Regenerative Skills

In this continuation of the series of regenerative building and design, I checked in with a good friend of mine and a hero in the rocket stove and masonry heater sphere. Kirk Mobert, more commonly known as Donkey, is the founder of the Sundog school of natural building in northern California and has literally been on, and in, the ground through the development and maturation of rocket stoves and all of the innovations and advances for the last 20 odd years. This session might be a little heady for people who are new to rocket and masonry stoves, but for anyone looking to start from the beginning, you can check out the link to the first interview I recorded with Donkey back in the first season by typing either Donkey or rocket stoves into the search bar on the website or just clicking on the link in the show notes for this episode. In this episode we nerd out on the inner workings of the simple engineering behind some of the most efficient cooking and heating machines ever made. Donkey and I talk in detail about all of the potential applications for cook-stoves, home heating and even ovens and water-heaters that can be made from the same base that super heats wood or other biofuels into complete and clean combustion. We talk about some of the innovations that have come from tinkerers in the online forums around these topics as well as how you can get started making mad-scientist type pyro-experiments in your backyard with natural and recycled materials. We also go into detail about why the full journey of our energy and fuel sources need to be taken into account when calculating the efficiency and thermal output of an appliance. Since we describe a lot of aspects of stoves that can be hard to visualise just through audio, I’ve included a lot of links to images on the online forums that you can find in the show notes for this episode to make it easier to follow along. This was a really fun conversation, but I’ll warn you listeners that the nerd factor, much like when I get talking about earthen plasters and design theory, is really high on this one so get your pocket protectors and thick glasses on for this one Resources: Sundog School of Natural Building A list of various components that we talk about in the episode with pictures and designs Donkey 32 rocket stove forums Rocket stove heaters FB group Rocket Stoves / Rocket Mass Heaters International Permies rocket stoves forums

Continuing with this series of exploring natural building materials, design techniques and traditions, I spoke with my friend Trey Abernethy, a long-time builder and now a bamboo craftsman. For over a decade Trey worked in the industrial building trades before moving to Costa Rica where he took a bamboo building course with Rodolpho Saenz that changed his trajectory. Trey now co-teaches bamboo building techniques with Rodolpho and designs and builds for clients in Costa Rica. In this interview we cover a bit of every part of bamboo as a construction material. From the environmental benefits of planting bamboo culms and selecting varieties for construction, to treatment methods, joinery techniques, design consideration and longer-term maintenance. I’ve been passionate about the potential of bamboo for a while now and even did an internship with my friend and mentor Charlie Rendall which lead to designing and building a few hybrid structures and homes around Guatemala. If any of you are looking for more information on bamboo after you’ve listened to this episode, I would recommend the previous interview I did with Charlie Rendall which you can find links for in the show notes of this episode. We also refer to a handful of other natural building materials and techniques in this session so don’t forget to have a look in the archives of the abundant edge podcast including articles on various earthen building techniques. Gradually I intend to build an audio library of natural building so stay tuned. Resources: Check out the new video series of permaculture farm tours in Costa Rica with Trey Natural Building Costa Rica Fica Morpho Interview with Charlie Rendall about bamboo building

I’ve been looking forward to speaking with my next guest for a long time now. Chris Magwood is the founder and director of the Endeavour center, which provides experiential education at the intersection of high-performance and natural building. Chris is a self proclaimed building “omnivore” who experiments with any and all materials and techniques he can get his hands on. He has dedicated his career to making the best, most energy efficient, beautiful and inspiring buildings without wrecking the planet in the attempt. I’ve followed his work and especially his books as I’ve been learning about all sorts of natural building innovations because Chris has done an amazing job of comparing and contrasting various natural materials to make it easier to choose which of the options available would be best suited for the context and design of a building. In this interview Chris talks about how he fell in love with natural building as he aspired to build his own home. From there we go into detail about some of the most important considerations when designing a sustainable home and how even natural buildings can be consumptive and wasteful if designed incorrectly for their place and climate. Chris also unpacks some of the popular building standards and why using them as design guides can limit the full potential of an ecologically responsible project if followed too rigidly. We also discuss one of the biggest challenges for natural builders, and that’s the codes and regulations that can be tricky to navigate if the regulatory bodies are treated as adversaries from the beginning. I especially like his observations from his extensive experience working with, rather than against the building inspectors in Canada for so many years. This is a really practical and pragmatic look at the wide variety of options and considerations for natural builders and owner-builders. This episode kicks off a series dedicated to all aspects of building and design that facilitates a regenerative lifestyle. Be sure to stay tuned to the next few weeks of episodes as I’ll be speaking with builders and designers focusing on in-depth topics and natural building materials. Resources: Workshop Schedule from the Endeavour Center The Endeavour Center Buy Chris’ books from New Society Publishers If you’re like me, you’ve dreamed of having a permaculture farm for a long time, but knowing where to start can be tricky, even if you’ve taken a PDC or other design courses. That’s why I want to tell you about the Permaculture Farm Design Course, put together by my friend and frequent contributor to this podcast, William Horvath from thepermacultureapprentice.com. This course is the simplest, easiest way to design your permaculture farm without spending thousands of dollars on in person PDCs, or hiring professional designers or consultants. This course is the culmination of William's research and the most important lessons he learned from permaculture giants like Geoff Lawton, Darren Doherty, David Holmgren, and Mark Shepard, all boiled down to a simple step-by-step roadmap that anyone can follow. William has simplified the entire design process and meticulously laid down how each phase of the process works, with simple instructions and design examples so you can come up with a design for your permaculture farm in as little as one week. You don't even need any previous design experience or a PDC to get the most out of this course, just a willingness to learn and follow the system outlined in the program. In a short time you’ll have a plan that has a clear set of goals to allow you to make your vision a reality What’s more, when you type in the code “design” at checkout, you’ll receive 10% off the price of the course. Make your dream of regenerative living a reality today. Click on the link in the show notes of this episode and fast-track your way to natural abundance with the Permaculture Farm Design Course.

Today we’re back with Erik Ohlsen, founder of both Permaculture Artisans, one of the preeminent ecological landscaping companies in the US, and the Permaculture Skills center a vocational training school that offers advanced education in ecological design, landscaping, farming, and land stewardship. Erik is also the author of several books including “The Forest of Fire,” Activate Your Joy,” and most recently “The Ecological Landscape Designer” an essential manual for anyone aspiring to make a living in eco- design. Though it’s long overdue, I spoke with Erik to get to better understand the intensity of the wildfires that have ravaged California and parts of the western US in recent years, and the factors that caused them. Erik explains how fire can be a regenerative force for the ecology of many forests and how the indigenous people of the western United States have managed fires strategically for thousands of years. We talk about how communities can work together to manage the risks of their ecosystems and avoid the catastrophic damage that fires have caused in previous years. We also explore some of the wisdom and lessons that Erik has learned in more than 20 years running his permaculture landscaping business and the challenges of meeting clients needs while including the holistic health considerations of nature. Like many of the more seasoned and experienced professionals that I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to on this show, Erik shys away from making specific recommendations for techniques or designs and encourages people to cultivate a deeper understanding of their place and context before making assumptions about how to manage their land or even businesses. This is a great episode for people looking to better understand fire-prone ecologies, but also for people who enjoy the challenge of considering a deeper understanding of their relationship to natural systems in general. Resources: Listen to Erik’s first interview with Abundant Edge Erik’s website Permaculture Artisans The Permaculture Skills Center Get the book “The Ecological Landscape Designer”

