My guest for this episode is Tradd Cotter, a microbiologist and mycologist who, along with his wife Olga, owns and operates Mushroom Mountain near Greenville, South Carolina. He is also the author of the book Organic Mushroom Farming and Mycoremediation from Chelsea Green Publishing. In this interview we sit down and talk about his book, the science of microbiology and mycology, entrepreneurship, and also touch on the power of mushrooms for remediation. This is a rather candid conversation that includes thoughts about why ideas that can change the world should be open-source and owned by the people. Why treating employees well and paying a good wage for labor matters. Why making a difference can be more important than making money. Find out more about Tradd and his work at MushroomMountain.com and at his author page at Chelsea Green. You can also order a copy of his book directly from the publisher. If you enjoy this conversation and want to meet Tradd he will be at the Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania on September 12th – 14th, 2014. While there his talks include, “Shrooming Off the Grid,” “Mycoremediation of Home and Farm Waste,” and “Medicinal Mushroom Gardens: Cultivation, garden design, and preparing extracts and tinctures.” I’ll be at this event with Photographer John and look forward to connecting with Tradd while we are there.

On The Road:

s part of the ongoing journey for me and the podcast, the show is going on the road. In addition to the Mother Earth News Fair, Photographer John and I are going on the Finger Lakes Permaculture Tour on September 6th, 2014. If you are in the area you can still register to go on this self-directed tour of multiple functional and operating permaculture sites. Hosted by the Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute, we’ll be there taking plenty of pictures to share with you and report back on the first of the planned annual tours.

I’ll be going to CHABA-Con, in Bridgeton, New Jersey, on October 11th, 2014 where Lester Brown, of the Earth Policy Institute will be the keynote speaker for a day of lectures, discussions, and tours on how to transform the world we live in.

The last of the currently planned trips is to Roanoke, Virginia, from October 20th-22nd, interviewing farmers and local permaculture practitioners. I am also delivering a presentation, “Permaculture: Creating a Better World by Design” on 630PM on October 21st, 2014, at the Roanoke Natural Foods Co-Op at Grandin Village. If you’re in the area I’d love to see you there or at any of these other events.

Review: Organic Mushroom Cultivation and Mycoremediation

As you can hear in the interview, and like I’ve mentioned appreciating in other reviews, he does this work. He’s not a sage on the stage, but a guide on the side living this and encouraging others to do the same. Of all the books I’ve encountered on mushrooms, and I’ve looked at quite a few by names you know, Tradd’s it the most functional useful book on mushroom cultivation, education, and the science of it all that I’ve encountered. Just as I recommend The One-Straw Revolution as the first book to read when starting down a Permaculture Path, Organic Mushroom Farming and Mycoremediation is the first book I point people who want to get started with learning about mushrooms. The book is divided into four sections. Part I: The Fundamentals of Mushroom Cultivation contains what you need to know about mushrooms and how to grow them.

Part 2: Mushrooms for Life: Innovative Applications and Projects Using Fungi covers composting with mushrooms, urban growing, off the grid growing, mushroom products, mushroom infused adult beverages, mushroom marketing, and fungi in the classroom.

Part 3: Advanced Techniques and Research gives you what you need to know to get started building your own lab, start cultures and spawn generation, store your cultures, advanced cultivation and research strategies, a research update on morel cultivation, and an introduction to mycoremediation.

Part 4: Meet the Cultivated Mushrooms. A listing of Twenty-Four mushrooms Genus with notes on the difficulty of raising them, general description and ecology, fruit body development, common strains and ideal fruiting conditions, wild spawn expansion techniques, lab isolation and spawn cultures, preferred fruiting substrates, outdoor cultivation notes, indoor cultivation notes, and also information on harvesting, storing, marketing, the nutritional value and medicinal uses, and uses in mycoremediation. Did I say that this book was packed with information? It is, yet all of that, as much as it sounds like, is easy to read, well indexed, and includes just about everything I could ask for in a guide for a home grower, a teacher in the classroom, or someone wanting to get involved in commercial production. It’s that good and worth adding to your library if you have an interest in mushrooms. I’m including the final print version of this book that I received from Chelsea Green in the Traveling Permaculture Library project. If you would like to be included in the mailing list for future books as part of that go to https://www.thepermaculturepodcast.com/library for more information.

I Need Your Support

f you value this show and the work of the podcast in spreading the word of permaculture to the world, lend your assistance in supporting these projects. Share links posted to the Facebook page, facebook.com/thepermaculturepodcast, with your friends or followers. Retweet messages sent from @permaculturecst.

