she is happy to live inLife in their vegetable oil truck - big red bevCreating her own vision with partner Charlie McGeeSourcing her food without having a place to grow it herselfCreating a life that is less transitoryLand ownership was always an elusive ideaFinding safe places to live by trading social capital Building a long term homeComing to terms with a forever home and think long term - building soil, growing perennial crops,Using legacy thinking to make your decisionsThrowing her creative energies behind making changeNew Year ceremony - writing a recap of previous year and hopes for the coming yearAnimals really tie us to the deep ancestral seasonal existence, sun up, sun downMoonthly cycle - celebrating every full moon with your peopleThe fund and games of building your own homeLiving in a 2 x 3 metre truck Breaking the cycle of the endless to-do listThe nitty gritty of life in an intentional community Peace Street communityHer lived experiences of life in intentional communities all over the worldSociocracy - details of this process in actionDividing into working groups for action and accountabilityDefining your roles in a new social environmentDesigning her home using permaculture design thinkingMoments of reflection are an investment in a future work life balance.”Sometime by taking a step back allows different and new ideas to flourish that take more than one step forward”Tuning into creativity when things are quietWhy hope sits in actionThe main thing we need right now if for everybody who can - to do something, no matter how smallSeeking feedback loops which connect you to the issues surrounding usSourdough isn't going to save the world but if it connects all the middle class people in the world to do something then this is where the awakening will occur.Observing how differently people approach the art of creating ripples.We’re in this for the long haul - there isn't time for weekend activismThe role of the arts in making sense of the challenges and our response to it.“Soupie” a community gathering excuseKindness for humanity lessons from around the globeFinding ways to be happy with not muchMost of the world lives with so much less than what Australians call normalIf we have privilege and we live lives of abundance, the least we can do is actively contribute to our community.ReferencesTransition townsAustralian Food Sovereignty allianceThanks to our podcast partners:Wwoof AustraliaNutrisoilBuy the BookFuturesteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersShout out to the rockstars who smooth the soundOpen Door StudiosSupport the show

Tyson Yunkaporta is an Apalech man who is an academic, researcher arts critic & father. He is also the author of Sand Talk, an extraordinary reading experience. Like many of Australia’s First Peoples, he has a complex identity and history but it's this that gives him authority to write and speak in a way which connects the wisdom of the past to the needs of the future. The way he thinks demands a longer term perspective. He is both philosophical and practical, compassionate yet realistic. He is filled with an other-worldly understanding of humanity. In this conversation he urges us to consider the non linear complexity of the world. He challenges our expectations, points out cultural shortcomings and invites us to recognise indigenous concepts and their history. Importantly he shows how these patterns have the potential to be incorporated into our non indigenous thinking which builds hope and possibility to benefit us all.“I don’t have answers but I know that stories connect us to country. Country knows the answers. Notice it and be a custodian".Episode SummaryMinimising abstractions between lore and landThe illusion of the environment which is hidden by siloed systemsLet’s look like dickheads for a minute while we work out the path forwardLooking for seasonal signs and responding to themLore carries recipes for how to live our lives with story and patternComing back into rhythm with the natural worldRunning out of time - the time to reconnect with country is nowThe dominating authoritarianism in the western world demands people are disconnected from the landscapeMutual aid activism - not about throwing bombs but making sure everyone is fed.Self determination being thwarted by authoritarianismStop looking at things and look at structures, systems and patterns insteadQuietly getting on with it - syndicate your neighbourhood with the next neighbourhoodThe bullshit of nation building is key in the decimation of connection to country.Activism is an industry Positive and negative feedback loops to understand how symbioses interlock with othersStory, ceremony and ritual for real thinking and real meaning makingUntil art became capital it was something that every human did every day to understand their place in the worldHow do we find a way of storytelling without reducing it to words"Image, dance, song - can all portray story but they have no depth of meaning if they don't have place"The lore is in the land "Leave those who are pecking over the carcass of the earth to their dying beliefs and the rest of us can get on with rebuilding relationships, stories, knowledge and place. Quietly and with people"Why we need to stop self flagellating acknowledgments of country and start building relationshipsReferencesViktor Stefanson - fire country managementSand Talk - Tyson YunkaportaThe other others - podcast.Thanks to our podcast partners:Wwoof AustraliaNutrisoilBuy the BookFuturesteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersShout out to the rockstars who smooth the sound Open Door StudiosSupport the show