Today’s conversation was recorded back in the last few weeks before I left Guatemala when I had a chance to sit down with my good friend and fellow permaculture educator, Mordur G’ott, but we all call him Moli.Mörður or Moli is a permaculture pioneer in Iceland who has been travelling between countries to learn and share what he knows. In Iceland he has hosted multiple events and PDS's with legendary teachers like Albert Bates and Robyn Francis among others. In this session Moli and I speak about the more problematic aspects of the permaculture pedagogy that we’ve found in practice. As with any teaching methodology, permaculture can become dogmatic and even cult-like when practitioners take certain teachings as gospel and forget the essential aspects of observation, reassessment, and flexibility when techniques don’t apply to your context. Moli offers great insights from his years as a permaculture educator and project coordinator on some of the aspects of permaculture that he feels need deeper explanation and clarification to help avoid pitfalls and misunderstandings, especially from people who are new to the concepts and often don’t have any experience working directly with nature to draw from. Many of you may find that you disagree with some or all of Moli’s conclusions or maybe know of elements of permaculture teaching that weren’t mentioned in this episode that you think are essential to include in a conversation about the shortcomings or undesirable aspects surrounding permaculture. If that’s the case, I would love to hear your opinions. You can comment in the threads below or email me directly at [email protected]. This is a controversial topic that I’m looking forward to exploring further Resources: Permavillage.net Reach out to Moli on Facebook Moli’s Patreon For years now, I’ve been hearing feedback and questions from listeners of this podcast. Many of you out there have been piecing together your education. You’ve taken your PDC, you may have taken some other gardening or more advanced design courses, and though you’re passionate about ecological work, many of you still lack the confidence to break out on your own and start working as professional designers. That’s why I’m really excited to tell you about the new Digital permaculture design course, taught by Dan Halsey, the founder of Southwoods Ecological design and United Designers Intl. In just five days this online intensive will guide you through every part of the design process from client intake to the final presentation with specific focus on digital design and drawing. You’ll also get a year of access to the Permaculture Plant Database, live interactive online classes, access to the United designers symbols library, files, professional templates and much more. This course is a fast track to working as a professional on the cutting edge of ecosystem regeneration and for a limited time, listeners of this show can get $100 off the course by entering the code AEpodcast at checkout. The course starts on July 29th so hurry to reserve your place at permacultureprofessionals.com And if you want to learn more about Dan Halsey and his work, checkout the interview I did with him about running a professional design company in episode 117 or by clicking the link in the show notes of this episode We need professional ecological designers more than ever. Sign up for the Digital Permaculture design course today at permacultureprofessionals.com

In the last few episodes I’ve spoken to a number of designers and business advisors who’ve specialized in regenerative business planning and ecological work, and today’s guest many of you may remember from the very early days of this podcast. In this episode I had the pleasure of talking with my friend Scott Gallant. It's been almost three years since we spoke on this podcast and he was one of the first 20 interviews that I did back in season one. When we spoke last he was just starting out with his design firm “Porvenir Design.” now almost three years in, he's amassed a lot of experience and knowledge, especially around tropical ecosystems and the challenges of the business side of permaculture design. In this episode we talked a lot about his transition from working at Rancho Mastatal to working on his own design and consultancy firm, some of the challenges that he's had in finding clients, working through designs, and navigating the intricacies of tropical ecosystems. We also go into detail about doing “due diligence” before implementing projects and we go into detail about some of the nuances and key things to understand about tropical ecosystems and how they differ from others. Though rainy areas like those in Costa Rica, where Scott is based, are generally considered non-brittle ecosystems, there are still a lot of things to understand and observe before making intelligent and informed designs for holistic systems. Towards the end Scott also gives advice for people who are looking to start out with their own design and consultancy firm, what they should look out for, and some of the unexpected challenges that they might want to consider. Now before we get started with this episode I had something really weird happened during the recording. Scott’s side recorded just fine without any problems with the audio, but for some reason my side recorded my voice extremely deep and I have no idea how to fix this. Luckily it didn't slow down or speed up the audio in any way, it just makes me sound like Barry White or a much manlier version of myself, so bear with me and know that it is me speaking even though it sounds nothing like me. Resources: Porvenir Design’s website Join the Porvenir PDC

As I continue to explore the myriad options that exist for profitable regenerative work, I keep coming back to the business aspects of impact and integrity entrepreneurship. One of the people that I’ve come to rely on for professional perspectives in this sphere is Pete Widin, Founder of the Epic Eco Designer. I had the chance to catch up with him for today’s session where we explore many aspects of the personal and external challenges of finding holistic success in an ecological business. In this interview with Pete we break down some of the challenges that we both faced in getting our design and consulting businesses off the ground and some of the most important take-aways that we learned from. Pete talks about the common challenges that he sees from the people that he coaches and stresses the importance of doing the inner work to understand how you want to grow. He also shares some tips on marketing strategies to help attract your ideal clients and reach a larger audience. As we’ll repeat a few times in this session, a lot for Pete’s advice applies to any business type and not just ecological designers and consultants so I’m sure nearly all of you will get some value out of this one Resources: Learn more about Pete’s work The Epic Eco Designer on FB Pete on FB Pete on IG

Building on the theme of profitable ecosystem regeneration, I spoke to Gregory Landua, CEO and co-founder of the Regen Network. Gregory has worked in ecosystem regeneration for a while. Formerly working as the CEO of Terra Genesis, nova chocolate, the Regrarian’s platform and Gaia University. He is also the co-author of the groundbreaking book Regenerative Enterprise: Optimizing for Multi-Capital Abundance, and of The Levels of Regenerative Agriculture, In this interview Gregory gives an overview of what the Regen network is and aims to accomplish. Specifically, we explore the roles of decentralized technology including the emerging potential of the blockchain to create secure networks that facilitate collaboration, consensus, agreements, and community. We also talk about what systemic changes would need to happen to make permaculture type stewardship of the land our default as a culture rather than a fringe practice. Gregory also explains how technology can be leveraged for connecting people to crucial information and to reach communities that have been left behind in the industrialized information age. Though we don’t cover the job market in detail in this episode, I’m hoping that this conversation could inspire those of you who have studied or who work in IT and programming to see some ways that you could use your skills and experience to work towards environmental restoration and regeneration. We certainly need everyone’s contributions in this effort and gardening and farming are by no means the only ways to help. The exploration of how technology can be harnessed for a global shift in consciousness and renewed cultural priorities is a topic that I’ll be increasingly exploring on this podcast and I would love to hear from any of you listening if you have information or ideas on how the incredible power of technology can be used to buck the trend that has been disconnecting us from our natural world and our local communities. Or, if you believe that technology can only facilitate disconnection, what alternative solutions are there to our increasing dependence on digital connectivity that you might propose? You can post comments and feedback on the website or email me directly at [email protected]. I really hope to continue this exploration with all of you. Resources: Regen Network website Gregory on Facebook Gregory on Twitter Gregory on Linkdin Buy the book Regenerative Enterprise: Optimizing for Multi-capital Abundance [email protected]

