During the conversation Linda shares with us how we can use games to better understand systems, specifically Climate Change. This is important because of the crisis that the weirding of our atmosphere is causing and our need to communicate this and other issue clearly, in a fun, proactive, and non-threatening way, while wrapping everything within one of the core roots of permaculture: systems thinking. This discussion takes those ideas of climate and systems and helps anyone who is practicing permaculture to speak with more clarity about both.

You can find more about Linda at LindaBoothSweeney.com, and The Climate Change Playbook at ChelseaGreen.com.

Games are a fun and upbeat way to play, and as we heard from Linda, also to learn, and her book has provided us a way to do so with only a handful of props and a little bit of time. As a longtime gamer myself, I’ve come to understand that play and the space created can allow you to safely try your hand at storytelling, diplomacy, and conflict resolution, deepen your emotional intelligence, your understanding of mathematics or game theory, and so much more. That we can apply that same play to bigger issues, whether around a table or filling an auditorium, is a new way to reach out to and talk to people about climate change, and The Climate Change Playbook provides a place for us to use games developed by others to begin this process, and in turn to create new games to include in our permaculture classes.

When it comes to permaculture, are there already games that you use to teach these concepts? Do you already have a copy of The Climate Change Playbook? What games do you like from it? As a parent do you have a copy of the Wildcraft board game?

Whatever way you are bringing play into your practice, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below to get in touch. 

Resources
Linda Booth Sweeney
The Climate Change Playbook Chelsea Green
Outward Bound
The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge
John Sterman
Sloan School
Society for Organizational Learning
Systems Dynamics
In Over Our Heads by Bob Kegan
Gaia’s Garden by Toby Hemenway (Interview)

Though the title for this episode is a bit of a mouthful, and what follows stays rather technical in how Joshua shares the message with us, the core of the conversation is fairly simple: how do we create better educational experiences for students by design, and build their abilities, talents, and skills to accomplish their personal goals inside and outside the classroom, and collaboratively in community. As we cover a lot of ground in less than a half-hour, you will find copious links in the Resource section of the show notes, which include Joshua’s website and how to connect with him.

This conversation with Joshua is important to me because the easy work of permaculture, the space we focus on in a Permaculture Design Course, the landscape is well known. There are academic and other libraries full of information on how to manage plants and animals for human use. The permanent agriculture side of permaculture is upon us. We can do that. We know-how.

Moving from the land and towards creating permanent culture is a completely different issue and set of, if you will, softer skills, that are not as tangible or direct. As teachers, that includes better pedagogical approaches to teaching permaculture that includes more conversations about the invisible structures and delving deep into design, not just on-the-ground techniques. Using that idea of experiential design, we must design and educational experience, including the classroom and curriculum, to meet the needs of the students so they have a larger toolbox of skills. Then, through capacity building, help them find the skills they need along the way.

Finally, at least for this conversation, when students complete a course and go back into the world, to offer ongoing support that also connect them with or helps to create the community they’ll need for systemic change. It’s a big picture, but I can’t imagine us doing this if we weren’t ready to tackle some incredibly complex issues. We can decide to use permaculture to homestead, and I appreciate everyone who does that, but there’s also an imperative within the ethics that we do something more. By practicing permaculture, you are part of a larger community. By listening to this show, you are part of a portion of that group. If you are a part of my community. Thousands and thousands of people to call upon to help you.

Regardless of where you are in the world, there is probably someone near you that I’ve talked to or traded email with. If not, then I can put out a call on the podcast if you are looking for someone. All you’ve got to do is get in touch by leaving a comment below. 

My takeaway from this conversation is the ongoing importance of design in our practices to setup up holistic systems. We have a role in selecting for our specific needs for the space as well as the animals we choose to include. If we are able to create a barn from the ground up, we can work with a vet and other specialists to build a space with good ventilation, access to water, and sited appropriately in the landscape. If we buy a place, modifications may be required, such as rebuilding the interior to change stall spacing, or move doors, but at an increase in time and expense to do so. That is something important to consider. A site may at first glance seem perfect, because it has pre-existing buildings, but consider having a consultation with a vet or barn builder to see what modification costs might be for your specific animal needs. You may find the cost puts the project outside of your budget as compared to another site and building new. Though this initial cost is judged in financial terms, I think more about the importance of a system that lasts for generations, providing a healthy home for humans and the animals that live there. In picking animals to raise, we have a greater hand in selecting the right breeds for our space, so that they thrive year after year. If you are familiar with permaculture, take your time and do a goals and needs analysis before making any purchases. The time spent planning and researching can save you a lot of work in the long run. As part of that process, as Talia suggests, also plan on how you are going to handle animals that get sick as part of your breeding stock. Will you take an active hand in selecting and breeding? Or will you let nature take it’s course? As you work through the process of developing your farm or homestead, I’d like to hear what choices you make on including livestock.

