A Chat with Wendi Bergin

Greg Peterson and Wendi Bergin explore the “harvest mindset” and how to prepare for abundance before the garden starts producing more food than you can eat fresh. They discuss practical ways to preserve tomatoes, including freezing, canning, dehydrating, steam juicing, tomato powder, salsa, sauce, and tomato water. The conversation expands into zucchini preservation, fresh-milled grain, homesteading, preparedness, and the idea that being prepared can bring peace rather than fear. Throughout, Greg and Wendi emphasize experimenting, sharing ideas, and finding joy in growing and preserving local food.

Key Topics

• Harvest mindset and preparing for garden abundance
• Preserving large tomato harvests
• Freezing tomatoes whole
• Water bath canning vs. pressure canning
• Safe, tested canning practices
• Tomato sauce, salsa, tomato juice, and tomato water
• Steam juicing and tomato powder
• Zucchini preservation, relish, fritters, and zucchini lasagna
• Fresh-milled grain and home baking
• Azure Standard bulk buying club
• Homesteading and self-reliance
• Preparedness as a source of peace
• Local food economies and growing your own food
• Basil preservation and pesto

Key Questions Answered

• What is a “harvest mindset,” and why is it important?

A harvest mindset means expecting abundance instead of being overwhelmed by it. If you plant 20 tomato plants, you may get very little—or you may get pounds and pounds of tomatoes. Preparing ahead of time allows you to enjoy that abundance rather than scrambling to figure out what to do with it.

• What is the biggest mistake people make when harvest season begins?

Not being prepared. Wendi recommends having your preservation equipment, jars, lids, and other supplies ready before the large harvest arrives.

• What is a simple way to preserve tomatoes before the harvest gets really large?

Wash the tomatoes, place them in bags, and freeze them whole. As the harvest grows, the frozen tomatoes can later be taken out and canned.

• Why does tomato canning require added acid?

The discussion explains that modern tomato varieties may not be acidic enough for safe water-bath canning without additional acid. Lemon juice is discussed as a way to increase acidity when canning tomatoes.

• What is the difference between water-bath and pressure canning?

Water-bath canning uses boiling water and is intended for sufficiently acidic foods. Pressure canning reaches temperatures above the boiling point of water and is used for lower-acid foods such as meats and vegetables.

• What can you do with tomato water from a steam juicer?

Instead of throwing it away, Wendi cans tomato water and uses it in stews, goulash, chili, and for cooking pasta.

• What are some ways to use tomato powder?

Dehydrated tomatoes can be blended into powder and used to thicken spaghetti sauce, flavor broths, add to roasts, make tomato paste or sauce, create spice blends, and make tomato soup.

• How can you preserve a large zucchini harvest?

Zucchini can be shredded, have its excess water removed, and frozen. It can also be made into relish or pickles, fritters, bread, and even a lasagna using sliced zucchini instead of pasta.

• What is the larger lesson behind food preservation?

Preparedness can bring peace and help people live above fear. Whether facing an emergency or simply an overwhelming garden harvest, preparation makes it possible to respond confidently and joyfully.

Episode Highlights

• The harvest mindset starts before you have 50 pounds of tomatoes or zucchini.
• Freeze smaller tomato harvests as they arrive, then process them later when the volume increases.
• Being prepared means having jars, lids, equipment, and a preservation plan ready ahead of time.
• Preserve tomatoes simply by canning them as pure tomato sauce and adding herbs and spices later when cooking.
• Steam juicing can separate tomato juice from the solids, creating useful tomato water and concentrated tomato material.
• Dehydrated tomatoes can become tomato powder with dozens of potential uses.
• Zucchini can become relish, pickles, fritters, frozen shreds, or even pasta-free lasagna.
• Preparedness isn't about fear—it can create peace, self-reliance, and joy in abundance.

Calls to Action & Resources

• Azure Standard — azurestandard.com
• Homesteading Made Simple / Joyfully Prepared Podcast — Search for “Homesteading Made Simple” or “Joyfully Prepared”
• Homesteading Made Simple on YouTube — Search for “Homesteading Made Simple”
• Urban Farm Podcast — Listen to the Urban Farm Podcast for more conversations about growing food, local food economies, and self-reliance.
• Grow your own food — Visit your local farmers market, grow herbs and vegetables, and find ways to participate in your local food economy

Content Advisory

Food preservation safety is discussed, including water-bath and pressure canning. The guests strongly recommend following prescribed, tested canning recipes and established safety guidelines rather than using unverified preservation methods.

Visit www.urbanfarm.org/1001 for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?

The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges.

You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback.

Click HERE to learn more!

*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

What 1,000 Conversations Taught Me About Real Wealth

In this milestone 1,000th episode, Greg Peterson reflects on more than 50 years as an entrepreneur, 34 years of building regenerative food systems, and nearly 11 years of consistently publishing The Urban Farm Podcast. Rather than measuring success solely in dollars, he explores the deeper forms of wealth created through knowledge, community, resilience, and food sovereignty. Through stories of listeners whose lives were transformed by growing food, Greg makes the case that every garden, fruit tree, and saved seed becomes part of the infrastructure for a stronger local food economy.

Our Guest: “What if there was a garden and fruit tree in every yard?” This is a question that Greg ponders every day. For over 32 years he created of one of Phoenix's first environmental showcase homes for urban farming. The 1/4-acre yard featured a primarily edible landscape with over 80 fruit trees, rainwater and greywater harvesting, solar applications, and extensive use of reclaimed and recycled building materials. What we now call an Old Growth Food Forest. He is the co-founder of Great American Seed Up an educational organization designed to energize local seeds. He is also the founder of UrbanFarm.org and the host of The Urban Farm Podcast that has 1000 episodes and over 5 million listens. The podcast is designed to help fulfill Greg’s passion of spreading the word about growing your own food and sharing new and seasoned gardeners epic stories.