One of the most common concerns I hear from the regenerative community is how someone could make a good living while working directly on projects that regenerate our planet. While there are many different ways to do this, it seems that the dominant narrative in business tells us that the most profitable job prospects are those that are destroying our natural world. Exploitative petroleum companies post record profits while unethical banking practices pay out massive bonuses and manufacturing covers our landscapes in trash. But I know a growing number of people who are pioneering new options for ecological work and making a good wage in the process. Though this is rarely ever their primary motivation to do what they are passionate about, it’s important to know that you don’t have to compromise a life of holistic abundance to dedicate your time to regenerative work, and that’s why I’ll be focusing in the upcoming weeks on profitable businesses that are doing just that. Specifically, I’ll be speaking to leaders who are offering solutions to conscious and ecological businesses that help them break through their financial constraints and into profitability in more than just a monetary way. To start this series off, I had the pleasure of connecting with a fellow Minnesotan and one of my heroes in ecosystem regeneration, Daniel Halsey, of Southwoods Ecosystem Ecological Design. Dan has worked all over the world as a designer and consultant and has been a co-founder of the Permaculture Research Institute for cold climates, the Natural Capital plant database, and most recently, United Designers Permaculture design cooperative. With experience working in central America, western and southern Africa, the Iberian peninsula and all over north America from Alaska to the southern mainland, Dan’s perspective on patterns and local cultural considerations is truly impressive. In this interview we discuss the implications of the destruction that humans are having on the planet which stretch far beyond carbon emissions and climate change. Dan talks about some of the details and observations from his many projects. We then switch to focus on the business aspect of running an ecological design and consultation firm. Dan and I go over the importance of asking the right questions and how important it is to have a design criteria list for gathering information and recording observations. We also go over everything from attracting clients, the advantages and challenges of collaboration, profiles of the organizations that he’s helped to start and much more. There is one section of the interview where Dan shares his screen to show me parts of the functionality of the Natural Capital plant database that is hard to understand over audio, but I’ve uploaded the video to the show notes for this episode at abundantedge.com so you can watch and follow along Resources: Southwoods Ecosystems Natural Capital plant database United Designers Permaculture Design Cooperative https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0frUpek-hQ

We’ve reached the last episode in this month’s focus on fixing the food system. In the last three weeks we’ve talked about how co-op grocery stores offer real hope for transforming the supply and distribution of food by offering an alternative to the monopoly of the grocery giants. We’ve covered the power and importance of indigenous food and land management, and we’ve also explored the joys and realities of growing your own food on a residential scale. To round this all off, I had the pleasure of speaking to Meredith Leigh, the author of “The Ethical Meat Handbook.” Meredith has worked as a farmer, butcher, chef, teacher, non-profit executive director, consultant, and writer for the past 17 years, all in the pursuit of sustainable food The industrial meat industry, in my opinion, is the epitome of what is broken in our food system and is a glaring example of the disconnect between humans and healthy natural systems, but Meredith shows us how we can reconnect with animals by treating every step in the process from raising, to slaughter, butchery and cooking with respect and care. In this interview we start by acknowledging the broken and unhealthy state of meat consumption. We also go in depth about the environmental impacts, issues surrounding animal welfare, and the health problems of an imbalanced diet. Meredith then explains how a healthy and reverent relationship to animals and all their products could look like through real examples of ecological management of livestock systems, mindful slaughter, home butchery methods, and preservation through curing, fermentation and cooking. This is one of the most holistic and nuanced perspectives on every aspect of meat that I’ve come across that even treats vegan and vegetarian perspectives on the topic with compassion and understanding. Meredith herself was vegan before getting involved with butchery and animal care so I encourage you to listen through the full episode before jumping to conclusions on the angle that this interview takes. I also recognize that everything about meat from animal care, to diet, slaughter and cooking are very contentious topics at the moment and I would love to hear from you about how you feel and relate to the opinions expressed in this session, so please leave respectful comments and feedback under the show notes for this episode, or any other episode for that matter, at abundantedge.com or email me directly at [email protected]. Resources: Buy the book “The Ethical Meat Handbook” Buy the book “Pure Charcuterie” Meredith’s website Meredith Leigh on instagram

Continuing with this month’s focus on fixing the food system, I wanted to go back to basics and discuss the practicalities and challenges of growing your own food with just a modest sized yard. I reached out to Crystal Stevens who is an author, an artist/art teacher, a folk herbalist, a regenerative farmer, and a Permaculturist. She is the author of two award-winning books, Grow Create Inspire, and Worms at Work. And is also releasing a new book with New Society publishers yearly next year called Your Edible Yard. I this interview I spoke with Crystal about her learning experiences in growing her own food in a few different environments. She also goes in depth about the practicalities of time investment, tools and equipment, and maintenance and planting schedules. We discuss how realistic it is for someone working full time and with only a small yard to produce a meaningful amount of their own food, and share stories of the unexpected joys that make gardening much more of a pleasure than extra work. Resources: Find all of Crystal’s books here Pre-order the book “Your Edible Yard” growcreateinspire.com

In continuing this month’s focus on fixing the food system I had the pleasure of speaking to a personal hero of mine, Sean Sherman, author of the “The Sioux Chef.” Sean has been the recipient of a First Peoples Fund Fellowship, the Bush Foundation Fellowship, National Center’s 2018 First American Entrepreneurship Award, 2018 James Beard Award for Best American Cookbook, and a 2019 James Beard Leadership Award. Sean has been cooking around the US and internationally for the last 30 years and his main focus has been on the revitalization and awareness of indigenous foods systems in a modern culinary context. Sean has also studied extensively on his own to determine the foundations of these food systems and to gain a full understanding of bringing back a sense of Native American cuisine to the modern world. In this interview Sean and I talk about how he became passionate about the history and traditions of indigenous food. He starts by educating me on how North America got to the point where indigenous culture and food systems have been all but wiped out, and why it’s so important for us to reconnect with the native plants and animals that used to nourish the original peoples of North America. We also cover traditional farming and land management methods, why they’re an essential part of switching to a more ecological food system, and the health benefits that this way of eating can have on our bodies as well as the land. Sean also give his advice on how to transition to a pre-colonial food system that goes much further than just the native traditions of North America. This is one of the most essential perspectives on fixing the food system through holistic means that connects nutrition to land stewardship, cultural reconnection and spiritual revival. Resources: buy the book “The Sioux Chef” The Sioux Chef website The Sioux Chef on FB The Sioux Chef on Twitter NATIFS website

Today I’ll be kicking off another month dedicated to an important topic in regenerative living. For a long time now, our food system has been a primary indicator for so many markers of health in our society, from the way that our food is produced, what kinds of food we eat, how we cook, how it affects our health and even our ethics as consumers. For the next four weeks I’ll be taking a look our food system from a variety of different view-points and analysis in order to shed light on some of the lesser know factors that influence how we eat and how our dietary choices shape the food industry at large. To kick off this series I spoke with Jon Steinman, author of the new book “Grocery Story: the promise of food co-ops in the age of grocery giants.” Now Jon has studied and worked with everything about food for more than twenty years. He formerly produced and hosted a popular podcast called Deconstructing Dinner, was a writer and host for a web series by the same name, and now curates the annual “Deconstructing Dinner” film festival of compelling food documentaries. Jon was also an elected director from 2006-2016 of the Kootenay Co-op – Canada's largest independent retail consumer food co-op, serving as Board President from 2014-2016 Now I consider myself fairly well informed about the food industry from personal research and that fact that in the last decade I’ve worked directly in many branches of the industry from refrigerated shipping, industrial farms, organic farms, fish processing, many different roles in restaurants, and even the permaculture farm that many of you have heard me talk about for over a year now, but I never knew so much about the influence that the giant grocery chains and supermarkets have on every aspect of our food from how it’s grown till it gets to our plates. This is a very eye opening look, not only at the broken aspects of the food industry, but the very tangible and accessible solutions that co-op grocery stores can be, not only for getting access to better food and transforming the way the industry is incentivized to operate, but also for the positive impact that co-ops can have on our communities and local economies. We also talk about solutions for access to high quality food for low-income neighborhoods and much more. Resources: Get the book “Grocery Story” Deconstructing Dinner website

