Dr. Tallamy's work changed my view of both what “native plant” means, and the role of permaculture practitioners as designers have to use them in the landscape. I originally began from a position that “exotic and invasive plants are here, we should use them as best we can, and manage them in areas under our purview” and became one of “consider native plants first and foremost wherever possible, to the point of replacing non-natives, and removing invasives.”

This change occurred because Dr. Tallamy's definition of a native plant, which starts off our interview, isn't arbitrary and makes sense in the context of the number of relationships I seek to build into a design. The amount of diversity increases because of the insects, birds, and other creatures these plants invite into the landscape. All of that is supported by large amounts of clear evidence. You can hear some of that evidence with a personal story from Dr. Tallamy about Carolina Chickadees in his own back yard and where that research took him. In addition to native vs. non-native plants and the impact they have on the environment, we also discuss the movement of flora and fauna due to climate change, invasion biology vs conservation or restoration biology, the evolutionary time-line for animals to adapt to introduced plants, which is much slower than you might expect, the role of science in education in understanding these issues, and some resources for learning more about what you can do to find out more about your own native plants.

As permaculture practitioners, or those with an interest in this form of regenerative design, the first place we begin our knowledge is with the ethics. First among those is earth care. As you listen to this interview and pursue more on the topic, consider that ethic and the role that native plants has on fulfilling that ethic by building a more dynamic, diverse, and stable food web for other life, and in turn our own. However this conversation is framed, it is likely to be a contentious one. Let's work together to add to the discussion so that permaculture can continue to evolve and grow with the new knowledge and opportunities we are presented with. Join in by leaving a comment for this show. Together we can continue to design a better world.

Resources:
Ernst Convervation Seeds
Stroud Water Research Center
William Cullina

If you would like to learn more about native plants in your area, start with your favorite search engine. Search for "Native Plants in " and finish that sentence with your state or territory.

In this episode I speak to Bill Wilson of Midwest Permaculture. When I began looking for a Permaculture Design Course, Bill Wilson's name kept popping up as I searched the web and asked around. I've had an interest to speak with him for some time and am thankful for the hour or so he spent with me for this show. We begin, as I often do, with his background and how he came to permaculture, which, as with all of the guests, was a unique road.

The rest of the conversation winds and weaves through the impacts of agriculture on the environment and our communities, to the Permaculture Design Course, his methods and curriculum, and what he sees as the major areas of permaculture education. Around this time, as we speak about what makes for a permanent culture, I lose the connection and we pick back up on that point, and proceed to the way he approaches curriculum while honoring the work set forward by Mollison and Holmgren and identify the evolution that is required 30 years after releasing this idea into the wild. Perhaps the most powerful part of all of this is as we begin to wind down and speak about right livelihood and finding your personal authenticity so that you can contribute and grow, because you must do both. May you enjoy this time with Bill Wilson as much as I did. Oh, and if you are looking to take a PDC, go see Bill, Becky, Milton, and their guest instructors. They have the experience to give you the permaculture education you've been looking for. You'll hear that readily in the interview.

Resources:
Earth User's Guide to Permaculture
Midwest Permaculture

They were recommended to me as guests because of their work with Gaia University, where they both earned a Master's Degree in Eco-Social Design. If you've done work at a western university, Gaia University's program is considerably different, which you'll hear. I was left speechless for a moment, though took that out in production so you didn't have to hear me sit with my jaw agape. Find out more at their website: appleseedpermaculture.com. There you can see their work, read the blog, Ethan's 8 Forms of Capital, and get involved with the Appleseed Land Managers program. Dyami and Ethan engage with their work in a way that is refreshing, dynamic, and affirming. I left the interview feeling the same way as when I finished my PDC: tired, amazed, and knowing people are doing incredible work to make this world a truly better place for everyone. May you enjoy this time with Dyami and Ethan as much as I did. Resources: Gaia University Terra Genesis International Organization Management and Communication Clean Talk Holacracy Sociocracy Holistic Management

• Holistic Management International
• Savory Institute

Fertility Awareness

• Fertility Awareness (Wiki)
• Fertility Awareness Method (via Planned Parenthoood)
• Fertility Awareness: Natural Family Planning

The interview in this episode is with one of my teachers Rico Zook. We met at the teacher training I took in 2011, along with Jude Hobbs and Andrew Millison. You can hear about that in experience in my review. I wanted to talk to Rico about his experiences with itinerant teaching of permaculture. He travels all over the world, to India, Cambodia, the U.S., and Jordan, to instruct others and along the way fosters relationships, build community, and overcomes his personal assumptions to connect with his students and their needs. We range over here and there in this conversation, but begin with his introduction to Permaculture in New Mexico and the Llama foundation and end with his thought for all of us: to look around and ask ourselves, "What can I do better?" You can learn more about Rico, including his upcoming travel and class schedule, at his website: I-Permaculture. People, places, and information mentioned in this interview: Ben Haggard Build Here Now Lama Foundation Regenesis Group