Leave reviews on iTunes or your favorite podcast sites. The show can also use your financial support, either as a one-time or ongoing monthly contribution. Find out how to do that at: www.thepermaculturepodcast.com/support.

Class Announcements:

Upcoming Edge Alliance’s from Jen Mendez, at PermieKids.com. Sunday, September 7th 1:00-2:00 p.m. (EST) David, from Rites of Passage Experience (ROPE) and The Center for the Advancement of Youth, Family, and Community Services for inspiring us to think about the following:

• When you were growing up, how did you know you were an adult?
• Did you have a "tornado" experience in your life and after you went through it - it altered the way you saw the world and people saw you?
• What do you see as milestones in your children's lives? • What do you think a rite of passage is? Can you describe or share an experience in your own life that might fit within this?

Sunday, September 7th 6:00-7:00 p.m. (EST) Collaborate with other educators and parents from Alternative Education Resource Organization (AERO) on the following questions:

• What does it mean to be a mathematical person?
• What have we, the educators, experienced throughout our lives that have helped us develop a playful attitude and curious nature towards mathematics?
• How can we explore and approach math with children in a way that meets them not only where they are, but also where they are going

Sunday, September 21st 1:00-2:00 p.m. (EST) Kelly Hogan, an educator from Mother Earth School, and Marissa, a PERMIE KIDs parent, educator, and founder of PermaCognition who recently attended the Advanced Permaculture for Youth and Child Educators program, join us for a lively discussion on the following questions:

• What sort of knowledge, concepts, or skills are needed to have a solid foundation as a permaculture youth and child educator?
• What sort of things are integrated into the environment of a permaculture-minded educator?
• How does our own and our shared story influence us as educators and our children? How can we use storytelling as an educational tool?

Sunday, September 28th 1:00-2:00 p.m. (EST) Lisa Harris and Jerry Mintz from Alternative Education Resource Organization (AERO) for join us to talk about the following questions:

• What role might discrimination and tolerance play in children's relationships with themselves and others?
• How can differences, disabilities, and grouping impact children?
• How do we start talking about such issues with young children?
• What are some techniques and tools to help children (and us, the parents and educators) re-design our relationships to address important issues like these head on?

Contact: The Permaculture Podcast

...we are all more than the worst thing we've ever done.

Bryan Stevenson. Executive Director, Equal Justice Initiative My guest for this episode is Melanie G. Snyder, author of Grace Goes to Prison who works on issues of restorative justice and prisoner re-entry. You can find out more information about her and her work at www.melaniegsnyder.com. One of the core ideas of her work is “prison as a last resort” and that forms the theme for this interview, and how restorative justice, and rehabilitation and treatment programs impact in a positive way the people and communities who use these options. I see this conversation as an important way for permaculture practitioners to apply what we know, especially among those with sociology, psychology, law, or criminal justice backgrounds, to engage the system that exists and create a better world that values all the people who are a part of it. This very candid conversation touches on a number of stories of people from my life impacted by the criminal justice system. Melanie’s work and this conversation matter to me, and from speaking with many other people it matters to them, too, because of their loved ones who could have been saved if other options existed. Listen if you know anyone who has ever had a negative interaction with the law and consider how implementing restorative justice and re-entry programs in your community help create a better world. Work like Melanie’s is important for breaking us out of the mold of current thinking and shows that other systems are possible. We don’t live in an unchangeable machine, we’re not cogs or sprockets. We are part of a dynamic living system and we can change it to be more kind, more peaceful, and more beneficial to all. The Four Questions of Restorative Justive

1. Who has been harmed by a crime?
2. What are their needs?
3. Who should be accountable for addressing the needs and harms that were caused by the crime?
4. What can be done to address the harm?

Resources Melanie G. Snyder The Center for Community Peacemaking Lancaster County RMO Restorative Justice Online National Association of Community and Restorative Justice The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander Melanie's TedX Talk: Breaking Out of Prison Thinking

Recommended Listening

• Practical Possibilities with Ethan Hughes The interview that introduced me to the idea of restorative justice and circles.
• Nonviolent Communication with Karl Steyaert A way for us to communicate more effectively in our interpersonal relationships, and in conflict resolution and mediation. A useful tool when seeking ways to work through problems and avoid the criminal justice sytem.

Class Announcements Permie Kids Edge Alliances Sunday, August 31st 8:30-9:30 p.m. (EST) Thanks, Brian, from Walking Elephant Theatre Company for joining us to contemplate the following questions:

• What challenges do we face today and how can theatre start to help us address these issues with children?
• How can we use theatre to enrich active, self-empowered learning?
• What are some ways that we can use theatre to help us and our children connect with community?