I’m so excited to share this interview with all of you, not only because I had such a good time speaking with Loxley and Rhapsody from the “Story Connective” but because they impart such incredible insights into story-telling, connecting to community, and a topic which I’m increasingly interested in, which is listening; not only listening as a passive way of absorbing information, but active listening by asking good questions and demonstrating that you’ve heard and understood the other person. Now some of you might ask, “How does this fit into regenerative living and permaculture?” To which I would say, listening and communication are essential to the design process of everything from ecosystem regeneration to social permaculture in communities and observing systems at a deeper level. Throughout this season in general, I’m going to be getting back to basics and strengthening the fundamentals of good design and I think all of you out there would agree with me when I say that honing the skills of observation, listening and then communicating what you’ve learned through story-telling are essential to understanding the context and nuances of any design project. Especially as we wrap up this month’s focus on regenerative community and its many forms, the most common challenge I’ve heard and even experienced myself that gets in the way of healthy community dynamics, is communication and conflict resolution. I first met Loxley and Rhapsody at a new years party at our friends place across the valley from us. They were traveling on their honeymoon and visiting our mutual friend Manola, and we hit it off immediately when I learned that they also produce podcasts and are passionate about social permaculture. The two of them are based on the island of Maui in Hawaii and publish stories that strengthen community wherever they go. During this conversation we talk about their journey, how to tell better stories, the power those narratives can have in connecting people, and much much more Resources: The Story Connective website

In our last interview in this month’s focus on regenerative communities, I had the pleasure of speaking with Alan O’Hashi, Alan is a newspaper journalist turned documentary filmmaker and screenwriter who works with groups and organizations to help them tell their stories and is also organizing an intentional creative community in Cheyenne, Wyoming. For the focus of this interview Alan speaks from his experience as a board member of the US Co-Housing Association and his time living in Silver Sage Village, a co-housing retirement community in Boulder, CO. In this interview Alan defines co-housing communities and their myriad configurations across the country. We explore the benefits that co-housing can bring to your lifestyle regardless of how you live, as well as the challenges that it could present for people more accustomed to living alone or who are used being independent and disconnected from their communities. We also discuss where the co-housing movement is headed and how it’s growing quickly as people, especially in the United States, aspire to become more connected and reliant on their local areas. If you live in a co-housing community, are considering moving to one, or have left one because of the challenges involved, I would love to hear from you in the comments, or directly through [email protected]. Now that I’m actively searching for a new home and community to invest in, co-housing is something I’m looking into closely and would love to hear about your personal experience. I’ll turn things over now to Alan. Resources: US Co-Housing Association Silver Sage Village

Continuing with this month’s focus on regenerative community models I had the pleasure of interviewing Peter Wildemann, co-founder of the “Zenith Project” an eco-village/intentional community in the Canadian wilderness. Peter is passionate about supporting people to live their highest purpose in the context of mutually supportive community by creating a new economic paradigm. Peter also aims to focus on connecting people in a small community setting where the most authentic relationships can be developed. In this interview we talk about what makes it a mutually supportive intentional community, how freedom is not the same as ability, what it means to re-wild yourself, how healthy community can promote the discovery of your highest potential, and so much more. Peter also gives advice on how you can take steps to create your own intentional community and the challenges and hurdles that he’s faced along the way. Since there are so many different configurations of communities and eco-villages around the world, I would love to hear from anyone listening to this episode who lives in a community configuration like this or who has lived in one in the past. Now that I’m essentially a free agent looking to find my home in a healthy community somewhere in the world, I’m fascinated by what elements are essential for healthy community creation and growth so please reach out to me either in the comments below or directly at [email protected] Resources: Zenith Project website

Today we’re going to kick off a month-long exploration of various community models that are focused on regenerating environments, communication, and healthy cultures. In the next three weeks we’ll be looking closely into regenerative social networks, ecovillages and cohousing configurations. As the regenerative movement builds momentum around the world, people are rethinking the communities and societies that either promote or disincentivize healthy development. Though I’ve never found a community structure that is perfect, the interviews this month aim to identify the innovative progress of the communal structures that I mentioned and unpack the successes, challenges, and lessons in the process of creating truly regenerative community structures. My guest today, Magenta Ceiba, is the executive creative officer of the Bloom Network. Bloom Network is an in-person social network that uses online tools to collaboratively work on regenerating culture and life systems. Local Bloom chapters host skill shares, educational events and hands-on actions in collaboration with different social movements in their cities. Our online collaboration platform uses augmented intelligence, a wiki, and video calls to help different social good movements share best practices and pool resources so we can be stronger together. We produce a yearly conference to support regenerative innovation called Pollination. In this interview we explore the three main focuses of Bloom. Namely, food security, alternative economic models and conflict resolution. Magenta also explains how branches of this network are formed and supported in their initiatives, and we even go into more personal topics such as how people of privileged backgrounds can help to promote the voices and perspectives of people who have been disenfranchised by society. This is a very nuanced look at the intricacies of community building and the aspects of regenerative culture, so you might want to grab a notebook Resources: AE podcast interview with Leah Penniman from Soulfire Farm Bloom Network: http://bloomnetwork.org Empowering Public Wisdom by Tom Atlee Anti-colonial solidarity primer Aragon digital governance Radical Woen John Hopkins' research Dynamic Facilitation (community mediation practice Local Bloom-related projects: Long Beach Fresh Proyecto Fe A.C. - Bloom Los Mochis crew Mushroom City Art Festival Bloom Network Resources: Local Blooms and how to start one Wiki Bloom Podcast RSS feed: https://pinecast.com/feed/bloom-podcast Bloom Network Membership Our conference, Pollination Primarily people of color and indigenous led regenerative efforts listeners might not know about: Climate Justice Alliance La Via Campesina All My Relations podcast Ujima Project Bay Area specific: Resilient Wellness Blockchain for Social Justice

To wrap up this month long focus on building soils for market gardens I spoke with three of my favorite collaborators. Neal Hegarty and Jeremy Fellows from Granja Tz’ikin and Shad Qudsi from Atitlan Organics. Each of them share their experiences, trials, and errors from years of intensive soil building methods on rocky marginal land in rural Guatemala and the systems they currently use to build fertility on their farms. In this episode Shad talks about his integrated poultry operation and how his deep bedding method creates nutrient rich compost for the adjacent salad greens production at Atitlan Organics. Neal speaks in detail about how they’ve integrated goats and chickens in a three tiered composting animal house, and Jeremy explains some of the extra soil fertility amendments they’ve been experimenting with including biochar and effective micro-organisms. The ongoing learning and experimentation on both Granja Tzikin and Atitlan Organics is something you can participate in yourself, so be sure to check out their websites to see how you can get involved. Resources: Granja Tzikin Atitlan Organics Previous interviews with Shad Previous interviews with Neal Previous interviews with Jeremy

My guest today, Rhonda Sherman, is the director of the Compost Learning Lab at North Carolina State University and a leading expert on vermicomposting. Rhonda travels extensively to present workshops and to consult with farmers, businesses, and institutions on the development and management of vermicomposting systems. She also organizes the annual North Carolina State Vermiculture Conference, which for nineteen years has drawn participants from across the United States and around the globe. She is a co-editor of Vermiculture Technology and has written extensively about composting and vermicomposting in her role with NC State University. In this episode I talked with Rhonda about her new book, “The Worm Farmer’s Handbook.” Though the book focuses mostly on mid to large scale vermicomposting systems, we start by talking about small residential vermicomposting and the positive effect it can have on our lives by taking back control of our waste streams and turning it into an incredible product. We also go into detail about troubleshooting problems in the system, feeding and watering indicators, pest deterrents and much more. Rhonda also shares some great resources from her website that you can use for free and which I’ve linked to on the show notes for this episode at abundantedge.com Resources: Buy the book “The Worm Farmer’s Handbook” Rhonda’s website More about Rhonda Sherman