Key Topics & Entities

• The Urban Farm Podcast's 1,000-episode milestone
• Local food economy as community infrastructure
• Regenerative agriculture and permaculture
• Food sovereignty and household resilience
• Urban Farm Phoenix food forest
• Asheville food forest project
• Fruit tree education for desert climates
• Seed saving as community infrastructure
• Building knowledge archives through podcasting
• Entrepreneurial purpose beyond financial success
• Community gardens and food access
• Parallel food systems and resilience
• Consistency as a long-term investment
• Transforming the global food system one backyard at a time

Key Questions Answered

Why does Greg believe he was "paid twice" without receiving money?

He describes receiving recognition from ChatGPT for the long-term impact of the podcast and a handwritten letter with saved seeds from a listener who started a community garden at a Chicago homeless shelter. Both affirmed that meaningful work creates value beyond financial income.

What is a local food economy?

A local food economy is more than farmers markets. It is the infrastructure that enables communities to produce, preserve, share, and distribute food locally, making them less dependent on fragile global supply chains.

Why is growing food an act of resilience?

Every garden, fruit tree, and saved seed strengthens local knowledge, increases food security, and builds community resilience against disruptions in centralized food systems.

Why has consistency mattered more than revenue?

Publishing every Friday for nearly 11 years created a searchable teaching archive that continues helping new listeners long after each episode was released. Greg argues that knowledge compounds just like healthy ecosystems do.

What does Greg mean by "payment in multiple currencies"?

He defines wealth as the accumulation of knowledge, confidence, relationships, healthier communities, seed saving, and transformed lives—not simply financial profit.

How can anyone begin participating in a local food economy?

Start small by growing one plant, planting a fruit tree, joining a community garden, learning seed saving, visiting farmers markets, and sharing knowledge with others. Every action strengthens the larger network.

Episode Highlights

• Greg reflects on reaching 1,000 podcast episodes and the unexpected recognition that confirmed the long-term impact of his work.
• A listener's community garden at a Chicago homeless shelter demonstrates how knowledge creates lasting change beyond the original conversation.
• The Urban Farm in Phoenix serves as a decades-long proof of concept for regenerative food production in the desert.
• Local food economies are built through relationships, education, and community infrastructure—not simply food sales.
• Showing up consistently for nearly 11 years transformed individual podcast episodes into a permanent knowledge archive.
• Every saved seed, backyard garden, and farmers market vendor contributes to resilient parallel food systems.
• Real wealth includes confidence, skills, community, and the ability to feed yourself and others.
• Greg challenges listeners to become active participants in rebuilding local food systems by simply growing something.

Resources

• Listen to the Urban Farm Podcast — Search the archive of 1,000+ episodes for practical gardening, permaculture, fruit tree, and food system education. UrbanFarmPodcast.com
• Grow Something — Start with one tomato, herb, or fruit tree and experience your first harvest.
• Save Seeds — Learn to preserve and share locally adapted seeds for future generations. GreatAmericanSeedUp.org
• Support Your Local Food Economy — Visit farmers markets, community gardens, and local growers.
• Share What You Learn — Teach someone else to grow food and help expand the network of local resilience.

Visit www.urbanfarm.org/1000 for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?

The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges.

You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback.

Click HERE to learn more!

*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

Growing Food, Building Abundance, and Working with Nature

In a unique twist, Greg is interviewed by Taylor Luke of the Tales with Tayler Podcast. In this Episode Greg Peterson shares the philosophy and practical systems that have guided more than four decades of growing food in the desert and beyond. From creating an old-growth food forest in Phoenix to building local seed resilience through the Great American Seed Up, he explains how anyone can begin producing food at home. The conversation explores permaculture, fruit trees, seed saving, local food economies, and why understanding where food comes from is one of the most important skills of our time.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about what I was going to do for my 1000th episode of the Farm podcast. And was recently interviewed by Tayler Wellman of tales with Tayler. After listening to the episode, I thought it would be a great jumping off point for my 1000th narrative episode. This tells some of my story and she did a really great job with the interview so I asked and she said yes, play it on your podcast. This will give you two opportunities, first to experience a new podcast and second to hear some of my backstory leading into the next 1000 episodes. Enjoy!

Our Guest: Taylor hosts "Tales With Taylor," a spirited interview podcast where successful entrepreneurs and business owners share their most captivating stories from childhood to future goals. Each episode blends life-changing advice, nostalgic reflections, and playful humor, as guests open up about the best advice they've ever received, the lessons they wish they'd known sooner, and the legacy they hope to leave behind. Part business wisdom, part storytelling adventure, Tales With Taylor offers a genuine, personal connection to the highs, lows, and hard-won insights of inspiring people in the business world.

Taylor is the owner and operator of Financial Potion, a video marketing company based in Mesa, Arizona. Taylor helps businesses and organizations make swift, lasting impressions through tailor-made video marketing, personally guiding every step from scriptwriting to production, editing, and video SEO. Clients consistently praise the process as stress-free and genuinely enjoyable.