Sunday, September 7th 1:00-2:00 p.m. (EST) Thanks, David, from Rites of Passage Experience (ROPE) and The Center for the Advancement of Youth, Family, and Community Services for inspiring us to think about the following:

• What is a healthy, normal transition for children into community?
• What are rites of passage and how have been/are rites of passage experienced in different cultures throughout the world and time?
• What does this mean for what our children need from us as parents/educators the the greater community and what does this mean for what the greater community needs from the children?

Sunday, September 7th 6:00-7:00 p.m. (EST) Collaborate with other educators and parents from Alternative Education Resource Organization (AERO) on the following questions:

• What does it mean to be a mathematical person?
• What have we, the educators, experienced throughout our lives that have helped us develop a playful attitude and curious nature towards mathematics?
• How can we explore and approach math with children in a way that meets them not only where they are, but also where they are going?

Sunday, September 21st 1:00-2:00 p.m. (EST) Meet Kelly and educator from Mother Earth School and Marissa, a PERMIE KIDs parent, educator, and founder of PermaCognition who recently attended the Advanced Permaculture for Youth and Child Educators program, and join us for a lively discussion on the following questions:

• What sort of knowledge, concepts, or skills are needed to have a solid foundation as a permaculture youth and child educator?
• What sort of things are integrated into the environment of a permaculture-minded educator?
• How does our own and our shared story influence us as educators and our children? How can we use storytelling as an educational tool?

How can I help you create a better world? Get in touch. E-mail: The Permaculture Podcast The Permaculture Podcast with Scott Mann The Permaculture Podcast Facebook: Facebook.com/ThePermaculturePodcast Twitter: @permaculturecst (Episode: melanie)

My guest for this episode is Mark Krawczyk, a permaculture designer and teacher from Vermont. He is also the co-author, along with Dave Jacke, of forthcoming book Coppice Agroforestry – Perennial Silviculture for the 21st Century. Mark and I sat down and talked about keyline design and coppice work. Along the way we touch on three species he recommends experimenting with for a beginner to coppice, as well as his tool kit for this woods work. We also spoke about what species coppice well, including both deciduous hardwoods and some evergreens. This is an episode that contains a number of resources, which you’ll find links to below. If you find value in what you hear in this episode, or any of those in the archives, please make a contribution to the show. You can find out how at www.thepermaculturepodcast.com/support. There’s quite a lot in this episode for anyone looking to implement keyline design or work the woods. If you’re interested in getting started below you'll find links to the specialty stores Mark mentioned for Yeoman plow shanks, as well as places in the U.S. and abroad where you can find the various coppice species, as well as some of the specialty tools, including the Woodsman’s Pal. Also, one of my preferred vendors for hand tools, Lee Valley, happens to carry a billhook and froe. I have both on order and will review them when they arrive. You can reach Mark via email: coppiceagroforestry@gmail.com and learn more about his work at: Keyline Vermont Coppice Agroforestry Three Species for a Beginning Coppicer

• Basswood / Linden (Tilia americana)
• Willow (Salix L.)
• Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

Mark's Recommended Tools for Coppice Work

• Chainsaw
• Bowsaw
• Billhook
• Sledgehammer and Wedges
• Froe

Evergreens that Coppice

• Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)
• Monkey Puzzle (Araucaria araucana)
• Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida)
• Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)
• Pinyon Pine (Spp. unknown)
• Juniper (Spp. unknown)

Resources: Keyline Design Plow Shanks A.H. Tuttle Market Farm Coppice Species Sources Willow

• Dunbar Gardens (USA)
• Bluestem Nursery (Canada)
• Willow Works (UK)

Basswood / Linden

• Cold Stream Farm (USA)
• Barcham (UK)

Black Locust

• Cold Stream Farm (USA)
• Buckingham Nurseries

Specialty Tools for Coppice Morris Tools (ToolNut.co.uk) Woodsman's Pal Lee Valley Bill hook Lee Valley Froe Are you practicing keyline design? Working the woods? Have questions after this episode? Let me know: E-mail: The Permaculture Podcast Facebook: Facebook.com/ThePermaculturePodcast Twitter: @permaculturecst The Permaculture Podcast with Scott Mann The Permaculture Podcast (Episode: MarkKrawczyk)