Welcome back to the definitive guide to no-till organic gardening. In this session we’ll pick up where we left off with Andrew Mefferd, editor of “Growing for Market Magazine” and the author of “The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution.” In last week’s episode we talked mostly about Andrew’s journey into farming and research of no-till market production methods after identifying the principle problems of tillage and the damaging effects on soil health that it’s had worldwide. In this session we’ll jump straight into the four methods of no-till mulching that the different farms that are profiled in the book are using successfully as well as the pros and cons of each technique. Andrew discusses the importance of identifying the context of your place and intentions before choosing which technique to follow as well. Be sure to go back and listen to the first episode in this series to hear about Andrew’s background and experiences to get you caught up for this episode if you haven’t done that yet. Once again now I’ll hand things over to Andrew Resources: Growing for Market Magazine Buy the book “The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution” Buy the book “The Greenhouse and Hoophouse Grower’s Handbook” Andrew Mefferd on FB

My guest in this session Andrew Mefferd, worked for seven years in the research department of Johnny’s selected seeds and has travelled around the world to connect with farmers and researchers about greenhouse growing and soil conservation. He then started his own farm in Maine to apply all of that knowledge and experience, which he writes about and curates as the editor of “Growing for Market Magazine”. In this episode Andrew and I talk about his new book “The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution,” We begin by identifying the systemic problem that industrial agriculture, specifically with its reliance on soil tillage, has caused, and the massive losses of topsoil and the nutrient degradation that has resulted from this ubiquitous practice. From there Andrew breaks down the four no-till market gardening methods that he’s seen used successfully in his travels and research. We cover Mulch grown in place, Cardboard mulch, Deep straw mulch, and Deep compost mulch as well as the pros and cons of each method and how to choose the no-till methods that works best for your context. Andrew also explains how soil health ties in with climate stability, small farm profitability and much more. This is the first in a two part series with Andrew, because all the knowledge that he shared was best split in two to avoid going too long, so don’t forget to catch next Friday’s conclusion of this interview, and two more soil building episodes in this month’s focused look at building market gardening soil. Resources: Growing for Market Magazine Buy the book “The Organic No-Till Farming Revolution” Buy the book “The Greenhouse and Hoophouse Grower’s Handbook” Andrew Mefferd on FB

The unsung hero of all that we’ve accomplished here in Guatemala are the local communities and people where we live and work. In this Regenerative Round Table I spoke with Charlie and Gabi, two of my closest friends here at the lake about the challenges and learning experiences over a combined 30 years living and working with the local Mayan communities around Lake Atitlan. We speak at length about the intricacies of running organizations and projects in this area and the challenges of respectful navigation and deeper understanding of a culture that is significantly different from the ones we were raised with. In this episode we explore everything from the traditions and customs, language barriers, differences in access to infrastructure and resources, and much more. I’m passionate about exploring the often-overlooked aspect of traditions and culture in the holistic design process and how to consider these essential elements in community regeneration to facilitate the healthy development from all people involved. For that reason, I would also love to hear your own stories of cultural learning and observation, whether you’ve lived and worked in another part of the world or have played host to foreigners visiting your community. I hope this sparks a larger conversation about respectful consideration and even celebration of the differences in our cultures and ways of life. I look forward to your comments and stories. Resources: La Cambalacha Website Previous podcasts with Charlie Rendall ARE YOU THE OWNER OR PROMOTIONS MANAGER FOR A REGENERATIVE BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION LOOKING TO GET YOUR MESSAGE OUT TO A LARGER AUDIENCE? Finding your target audience for regenerative products and services can be tough, especially while the movement is still in its infancy and awareness around the importance of ethical business still has a long way to go. If you want to tap into a network of informed and motivated people with strong environmental and community ethics who vote with their purchases then you’ve come to the right place. The Abundant Edge podcast now has more than 30,000 monthly listeners around the world and is growing fast. These are listeners who are actively involved in the regeneration of our planet and are enthusiastically supporting businesses and projects that reflect their priorities. We now offer competitive sponsorship packages for single episodes and discounted rates for multiple episodes, social media campaigns, promotional videos and more. The best part is that all your investment goes straight into making this podcast the best resource for regenerative skills education that it can be. Because of our commitment to the integrity of our message and our affiliations, this offer is only open to businesses and organizations that are as committed to regenerative work as we are. If this sounds like a good fit for you, go to the show notes for this episode to fill out the collaborator application form. We look forward to helping you reach your highest potential. COLLABORATOR’S APPLICATION FORM Name * Name First Name Last Name Email * Tell us about your business and why its "regenerative" * Where can we look to learn more about your business or organization? * Which of our services are you interested in? * Choose as many that apply Podcast sponsorship space Social media exposure Promotional video Other Thank you! A representative will contact you as soon as possible

In keeping with the theme of water regeneration this month I spoke to Rob Avis, the co-author along with Michelle Avis of their book in the New Society Essentials series called Rain Water Harvesting. Rob and Michelle founded Verge Permaculture, an award-winning design, consulting and education company in Calgary, Alberta after years of international training in renewable energy and regenerative design. Since its founding, Verge has helped more than 1000 students and clients to design and create integrated systems for shelter, energy, water, waste, and food, all while supporting their local economy and regenerating the land. Through their design and consulting they create havens that produce their own energy and food, harvest water, cycle nutrients, and restore the surrounding ecosystems, enabling property owners to thrive no matter what. With such a broad range of knowledge, experience, and expertise, we focused mainly on rain water harvesting techniques and systems in this episode as an entry into the larger concept of watershed regeneration and revival. In this session Rob explains some of the key components of rain water harvesting systems and the ways that you can treat and filter the water for various uses. We talk at length about why expensive filters and disinfectants are often unnecessary, even for most potable water uses, and the different ways you can keep your stored rainwater clean. Rob also speaks about how rainwater harvesting systems fit into a larger system aimed toward water resilience in multiple living contexts from urban to rural applications. I’ve been a big fan of Verge Permaculture and all their great work for some time now and I’m intending to create a larger series of in depth talks with Rob and Michelle in the future so if you enjoy this episode and have further questions that you’d like to hear us cover in future talks, then by all means send your questions and feedback to me at [email protected] or in the comments in the show notes on the website. Resources: Buy the book “Essentials: Rainwater Harvesting” Verge Permaculture Website Verge Youtube channel Are you the owner or promotions manager for a regenerative business or organization looking to get your message out to a larger audience? Finding your target audience for regenerative products and services can be tough, especially while the movement is still in its infancy and awareness around the importance of ethical business still has a long way to go. If you want to tap into a network of informed and motivated people with strong environmental and community ethics who vote with their purchases then you’ve come to the right place. The Abundant Edge podcast now has more than 30,000 monthly listeners around the world and is growing fast. These are listeners who are actively involved in the regeneration of our planet and are enthusiastically supporting businesses and projects that reflect their priorities. We now offer competitive sponsorship packages for single episodes and discounted rates for multiple episodes, social media campaigns, promotional videos and more. The best part is that all your investment goes straight into making this podcast the best resource for regenerative skills education that it can be. Because of our commitment to the integrity of our message and our affiliations, this offer is only open to businesses and organizations that are as committed to regenerative work as we are. If this sounds like a good fit for you, go to the show notes for this episode to fill out the collaborator application form. We look forward to helping you reach your highest potential. Collaborator’s Application form Name * Name First Name Last Name Email * Tell us about your business and why its "regenerative" * Where can we look to learn more about your business or organization? * Which of our services are you interested in? * Choose as many that apply Podcast sponsorship space Social media exposure Promotional video