Jo Smith is a self proclaimed generalist who juggles life as a twin mama, market gardener, yoga therapist & active contributor to her tiny Tasmanian community on Bruny Island. Jade & Jo shoot the breeze about farming life & decide that despite the hardships, she wouldn't trade it for the world - even the wind. Join them for tangents & truths of this beautiful, grounded, physical & dirty existence at the bottom of the world. Episode SummaryGrowing food for others to navigate mental healthBeing a twin mama, type A, vata personalityFinding solace in the garden letting mother earth healThe endless lessons that are taught by gardening Learning to surrender to the reality that there’s no controlIf we nurture mother nature she nurtures us and then we can nurture othersSeeing gardening as being a nutritionist From no knowledge about growing food to feeling deeply connected to landKeep growing food no matter what the success or failuresLearning from others regardless of fundamental beliefsConsidering water, wind, soil type and access to markets before going into farming/growingThe truth of country life - it’s bloody hardFarming is the LONG game - Don't get into farming if you’re seeking instant gratification10 years to build up the soil as a no dig gardenWanting to grow food rather than go to the shopsPrioritising self care; daily meditation, nightly restorative yoga, excellent diet, Starting with 2.5 x 2.5 metres to learn the art of gardening before expanding into market scaleReminding ourselves that we can’t do it allHaving $ to set up a farm and juggling that balanceSharing the farming experience honestly, Hope driven by the increasing enthusiasm from people who want to be part of the change Identifying and sharing the ‘WHY’ behind our livesIt took a couple of years to recalibrate her pace & become comfortable with the quietThe art of entertaining yourself - taking ownership of our leisure timeYogic Dharma - your life purposeReconnecting back to selfBuilding self belief and learning to really listenCircular reciprocityLiving naturally and sharing with others as her way to offer serviceWe make change by creating communities of sharing wisdom and knowledge and playing the part that we are supposed to.Living in community requires incredible patience, tolerance and open mindednessEmbracing identity as ALL the things that we are not just the curated brandBeing YOUBecoming adept at adaptingBeing an intuitive generalist rather than an academic specialistNot pretending - Finding your flow Leaning on communityRe establishing our culture to acknowledge those around usReferencesBruny Island WildBruny Island CoopNaturally well with JoPodcast partners ROCK!Wwoof AustraliaNutrisoilBuy the BookFuturesteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersShout out to the rockstars who smooth the soundOpen Door StudiosSupport the show

Absorb permaculture wisdom from an elder who encourages us to look up to the sky and then act out across the earth, in unison with others and with dirt beneath our bare feet. Su Dennett lives at Meliodora a 2.25 acre, 35 year old permaculture demonstration property she has established with her partner David Holmgren. She is a force - as strong as she is soothing. This conversation pushes us to connect with self, place & community & to create a life that is small, localised, abundantly rich and with community shared responsibility for the village. SummaryWomen being in their powerGrowing up just after the war more or less self sufficient as her life foundationThe value of learning through adversityHer journey to living a ‘feeling’ ‘human’ lifeLessons learnt while living in Europe - growing food and connecting to the earthGoing lateral rather than climbing to the top which is futile and disconnectingBuying marginal land in the country rather than a city block to avoid a mortgageLetting kids learn by ‘osmosis’ through doing rather than ‘teaching’The limitations of the school systemlearning about nature and the patterns of life before we learn about everything elseWhile there are limits to a seasonal life, this does not have to be limitingOur focus needs to be on the limitless growth areas of communityLearning to be alongside those who think differentlyBeing alienated from nature requires a pathway to get back in - family and household economies are the baseline for that Even the village fool had a role to play The intellectual is only one part of usAvoiding a sanitised world for the sake of a diverse gut healthLiving expansivelyBegin with bare feet - stop isolating ourselves from the earthLockdown silver liningsRemoving the back fence to create communitySharing your excess as a stepping stone to relationshipsLooking for the positives in what otherwise felt like negatives - bikes over cars, simple peasant foods, seed sharing, Discovering a happier state with simplicityExploring ONE thing at a timeA lateral existenceRespecting earth, water, air by actively considering them and slowing downWomens place is in the home but so is mens and childrensHow much is enough? Why don't we sit on the floor more, live in smaller spaces, White mans burden of ownership - but how we transition away from it is the challengeLearning about our own cultural heritage in order to understand our first nations heritageRespecting elder wisdomReintroducing rites of passage to honour all stages of life Building support networks for our youthAvoiding sanitisation from food to ideasYou cannot become a well grounded individual if you don't suffer adversity - endless happiness is farcicalFulfilment is about being valued, thinking laterally, be an individual.ReferencesMelliodoraTransition towns movementRetrosuburbiaArtists as FamilyThanks to our podcast partners:Wwoof AustraliaNutrisoiBuy the BookFuturesteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show

A story teller for change, voice for young people and founder of Humiform. Megan became a professional dancer at 14, a fair fashion advocate who walked across South East Asia to share stories of good in her early 20’s and now has turned her efforts to working with kids in a way that gives them agency and a connection to the outside world. She speaks not only from her lived experience but also from a place of realness that is easily relatable and that kids gravitate towards. She asks ‘what if’, and walks her talk. Episode SummaryChanging her view of the world through the lens of passionate social and environmental activist kidsGiving kids the chance to drive their own projects Do screens change our kids worldsHaving parents who trusted her 100%Starting a full time dance career at 14 until she was 27Cruise ships are a microcosm of the real world where inequality is prevalent and impossible to ignoreLeaving cruise ships once she realised her white privilegeWhy it’s so hard to live your values when the systems are set up to maintain status quo. The difficulty in finding time to appreciate nuances especially in the fashion industryThe inconvenience of nuances in marketingLooking to nature for the diverse solutions and embracing it Young people are the way forward because they JUST GET IT Young people are powerful. They see the interconnectedness of the worldThe future our children face is vastly different to the world we facedComing to terms with knowing that the world is going to change and there will be lossAcknowledging that change has always happened and being ok to be part of the adaptationBuilding a business as a force for goodBusinesses taking action where the government is not to create deep change Businesses need to give back to the world rather than just takingThe loneliness of being an edge dweller in the things she chooses to doThe education system is a dinosaur Avoiding projects that perpetuate the white saviour mentalityWalk Sew Good - her walk across South East Asia to share stories about people creating good fashion stories15k kg of clothing goes to landfill every 10 minutes in AustraliaIf we were as connected to our clothing as the people she met on her walk it could change the world. Creating a space for kids that have no rulesHer vision of an education system We don’t know what the world is going to look like in the future so who are we to dictate what our kids should be learningWe need to ask “what is the purpose for education in our time” Be obsessed with not knowing things and let your thinking be challengedReferencesThe good place - Netflix series.Humiform Walk Sew GoodWhat if- Rob HopkinsThanks to our podcast partners:Wwoof AustraliaNutrisoilBuy the BookFuturesteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show