Key Topics

• Greg Peterson
• Urban Farm
• Urban Farm Podcast
• Permaculture
• Food forests
• Fruit trees and perennial food production
• The Great American Seed Up
• Seed saving and home seed banks
• Local food economies
• Desert gardening
• Asheville, North Carolina
• Tower Gardens
• Farmers markets
• Regenerative systems

Key Questions Answered

What was Greg Peterson's favorite harvest?

His favorite harvest is food that returns naturally year after year without replanting. Self-seeding crops like basil, parsley, cilantro, kale, nasturtiums, and sweet potatoes transformed his Phoenix property into an old-growth food forest that largely cared for itself.

Why are fruit trees such an important investment?

Fruit trees are planted once and can provide fresh food for decades. Greg shares stories of century-old citrus trees and explains why fruit trees offer one of the highest long-term returns for home gardeners.

What is permaculture?

Permaculture is the art and science of working with nature instead of against it. Greg explains how designing landscapes that mimic natural ecosystems creates resilient, productive gardens with less work over time.

Why should every household maintain a seed bank?

Seeds are the foundation of food security. Greg explains how storing seeds at home strengthens local resilience and inspired the creation of the Great American Seed Up, helping thousands of people build personal seed reserves.

Do seeds really expire?

Not necessarily. Most expiration dates reflect packaging regulations rather than biological limits. When stored cool, dark, and dry, many seeds remain viable for years—even decades.

How can beginners successfully start growing food?

Start small with crops you already enjoy eating. Herbs like basil are inexpensive, productive, and easy to grow—even on a sunny windowsill.

What if someone doesn't have a yard?

Greg recommends Tower Gardens, container gardening, windowsill herbs, and visiting local farmers markets. Food production is possible even in apartments and condos.

Why is understanding our food system so important?

Knowing where food comes from reconnects people with healthier eating, stronger local economies, and more resilient communities. Growing even a small amount of food changes the way people think about nutrition and sustainability.

How can individuals help address climate change?

Focus on regenerative practices that work with nature. Growing food, improving soil, supporting local farmers, and creating resilient food systems are practical actions anyone can take.

Which book most influenced Greg's thinking?

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn profoundly shaped Greg's worldview by challenging assumptions about humanity's relationship with nature and inspiring his lifelong mission of transforming food systems.

Episode Highlights

• Greg explains how self-seeding plants transformed his yard into an old-growth food forest that produces food with minimal maintenance.
• Fruit trees are presented as one of the easiest long-term investments for home food production.
• The story behind the creation of the Great American Seed Up and its mission to build community seed resilience.
• Why seeds stored properly can remain viable for decades despite printed expiration dates.
• Lessons learned growing food in both the Arizona desert and the mountains of North Carolina.
• How Tower Gardens make food production possible for apartment and condo dwellers.
• The philosophy that nature is regenerative while most human systems are degenerative—and why that must change.
• Greg's lifelong mission: helping people understand where their food comes from by inspiring them to grow even a small portion themselves.

Calls to Action & Resources

• Urban Farm — https://urbanfarm.org
• Urban Farm Podcast — https://urbanfarmpodcast.com
• Great American Seed Up — https://greatamericanseedup.org
• Fruit Trees Program — https://fruittrees.org
• Free Desert Planting Calendar — https://plantingcalendar.org
• Learn about Permaculture — Explore local Permaculture Design Courses (PDCs) at Permaculture.net
• Visit Your Local Farmers Market — Meet local growers and buy seasonal food directly.
• Read: Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
• Tales with Taylor Podcast on podcast platforms and HERE on YouTube
• Tales with Taylor Website - https://taleswithtaylor.com

Visit www.urbanfarm.org/999 for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?

The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges.

You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback.

Click HERE to learn more!

*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

A Rosie On The House Replay

In this episode we explore the concept of wicking bed gardens, hosted by Romey Romero & Farmer Greg, our guest is Don Titmus where we find that Water harvesting is about far more than capturing rain, it is a foundation for resilient landscapes, healthier soils, and regenerative living. Greg Peterson welcomes longtime permaculture educator Don Titmus to share the evolution of his Mesa, Arizona property, beeOasis, and the lessons he's learned from decades of designing landscapes that work with nature instead of against it. Together they explore permaculture principles, rainwater harvesting, biodiversity, and how small design choices can create thriving ecosystems in urban environments.

Key Topics

• Water harvesting and passive rainwater collection
• Permaculture design principles
• Don Titmus
• Greg Peterson
• beeOasis (Mesa, Arizona)
• Urban Farm
• Phoenix Permaculture Guild
• Permaculture Design Course (PDC)
• Pollinator habitat creation
• Composting systems
• Top-bar beekeeping
• Biodiversity in urban landscapes
• Landscape design for resilience
• Long-term ecological thinking

Questions

How did beeOasis get its name?

Don explains that after attending a top-bar beekeeping class, he realized his property naturally provided everything bees need—water, flowers, trees, pollen, nectar, and shelter—making it a true oasis for pollinators.

Why did Don stop keeping bees?

Although his landscape was ideal for bees, the hive's location near his compost system made routine compost maintenance difficult because the bees aggressively defended their territory. He ultimately donated the hives while continuing to maintain the property as pollinator habitat.

How did Greg and Don first connect?

The two met shortly after Don completed his first Permaculture Design Course in the early 2000s during an event at Greg's Urban Farm. Their shared passion for regenerative design led to years of collaboration through the Phoenix Permaculture Guild.

What role did the Phoenix Permaculture Guild play?

The guild became a hub for education, demonstrations, public tours, and community outreach, helping spread knowledge about rainwater harvesting, graywater systems, and sustainable landscape design.

Why is naming a property important?