In this session I had the pleasure of speaking to the founder of “Elemental Ecosystems” Zach Weiss. Zach earned the distinction of being the first person to earn the Holzer practitioner certification from revolutionary Austrian farmer Sepp Holzer through a rigorous two-year apprenticeship working alongside Sepp in North America and Europe. Zach created Elemental Ecosystems as a for-benefit social enterprise focused on solving societies growing environmental problems by considering the elemental relationship between biology and hydrology. In this interview, Zach and I start by talking about the difference between a healthy water cycle and one that’s been compromised. We unpack the reasons why humans have desertified nearly one third of the earth’s land and how we can begin to reverse and regenerate that process. Zach also touches on some of the steps that anyone can take, whether you live on a large farm or a small city apartment, to positively impact the water cycles in your local area, and he also shares many resources you can look into to learn more about watershed regeneration. This interview represents just the tip of the iceberg around water system regeneration and I would love to do a follow-up interview with Zach very soon, so to those of you listening to this, please write to me at [email protected] and send in the topics and questions you’d like for us to explore in greater depth when I get the chance to continue this series again. Resources: Elemental Ecosystems Zach Weiss’ TEDx talk Tom Duncan’s podcast with Abundant Edge Desert or Paradise with Sepp Holzer The Rebel Farmer with Sepp Holzer (in spanish) Willie Smits’ TED talk The Flow Partnership

We’ve completed 100 episodes! Thank you to all our listeners and supporters who are part of more than thirty thousand subscribers to this podcast and the growing regenerative community that is taking back our future and helping humanity move into its fullest potential. In this episode Oliver and Neal talk about the new direction that Abundant Edge and Granja Tz’ikin will be taking independently and how the two enterprises will continue to work together and support one another in the years to come. They also talk at length about the main takeaways and learning that has happened over the last year of development on the farm here in Guatemala as well as the vision and initiatives moving forward. Keep an eye out on the website at abundantedge.com for new content coming out soon with video tours of the farm, tutorials and explanations of our systems, as well as a regnerative travel show that will begin in May. Resources: Volunteer at Granja Tz’ikin Check out Abundant Edge’s services Upcoming courses at Granja Tz’ikin

In this interview I had the pleasure of speaking with Daniel Christian Wahl, Daniel is an international consultant and educator specialising in biologically-inspired whole systems design and transformative innovation. By the time he was 28 Daniel had travelled to 35 different countries on six continents and he started his career as a marine biologist and scuba diving instructor, before he decided to focus on sustainability and sustainable communities. Originally trained at the University of Edinburgh and the University of California, Santa Cruz, Daniel also holds a Masters degree in Holistic Science from Schumacher College, and a PhD in Natural Design from the University of Dundee. Daniel has taught capacity building workshops on a wide range of sustainability issues to local authorities and businesses and has worked closely with Gaia Education since 2006 when he participated in the first training of trainers for the ‘Ecovillage Design Education’ program. Daniel currently lives on Majorca, and works locally and internationally as a consultant, educator and activist, and in 2016 he published his first book, “Designing Regenerative Cultures.” In today’s session we cover a very wide range of regenerative design theory and Daniel’s perspective and experience on community and cultural shifts, the factors of time in nuanced design, working in collaboration on multi-stakeholder projects and much more. This interview is the perfect capstone for this last month’s focus on design theory and regenerative community dynamics so before I give it all away, I’ll hand it over now to Daniel. Resources: Buy the book “Designing Regenerative Cultures” Daniel Christian Wahl on FB UCI Costa Rica Gaia Education Gunther’s Fables

My guest today has been a big inspiration to me and has been a leader in regenerative design, pretty much before that was even a term. Bill Reed is an internationally recognized practitioner, lecturer, and authority in sustainability and regenerative planning, design and implementation. He is a principal in both Integrative Design, Inc. and Regenesis – two organizations working to lift green building and community planning into full integration and evolution with living systems. Bill is also the author of many technical articles and contributed to many books including the seminal work, “Integrative Design Guide to Green Building.” He is also a founding director of the US Green Building Council and one of the co-founders of the LEED Green Building Rating System. Bill has consulted on over two hundred green design commissions, the majority of which are LEED Gold and Platinum and Living Building Challenge projects. He is also a keynote speaker at major building and design events as well as a guest lecturer to universities throughout Europe and North America including Harvard, MIT, Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania. I’ve been looking forward to connecting with Bill for quite some time and this interview did not disappoint. We talk at length about Bill’s design process and the perspective needed to remain open to the full scope and context that a design might affect. Bill warns of the dangers of going into a design job looking for problems to solve and projects to implement before understanding and listening to the place and the people in it. The insights from this interview were quite profound for me and I hope this will spark a larger conversation about what regenerative design is and has the power to do Resources: Regenesis Group website Guide to LEED building certification US Green Building Council

Welcome to the first episode of season three. I’m so excited for the year to come and all the conversations, interviews, and information that I’ll be sharing with all of you over the year. This season, while I’ll be sticking with the general format of the season prior, I’m also looking to bring more stories into these conversations and cultivate narratives around the incredible work that people around the world are doing in the regenerative fields. Just like last season, once a month the team from Abundant Edge will be checking in on the Regenerative Round Table segments and giving updates on the design and development of the farm as well as the projects we’re working on for clients and friends both in our communities and around the world. Now today’s guest is a good friend of mine from our community here in Tzununa on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. Marcus Veysey has lived and worked here at the lake for over 25 years and is a wealth of knowledge on medicinal plants and herbs. Now rather than focusing just on plant medicines, our conversation focuses more on how to listen and observe the natural environment around you and open your heart and perspective to what the plants you interact with are really communicating to you. Through mindfulness practices and small but profound changes in your habits and perspective, Marcus guides us through his own journey of discovery and learning from the local ecology and communities here in Guatemala. I thought this would be the perfect conversation to launch the new season of this podcast with the intention of connecting the practical information of regenerative living to the stories and narratives of the people and their lifestyles so I hope you enjoy this chat with my good friend Marcus. Resources: Marcus Veysey on Facebook The Seed

It’s been a monumental first year for us here at Abundant Edge with the development of the farm “Granja Tz’ikin” and all of the client projects we’ve been juggling at the same time. As we wrap up the second season of the podcast and the first year of me, Neal and Jeremy working as a team we want to mostly take the time to show our gratitude for all the people who’ve been instrumental in the progress we’ve been able to make together in a relatively short period of time. We also discuss the core projects that we moved forward on and some of the key lessons we’ve learned and continue to learn over the last season. From here we move into a month long hiatus but The Abundant Edge podcast will be back for its third season on Friday February 1st. Until then, thank you to all of you who’ve listened, subscribed and supported us. Your feedback and encouragement mean the world to all of us here. We’ll look forward to catching you in the new year! Resources: Alex Kronick’s episode Lorenzo Maniet’s episode Previous regenerative round tables

My guest today is one of the most inspiring and enthusiastic educators working in permaculture and regenerative education anywhere in the world. I had the pleasure of interviewing Matt Powers, author of “The Permaculture Student” and “The Permaculture Student 2,” in the last season on this podcast and got to catch up with him again to talk in depth about some of the most urgent transitions facing humanity and how we all need to prepare ourselves to contribute positively to a regenerative shift in the way our societies and economies operate. In this interview Matt breaks down how advances in technology and AI will affect us all and drastically disrupt our economy in the near future, but rather than paint a bleak picture of the days to come, we discuss how anyone motivated to do so can see this shift as an incredible opportunity to re-tool and re-skill to advance themselves and their communities in a new “Regenerative Economy.” We also talk about the types of jobs and contributions that will most be in demand in this changing global system and Matt even dispels the myth of the self-sufficient homestead being a way to insulate or disconnect ourselves during this transition. Matt is a fantastic educator and storyteller who illustrates his points with thoughtful observations from his own experiences and much of the beginning of this episode is spent talking about some of the big transitions that and his family have gone through directly Resources: thepermaculturestudent.com Matt Powers on Facebook