Her permaculture instructors include Dick Pierce, Jude Hobbs, and Andrew Millison. We talk about her introduction to permaculture, cross cultural work with children in the United States and Zambia, an upcoming project in India, as well as the vibrant permaculture scene in Austin, TX. You can learn more about her work by visiting: One World Permaculture Other resources mentioned in this show: Advanced Teacher Training in Youth and Child Permaculture Education with Patty Parks-Wasserman, Matthew Bibeau, and Kelly Hogan. Amala Foundation Arise Africa Barton Springs Last Child in the Woods Mother Earth School Rhizome Collective Square Foot Gardening Sustainable Food Center

Along the way they present the issues, challenges, and inspiration that makes the Transition Town movement a positive, open, apolitical experience that seeks to engage individuals and their passions to build sustainable self-correcting communities. In the discussion, several additional websites and resources are mentioned: Transition Culture Transition Harrisburg The Economics of Happiness (Film) Green-CAUSE Interfaith Coalition on the Environment Time Banking Local Currency (Wiki)

In this episode I speak with Ross Crutchfield of Making A Homestead, his site devoted to the projects and experiences of building his homestead one day at a time. Ross and I know each other from The Survival Podcast forum, which you will hear mentioned several times. The forums are an offshoot of Jack Spirko's The Survival Podcast, which is dedicated to "Living a better life, if time's get tough or even if they don't." Ross learned about Permaculture through Jack's podcast and Will Hooker's videos from hisIntroduction to Permaculture Class (HS432/HS590). Listen to Ross talk about the challenges, failures, and successes of improving his own piece of suburbia. If you are looking for a ways to begin changing your Zone 0 and Zone 1 his site has many hands on projects to get you started. Resources from this interview: Freecycle, where user's give away items they no longer need. How to Build a Top Bar Hive by Philip Chandler Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply He sent me a message after the show about a smartphone app that he uses when planting called Sun Seeker Lite, available for both the iPhone and Android platforms.

How do you build a million villages? One person at a time, starting with your self. Once you find your place, how do you continue to build? By openly sharing your knowledge and resources with others, to the best of your own abilities. These are the lessons I took from my conversation with Dillon, his personal stories, and experiences. Contact Dillon Email: cruzd [at] greenmtn.edu Blog: The Barefoot Farmer Permaculture Blog

Resources Mentioned in the Interview:
Nonviolent Communication (NVC)
The Center for Non-Violent Communication
Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life(*)
Co-Counseling or Re-Evaluation Counseling
Co-Counseling International Website
Wikipedia Providing a Summary of Re-Evaluation Counseling
6 Patterns of Natural Intelligence
Dawna Markova's Website

I had a great time interviewing Rachel and am thankful for her, and co-author K. Ruby Blume's, perspectives on living a regenerative lifestyle based in permaculture. The artwork and photographs in the book are wonderful, it's well written, easy to understand, and contain a number of hands-on projects to get you started in whatever your area of interest may be. The chaptering of the book is a logical progression, with each chapter containing a description of the subject, information on it, interviews with people or organizations and how they are working with the idea, and hands-on projects.  Throughout there are some sidebars with more information and in some chapters a time frame you can use to implement gradually and not get overwhelmed. My favorite parts of this book are the Principles of Urban Homesteading, the interviews, the hands-on projects, and the inclusion, and focus on, the non-material. The Principles of Urban Homesteading reflect the way the Principles of Permaculture arose over time through the action of it's practitioners. They reveal a way to consider the urban environment while trying to practice permaculture there. The interviews are reminders that others face the same challenges we do.  I find them empowering and inspiring. Many books on Permaculture can be overwhelming with the amount of knowledge and information that is imparted in just a few pages. Rachel and Ruby have spread that out and the projects help to give us little things to focus on and then take action.  The reader can move forward without being caught up in paralysis by analysis trying to figure out "What do I do next? There's so much!".  Find something you like and do it.  Many of these can be done in an afternoon with supplies you already have at your home. The non-material is something that, though we discuss it as being part of our ever growing need to implement permanent-culture, I feel it is often overlooked as the focus becomes one of design, food, and stable ecosystems.  We also need to work on our stable social-systems. Urban Homesteading: Heirloom Skills for Sustainable Living now has a permanent place on my book shelf and is on the short list of recommended reads for people beginning their path to permaculture.  If you've been doing this for a while and want something for someone who is still on the fence, this is the book. You can buy the book directly from the authors at: https://urban-homesteading.org/ And, if you'd like to listen to Rachel speak and possibly get to meet her, she will be at the Northeast Permaculture Convergence July 22-24, 2011.   Note:  I received my copy of Urban Homesteading from Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. for review.  Only after reading it cover to cover, and feeling it would be a value to you my audience, did I contact Rachel for the interview.