Sponsors
Your Garden Solution
Good Seed Co.
Inside Edge Design
PermieKids
Broken Ground Permaculture

Resources
Dr. Talia Fletcher, DVM
World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF)
Holistic Management International

(About the picture: This is where I've spent my visits to Clear Creek. The house in the center is Phillip's family home, which is mentioned in this episode. On the left is the schoolhouse where  we recorded the interviews.)

Today’s conversation is the second round table recorded at Clear Creek in Mid-April, 2016.  As I stepped away to read to my children, an ongoing tradition of ours from whenever I’m on the road, Eric Puro, of The POOSH sat in as the guest host. Eric in the chair lead to a conversation covering the work of the folks in and around Clear Creek: what permaculture is to them in practice. That began with a look at the history of the area by Phillip, and moved to what draws us to community, and the traditions we build as a result. During the conversation we hear from Eric; Jereme Zimmerman, author of Make Mead like a Viking; Ziggy from the Year of Mud; and many other folks who joined us for the evening, including Sam and Brooke from Louisville, lots of folks from around the community, many of whom have interned with Susana Lein, as well as two of her three current interns, Patrick and Ben. A quick shout out to those interns.

Ben, if you hear this, I swear I’m reading Saga and it’s awesome. Patrick, you and everyone else at Salamander Springs Farm are more than welcome to visit me if you are ever in the area. I’d love to see you all again.

I’d like to thank all of them for joining me that day, and to to Eric Puro for allowing me to continue a tradition of my own. Stepping away from this I’m left thinking about that piece about what it means to live and work together in community, in particular when Ziggy asked the question, “how do we maintain happiness with the people that are around us, even in times of difficulty, or even in times that are challenging to those relationships,” and how that can be the hardest part for all of us. The challenge of doing this, and experiencing it directly, is part of why I moved into community at Seppi’s Place. Though we’ve only been here for a few months, there is an ongoing struggle to answer those questions. We are not The POOSH or Clear Creek or The Possibility Alliance, and have to work through things differently and find our own solutions. As Eric mentioned Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, there is a common thread that is forming our basis for the Seppi’s Place Hierarchy of Community Needs, which are: roles, boundaries, and traditions. As we live into this, and spend more time together, our roles are what makes life together function. These are simple things, like I am the regular dishwasher. Eric cooks. We both water and weed the garden. Seppi knows all the mechanical systems and takes care of them. We all clean, each picking up different things on different days, as a chore chart emerges to insure we cover the everyday basics. These are the foundation of our pyramid. The next step up are boundaries that arise from filling our roles and talking about our personal and community needs. Some that have been created so far include ensuring that certain spaces are kept separate as part of our family area, useable by the household, and we ask people not to enter them when we have public gatherings. Another is making Sunday our family day, to rest and retreat from other work. Above that are our traditions, which take a lot of time develop and live into in a natural, unforced way. That includes a Friday night dinner for household and local family, as well as another potluck on Saturday in the evening that is open to the broader community. We also have a play and learn day, a kind of informal work and skillshare day, on Saturdays as well. Tying all of that together are occasional community and household meetings, sometimes facilitated, sometimes run by a simple agenda, to talk about what’s going on and make sure that everyone is still having their needs met. If not, then we reexamine our roles, boundaries, and traditions to see if there is something we can do to make things right. This is what is happening here, in our community.

What about those of you who are currently living in community with others? What are some of the ways you work together to take care of one another, and handle the challenges of those relationships? If you want to live in community, what are some of the questions you have for those who live this way? What are some of your concerns about making the jump?

If you have answers to those questions, get in touch. I’d like to continue to explore these ideas of community building with you. 

Sponsors
Good Seed Co.
Inside Edge Design

Resources
Clear Creek Schoolhouse
The Year of Mud
Make Mead Like a Viking
Salamander Springs Farm 

(About the picture: The grainery at Salamander Springs Farm is the first structure one encounters on arriving up the steep, mountain lane. This building, still new when the first round table was recorded in August 2015, stands ready for the opening of another season on the farm.)

Today’s interview is a round table recorded in Clear Creek in Mid-April, 2016. The participants in the conversation include Jereme Zimmerman, author of Make Mead Like a Viking, “Ziggy” Liloia of The Year of Mud, Eric Puro and Michael Beck of The POOSH, and Susana Lein of Salamander Springs Farm. This is the first of two pieces from that evening. Today ends as Susana and I had to leave, her to a birthday party and for me to carry on a tradition of reading bedtime stories to my children each night, even when I’m on the road.