Animals and livestock can be an essential component to land restoration if managed correctly and while we already have goats, chickens and ducks on our small demonstration farm here in Guatemala, I’ve been looking into the addition of another animal enterprise that would fit into our existing systems without overwhelming the small space we have. For a while I’ve been interested in rabbits for their fast reproduction, amazingly fertile manure and their delicious lean meat. That’s when I came across a book called “Raising Rabbits for Meat” by Eric and Callene Rapp and published by my good friends and supporters at New Society Publishers. Immediately I wanted reach our to Eric and Callene because of the wealth of well explained and practical knowledge from their experience raising heritage breeds of rabbits for both genetic conservation and high quality protein. In this interview Eric and Callene share their wealth of knowledge in running a profitable rabbitry and walk us through the process of how they got started, general care and maintenance, breeding, harvesting and much more. Be sure to stay tuned until the end when we talk about some of their delicious rabbit recipes that they also include in the book. Now before I give everything away, I’ll hand things over to Eric and Callene Resources: Buy the book “Raising Rabbits for Meat” Contact Eric and Callen on Facebook

It’s not often I get the chance to speak with a renowned animal behaviorist, much less for a talk about nutrition and nourishment, but my guest today, Fred Provenza, professor emeritus at Utah State University, makes the argument that we can learn a lot about our own health by observing the way that animals choose their food in their natural environments. Fred challenges us to be more skeptical of the latest diets and academic findings on nutrition and listen more to our own bodies and how they respond to the food we ingest. In this interview, Fred explains how his observations of seemingly counterintuitive eating behavior in goats first compelled him to look deeper into the nutritional wisdom of animals and how his findings gave him valuable insights into how we can begin to rediscover our own nutritional wisdom on a personal basis. We also talk about how someone (like myself), who is coming from a place of chronic digestive issues, can rebuild their system to the point that we can trust the signals that our body is giving us once again. Now before I give too much away, I’ll turn things over to Fred Resources: Buy “Nourishment” the book

The Abundant Edge team is back to talk about all the progress from our projects over the last month as we transition from the rainy season to the dry season here in Guatemala. We’ve got compost production, plant propagation, new baby goats, duck houses, gray and black water treatment for the house and much more. Above all we’re talking about how each one of these projects and enterprises contribute either directly or indirectly to building soil health and fertility on the land. If any of you are hoping to see pictures of the farm and many of the elements that we’re discussing in these episodes, you can follow us on facebook under the Abundant Edge page and on instagram under @abundant_edge Resources: intro to natural building course intro to permaculture course Ecological farming and agroforestry course link Permcaulture chocolate episode with Lorenzo Maniet

Leah Penniman’s mission is to end racism and injustice in our food system by increasing farmland stewardship by people of color, promoting equity in food access, and training the next generation of activist farmers. Her new book, Farming While Black, has been called "a revolutionary work that opens important doors" by Civil Eats and a “brilliant guide” by Mark Bittman. In this interview Leah explains the effects of miseducation around the contributions of people of color to agriculture and food science, and how the decline in land ownership and participation in agriculture from these groups affects us all. We also discuss the importance of ritual and ceremony in reconnecting people to the land and their cultures and how anyone can become an ally in transforming the inequitable system we currently have. Resources: Soul Fire Farm Buy the book “Farming While Black”

For those of you used to the more practical and literal information that I usually focus on in these interviews, you'll be refreshed by the story telling and concepts in this next session. This week, Neal Hegarty interviews countryman Diarmuid Lyng, a former star hurler for the county of Wexford who wrote a compelling article on the concept of "silver branch perception" from Irish mythology and how the traditional sport of hurling is linked to the health of the ash tree from which the "hurley" is made. They also go into how to reconnect with traditional culture and the importance of ritual in the modern context. This is a great talk for anyone looking to connect with the "why" of environmental stewardship and cultural importance. Resources: A Hurler’s Silver Branch Perception: Article by Diarmuid Lyng GAA Hurling Podcast RSS

Those of you who’ve been listening to this podcast for a while know that I geek out big time when it comes to natural plasters and finishes. So you can imagine how excited I was to get to talk to kyle holzhueter, a certified plasterer who learned his trade and got his certification in Japan where the traditional style and techniques are surprisingly different from those that I’ve become accustomed to from the western world. In this interview we cover those important differences which, though less flashy and aesthetic than the natural plasters you may have seen on many natural buildings, are much more workable for a longer timeframe. Kyle talks about his journey in the plastering trades in Japan, sourcing fibers for stronger finishes, the benefits of fermenting a plaster mix, and much more. Though I consider myself fairly knowledgeable about natural finishes I actually learned a ton in this interview and I know you will too, so grab a notebook and I’ll hand things over to Kyle Resources: Kyle Holzhueter on Facebook

In this month;s regenerative round table Jeremy and Oliver discuss the challenges of managing a lot of animals in a small space and some of the problems with keeping pests and predators out. We cover the progress on the little coffee beneficio, plastering the house, producing native and edible plants for ourselves and clients and all of the progress over the last few weeks of developing our little farm on lake Atitlan in Guatemala. Resources: Abundant Edge course schedule Volunteer with us at Granja Tzikin

Get the design and siting PDF here In this special episode, Oliver goes into one of the key lectures in the Intro to Natural Building course on some of the most important considerations and bits of information to consider when designing a natural building and choosing a site for the structure. In this episode we cover many iconic natural building styles, considerations for different climates and regions, designing for function, determining needs and wants, and a whole lot more. Don’t forget to download the accompanying PDF document in the show notes for this episode at abundantedge.com Resources: Get the design and siting PDF here Sign up for the Natural Building course!

My guest today, Ziggy Liloia from “the year of mud” has been building naturally and blogging about his experiences for a decade since he started with a small cob cottage, just over 200 sq ft at an ecovillage in Missouri back in 2008. Since then he has explored many other materials and techniques and joins us today to talk about the myths and realities of natural building, especially when it comes to costs, climate appropriate design, and labor considerations. In this interview Ziggy and I discuss some of the mistakes and learning experiences that have informed the way we design and assess appropriate materials. We talk about the importance of understanding the differences between thermal mass and insulation, and Ziggy also goes into detail about timber framing and charring wood for aesthetic purposes and to preserve the lumber for longer. This is a great episode for anyone looking to get a better understanding about the costs and realities of building with natural materials Resources: “Year of Mud” article on Shou-sugi-ban The Year of Mud website The Real Cost of Natural Building Article

Rammed earth is one of the earthen building techniques that I personally have the least experience with, but since it has been steadily growing in popularity around the world for its beauty and durability I reached out to April Magill of Root Down Designs to find out more about how this ancient vernacular building technique is being revived in the southeastern US and what challenges there are to getting rammed earth buildings permitted and accepted. In this interview April talk about how rammed earth structures help to combat some of the biggest challenges of building in her region such as humidity and mold. We discuss some of the hurdles for architects and owner-builders in getting natural buildings approved by local building authorities, and we also explore hybrid homes, permaculture design for structures, and much more. April also teaches courses with the American College of Building Arts in Charleston, SC so stay tuned till the end to learn how you can get hands on training in a variety of natural building methods in the South Carolina area. Resources: Roots Down Design The American College of Building Arts

The international presence of the permaculture movement has always been an inspiration to me and in today’s interview I had the pleasure of talking with Nelson Lebo of the Eco School in Whanganui in the north island of New Zealand. Nelson first reached out to me after hearing about some of our similar experiences on this podcast and I became fascinated with the development of his own farm with the unique factors in his area of New Zealand. In this interview Neslon speaks in depth about why he prefers to work with severely degraded land rather than pristine ecosystems, and the challenges of “permaculture triage” on a limited budget. From there we explore how he approaches the building and development of systems and models that are replicable and scalable and that also are economically viable. We also talk about adapting to severe weather, the “time” dimension within design, and the urgency of farming as if our children’s lives depend on it This is a remarkably broad reaching interview, bear with me for the couple minutes of rough audio as Nelson was recording his side from his local public library Resources: theecoschool.net ecothriftylife.com