Greg encouraged people to name their properties as a way to establish identity, purpose, and connection to the land. Don shares how this simple suggestion helped shape the identity of beeOasis.

What makes a landscape resilient?

A resilient landscape integrates water harvesting, healthy soils, diverse plantings, pollinator habitat, and thoughtful design that works with natural systems instead of relying on constant inputs.

Episode Highlights

• Greg introduces longtime permaculture educator Don Titmus and their decades-long friendship through the Arizona permaculture community.
• Don shares the story behind creating and naming beeOasis.
• The conversation explores how pollinator-friendly landscapes support both wildlife and resilient gardens.
• Don recounts his experience as a beekeeper and why he ultimately chose to remove the hives while preserving bee habitat.
• Greg reflects on the early years of the Phoenix Permaculture Guild and its influence on water harvesting education.
• The discussion highlights how permaculture principles can transform ordinary urban properties into thriving ecosystems.
• Listeners hear practical examples of designing landscapes that capture water naturally and build long-term resilience.

Calls to Action & Resources

• Learn more about Urban Farm — https://UrbanFarm.org
• Explore permaculture education and courses — https://UrbanFarm.org
• Visit beeOasis during public tours — Check local announcements for tour opportunities.
• Community — Connect with local permaculture organizations and water harvesting groups to learn hands-on techniques.

Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/998 for the show notes and links on this episode!

Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?

The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges.

You can chat with Greg, Janis or Ray to get permaculture based feedback.

Click HERE to learn more!

*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

With Graham Duvall of Terramonga Food Hub

In this Episode Graham Duvall shares his 15-year journey building resilient regional food systems in western North Carolina through Mother Earth Food and its evolution into Terramonga Hub. He explains how food hubs strengthen local agriculture by connecting farmers with consumers, creating reliable market access, and improving food security. The conversation explores the realities of entrepreneurship, the collapse and rebirth of a mission-driven business, and why resilient local food economies are essential for thriving communities. Graham also reflects on personal growth, mindfulness, and the importance of staying committed to meaningful work despite repeated setbacks.

Our Guest: Graham is the co-founder of Mother Earth Foods and warehouse manager at Terramonga Hub in Asheville, North Carolina. He is a longtime advocate for resilient regional food systems, helping connect local farms, food artisans, and communities through innovative food distribution and aggregation networks. His work supports sustainable agriculture, strengthens western North Carolina local food economy, and expands access to fresh, responsibly produced food.

Key Topics

• Graham Duvall
• Terramonga Hub
• Mother Earth Food
• Regional food hubs
• Local food systems
• Food sovereignty
• Western North Carolina agriculture
• Farmers markets
• Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
• Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP) Program
• Regenerative agriculture
• Local food distribution
• Daniel Quinn's Ishmael
• Michael Pollan's How to Change Your Mind

Key Questions Answered

What is a food hub?

A food hub is a flexible community-based organization that aggregates, stores, markets, and distributes products from local farms while creating dependable outlets for producers and increasing access to fresh local food.

Why are food hubs becoming increasingly important?

They help rebuild regional food resilience, support small farmers, shorten supply chains, strengthen local economies, and improve food security in an increasingly centralized food system.

Why do farmers need food hubs?

Many farmers can grow enough food but struggle to find reliable markets. Food hubs solve this by connecting producers with consumers, institutions, and community organizations.

Why is western North Carolina well suited for local food systems?

The region combines a rich agricultural history, strong farmers market culture, experienced growers, fertile farmland, and community support for local agriculture.

How does Terra Monga Hub serve customers?

Customers order online each week from a curated selection of seasonal produce, meats, dairy, artisan foods, and pantry items sourced primarily from local and regional farms and delivered directly to their homes.

What happened to Mother Earth Food?

After 14 years of operation and multiple financial challenges, Mother Earth Food closed and transitioned into Terra Monga Hub through a partnership with Terra Monga Farm, allowing the mission to continue under a new structure.

What lessons come from entrepreneurial failure?

Business setbacks can become opportunities when the mission remains intact. Adaptability, persistence, and strong partnerships often create the path forward.

How can individuals help transform the food system?

Start locally by growing food, supporting nearby farmers, shopping at farmers markets, and investing in community food systems where you live.

Episode Highlights

• Graham explains how food hubs create reliable market access for local farmers while strengthening community resilience.
• The evolution of Mother Earth Food into Terra Monga Hub demonstrates how mission-driven businesses can adapt after financial hardship.
• Western North Carolina's farming heritage provides fertile ground for rebuilding regional food systems.
• Graham shares how the Healthy Opportunities Pilot Program delivered nutritious food to hundreds of food-insecure families.
• Entrepreneurship in local food requires resilience through repeated cycles of growth, contraction, and reinvention.
• Personal development, mindfulness, and intentional self-reflection helped Graham maintain clarity during difficult seasons.
• Both Graham and Greg discuss how Daniel Quinn's Ishmael fundamentally changed their understanding of humanity's relationship with food and nature.
• The conversation concludes with a reminder that meaningful change begins within our homes and local communities.

Resources

• Learn about Terramonga Hub — https://terramongahub.com
• Contact Graham Duvall — [email protected]
• Visit your local farmers market and support regional food producers.
• Start a home garden to reconnect with your food source.
• Read: Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
• Read: How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan

Visit www.urbanfarm.org/Terramonga for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?

The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges.

You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback.

Click HERE to learn more!