In the next episode, you’ll hear Eric Puro behind the microphone as the guest host leading the conversation. I haven’t listened to it yet, so have no idea what’s in there. What I do know, is that in the panel discussion today, we talk about mead and mead making, natural building, permaculture farming. Throughout you’ll hear about the importance of having community and people to share your work, knowledge, and experiences with. Together, we create more than we do alone. If after listening to this interview there is any way I can help you on your journey, to do what it is that inspires you, whether to take the first step forward or to arrive at a destination, get in touch.

Resources
Make Mead Like a Viking
The Year of Mud
Salamander Springs Farm

My guests for this episode are Nate Kleinman of Experimental Farm Network, Paul Glover the founder of Philadelphia Orchard Project, Robyn Mello of Philadelphia Orchard Project, and Kirtrina Baxter of Public Interest Law Center, recorded earlier this year at Repair the World.

Today’s interview is the second Philadelphia Roundtable recording and is a question and answer session with the audience. The questions result in answers that touch on the reality of how monies are allocated for projects, the impact of genetically modified foods and plant breeding on our loss of seed diversity, the importance of seed saving, poultry disobedience, and so much more.

As a result of the density of this conversation, you’ll find a long list of additional resources in the show notes which includes how to contact each of the panelists if you would like to follow up with any of them. All of us have gifts, talents, and abilities that can change the world. Maybe right now they aren’t getting used because, as Robyn mentions, we’re afraid. Or as Paul says, we have to act with civil disobedience to get there. I can’t say how much you can take on or how far you can push the lines before they push back, but am here to help you discover your passion, to jump even though it seems frightening, and get your work done.

If after listening to this interview there is any way I can help you on your journey, to do what it is that inspires you, whether to take the first step forward or to arrive at your destination, get in touch by leaving a comment below.

Sponsors
Good Seed Company, a business with over 40 years of experience delivering open pollinated, non-GMO seeds, believes we have an inalienable right to these seeds for common use. These are the seeds saved by our ancestors for thousands of years that can sustain us today, and contribute to a bountiful future for the generations yet to come. Find out more about the rich history of this company and the importance of seed saving at goodseedco.net, or shop the catalog of ecologically grown organic seeds online. Store.goodseedco.net.

Resources
Nate Kleinman
nathankleinman@gmail.com
215-264-0446
The Experimental Farm Network
Experimental Farm Network (Facebook)
Experimental Farm Network (Instagram)

Paul Glover
PaulGlover.org
Citizen Planners
Los Angeles a History of the Future
Patch Adams

Robyn Mello
robyn@phillyorchards.org
215-571-9506
Philadelphia Orchard Project
Beardfest.net

Kirtrina Baxter
kbaxter@pilcop.org
Public Interest Law Center
Garden Justice Legal Initiative
Grounded In Philly
Black Permaculture Network
Black Permaculture Network (Facebook)

Other
Permies United (Facebook)
Occupy Vacant Lots
Soil Generation
Bartram’s Garden
Nanticoke Indian Squash (Experimental Farm Network)
Hudson Valley Library
Black Shackamaxon Bean (Bites of Food History)
Seed Savers Exchange
Native Seeds
William Woys Weaver

You can find out more about Jesse and her work at insideedgedesign.com, and Penny is at regenerativedesign.org. 

Jesse and her daughter

Permaculture accessibility is of ongoing importance to me, as well as those of us who call Seppi’s Place home. Though my work on the podcast continues to push the edges of social, economic, and community permaculture, the core corpus of knowledge that comes with designing a series of permacultures rests in the Permaculture Design Course, which requires steeping one’s self in the language of the land, food, and gardens; water, clothing, work, and shelter. Through that one gains a core understanding of the language and lexicon of practicing permaculture. It isn’t the destination of the journey, but the starting point, a place too often one cannot start down because of barriers of time, cost, or burden to family. That is changing, however, as more permaculture teachers, such as Penny and Jesse, see this problem and try different solutions. In their case, they provide child care and couples discounts. In others, the format is broken up and spread out over a series of weekends. Some are even being offered in the gift-economy. As time and needs change, so does our approach to permaculture. I remember a time speaking of permaculture beyond the landscape seemed completely foreign and antithetical to the work, but more books and articles emerge on social and economic permaculture each day. The more teachers and students who take up the mantle to teach and learn this material, the more options we have in sharing it with others, and in continuing to make it more accessible and affordable. Whether you are a student looking for an alternative to the traditional design course intensive or are a teacher who is offering something different, I’d like to hear from you.