It’s time once again to check in with Atulya Bingham, one of my favorite voices and innovators in the natural building world. Atulya is the author “Mud Mountain, Mud Ball” and the newest release “Dirt Witch,” each of which tell the story of her journey of building her own home and alternative lifestyle, first in Turkey and most recently her move to the north of Spain. In the last interview I did with Atulya back in season one, she was still on the road searching for her new home. This time we catch up with her now that she´s found her site and is in the planning stages of a new off-grid lifestyle. In this interview Atulya speaks about common earthbag building mistakes and how to avoid them, earthen plaster recipes and techniques, how living close to nature can transform you, and much more. I would especially encourage those of you listening at home to check out her blog which you can find at themudhome.com or by clicking on the direct link in the show notes for this episode at abundantedge.com. Resources: The mud home blog Themudhome.com

I have many heroes in the regenerative economy and my guest today certainly ranks up at the top. Wayne Dorband and his online educational platform, the Ecolonomics Action Team (or EAT for short) has been putting an amazing webinar series with some of the best educators and practitioners out there for years now and Wayne himself is a great example of a successful serial entrepreneur of regenerative enterprises. Above all though, I reached out to Wayne to get his expert opinion on aquaponics and aquaculture systems. In this interview Wayne uses examples from his own commercial aquaponics system centered around a two acre pond on his land in Colorado to explain the major components and concepts behind the success of his systems. We start by defining the differences between hydroponics and aquaponics and work through the essential components of the cycles within the system. We talk nutrient cycling, trouble-shooting and how to observe a tough-to-diagnose underwater system before killing all your fish by accident. This is a really in-depth look at aquaponic systems so grab your notebook and I’ll turn things over to Wayne Resources: EAT community

Welcome back to the regenerative round table. Today Neal and Oliver are joined by "Bamboo" Charlie Rendall, natural builder and founder of Return to the Forest as we talk in depth about new developments and progress on the Abundant Edge farm (aka Finca Tz'ikin). We recently had a new drainage channel open up right next to the farm so as we scramble to shore up the northern border of our land and divert any potential water away from the house we discuss the many ways that you can mitigate the risks and damage from a severe weather event when it comes to building and landscape management. We also talk about a new joint venture that Charlie and the Abundant Edge team are planning around permaculture gardening services and we talk about all the ways we are planning to use the business venture to benefit our communities in the process. The audio quality is not as good as I would like on this episode due to a problem I had with the microphone so sorry in advance but there shouldn't be any trouble hearing what is being said Resources: Abundant Edge course returntotheforest.org

In my focus and passion for designing beautiful, functional and holistic buildings and landscapes, it’s easy to get caught up in the macro and forget the micro, or to put it another way, for as important as the big picture is, the interactions at the ground level and the beauty of the relationships that you can develop with the plants that enrich the earth are certainly not to be forgotten. For insight on these relationships I turn today to Lee Reich, a master gardener who holds a graduate degree in soil science and a doctorate in horticulture and who has written many books on gardening over the years to talk about his new book “The Ever Curious Gardener” in which he explores the observations he’s made from his own experiences with his plants, and some of the science behind why they behave the way they do. Resources: Get the book "The Ever Curious Gardener" leereich.com

Welcome back to part two in our series speaking with Crystal Honeycutt about the idea of regenerative health. Crystal is a naturopathic doctor and registered clinical herbalist who has been sharing incredible insights on the topics of nutrition, self-assessment and diagnosis and how to find out just what your body needs to maintain itself in top form. For more on Crystal’s background and superhero origin story you can listen to the beginning of last week’s episode. In this session we’ll pick up where we left off and start to explore the topics of supplementation for faster recovery, the nuanced definition of regenerative health and how you can rise above our low standards of health today to reach your superhuman potential, so let’s get started Resources: Crystal on Facebook balancedliving4u.com

Regenerative living can be a very wide and nuanced topic. Today we’ll start on a two-part journey into a tricky and sometimes controversial world of holistic health and what it means to experience regenerative well-being. My guest today, Crystal Honeycutt, is an accomplished naturopathic doctor and registered clinical herbalist who has been in private practice for more than 10 years specializing in chronic illness, stress, and trauma. I’ve been a client of hers in the past and she’s helped me immensely in my recovery from chronic digestive problems and through working with her I’ve gotten a completely new perspective on just about every aspect of personal health and how closely it relates to emotional and environmental health as well. In this first installment of the two-part series, Crystal talks about how her interest in health comes from her own experiences with chronic disease and trauma. We start by exploring the fundamentals of nutrition and how to navigate the mine-field of fad diets, nutritional advice and more. Crystal helps to guide us through basic self-reflection and self-diagnosis to make the best dietary decisions for our bodies too. In the second episode in this series we’ll explore why you may want to look to your herb garden before heading to the pharmacy, the role that supplementation can play in helping us to recover from disease, what regenerative health means, and so much more. I hope that you get as much out of this conversation as I did and don’t miss next week’s session for the conclusion too. Now I’ll hand things over to Crystal Resources: Email Crystal Honeycutt Crystal on Facebook balancedliving4u.com

Our baby goats, just a few days old One of the biggest challenges that we and many other peramculturalists face is how to balance the need for diversity and resilience in our ecosystems and enterprises and the need for efficiency and simplicity in their maintenance and operation. On this regenerative round table Neal and Oliver talk about their own experiences and mistakes along the way in finding this balance on the Abundant Edge farm as well as balancing the development needs of their site with the work they do for clients. Everything from moisture issues in hobbit houses to delivery systems for goats cheese and running the business sides of each. Join the discussion and share your own stories in the comments below.

This is an interview I’ve been looking forward to for a while now. I was fortunate enough to speak with two guests from opposite ends of the spectrum of permaculture learning. The first, Geoff Lawton, one of the original students of Bill Mollison and a permaculture designer and teacher for more than 30 years, and the second, Sam Parker-Davies, an intern with Geoff at Zaytuna farm in Australia who has jumped in deep with permaculture learning, especially at the community level. In this interview we talked in depth about the challenges and points of inspiration from each perspective and experience. Geoff talks about inspiring regenerative projects at the community level and what it takes to get the ideas to really stick. Sam discusses his experience getting involved in local politics and even running for a seat on the city council. Geoff and I also talk about his experience and memories from working in our region of Guatemala many years ago with our friends at IMAP (the Mesoamerican institute of permaculture) and gives great advice on gathering information and observing a site in depth before making assumptions. This is a great and nuanced discussion from both ends of the spectrum that I’m sure anyone out there can relate to on some level

Welcome to part two of the Abundant Edge design criteria checklist. If you're just tuning in now for the first time, I would recommend that you have a listen first to part one where we covered the goal and visioning exercise and the site analysis portion of our design criteria. Today we'll be starting where we left off by diving into "invisible structures and moving through the list until we've formed an actionable strategy with well defined roles and expectations. Remember, this list isn’t meant to be a replacement for your own judgement or creativity as a designer, but it reflects many of the criteria that have helped us the most and what we consider to be some of the most essential bits of information and observations that can be expanded on based on the needs of your clients (or your own projects). We are constantly updating and revising this list so feel free to let us know if there are other essential criteria missing from this list or considerations that you think are important. Resources: Get the Abundant Edge design criteria checklist here * indicates required Email Address * First Name * Last Name *