*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

How we are finally figuring out Plant nutrition with Landen Schilling

In this month's Seed Chat, Greg Peterson and Bill McDorman welcome Landon Schaelling of Sacred Soil Solutions to explore the emerging science of rhizophagy, the process by which plants consume microbes for nutrition. The conversation examines how endophytes, fermentation, compost, and seed saving may work together to improve plant health, resilience, and flavor. They also discuss practical ways gardeners can introduce beneficial microbes into their gardens while highlighting the rapidly evolving research that is reshaping our understanding of soil biology and plant nutrition.

Our Guests: Landon Schaelling is the founder of Sacred Soil Solutions. He is focused on bringing optimal and approachable microbe inputs to gardeners and homesteaders, while also teaching farmers in the American West how to implement soil building solutions at scale.

And Bill McDorman has committed his life to community-based seed stewardship. In 1984, he started Seeds Trust High Altitude Gardens, a bioregional mail order seed company that he ran for 28 years. He authored the book Basic Seed Saving in 1994, and in 2010 Bill and his wife, Belle Starr, founded Seed School.

Key Topics

• Rhizophagy (root-eating process)
• Endophytes and plant microbiomes
• Soil microbiology
• Seed saving and local adaptation
• Horizontal gene transfer
• Fermentation for microbial cultivation
• Compost and fungal soil biology
• Microbe Master Mix
• Effective Microorganisms (EM/EM1)
• Dr. James F. White
• John Kempf's Plant Health Pyramid
• Dr. Christine Jones
• Biochar and Terra Preta
• Sacred Soil Solutions

Key Questions Answered

What is rhizophagy?

Rhizophagy is the process by which plants absorb living microbes through their root tips, consume many of them for nutrition, and release others back into the soil, creating a dynamic relationship between plants and soil biology.

What are endophytes?

Endophytes are beneficial bacteria and fungi that live inside plant tissues without causing disease. They become part of the plant's internal microbiome and contribute to nutrient cycling, resilience, and overall plant health.

Why is this research changing how we understand plant nutrition?

Emerging research suggests healthy plants obtain much of their nutrition by consuming living microbes rather than relying solely on dissolved minerals in the soil, expanding traditional models of plant nutrition.

Why are locally saved seeds so valuable?

Seeds saved in a local environment gradually adapt genetically to regional growing conditions. Local microbial communities appear to undergo similar adaptation, potentially increasing plant vigor over time.

How can gardeners introduce beneficial microbes?

Gardeners can inoculate seeds, apply microbial solutions as foliar sprays, drench transplant roots, build high-quality compost, and encourage living soil ecosystems through mulch and cover crops.

Why are microbial fermentations useful?

Fermentation allows gardeners to rapidly multiply beneficial microorganisms that can be applied efficiently to seeds, soil, and foliage while adapting to local growing conditions.

Does treating seeds with microbes improve plant performance?

According to Landon Schaelling's experience, treated seeds often produce stronger root systems, healthier foliage, improved nutrient uptake, greater vigor, and enhanced flavor.

Is feeding the plant different from feeding the soil?

The discussion suggests both are important, but directly supporting plant microbiology may allow healthier plants to build better soil through root exudates and microbial partnerships.

How does drought affect soil microbes?

Dry soils reduce microbial activity. Maintaining mulch and consistent soil moisture helps preserve beneficial microbial populations.

Can microbial communities adapt to new environments?

Yes. Through horizontal gene transfer and rapid reproduction, microbial populations can adapt to local conditions much faster than plants themselves.

Episode Highlights

• Greg celebrates the Urban Farm Podcast approaching its 1,000th episode.
• Bill McDorman introduces the emerging science of rhizophagy and why it has changed his perspective on gardening.
• Landon explains how plants consume microbes through root tips rather than relying solely on dissolved nutrients.
• The conversation explores how endophytes become part of a plant's internal immune and digestive systems.
• Bill shares dramatic improvements after using microbial treatments on greens grown in sandy soil.
• The panel discusses microbial fermentations as an accessible alternative to intensive compost production.
• Audience questions cover drought, raised beds, honey versus molasses, wheat adaptation, and sourcing microbial inoculants.
• The episode concludes with a discussion about nature's intelligence, seed adaptation, and the intriguing tradition of placing seeds in one's mouth before planting.

Calls to Action & Resources

• Attend future live Seed Chats — https://seedchat.org
• Listen to previous Seed Chats — https://urbanfarmpodcast.com
• Learn about Sacred Soil Solutions — Contact Landon Schaelling directly for information on Microbe Master Mix and educational resources. Instagram: @sacredsoilsolutions
• Facebook: Landen Schaelling
• Email: [email protected]

• Recommended Research
• Dr. James F. White — Rhizophagy Cycle research
• John Kempf — Plant Health Pyramid
• Dr. Christine Jones — Soil carbon and regenerative agriculture
• Effective Microorganisms (EM/EM1) fermentation methods

Visit www.urbanfarm.org/996 for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?

The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges.

You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback.

Click HERE to learn more!

*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

with Brad Lancaster & Andrew Millison

In this Episode - What begins as a simple effort to redirect stormwater becomes a powerful story of ecological restoration, community organizing, and policy change. Brad Lancaster and Andrew Millison discuss how a grassroots, initially "pre-legal" water harvesting project transformed neighborhoods in Tucson, inspired new city policies, and is now influencing communities across the Southwest. They explore how small interventions can create lasting cultural shifts, why regenerative change requires generations of stewardship, and how anyone can become a catalyst for positive change in their own community.