[caption width="200" align="alignleft"] Ben Law, Woodsman[/caption]My guest for this episode is Ben Law, woodsman, permaculture practitioner, and author of many books on developing, tending, and using the products that come from the woods. Some of those titles include The Woodland Way, and Roundwood Timber Framing. Mr. Law is a wealth of practical knowledge, and we touch on some of that in this conversation. As I seek out for this show, he is someone who practices what he teaches, continuously. Even as I spoke to him, he was out in the woods, running off of solar power. We begin the interview via landline and then switch to his mobile phone. I recommend listening to this episode in a relaxed and quieter environment because of those connection issues. This marks the first episode of July, 2014, and the start of my summer fundraising campaign. If you enjoy this podcast, help me keep it on the air by making a one time or on-going contribution. I can’t do this without your assistance. Visit the support page to find out how to donate. What I enjoyed about this episode is the encouragement to seek out the tools and knowledge to do what we feel called to do. To build a create a better world, we have to seek out what it is that matters to each of us, and be our own solution. Another take away is that we must take a long view. As Ben spoke about the shifting view of time, so do I see that if we’re going to think about tomorrow, and well beyond, then it requires a shift in our mindset to look further into the future and imagine what could be. For a good reminder of that long view listen to The Gift by Matt Winters. You can find out more about Mr. Law at: www.ben-law.co.uk How has your perspective of time, and place, changed since you started practicing permaculture? Let me know: E-mail: The Permaculture Podcast Facebook: Facebook.com/ThePermaculturePodcast Twitter: @permaculturecst The Permaculture Podcast with Scott Mann The Permaculture Podcast (Episode: Ben Law)

Dr. Mobus was brought to my attention by a listener around the time of the release of the episode with Nicole Foss and I found his work to be a nice compliment to that. If you’re not familiar with Ms. Foss, I recommend you listen to that interview in addition to this one, but you don’t have to listen to her first. In this interview, I reference an article on child poverty.

There is not a lot of commentary from me on this episode, as Dr. Mobus covered the spread of what we talked about fairly well, and his understanding of permaculture connects his ideas to how we, as permaculture practitioners, can provide a way forward through what the future holds. The picture is bleaker than I personally see ahead of us, but the hope in all of this is that by taking action we can make a difference. We have a model, a way to do that, now all we need to do is apply it, and create the world we want to live in.

Resources:
Dr. George Mobus (University of Washington, Tacoma)
Question Everything
David Pimentel (Click on "Publications" to read some of his work)
Charles Hall
'Crack baby' study finds poverty is worse for development than exposure to drug in the womb (NyDailyNews.com)

Do you have questions or comments related to this episode? Leave a comment below to start the conversation.

[caption width="160" align="alignleft"] Karryn and her peach.[/caption]My guest for this episode is Karryn Olson-Ramanujan, a permaculture teacher, designer, and one of the founders of Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute. This interview is about women in permaculture, and how a pattern language emerges to make the community and movement more inclusive and constructive for everyone interested and involved in building a better world. The starting point for this conversation was Karryn's article, which also forms the title for this episode, "A 'Pattern Language' for Women in Permaculture." This powerful piece outlines patterns that provide solutions to create an environment for women's full participation and leadership in the permaculture community. The 8 patterns are:

1. Shift "Mental Models"
2. Understand and Advocate for the "30% Solution" as a Vital Step Toward Parity
3. Value Diversity
4. Intersecting Identities
5. Mentoring is Key to Building Women's Leadership
6. Value Archetypically "Feminine" Ways of Leading
7. Nurture Women's Leadership Through Women's Gatherings
8. Be an Ally

Find out more about Karryn at her site, seedsustainabilityconsulting.com, and at the Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute. References and resources from this episode: Earth Activist Trainings Gender Schema Tutorials Jeanine Carlson-Nelson Karen Stupski Microaffirmations Timebanking Margaret Wheatley Pandora Thomas Privilege and Allyship (Links to a PDF) Starhawk WPLI - Women's Permaculture Leadership Initiative Women Lead the Way by Linda Tarr-Whelan Profiles of Women in Permaculture Women Working with Permaculture in South Africa Alex Kruger and Berg-en-Dal Ecovillage Jeunesee Park Park at Food and Trees for Africa Several other awesome women were also profiled in Karryn's article! Want to add your thoughts to the discussion about women and inclusivity in permaculture? Share them with me: E-mail: The Permaculture Podcast Facebook: Facebook.com/ThePermaculturePodcast Twitter: @permaculturecst The Permaculture Podcast with Scott Mann The Permaculture Podcast (Episode: KarrynOlson-Ramanujan)