Hannah Maloney: Our fave IT girl is back in your ears to share her message of radical hope, living a life of joy and pushing past the overwhelm at the state of the world despite being furious at current politics. In her usual effervescent manner, we chat about all the hard things including her 'unlearning journey' and the power of self reflection. As charismatic and breathtaking as she is accessible-girl-next-door, listen in to this convo with Hannah Maloney for a little taste of the good life ... but don't expect it to be the easy life.Episode SummaryReleased her first book recently. Radical Hope: how to have active hope. Code red for humanity. IPCC report. How to deal with sadness of the state of the world? Being furious at current politics and industry leaders. The climate conversation is everyone’s conversation. We need to connect through open-minded, honest conversation. How do you have those conversations on the divide? How are you expressing your deepest concerns without being more divisive? Start normalising the hard conversations without the fear of stuffing it up, without the fear of offending or misunderstanding the topics and indigenous knowledge. Creating a cultural revolution where we rebuilt what success looks like Our individual sense of enough in a society that heavily relies on intellect, academia and consumption. Talk about social justice and how the death of her mother at a young age strengthened desire making to make it a part of your identity. Family relations: Having a healthy distance in family. In our culture we have this assumption that you have to be close to family and can rely on support from them but that is not always the case for us. Talk about unlearning all sorts of things! unlearn to dislike the traditional education system and capitalist approach and fear of speaking up. The importance of reflecting on our own response and to pay attention to our internal landscape. Our capacity to heal ourselves is important in our capacity to heal our environment. The Hot Box Hack...Living your best life living below the poverty line.Here’s to hope! ReferencesThe Good Life - Hannah MaloneyConcept of radical hope: Rebecca Solnit IPCC report: wg1Steiner EducationCharles Eisenstein podcast - A new and ancient storyThe Art of Frugal HedonismBlack Barn Farm Thanks to our podcast partners:Wwoof AustraliaNutrisoilBuy the BookFuturesteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show

Clare is so much more than her MS diagnosis but when she contacted us, eager to share how living like tomorrow matters plays out after a diagnosis, we realised we'd never considered her perspective on the show and in that, our privilege became acutely apparent.40% of Australians have a chronic illness yet so often it goes unacknowledged. With a pod of her own and a young family she is building awareness by sharing her every day reality while building solidarity for those in similar shoes. This is her story. Show NotesSuburban childhood that was filled with camping and hiking trips that set her up for an outdoor lifeFinding her people at Wollangarra What is Wollangarra and how it defined her lifeGetting a diagnosis of MS Taking multiple years to accept her diagnosisNeeding more words for pain to describe what life with MS is likeLiving like tomorrow matters for those with a life long health diagnosisWhy its not always possible to make big moves on sustainability actions "If I can grow and eat a tomato plant from seed - that’s a huge achievement"Getting a teaching degree for the single reason to work at falls creek primary schoolRedefining herself as someone with a diagnosis"I’m still the same person I was, I just have another chapter"Women are more likely to be diagnosed so the way MS is communicated is very story-likeLooking after yourself with MS is a full time job Not having the luxury of ignoring self care needs Fitting in the necessary exercises around the every day needsEmbracing being in the cold - swimming every day in the Melbourne bayBeing hopeful because of the way her son responds to the world around you Success sits in daily satisfaction and making a difference to all things big and small, moment to momentThe value of giving yourself a break - Go gentlyTake one step - you don’t have to do all the thingsThe open arms of the MS community which encourages conversation, open grief and removing shame40% of the population have a chronic illness but we are so shamed by this that we don’t talk about it publiclyPeople with disabilities are not necessarily ignored but they are often not seen Planning her days around her health but not wanting to live like its all there is ReferencesWollangarraMS understoodThanks to our podcast partners:Wwoof AustraliaNutrisoilBuy the BookFuturesteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show

Our most downloaded backyard adventurer is chatting with us again but this time with better sound and more sleep under his belt so we are witness to a more true version of this humorous, odd character. A self titled 'polyjobist; a generalist at many things, he shares the challenge of writing a book after a decade in academia, worrying about breaking the law to make films and shares why he took up his granddads wood chopping axes despite his mediochre capability.Our conversation is all 'Miles' - it follows tangents, is really personal and stays true to his advice giving allergy. Show NotesFalling short on expectations and promisesFear of being sued - breaking the law to film documentariesReframing your view of the world from your child-like baseline“Bad River” - soon to be released film series‘I don’t like being a negative storyteller but the time for me to have an opinion is hereI suppose I love attention but I’ve got hermit written all over meA really quiet kid that began to bust out into his physicality which helped define himWas he an undiagnosed dyslexic kid? Is that formative in creating who he is?Learning maths by building things Why he took up grandads ax’s to become a wood chopperBeing the mouth piece for those who you surround yourself withStorytelling via various mediums: Film, book Being Beau - thinking in tangents, following abstract thoughts, speaking in first person, finding your voiceMy greatest skill in life is being a hard workerWhy recording his book as an audio book taught him where his writing faults arePhenomonology - crating definition and essences out of subjectivityThe challenges of being a story teller Our life is about defining our essencesWhile being attracted to individualism - life is simply just better when lived with othersBeing watered down as an individual by becoming a parentWhy community is defined by doing the dishesReducing moving parts - from film making to doing dishesIsland foods - planning a trip with Paul West, Jade Miles and Beau Miles and three basic foodsDescribing himself in three words: Hardy, Resilient, OddI think we are all odd but I'm just willing to say itHis allergy to advice givingIf a story teller is doing their job, there will be a million outcomes as others interpret the insights. This is desirable rather than a singular outcomeLiving like tomorrow matters MUST look different for every single one of us -that's where the magic sitsLiving life with an intentional unknowingnessAs a film maker he doesn’t want to know what the outcomes will be, he wants a surprise and that raw, honest reality of one day at a time. His hopefulness comes from where he livesReferencesThe Backyard AdventurerBeau Miles You TubeBeauisms - InstagramCasey Nistadt - New York story tellerThanks to our podcast partners:Wwoof AustraliaNutrisoilBuy the BookFuturesteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show

