During their conversation Kanyon and David also touch on the history of Indian Canyon and the role this location had for native peoples of California, being thoughtful with our words and actions, and considering the impacts our choices have on ourselves, our descendants, and the land.

Find out more about Kanyon’s work at indiancanyonlife.org.

There is a lot to unpack from this conversation, with more emerging with each additional listen. I realized that my thoughts on what was expressed could easily take an hour or more to explore all the threads and thoughts that Kanyon raised, so I’ll try to keep this shorter than that. A piece that continues to resonate is what we can do to ask better questions and seek deeper understanding. I hear this in Kanyon’s words when talking about the role of cultural recognition and identity and asking from a place of humility. To know the history of the land beyond the physical impacts of industry or previous development, but also of those who called that land home and how they got there. To recognize the distinction of being native to a place versus being indigenous to it. One of the reasons I found permaculture appealing decades ago was that as Bill wrote about the foundational ideas in the Designers’ manual, something that stood out was that what we are doing in our thought and design processes to look for what we can give and then receive in return. We build relationships in reciprocity. Let’s take that a step further and deepen our work to honor and respect those people who came before us and how they knew and worked the land. We have a lot to learn and a lot to share. 

What are your thoughts after hearing this interview with Kanyon? Leave a comment below. 

Resources
Indian Canyon Life
Kanyon Sayers-Roods
Kanyon Konsulting
Dawes Act of 1887

From those broad themes we also narrow in on what it is like to create our own models and live differently, knowing we have allies in the world who are there to help us, but may not be able to guide us. Through our role as leaders, facilitators, and educators, we can make our knowledge and skills more accessible by looking for different ways of doing and enrich our own lives and those of others.

You can find Clare and the work of The Mudgirls at mudgirls.ca and their book at NewSociety.com.

Though we talked about it early on in this conversation, in Clare's message I'm reminded of something mentioned before on the show: You are not alone. Someone, somewhere, is working on a similar project or problem as you are, but in this broad and disparate world we can lose that sometimes. Not knowing who to reach out to or where to find those kindred spirits. They are out there and I’m here to help connect you with them, whether you hear them in an interview, or want to reach out so I can help you find them.

If you'd like to get in touch, leave a comment below.

Until the next time, spend each day creating the world you want to live in by taking care of Earth, yourself, and each other.

Resources
The Mudgirls Natural Building Collective
Mudgirls Manifesto
New Society Publishers

Related Interview
The Mudgirls Natural Building Collective (Interview)

Recommended Reading
Debt: The First 5,000 Years by David Graeber
The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer

In early October 2018, Wilson Alvarez took me on a tour of his work at Horn Farm Center for Agriculture Education in York County, Pennsylvania. On that land, Wilson works to restore the damaged ecosystem by mimicking the disturbances created by beavers, wolves, humans, and the proboscideans: elephants, mammoths, and mastodons.

All of this is part of a larger effort he calls The Reintegration Project which aims to embed human beings back in the land through the act of restoration. Wilson does this by creating and sharing the tools, techniques, skills, and community necessary to empower current and future generations to take up this task and create a more beautiful world in harmony with nature.

You can follow Wilson on Instagram @Wil717, and see more of his work and other projects at Horn Farm Center by visiting hornfarmcenter.org

Yes, Joshua has strong views on the state of the world and why things are as bad as they are. Depending on your position, you may not like some of what he has to say but stick with us. This isn't a left versus right fight, but we do have to talk about some of that to frame the conversation. In the end, this is about sovereignty, consent, and compassion: what we have in common with one another that we can organize around and fight together, as a community, for what we love. You can find Joshua on Twitter @FarmEvolution42 or by searching Revolutionary Farmer. As he also says at the end of our time together you can email him: joshuapeaceseeker@gmail.com. In the show notes I also link to his other projects, and our earlier interviews together. Reach out to us if we can make a difference and to continue the conversation.

Leave a comment a comment below. 

Recorded in-person at Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania, we talk about ancient brews, interesting flavors, and the domestication of yeast. We dive into the historical importance of fermented beverages, hops, and water. How brewing was, for most of human history, of a communal nature. Find out more about Jereme and his work at jereme-zimmerman.com. What are you brewing? What would you like to make? Let me know. Leave a comment below. 