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="249"] Karl Steyaert[/caption] My guest for this episode is Karl Steyaert, a teacher and practitioner of Nonviolent Communication (NVC). During our conversation, in addition to his biography and background, he shares with us how using NVC can begin the work of restoring our connection with others in a direct, meaningful, productive 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 when I interviewed my teacher and colleague, Dillon Naber Cruz. Picking up a copy of Dr. Rosenberg's book, combined with The Four Agreements, changed the way I look at interpersonal relationships and communicating well. Though I'm still learning how to communicate, starting down this road had an incredible impact on my own experience. NVC and the work of people such as Karl are how we can think differently, act differently, and be different and get out of the thinking we're currently in. By designing with permaculture and communicating nonviolently we can build a better world for all. You can find out more about Karl and Nonviolent Communication through these resources: Karl Steyaert The Center for Nonviolent Communication (Browse this site for information on training, books, and other resources). This is part of a planned series on nonviolent communication and restorative justice. If after listening to Karl and the idea of Nonviolent Communication you have thoughts, questions, or comments on these subjects, please let me know. E-mail: The Permaculture Podcast Facebook: Facebook.com/ThePermaculturePodcast Twitter: @permaculturecst The Permaculture Podcast with Scott Mann The Permaculture Podcast (Episode: KarlStayaert)

My guest for this episode is Marisha Auerbach, a permaculture designer and teacher from Portland, Oregon. She joins me today to talk about her work in the urban environment and her intentional choice to move to Portland to build working examples of the systems needed to exemplify what we can do. From there we touch on biodiversity and savings seeds, then cover some educational opportunities coming up that Marisha is involved with, and end with a general conversation about permaculture education and whether or not the on-line space is an appropriate one in which to teach permaculture. We cover a lot of ground and Marisha's long involvement in the community means there are copious resources listed below. You will also find links to several past guests she mentions to support our conversation together. If you enjoy this episode, or any of the others from the podcast, please consider making a donation so I can keep on keeping on. Find out how at: thepermaculturepodcast.com/support. You may enjoy these past episodes: Edible Forest Gardens and Permaculture with Dave Jacke Exploring Permaculture with Larry Santoyo Financial Permaculture with Eric Toensmeier Teaching the PDC with Andrew Millison Resources: Herb'n Wisdom, Marisha's Blog. Marisha's upcoming events: Maya Mountain Research Farm (Belize PDC) The 2014 Local Food Enterprise Summit: A Financial Permaculture Convergence People and places: Bullock Brothers The Evergreen State College Forest Shoemer Gary Nabhan Wild Thyme Farm Organizations: Abundant Life Seed Foundation (Now merged with Territorial Seed Company) The American Livestock Breed Conservancy Seed Savers Exchange Plants and Animals: Ahimsa Silk Coast Strawberry Lower Salmon River Winter Squash Sedum Silver Fox rabbit Join in the conversations: E-mail: The Permaculture Podcast Facebook: Facebook.com/thepermaculturepodcast Twitter: @permaculturecst (Episode 2014-003)

This episode is a piece submitted to my by Peter McCoy of Radical Mycology, and serves as an introduction to the organization that bears that name, as well as a number of the ways we can use mycelium to build a better world. Though Paul Stamets and his book Mycelium Running are perhaps the most well known examples of an expert and information available on this subject, there are many other people doing good work with fungi. Peter and his Radical Mycelium partner Maya are some of them. It's important to know the stories of those who can help us and who we can help in turn. Find out more about Peter, Maya, and their work at: RadicalMycology.com Support the IndieGoGo Campaign: The Radical Mycology Book

Dennis has investigated colony collapse disorder and the on-going bee die off since Dave Hackenberg first reported large colony losses. I wanted to speak with Dennis after seeing him in the documentary “Who Killed The Honeybee?” and then happened to see a recent research paper he was involved with, as well as his TED talk “A Plea for Bees”. During our conversation we talk about his work with bees, the ongoing loss of bee colonies in the United States and elsewhere, the role of bees as pollinators in our food supply, and what we can do to support honeybees and native pollinators. Two things I really enjoyed about this particular conversation was how precise and technical the conversation got regarding the research and issues surrounding bees, while still remaining accessible. For all of his work and research, I never felt like Dennis spoke over our heads. Part of that, I imagine, come from his love and passion for bees. Listening to him describe the co-evolution of flowers and pollinators reminded me of the beauty of nature and why I love this work and want to take care of this little space of mine and build a better world by including habitat for pollinators and tend to the other species around us. If you enjoy this episode you may enjoy: Native Plants with Dr. Doug Tallamy Stream Restoration with Dr. Bern Sweeney The Soil Food Web with Jeff Lowenfels Resources: Dennis vanEnglesdorp, PhD Dennis vanEnglesdorp: A Plea for Bees (TED Talk Video) Bee Informed Partnership Crop Pollination Exposes Honey Bees to Pesticides Which Alters Their Susceptibility to the Gut Pathogen Nosema ceranae (Research Article)