Sharing her evolution from academic keyboard warrior to her current reality of being an agroecological pork and beef farmer who's pretty darned handy with the butchers knife and equally as sharp of mind in her contributions to the UN small scale farming policy initiatives.Tammi Jonas is indeed a force of the natural world, never backwards in coming forwards but mellowing with every decade and sharing her successes and failures for the sake of thousands who are following in her footsteps towards a life of farming democracy.Episode SummaryWe dive right into how she fits it all inLeadership - her style of leading from the front with doggedness and squared soldiersResearch and UN food systems mobilisation Credibility that comes out of the dirtHer commitment to food sovereignty across aaaalllllll the tiers of the movementThe brain breaking need to relate local practices to global policyLinking good global initiatives to local practicesApplying food sovereignty thinking to general consumption issuesTaking power back one skill at a timeWe can’t buy ourselves out of this mess - we literally need to joyfully work competently through the upskilling and sharing of The illusion of choice when you see thousands of items for sale in a supermarket is not a place to genuinely beginWhy she considers herself an “agroecological” farmer (political, social, Agroecological theory of change is considered a science, social movement and practical - dedicated to circular bio economies rather than a purchasing of inputs. Agroecology rejects capitalism but values labour over yield.‘Benefaction’ - enabling the farm to do their tasks joyfullyThe rich reality of running internship programs - who are welcomed with the knowledge that they are becoming food sovereignty warriorsAFSA - first-peoples-first initiativeSolidarity - garnering unexplained wholeness but remembering we are all here for each otherWhy there's value in building a new system rather than creating one from the ashes of the old one.Why the rise and fall of farms and community orgs is part and parcel of the movement and should be encouragedBeing comfortable to share the successes AND the failures as a gift for the greater goodBuilding a de-growth mentality to avoid the ruthless capitalist systemCreating small scale farming businesses that are FUN rather than slaves to growthKeeping her eye on the end game dilutes her need to be binary and rage filledWhy the States are not actually similar to the Australian culture - they are wedded to a growth mentality that we don't have so we have an opportunity to learn from their mistakes.Why it’s ok to scale back from the initial visionFraming ‘enough’ as being disentangled from the capitalist system - seeing the sky, feeding her community and others and being ok to go slow when needed.ReferencesJonai FarmsRighteous Porkchop: Finding a Life and Good Food Beyond Factory FarmsFarming democracyAustralian Food Sovereignty AllianceThanks to our podcast partners:Wwoof Australia NutrisoilBuy the BookFuturesteading - Live Like tomorrow mattersSupport the show

You might remember this pocket rocket from Masterchef, perhaps you've heard her on the wireless, has she entertained you at a conference or was she the genius who convinced your kids to love their veggies via 'phenom-e-nom '.Alice-in-frames loves life and doesn’t take herself too seriously but definitely has multi dimensional attributes. A poly-math who's mischevious pixie like-grin and twinkling eyes defy her hard working focus on reaching her singular goal of 'getting us all to love food - fresh food - especially kids. Her self proclaimed super power is seeing everyone else's gold and connecting people to create an outcome of alchemy. If her best selling book 'In praise of Veg is anything to go by, this dynamo is on a ticket to success - What a gift to those in the kitchen...and the farm...and the classroom...and the family dinner table!SUMMARYHer current lockdown project - writing a new book and launching tumamiEating more plants as a self care mechanismRecalibrate your resolution in SpringTeaching skills is in her wheelhouse - reconnecting kids to their foodHarnessing pester power for good and allowing kids an agency to shareTalking about food from a place of curiosity and open hearted kindnessSeeing kids more like a garden than like a piece of wood - soft, evolving, in the momentPandemic acceleration of people valuing foodCreating food markets that are direct to consumerGoing without other things to ensure food is her priorityFood empowers people to connect in a sensual way Tumami is the everything spread - what actually is it though? 40 days of two ingredientsBeing a poly math because its fun and it adds value to her communityWhy she wears a lot of hats and a lot of framesBeing a chameleon in the way she presentsFour eyes and proud! Her self proclaimed myopic ambassador rolePowered by people - plugged into a battery and flying highHer legacy vision - changing the way we speak about food to kids, getting them to love vegWhy she can’t meditate but can lose hours potting broad beansFutureproofing the relationship that the next generation has with food Coming at projects from a place of hopefulness and seeking allies Food is the hook to engage kids early and teach them everything from there'Phenomenom' - a free resource for everyone to engage kids in knowing their Enough is a feeling, its a spark, connection, growth, fulfilment, my family.She wants to finish every single day and feel like she's squeezed the bejesus out of it. Super power: seeing the super powers of others and connecting people. Contagious enthusiasm, she's been gifted a voice that people listen to and find comfortingReferencesIn Praise of Veg - Alice ZaslavskiThe Gardener and the CarpenterTumami paste - the everything spreadPhenomenom - free website resource to teach kids about foodAlice in frames - website Buy Futuresteading the book! Support the show regularly via PatreonSupport the show