Our Guests: Brad is the author of the books Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond, the creator of HarvestingRainwater.com, and co-founder of Neighborhood Foresters.org. These converge through his neighborhood’s rain-irrigated native food forestry efforts in downtown Tucson, AZ. Their work has planted over 1,800 native food-bearing trees and thousands of multi-use understory plants solely watered by the 1.25 million gallons of stormwater they planted in streetside- and in-street rain gardens. 

 Andrew Millison is an educator and founder of Oregon State University’s Permaculture Design program. He has travelled the Earth documenting impactful stories of land regeneration on his popular YouTube channel, which boasts over 100 million video views. In his 30-year career in Permaculture, he has designed and consulted on numerous projects throughout the world.

Key Topics

• Street-side water harvesting
• Brad Lancaster
• Andrew Millison
• Tucson neighborhood restoration
• Community-led ecological design
• Rainwater harvesting
• Urban heat island mitigation
• Native food forests
• Water policy reform
• Regenerative community development
• Green infrastructure
• Earth Repair Fund
• Neighborhood stewardship
• Permaculture design

Key Questions Answered

How did an illegal curb cut become a model for public policy?

A neighborhood experiment redirecting street runoff into planted basins demonstrated measurable environmental and community benefits. Those results convinced city officials to legalize and eventually promote the practice, creating a model now spreading to other cities.

What problems does street-side water harvesting solve?

It reduces flooding, cools neighborhoods, slows traffic, supports native ecosystems, grows food, increases biodiversity, improves walkability, and strengthens neighborhood relationships—all using rainwater that previously became waste.

Why is community participation more important than infrastructure?

Infrastructure creates opportunity, but long-term success depends on residents becoming active stewards. Cultural change happens when people continually care for and improve the systems they've created together.

How has Tucson changed over the past 30 years?

What was once a hot, barren streetscape has become a shaded urban forest filled with native plants, birds, pedestrians, cyclists, and community gathering spaces.

Why focus on native plants?

Native species require less irrigation, survive harsh conditions, support local wildlife, and create resilient landscapes that continue thriving even when maintenance decreases.

What does "pre-legal" mean?

Rather than breaking rules for the sake of rebellion, Brad describes testing practical solutions before regulations existed. Successful demonstrations then became the basis for changing policy.

How do you convince government agencies to support innovation?

By solving their existing problems—flooding, crime, heat, traffic, maintenance costs—and collaborating with receptive allies inside government rather than making demands.

When does a project become a cultural movement?

When it measurably improves people's daily lives, inspires widespread participation, changes public policy, and motivates others to adapt the ideas within their own communities.

Why did Andrew Millison choose to document this story?

Because it represents a proven, decades-long example of regenerative change that others can replicate, offering practical hope instead of theoretical solutions.

What mindset shift do the speakers hope listeners experience?

To begin seeing neighborhoods as living watersheds full of opportunities for regeneration, rather than fixed infrastructure that cannot be improved.

Episode Highlights

• A neighborhood experiment in harvesting street runoff evolved into city-approved infrastructure and inspired policy changes beyond Tucson.
• Water harvesting became a catalyst for cooling neighborhoods, restoring wildlife habitat, calming traffic, and building stronger communities.
• Native food forests transformed once-barren public rights-of-way into productive community commons.
• Brad Lancaster explains how changing policy requires collaboration, persistence, and demonstrating successful models.
• Andrew Millison shares why documenting proven regenerative projects creates hope and motivates action.
• The discussion explores how infrastructure can become a tool for cultural transformation.
• Both guests emphasize that regenerative work is lifelong, requiring continual community participation rather than one-time projects.
• Listeners are encouraged to identify their own community's "acupuncture point"—the small intervention capable of creating widespread positive change.

Resources

Watch the documentary

• Fundraising documentary on Brad Lancaster's Tucson water harvesting project

Learn Rainwater Harvesting

• HarvestingRainwater.com

Support the Project

• Earth Repair Fund crowdfunding campaign

Explore Native Urban Forestry

• NeighborhoodForesters.org

Learn Permaculture

• Oregon State University Permaculture Program

Books

• Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond by Brad Lancaster

YouTube

• Andrew Millison
• Brad Lancaster

Podcast Show Notes Visit www.urbanfarm.org/TucsonWaterHarvesting for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

 Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?

The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges.

You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback. Click HERE to learn more!

*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

In this special commentary episode, Farmer Greg reflects on his conversation with Shelby Maldonado and Leeza Chen of the Appalachian Grower Seed Collective. He explores how the Southeast lost much of its regional seed-growing infrastructure, why COVID-19 exposed the fragility of modern seed supply chains, and what it takes to rebuild resilient, locally adapted seed systems. Greg highlights the importance of bioregional seed stewardship, community collaboration, and becoming a "seed ancestor" by saving and sharing seeds. The episode is both a call to action and a vision for strengthening local food security through regional seed sovereignty.

Key Topics

• Appalachian Grower Seed Collective
• Seed sovereignty and regional resilience
• COVID-19 seed shortages
• Local seed production infrastructure
• Seed saving traditions
• Bioregional seed adaptation
• Southern heirloom varieties
• Community seed cooperatives
• Climate resilience in agriculture
• Shared seed processing equipment
• Utopian Seed Project
• Local food security
• Seed stewardship
• Becoming a seed ancestor

Key Questions Answered

Why did the Southeast largely stop producing its own seeds?

Over time, seed production became concentrated in other regions and large commercial seed companies. Farmers shifted from saving seeds to purchasing them annually, causing local seed knowledge and infrastructure to fade.

What did the COVID-19 pandemic reveal about the seed supply chain?