Thank you for joining me to celebrate 8 years of The Permaculture Podcast and this conversation with my friend Jereme Zimmerman.

Until the next time, as we move into the ninth year of the show, spend each day creating the world you want to live in by fermenting tasty beverages, and taking care of Earth, yourself, and each other.

(The resources section contains affiliate links for Jereme’s books. I earn a referral fee if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you, which helps to keep the podcast going. Thank you for your support.)

Resources
Brew Beer Like a Yeti (Chelsea Green Publishing)
Make Mead Like a Viking
Jereme Zimmerman
Sahti (Wiki)

Related Interviews 
Pascal Baudar - The Wildcrafting Brewer
Pascal Baudar - The New Wildcrafted Cuisine

During their conversation David and Hunter talk about the problems facing humanity, from climate change to economic policies, and how we got into this mess. She then shares solutions we can take, right now, to make a difference. Those ideas range from new habits, to ongoing education and direct action. Learn more about Hunter Lovins and her current work at NatCapSolutions.org and her book, from New Society Publishers, at NewSociety.com. What did you think of this conversation with Hunter Lovins? Leave a comment in the show notes, or get in touch with David and I: Email: The Permaculture Podcast Write: The Permaculture Podcast The Permaculture Podcast Until the next time, spend each day creating the world you want to live in by taking care of Earth, yourself, and each other. Recommended Reading (and watching) George Monbiot - Neoliberalism: The Ideology at the Root of All our Problems. Powell Memorandum: Attack on American Free Enterprise System Dana’s Writing - The Donella Meadow Projects Tony Seba: Clean Disruption - Energy & Transportation (Video) Gabe Brown: Keys to Building a Healthy Soil (Video) John Fullerton - Regenerative Capitalism Buckminster Fuller - Operating Instructions for Spaceship Earth (PDF) Kate Rayworth - Donut Economics Freya Williams - Green Giants Andrew Winston - Big Pivot E.F Schumacher - Small is Beautiful (Full Text) E.F. Schumacher - A Guide for the Perplexed (Wiki) Lester Brown - The Twenty Ninth Day (Thrift Books) Lester Brown - Full Planet, Empty Plate (Thrift Books) Lester Brown - Plan B 4.0 (Thrift Books) Jonah Sachs - Winning the Story Wars Resources Hunter Lovins A Finer Future (New Society Publishers) Natural Capitalism Solutions Bard MBA in Sustainability Robinhood - Invest for Free Rocky Mountain Institute The Mont Pelerin Society Neoliberalism (Wiki) The Dark Mountain Project Well Being Economy Club of Rome Transition Network Savory Institute Regen18 Ecological Outcome Verification Change Finance (CHGX) ETF John L. Lewis (Wiki) Cesar Chavez (Wiki) Amory Lovins

I explore those thoughts and more with my guest today, Hazel, who some of you may know as Tom Ward. A long-time permaculture practitioner, he remains one of the few people who I feel comfortable calling an elder in the community. As you’ll hear during the conversation today, he carries an impeccable reputation and is known for his respect for people and respect for the land. Ask around among your circles, and you’ll likely hear this echoed by someone whose life was impacted by Hazel’s work as a teacher and storyteller to generations of permaculture practitioners. Which is funny, because, in this digital age, he’s not always the easiest person to find. Drawing from his breadth of experience, Hazel shares with us the importance of putting away gadgets and technology and embedding ourselves in a deep sense of place. To listen and be part of the land around us, and to work with those who are ready.

You can find out more about Hazel and his work, including upcoming social forestry and optical surveying classes, at siskiyoupermaculture.com.

If you have any thoughts or questions from this conversation with Hazel, leave a comment below.