Next season will kick off next Monday but in the meantime, we are satisfying your insatiable hunger with throwbacks to our fave episodes from season 1. Enjoy these wonderous humans and all their brilliance. Before you ask, yes this is Charlie Showers of Black Barn Farm - Jade's other half.Charlie is a fair food advocate, holistic orchardist, landscape scientist and insatiable reader, with an appetite for knowledge that sees him getting up before the birds to devour scientific papers, books and teachings, before putting it into practice at Black Barn Farm.In this conversation, he shares decades of wisdom with his trademark patience, clarity and intellect. He covers the power of community and regional pride, a new way to frame our 'hypocrisy' in this time of transition, the reality of first generation farming and a sugar-free account of a 'working marriage' and unified vision. You'll get to hear Jade's answers too ;)No hopium, all clarity in this complex interview that inspires action!SHOW NOTESSitting with the contradiction inherent in your morals and lifestyleReconciling hypocrisy in your everyday existenceBeing self aware without it becoming unbearable His childhood role-modelling of ‘family statesmen’ who committed to the needs of their community equally with their ownMaintaining curiosity about our system, culture and economy to impart changeWhy farming is the best place for him to share knowledge at a community level and make meaningful change Why showing rather than telling is the most powerful way to inspireBeing exposed to those who have a different way of being, whirrs the thinking cogsThe importance of self time to recuperate and maintain balance when you’re an introvertWhy endless hope is not always helpful, and hopium is a recipe for ignoranceWhat a new future might look likeThe raw reality of starting up a long-game farming enterpriseThe potency of creating a dream togetherUndertaking change journeys as a coupleIdeas to ‘blow your mind’Living examples of how systems interact with and impact on each otherAwe of the Indigenous Australian cultural understanding of the complex web of the worldMaking ‘complexity science’ more mainstream for the betterment of allHis evolution of changemaking from panicked urgency to slow and steady solutionsWhy being more settled will make his children better change makersThe evolution and personal nature of successImportance of a ‘solutions based mindset’LINKS YOU'LL LOVEBlack Barn Farm website & InstagramSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/futuresteading)Buy the Book: Futuresteading, live like tomorrow mattersSupport the show

Next season goes live Monday 11th October. Until then we've selected four of our faves to share with you again - they are just SOOOOO good, they're worth hearing again so enjoy having these wonderous humans back in your ears!If you've never met a Perma Pixie, prepare to be delighted. Taj, aka. The Perma Pixie, is bringing a little old school witchcraft and spades of permaculture wisdom to Melbourne - and now, to you.This chick beats to a drum of ‘reciprocity’, a philosophy that acknowledges that we’re part of a cycle that should give as much as it takes. She’s been delivering permaculture education courses for over a decade (not bad for a young sprout!) and has recently started clinical work as a qualified herbalist. Social patterns and interactions are her greatest love, equal to her fascination with plants and their healing capacity. This conversation is a must for anyone interested in natural medicine, staying grounded in the fray, the freedoms - and struggles - of running a small business, how to balance impassioned action with self care, and how to be regenerative within a culture programmed to run us dry.Her deeply felt connection to the seasons, and life steeped in reciprocity and relationship, will either resonate deeply or sow seeds in the garden of your mind. Enjoy!SHOW NOTESHow her early ADHD diagnosis encouraged her to seek calm in the natural world.Taking a circular approach to living in reciprocity with nature.The power of seasonal acknowledgement; combining the ‘doing’ with the ‘sensing’.Having the courage to trust your instincts to follow the path of the heart.Finding balance in the juxtaposition of being an anti-capitalist while running a small business.Reframing financial stability.How being an extrovert has enabled her to build a network of nourishers.Ways to create nurturing community hubs and nodes, which in turn create valid community connection.Why it's worth summoning the gumption to talk to total strangers and be open to spontaneous interactions.The fundamental need to have a relationship with our own bodies to take ownership and responsibility of our most important asset - and avoid being a ‘baseline’ human.Actively avoiding a sedentary body and mind. Her permaculture and herbal medicine journey - and how it led her to the plants which nourish her.Why a world filled with sharing is better than a life lived alone. How she calms the voice urging her to "do more".Finding balance as a one-woman show when her greatest desire is to be outside - not behind a screen.Why to do a "needs analysis": What are your needs and what can you offer?Why relationships are what fundamentally give her hope.LINKS YOU'LL LOVEWebsite: The Perma Pixie/Insta: @thepermapixieVisit: CERES Community Environment ParkMovie: The CraftSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/futuresteading)Buy the Book Futuresteading - live like tomorrow mattersSupport the show