When seed inventories sold out during the pandemic, many growers realized they were dependent on distant suppliers and vulnerable to disruptions beyond their control.

Why are locally adapted seeds so valuable?

Seeds selected over multiple seasons in the same region naturally adapt to local soils, climate, pests, and weather patterns, often outperforming varieties developed elsewhere.

What is bioregional seed adaptation?

Bioregional adaptation is the ongoing process of selecting and saving seeds that thrive under local growing conditions, creating increasingly resilient crops over successive generations.

How did the Appalachian Grower Seed Collective get started?

The collective began with ten farmers, shared seed-cleaning equipment housed in a mobile trailer, grant funding, and a year dedicated to building trust before launching seed production.

Why does the collective only steward seeds grown locally for at least three years?

Three growing seasons provide enough time for varieties to begin adapting to regional conditions, strengthening their long-term resilience and performance.

How can individual gardeners begin preserving seed diversity?

Anyone can save seeds from plants they love, share them with neighbors, and begin creating a regional seed legacy—even without large-scale infrastructure.

Why should every region develop a seed collective?

Regional seed collectives create local agricultural resilience, preserve genetic diversity, strengthen community relationships, and provide insurance when commercial supply chains fail.

Episode Highlights

• COVID-19 exposed how dependent many local farmers are on distant seed suppliers.
• Modern local food systems are only as resilient as their seed sources.
• Seed saving knowledge disappeared gradually as commercial seed purchasing became the norm.
• Trust-building among growers proved just as important as equipment or funding.
• Every growing season becomes a selection event that strengthens locally adapted genetics.
• Gardeners can become the first "seed ancestor" in a new regional seed lineage.
• Seed collectives create practical infrastructure that complements—not replaces—the commercial seed industry.
• Building resilient food systems begins with communities stewarding their own seeds.

Calls to Action & Resources

Listen to Episode 993 - https://urbanfarm.org/seedcollective

Learn about the Appalachian Grower Seed Collective - https://utopianseed.org/store

Connect with the Urban Farm Podcast - https://urbanfarm.org

Email Farmer Greg - [email protected]

Interested in starting a seed collective?

Reach out to the Appalachian Grower Seed Collective to learn from their experience and begin building seed resilience in your own region. [email protected]

Visit www.urbanfarm.org/993 for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

 Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?

The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges.

You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback.

Click HERE to learn more!

*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

The Appalachian Growers Seed Collective w/ Shelby Mandonado and Leeza Chen

In this Episode Shelby Mandonado and Leeza Chen share the story behind the Appalachian Growers Seed Collective, a collaborative network of farmers producing and stewarding locally adapted seeds for the Southern Appalachian region. They discuss why regional seed production matters, how climate change makes local adaptation increasingly important, and how farmers can reclaim seed sovereignty by saving and sharing seeds. The conversation explores the practical realities of launching a seed collective, preserving heirloom varieties, and strengthening local food systems through collaboration rather than competition. It is an inspiring discussion about resilience, biodiversity, and the long-term power of community-grown seeds.

Our Guests: Shelby is a farmer, organizer, and mother with a passion for collaborative models of community building based around our shared love of the land. And

Leeza is a seed farmer near Asheville, North Carolina. She is inspired by the way seeds are both deeply personal and powerfully political, often leaning on them as a lens to understand our connection to the land, culture, and sovereignty.

Key Topics

• Appalachian Growers Seed Collective
• Shelby Mandonado
• Leeza Chen
• Southern Appalachian seed stewardship
• Bioregional seed adaptation
• Seed sovereignty
• Local food systems
• Community-based seed production
• Seed farming
• Climate resilience in agriculture
• Utopian Seed Project
• Heirloom and heritage crop preservation
• Farmer collaboration and shared equipment
• Seed saving as cultural preservation

Key Questions Answered

What is the Appalachian Growers Seed Collective?

A regional network of approximately ten farmers who collaboratively grow, steward, package, and sell locally adapted seed varieties while sharing equipment, knowledge, and resources.

Why are locally adapted seeds so important?

Seeds grown and selected in a specific region become better adapted to local climate, weather patterns, soils, pests, and diseases, improving reliability for future growers.

What is a seed farmer?

A seed farmer allows crops to complete their full life cycle, harvesting mature seed instead of edible produce, then cleaning, testing, and packaging seed for future planting.

Why has on-farm seed saving declined?

Commercial seed industry consolidation has led many growers to purchase seed annually rather than saving their own, reducing regional adaptation and local seed resilience.

How did the COVID-19 pandemic influence the collective?

Seed shortages during the pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in the food system and highlighted the need for local seed production and regional seed independence.

How was the collective started?

The founders secured a grant, purchased shared seed-processing equipment, built a mobile processing trailer, and spent significant time developing trust, shared values, and collaborative systems before expanding production.

What makes Southern Appalachian seed production unique?

The region's humid climate presents challenges rarely addressed by traditional seed-saving literature, requiring local experimentation and farmer-to-farmer learning.

How can others start a regional seed collective?

Begin with trusted growers, define shared values and goals, develop a complementary seed collection, share resources, and grow at the "speed of trust."

How does the Utopian Seed Project support the collective?

The nonprofit evaluates diverse crop varieties through research and field trials, then shares promising selections with the collective for regional seed production and distribution.

What role does seed stewardship play in climate resilience?

Saving seed from plants that survive local stresses gradually builds populations better adapted to changing environmental conditions.

Can someone without a farming heritage become a seed steward?

Absolutely. Every seed saver can become the first generation of a new seed lineage by preserving, sharing, and passing seeds to future growers.