Resources
Siskiyou Permaculture
Social Forestry Course
Optical Surveying Course
Hazel's Collected Videos and Recordings
Heartwood Institute
Brock Dolman - Occidental Arts & Ecology
Traditional Aboriginal Burning (Cool Burning)

Recommended Reading
Beyond the War on Invasive Species by Tao Orion
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Daughters of Copper Woman by Anne Cameron
Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Brown
Keeping it Living by Nancy Turner
The Shallows by Nicholas Carr
The Spell of the Sensuous by David Abram
Tending the Wild by Kat Anderson
World Without Mind by Franklin Foer

She shares her personal story of becoming Trauma-Informed, ways we can work on healing ourselves through mental and physical health routines, how we can help others by taking a Mental Health First Aid training, and what we can do to create sacred spaces and use plants, plant-based medicine, and daily acts for our overall happiness and wellbeing. This work isn’t about a day at a spa or a simple vacation to recuperate, but how you can heal yourself and create a life that supports and nurtures you.

Find out more about Jessi and work at jessibloom.com and her books, including Creating Sanctuary, at TimberPress.com.

What do you think of this conversation with Jessi? What do you do to take care of yourself? Have you attended a course in Mental Health First Aid or to become Trauma-Informed?

Let me know. Leave a comment below. 

Resources
Jessi Bloom
NW Bloom Ecological Services
Timber Press
Trauma Informed Care Project (Offers Trainings)
Mental Health First Aid
Dave Boehnlein
Bullock's Permaculture Homestead
Tilth Alliance

Find out more about Gregory, the white paper he mentioned, and how to get involved at regen.network. Though I’m not a techno-optimist by any means, I do like to see the interplay of culture, technology, and emerging ideas. How we might use the blockchain, most well known for cryptocurrency and Bitcoin, in ways never initially imagined to explore different ways to conduct business, track information, engage in politics, and re-democratize the use of one's own data. Even with those thoughts, I leave this conversation with more questions for Gregory, the Regen Network, and everyone involved with implementing the token, ledgers, and accounting system. How will this open source idea be accountable? Will everyone need to buy a token? If so, what does that mean for accessibility? What kind of technology and Internet connection is required to participate, as Gregory mentioned programmers near the end, and how will that create a digital divide shutting some people out of the system and inviting others in? Those are some of the initial questions that come to mind, and I’m sure you have many of your own. If you do and would like them included in the next conversation about Blockchain and Regenerative Enterprise, leave a comment in the show notes, or get in touch. Email:The Permaculture Podcast Write: The Permaculture Podcast The Permaculture Podcast Resources Regen Network Regenerative Enterprise Terra Genesis International

Find out more about Ben's work at bengoldfarb.com and Eager at chelseagreen.com.

What I love about this conversation is the way Ben talks about beavers and how we can connect to the world through the stories of others. From that, as I mentioned and he and I touch on, there is a deep value in good nature writing and how it can move us. Beautifully written, we hear the sound of a beaver's tail on the water or the concern of a conservationist to ensure a mother and her kit stay together. Through those words, we get a sense of place and loving bond with the other than human we may never know personally or get a chance to visit. We can care about something beyond our self or our local biome. If you’d like to read some of the best nature writing available, start with Ben’s book. It is absolutely fantastic and one of the finest books I’ve read in years as he leads us through the importance of beavers in a funny, witty, and captivating way. You’ll learn as much about beavers as you will the people, organizations, and history of human contact and interaction with these charismatic ecosystem engineers.

If you’d like to read more, I then suggest you check out Dan Flores, who wrote the forward for Eager, and his book, Coyote America: A natural and supernatural history, and The Beekeeper’s Lament, by Hannah Nordhaus. Both are excellent looks at the different connections between our lives and those of other animals, wild and domestic. After reading those, should you like to learn more about the other-than-human and how we interact with that side of the world, read David Abram’s The Spell of the Sensuous. This book has had one of the most significant impacts on me and my understanding of how interrelated our relationships are with the sun and sky, earth and water, fish, fowl, insects, and mammals. How we are not alone, cannot live alone, and would not be human without them.

What are some of your favorite works of nature writing? What do you think about this conversation with Ben? Let me know. Leave a comment below.

Resources
Ben Goldfarb Eager
The Methow Beaver Project
Thinking Like a Mountain - Aldo Leopold
The Beaver Institute Worth a Dam