Next season kicks off on Monday 11th October - until then, enjoy having these humans of wonder back in your ears!ARCHIVE 2 of 4Dan Palmer is co-founder of Permablitz, Landed, Holistic Decision Making, Making Permaculture Stronger and Very Edible Gardens. He has a PhD in systems thinking and contagious levels of enthusiasm for supporting the journeys of others. He recently moved with his wife and two daughters back to New Zealand.We hear Dan’s thoughts on consciously shaping a vibrant and beautiful life, getting paid for your passion, how to be vulnerable and cut to the chase (rather than participating in superficial BS), the deception of ideas, the illusion of separation from the natural world and why to ask better questions.SHOW NOTESAway from reductionist thinking and towards a holistic framework. Discovering holistic management and the influence of Allan Savory.How to uncover the deeper intention beneath the goal or dream.What are the core ingredients of a fulfilling life?How linear thinking sustains our industrialised society.Why you can’t just ‘join your life back up’ to create a whole - you need to go right back to the DNA of your values and beliefs.How to tap into deep harmony and coherence.Why life can’t be like a knitted jumper. “Deciding your way” towards the life you want.Why self work isn’t selfish - it’s a precursor to genuine altruism.Honouring the need for financial security in a world that hinges on money.An uncompromising approach to making profit from your passion.Having hard conversations vs. modern ‘communities’ that stroke our egos.Why Dan’s excited to be alive at this time in history. Sending positive ripples into space and time. The gnarly question of how to instil hope, buoyancy and knowledge in your kids. Approaching each day as a living whole. Our obligation to contribute to the beauty of the universe. How we’ve been hijacked by the idea that the world is a machine. How to lead with feeling and back up with thinking.“The intellect is too crude a net to catch the whole” - Christopher AlexanderWhy we don’t need to “reconnect” with nature - we have never been separate. How to relax back into underlying non-separateness.Understanding “life sheds” rather than arbitrary borders.Why advice and “answers” can disempower people.How can we ask better questions? LINKS YOU’LL LOVEMaking Permaculture Stronger PermablitzLandedHolistic Decision MakingVery Edible GardensAllan SavoryBrian GoodwinCharles EisensteinSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/futuresteading)Buy the Book! Futuresteading - Live like tomorrow mattersSupport the show

So we don't leave you twiddling your braincells while we record the next season, we've done you the favour of going waaaaaaaay back into the archives of season one and dusting off four our our faves for you to stick in your ears for your weekly dose of inspiration. Next season kicks off on Monday 11th October - until then, enjoy these humans of wonder!ARCHIVE 1 of 4 If you’re looking for reasons to be hopeful, this conversation with Brenna Quinlan provides a lifetime’s worth. You probably know her as “that permaculture illustrator” - and boy, can she communicate complex environmental and social ideas with a few deft flicks of her paintbrush!Although she now lives in WA with her permie partner in crime Charlie McGee, at the time we chatted with Brenna she was a tiny-hut-dwelling resident of Melliodora and she shares what life looks like day in day out when living with the co founder of permaculture.Brenna is a breath of fresh air and optimism, with oodles to share about where humanity’s headed - and how we can make the transition altogether more joyful.Listen in. Smile big. Draw a (hopeful) picture.SHOW NOTESBrenna’s early love of art and “crashing” adult art classes.Her story of riding across the Americans in her early 20s, learning about farming and community.How she was “the right sized piece of the puzzle” when she fell into illustrating Retrosuburbia... and making creativity her career.Why she didn't stress about "using her uni degrees" and instead let creativity and opportunities germinate where they may.How and why to be part of a greater movement, rather than going it alone. The importance of surrounding yourself with like-minded people.Her simple daily rituals and joyful pleasures featuring: goats, uphill bike rides, library books.Why cycles of day and night, the seasons and and end-of-day gratitude practice are essential parts of her existence.Why ‘alternative living’ is an opportunity to connect more with others, rather than persisting with unfettered individualism (the death of community?).How her life at Mellidora works: rent for work exchange, living alongside others, zero waste, a permie bubble. Why taking a leap of faith into a different life = nothing to lose. How she channels her environmental grief into positive forward motion.How to find what makes you come alive - and go for it!LINKS YOU'LL LOVEWebsite: Brenna Quinlan @brenna_quinlanBook: Retrosuburbia: The Downshifters Guide to a Resilient Future - David HolmgrenBook: On Fire: The (Burning) Case for a Green New Deal - Naomi KleinSupport the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/futuresteading)Buy the Book! Futuresteading - Live like tomorrow mattersSupport the show

Strap in for a fast paced chat with this natural born story teller. From the heady heights of top restaurants, starring in his own reality tv program and radio shows to his definition of “enough” - which begins with rude health and healthy kids before settling with sovereignty of time and community belonging. As practical and grounded as he is charismatic with a touch of aussie larrikin, ‘Westy’ is whip cracking fast making it easy to listen and laugh at his tales - like serving uncooked rice as his first attempt at cooking.This high energy human wraps up the season for us with insights and stories that are endearing and inspiring in equal measure.Episode notesChoosing your island foodsAre you an eater or a foodie ?- Westie grew up as an eater until he was 17 before becoming a foodieEmbalmed cats above the fresh food aisles at the local supermarket Moving from his first out-of-home cooked meal: Raw rice, frozen peas, ham and soy sauce to cheffing in lofty placesHis first wwoofing experience that sowed the seeds for his ‘NOW’ life:Witnessing the loftiest ideal for human life as life on the land growing food, connecting to community, physical workHis winding but whip fast hospitality adventureUsing the age good food guide as a way to get a job and crash landing into Vu De Monde to cut his teethTurning his back on fine dining cuisine to return to the roots of growing food.A yearning desire to really understand the rhythms of foodHow fatherhood changed him, from self to selfless. Why he never wanted to be a ‘phone in’ dadReframing his expectations of fatherhood for him, his kids and his wife.Creating patterns to set up our kids for the rest of their lives and using food as the central guide for this The virtues of tapping into the primal human nature.Transitioning from kitchen to farm grew his understanding of long standing ecological needs.River Cottage - the inside scoop on the steep learning curves and truth behind producing a reality TV program. The juggle of actually living a 365 day farm life but needing to fit in the production of a stage production alongside.The hard work of farming! Far from white clothed lunches under a treeThe repetition needed for growingNow living a life that's the amalgamation of his previous lives Creating a life of belonging in a village across generationsThe perfect combo of small-house big block.Building ritual around food markers, what the gardens providing, when the crayfish and oysters are harvesting, Making an effort to observe the natural spectacles and building ritual around itHis ENOUGHReferences:Aftertaste ABC SeriesRiver Cottage Australia SBS on demand seriesThe Edible Garden Cookbook and Growing Guide - Paul West 2013Support the show

