And yet, for nearly seven years, simply by asking you to give I’ve been able to dedicate all of my labor towards creating this show. From humble beginnings where I was the only subscriber, this podcast now spreads permaculture to every corner of the globe, from Japan to Ethiopia. Anyone with an internet connection and who speaks English, whether as their first, second, or another language, can tune in and learn about how to create the world they want to live in. To take care of Earth, themselves, and each other.
I originally started this show and became a podcaster in order to write my own education. To clarify my thoughts on permaculture and to share that with others. To receive feedback and further refine my ideas. It took weeks to get a subscriber other than myself. Then one after another, after another, the show grew until there were dozens of people who decided to listen.
A year or so later, I took a break. Coming back I found that instead of 300 listeners, there were 1,200 and the show now reaches tens of thousands each year. Not bad for a little niche show on how to change our lives and the world through intentional design.
From those early days of work on my own education that reached a few hundred people, the show became more than that, to the point that it is no longer about my education. The Permaculture Podcast now has three goals:
1. To act as a resource for anyone with access to the internet to hear the voices of the permaculture community in particular and the larger regenerative movement in general. People they might not be aware of. People who are engaged in the kind of work and projects they are, not only through the interviews and episodes, but also through direct contact via email, phone calls, letters, and comments. Anyone who hears, reads, or is given my contact information have access to the wealth of resources at my disposal.
2. To help my guests share their stories well, by making the interviews relaxed and open-ended with a conversational tone, easy going approach, and attention to post-production editing.
By focusing on those details publishers and publicists now reach out to me for first time interviews with new authors. Literally, the first time they have recorded a conversation for their book, project, or specialty. You can hear them here before anywhere else.
3. To help members of the community share their classes, workshops, and convergences so that more people can access what they have to give to the world. Wherever possible, to do that in a way that is supportive of the teacher and organizer’s work regardless of class size or fiscal budget.
With those goals, I originally embraced The Gift economy to support the show, and that has been my main way to keep things going over the years. With that in mind, I’d like the gift to stay the focus of the show so that I can turn my attention to creating more episodes and foster relationships of exchange and community, rather than financial reciprocity. You’ve probably heard lately that I’ve been trying some different things over the past year, but I’d like to return to the way things were while continuing to keep this material accessible.
In order to do that, I need you. Between now and September 10th, my 38th birthday, I’m holding my big annual fundraiser in order to meet two financial goals, both of which are based on the same need: healthcare.
The first is that I need to raise $1,000 by August 8th in order to continue my venom immunotherapy treatment. These funds will pay for a vial of venom, my annual checkup, and the next year of injections. Thankfully this is my 5th and final year of this therapy.
As a special thank you during this campaign whoever donates the 1000th dollar will receive my personal copy of Permaculture: A Designers’ Manual.
Overall my goal is to raise $7,000 by October 10th, the 7 year anniversary of the completing my Permaulture Design Course and the creation of this show. I’ll use these funds to purchase health insurance that is accepted by my providers, while also being able to breathe a little more easily. With that moment of breath, I can build the relationships necessary to sustain the show long term, such as getting to 500 people donating $5 a month via Patreon, so I wouldn’t have to do any more of these fundraisers.
More than that, however, by raising these funds, we insure another year of this podcast. $7,000 to bring permaculture to the world.
As a thank you, anyone who donates between now and September 10, 2017, are eligible to enter to win what I consider the start to a great permaculture library and includes:
One-Straw Revolution by Masanobu Fukuoka
Thinking in Systems: A Primer by Donella Meadows
Earthuser’s Guide to Permaculture by Rosemary Morrow
Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability by David Holmgren
If we hit this goal by my 38th birthday, September 10th, I’ll include both volumes of Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier’s Edible Forest Garden.
Once we reach that goal, I’ll include stretch goals that include more resources like Farming the Woods, The Permaculture City, Beyond the War on Invasive Species, The Forest Garden Greenhouse, Integrated Forest Gardening, The Community-Scale Permaculture Farm, and many others. There is the potential for someone to receive a complete permaculture library through this campaign. My personal library.
If a one-time donation isn’t your thing and you’d like to become a recurring donor, there is also a special giveaway for those who sign up for Patreon. On October 10th, I’ll give away a copy of Permaculture: A Designers’ Manual to one of my Patreon supporter. Already a Patreon supporter? You are automatically entered into this. No response or comment necessary.
And, as October marks the 7th anniversary of the show, I don’t want to leave you out if you are unable to donate at this time. Anyone who sends me a postcard or letter with their name and address is also eligible for the overall drawing.
Thank you for being part of such an amazing show for nearly 7 years. I look forward to another 7, and another 7 after that.
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The Permaculture Podcast
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