Resources
Permaculture Design Course with Broken Ground
Inside Edge Design
Regenerative Design Institute
Institute of Permaculture Education for Children
Sarah Wolbert David
Sobel David’s Books

Connect with the Podcast
Support the Podcast (PayPal.Me)
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On Twitter  

During this course she provides a foundation to her students in botany, wild foods, and herbal medicine. The class starts the conversation, but where we wind up is deeper into the personal change that comes from a connection with nature; to know that nature is us and we are it; that we create our lives and the resulting yields from the system; and that each of us can choose to take action out of fear or out of love.

Just as we hold that choice, Victoria shares how her studies of healing lead to an understanding that trusting ourselves, one another, and the mystery of life leads to abundance and true, lasting security. We become free.

Find out more about Victoria and The Forager’s Apprentice program at charmcityfarms.org.

There is a parable, sometimes called “The Wolves Within” and attributed to the Cherokee, that came to mind when Victoria spoke about fear and love. A grandfather is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside of me,” he says to the boy. “This terrible fight is between two wolves. One is evil, full of anger, envy, sorrow, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is good, full of joy peace, love, hope, serenity, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going inside of you, and everyone else.” The grandson thought about this and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?” The old man replied, “The one you feed.” I’ve read or heard a version of that lesson dozens of times.

For years, though a person of faith, I trusted the results that came largely from the security of a full-time job, often working more than 60 hours a week. It was the only way I knew to live. Even now there are times when it is incomprehensible, but a mystery arises by feeding your personal abundance, that wolf of joy, that brings more abundance into the world and sets you free, opening unimaginable doors.

Whichever wolf you currently find yourself feeding, if I can help you tend it, get in touch by leaving a comment below. 

Resources
The Forager’s Apprentice
Charm City Farms
Urban Permaculture in Baltimore (The first interview with Eric and Victoria)
Aldo Leopold
Barbara Brennan
Henry David Thoreau
Gary Strauss
Jack Kornfield

A Center for Nonviolent Communication certified trainer, during our conversation Karl shares how using NVC can begin the work of restoring our connection with one another in a direct, meaningful way that honors our needs while meeting those of others. He also illustrates the process of NVC using an example from his own life. I’m thankful for the open space created during the interview to allow for that discussion.

I first became aware of Nonviolent Communication and the work of Dr. Marshall Rosenberg during the first interviewed with Dillon Naber Cruz near the start of the podcast. Picking up a copy of the book, combined with The Four Agreements, changed the way I look at interpersonal relationships and what it means to communicate well. Though I’ve since added more resources to my list on how to share ideas and express my own feelings, NVC started my journey down that road had an incredible impact on my own experience.

Find out more about Karl and his work at Findflow.org, and more about Nonviolent Communication at CNVC.org.

Nonviolent communication helps us to think in a different way, act in a different way, and be to be different. It isn’t a panacea, but nothing really is, not even permaculture, as much as I love it. Our work requires ending the -isms that divide and dehumanize one another in order to create the world we want to live in.

Is it naive to think we can work against what seems like our human nature to be assholes to one another? Maybe, but I grew up with the stories of generations of my family living in poverty and in that place finding the humanity of people they were told were wrong, and wound up being friends. I grew up with the vision of Gene Roddenberry, where we would could live in a post-scarcity society where each of us lived towards our own calling. Star Trek was a symbol of what each of us could become if we were free to explore our lives, the world, and, with the right technology, the alpha quadrant.

I remain an idealist that believes in those stories, the ones that say we can create a just, peaceful, and joyful world. Doing so starts with me. It starts with you. Together we can escape the thinking that separates us, and get further into the deep work of designing nonviolent communities, cultures, cities, and societies that take care of Earth, ourselves, and each other.

If there is any way I can help you, get in touch and continue the conversation by leaving a comment below.

Resources
Karl Steyaert
The Center for Nonviolent Communication (Browse this site for information on training, books, and other resources).

How would you like to have more peaceful relationships with others?

You can, and though the work is not easy, the process is simple, and today Ethan Hughes shares with us how he and others put this idea into practice day to day at The Possibility Alliance, as well as in the Permaculture Design Courses held at the Peace and Permaculture Center. T

his audio comes from the first video session with Ethan, recorded while I was at The Possibility Alliance. For those of you on mobile, if you'd like to watch this video, I’ve included a direct link to the YouTube page in the resource section.

These conversations with Ethan, a beautiful synthesis of the wisdom of others with his own experiences of living in community, continue to change and transform my life and lead to new discoveries. As I apply the lessons learned along the way I find that they work. There is less strife and more understanding of others, while also decreasing the sense of other or enemy identity. I won’t say it is perfect, and we call these things practices for a reason, but the improvement is there. By changing ourselves, we change the world. Now imagine all the possibilities.

If there is anyway I can assist you on your road, wherever you are in that journey, get in touch by leaving a comment below.

Resources
Conflict Transformation video (YouTube)
Ethan Hughes - Necessary Simplicity