Bec Shann (who you might know from Think Big Live Simply) used to lead a pretty conventional life working in science, making rational decisions, and following the prescribed path towards success.But then she saw an ad for Milkwood Permaculture's Design Course -- and the rest, as they say, is compost.From taking on a commercial-scale market garden with no prior experience, to building a humble abode on the side of a hill and steeping herself in the home economy, Bec’s thoughtful and honest approach to simple living will have you breathing a sigh of relief. Because it's imperfect by design -- and starts the minute you articulate your values.SHOW NOTESThe boring truth about meditation.Discovering permaculture by accident through an ad.The gifts of redundancy!Rational vs. corporeal decision-making Taking an adult gap yearHow to know when you should completely change your life?Taking on a market garden with zero experienceWork/life balance -- simple living style. The positive feedback loop of a frugal home economy.Work to live or working to outsource the living?There is no magical ‘anti-consumer’ switch.If we can create more space between the system and the marketing and rushing we can tap back into knowing we have enough.Dealing with part-time work guiltA bee works its entire life for your sweet cuppa tea!Community isn’t an easy and instantaneous thing.Intentional Instagram usage. The first step in simple living = articulating your values.LINKS YOU'LL LOVEBec's blog + InstaMilkwood PermacultureJames Clear ~ Atomic HabitsDan Palmer ~ Holistic Decision MakingSupport the show

Emily Ehlers describes herself as an illustrator, writer, environmentalist + very bad dancer. We know her as the lass whose witty and poignant pieces combine art and activism in the greatest possible way. Today Em speaks with Jade about writing a book about hope as a self-proclaimed anxious person, humour as a tool for resilience, mental health truths, value stacking and all kinds of good stuff that’ll, with any luck, lift you in this time of uncertainty. Em has a new book out called Hope Is A Verb, so be sure to check it out if you like what you hear!SHOW NOTESWriting a book about hope as an anxious personFinding reassurance in the doingBecoming a lighthouse that attracts like minded peopleBeing aware of confirmation bias; actively being open to those you disagree withUsing family to trial how you manage differing opinionsSeeking to understand and then be understoodBeing more radical than the angle you present publicly for the sake of shifting the needleProviding tools that allow people to ‘enter the arena’ Humour as a tool for resilienceFuelling our psyche with hopeHope isn't a stagnant thing, what it needs to be is ‘active hope’Having self compassion and understanding that we're humanThe things that make us most human are also the things which make us our most magnificentGoing off antidepressants in order to write a book about hope and feeling the feelingsGetting kids to know their values and to live within themGiving kids more credit than we doValue stackingBeing aware of your marinadeInoculating yourself against regret Learning to unlearn takes balls, gumption and desireAcknowledging that we are in the system that dominates us and we just need to do our best with what we haveGently shifting narrative so that people want to join you not run from youRebuilding cultureThinking of self like a veggie patch: seasonal, phased, nurtured from the ground upJust start. Pick a thing. Stop over analysing and just do.LINKS YOU'LL LOVEEm Ehlers on InstagramHope is a Verb ~ Emily Ehlers Brenna Quinlan on InstagramThe Unexpected Joy of Being Sober ~ Catherine GreyPaul HawkenSir Ken Robinson ~ Do schools kill creativity?Support the show

Jade speaks with Lisa Wells, award-winning poet, essayist and author.In her new book, Believers: Making A Life At The End of the World, Lisa seeks out and learns from trailblazers and outliers around the world who are pursuing radically hopeful lifestyles -- even in the face of climate despair.There's so much to glean from this conversation: stories and lessons from those living the change, the treasures that await outside the norm, the beauty of bird language, the mess and wonder of non-tech-mediated human relationships and how to sow a fruitful future. As Lisa puts it, it can take a lifetime to learn how to live -- but hearing from others who have made an art and science of living like tomorrow matters sure helps speed up the process. SHOW NOTESIt's not her first writing rodeo but it's definitely her first book; it took six years!She interviewed those who were on the absolute edge of convention. What can we learn from them? Do human beings have an innate capacity to be beneficial contributors?Growing up in a DIY sensibilityFinishing her education at wilderness schoolTransformation inevitabilityReckoning with the reality that we need to make significant changePushing back on binary perspectives and stake-out positionsMaking our transformation more attractive: Living in community, re-wilding, growing, trial and errorThe physical intimacy of being on her knees in the dirt for the sake of future generations Recognising that we are just creatures on the planet with a very short lifespanWilderness school: becoming rooted in her bioregionLearning birdsong as a foreign language Dismantling domesticationOwning what it means to be in relation to others who you are reliant on Playing the role of translator for the 'outsiders'Managing balance as an empathetic personIf you want to be in relationship, you need to be willing to throw some chips on the tableHer vision of a fruitful future (without devices and with a whole lotta mess)Why it takes a lifetime to learn how to liveBeing freaked out by being immortal LINKS YOU'LL LOVEThe underground history of American education ~ John Taylor Gatto End Game ~ Derrick JensenA paradise built in hell ~ Rebecca SolnitSupport the show

Damon Gameau - A call to arms for storytellers! It's time to shine the spotlight on our story tellers; the creatives, film makers, artists, poets, chefs, writers and musicians. "If our storytellers cannot find a way then the way cannot be found". Join Jade & Damon in this conversation about defying the attention economy, ways to avoid being numbed but the inertia of the system (which is not actually our friend - despite it being dressed up that way) and why rites of passage could be the answer to rebuilding our culture .Finally, we ask the big question - how do you define ENOUGH. If you've loved Damon's films 2040 & That Sugar Film you're in for one exceptionally powerful convo with this captivating & clever creative.Episode SummaryPeople are seeking leadership that doesn’t use language without humanisationSo much of the story we are told now is dictated by extraction, competition, rivalry,The shift from humans with animus beliefs to industrialised beliefsDefining our collective stories through the feedback from our creative & soul stirring storytellersDefying the attention economy by stepping away from the barraging information torrent to allow for conscious decisionsFinding your place in action Choosing to understand rather than polarisingSlowing our judgement despite the push for pace - let a slowly defined opinion be yours Acknowledging we agree on a desire for community, healthy children, access to food….and we are not actually dividedTaking responsibility of our own individual actions and teach our children to listen & to understandWhy its NOT human nature to be greedy & selfish, because we've evolved through a deeply cooperative, symbiotic spirit.Rewrite our culture away from competitive nature & highlight our dependency on each other Finding your path of individualism within the collective Deradicalising the truth of what we need to doConsidering context when storytelling to shift the needle Building a less fragile systemWhy it’s not a nationalist sentiment if you want sovereignty of independenceShifting from being a consumer to being a citizenBuilding wings that will allow us to fly high and thrive with our culture providing the windManifesting creativity and ingenuity by working with our kidsShaping, creating and changing culture through coexistence, lateral thinking and practical skills - starting with the education of our childrenThe dance between peril and possibility Turning emerging science into magical stories to captivate kids imaginations Prison inmates in the States spend more time outdoors than our childrenThe ongoing process of unlearning as flawed humans Deciding what’s enough. Do you keep working beyond your enough to go slower or do you keep going to give to others. Rites of passage as a pathway to regenerationAyahuasca ceremonies, breath workTaking a glimpse into the “other” to fill the gap left by a crises of meaningReferences“Surviving the future, culture, carnival and capital” - David FlemmingRites of Passage Institute Recapture the Rapture - rethinking god, sex and death in a world that's lost its mind - Jamie Wheal2040 Film - Directed by DamonThat Sugar Film - Directed by DamonSupport the show

If climate reports and dystopian vibes are getting you down, this conversation with Meg Berryman might just lift you (gently) from the tiles.Meg is the host of the Regenerative Life podcast, where she holds activating and catalysing conversations about social change, sustainable business, holistic wellbeing, personal development and regeneration, creating ripples of change from the inside out.She’s not only a brilliant interviewer, meeting mighty minds like Tyson Yunkaporta and Claire Dunn for the kinds of intellectual-yet-accessible chats that leave listeners awestruck, but a formidable thinker herself. We’re stoked to welcome Meg for a wide-ranging convo that covers nervous system care, sitting in the magic dark, tending survival energy and watering the seeds of discontent. We discuss the perils of trying to make a positive impact out there if it’s having a negative impact on you and your people. And how to go about satisfying that deep primal yearning to reconnect with self, earth and other beings. Right now, in this time of grief, confusion + frustration, Meg Berryman is pure medicine. Listen in. SHOW NOTESThe inspiration behind the Regenerative Life podcastAn unlearning journey of dropping the postures and dropping into true self.Finding the balance between the unknown + the five year plan. Challenging domesticity with wildnessRegeneration is an embodied experience; but it’s not as easy as we’ve been sold. The things we’ve sold as making us happy aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. The agitation and restlessness we’re feeling as feedback is not anything wrong with us! The lie of capitalism is that it’s your problem, you need to buy something to fix you.The seeds of discontent are also the seeds of regenerationHomeostatic flux: ecosystems are constantly recalibrating according to feedback.How to reconsider + reevaluate what a good life is. We have a deep primal yearning to reconnect with ourselves, the earth, other being. That urge is continually being overidden because on some level, we assume there’s something wrong with us. "It’s not that I’m allergic to life, I’m allergic to the ways we’ve organised society and systems that are so removed from those basic primal instincts of being connected and belonging."Wisdom birthed from the bathroom floor. Epic burnout led to total breakdown led to epic recalibration.Is sheer willpower the only way to get shit done?Reframing breakdown as a period of magic dark.We’ve had a health and wellness paradigm for 20 years that’s focussed on DOING things. But that keeps us in survival mode; it’s not sustainable or regenerative. We need a whole lot of people to be regulated enough, for long enough, to make life giving decisions and make a dent in these systems.Being in conversation with questions. How do we come back to ourselves, and is that enough?Getting out of hustle culture in business. Everyone is saying, "we can’t slow down because x, y, z….” It’s the courageous soul chooses to interrogate that. If you’re making impact out there, but that work is having a negative effect on your people in here, it’s a net zero. It’s not regenerative.The best gift you can give other beings is the gift of a settled system. Avoiding the one-two punch of shame and guilt.LINKS YOU'LL LOVEMy Grandmother's Hands -- Resmaa MenakemSupport the show