Episode Highlights

• The collective includes about ten farmers working together to grow, process, and market locally adapted seeds.
• Seeds are selected only after proving themselves through multiple growing seasons in Southern Appalachian conditions.
• COVID-19 seed shortages revealed how dependent local food systems are on distant commercial seed suppliers.
• Shared equipment, including a mobile seed-processing trailer, allows small farmers to access professional seed-cleaning tools.
• Trust-building, shared meals, and collaborative decision-making are considered just as important as technical farming skills.
• Climate change makes regional seed adaptation increasingly valuable for future food security.
• Every heirloom seed carries generations of cultural history, family traditions, and local knowledge.
• Anyone can become the first ancestor in a new seed-saving tradition by simply beginning to save and share seed.

Resources

Appalachian Growers Seed Collective Store — https://utopianseed.org/store

Utopian Seed Project — https://utopianseed.org

Real Seeds ZigZag Winnower Plans — https://www.realseeds.co.uk

Connect with Leeza Chen — [email protected]

Recommended Book - The Seed Garden by Jared Zystro

Follow Utopian Seed Project — Instagram, Facebook, and the Utopian Seed Project mailing list for breeding trials, research, and seed releases.

Visit www.urbanfarm.org/SeedCollective for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?

The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges.

You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback.

Click HERE to learn more!

*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

In this Episode we have Landen Schaelling, founder of Sacred Soil Solutions, sharing how healthy soil biology transforms plant health from the ground up. Drawing on years of homesteading, regenerative soil research, and microscopy, he explains why bacteria, fungi, and other microbes are the true engine behind thriving gardens and farms. The conversation explores the science of rhizophagy, microbial ferments, compost quality, and practical strategies that gardeners and farmers can immediately implement to build healthier, more resilient soil. Landen also discusses how understanding living soil can reduce fertilizer inputs, improve plant immunity, and restore natural ecological balance.

Our Guest: Landen Schaelling is the founder of Sacred Soil Solutions. He is focused on bringing optimal and approachable microbial inputs to gardeners and homesteaders, while also teaching farmers in the American West how to implement soil-building solutions at scale. Landen has been homesteading through a permaculture lens in Northern Arizona for over a decade. In the last couple of years, he has devoted his focus to restoring holistic soil microbiology and using practical microscope work to verify and guide that process.

Key Topics

• Living soil biology
• Soil microbiome
• Rhizophagy (plant root feeding)
• Compost quality and fungal dominance
• Soil microscopy
• Symbiotic Antioxidative Microbes (SAM)
• Microbial ferments
• Compost extracts vs. compost teas
• Soil pH and alkalinity
• Water retention in arid climates
• Plant Health Pyramid
• Complete protein synthesis in plants
• Regenerative agriculture
• Homesteading and permaculture

Key Questions Answered

What makes soil truly healthy?

Healthy soil contains a balance of minerals, water, air space, organic matter, and abundant biological life. Understanding each site's history helps determine the best path toward regeneration.

Why are microbes so important?

Microbes drive nutrient cycling, improve plant nutrition, build soil structure, support water retention, and create resilient ecosystems that naturally suppress disease and pests.

What is rhizophagy?

Rhizophagy is the process by which plant roots actively absorb bacteria and yeast through root tips, consume them, and gain proteins, micronutrients, and growth-promoting compounds directly from living microbes.

Why does compost sometimes perform better than fertilizer?

High-quality compost delivers living biology rather than simply nutrients. Plants respond rapidly when beneficial microbes become available through compost or microbial ferments.

What's the difference between compost tea and microbial ferments?

Compost tea extracts microbes already living in compost, while microbial ferments grow stable populations of beneficial microbes that can be applied as foliar sprays or soil drenches.

Why is soil history important?

Past management practices—including flood irrigation, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and previous crops—continue to influence soil biology, fertility, and plant performance years later.

How can gardeners encourage healthier soil biology?

Build mature compost, reduce unnecessary disturbance, increase carbon-rich materials, apply microbial ferments, mulch consistently, and maintain proper moisture.

Can healthier soil reduce pests and diseases?

Healthy plants with complete protein synthesis become naturally less attractive to many insect pests while beneficial microbes improve plant immune function against common diseases.

How does soil microscopy help?

Microscopy allows growers to directly observe microbial populations, assess compost quality, diagnose biological deficiencies, and monitor progress during soil restoration.

What common mistake delayed Landen's success?

Using feedlot cattle manure overloaded his soil with nitrates, producing vigorous foliage but poor fruit production and severe pest pressure, ultimately leading him to study soil biology more deeply.

Episode Highlights

• Landen left a traditional academic path after discovering permaculture and dedicated his life to regenerative homesteading.
• Healthy soil depends as much on living biology as it does on minerals and organic matter.
• Rhizophagy has changed how scientists understand plant nutrition, showing plants directly consume microbes.
• Compost quality depends more on microbial diversity than simply creating dark, finished organic matter.
• Acidic microbial ferments can help offset alkaline soils common throughout the American Southwest.
• Living microbes improve plant nutrition, reduce pest pressure, and strengthen natural disease resistance.
• Soil microscopy allows growers to verify biological activity instead of relying solely on assumptions.
• Taking action before knowing everything is often the fastest path to learning and improving soil health.

Resources

Book Recommendation

Regenerative Soil by Matt Powers

Learn More

• Sacred Soil Solutions School (Skool community)
• Sacred Soil Solutions educational resources on microbial ferments

Follow

• Facebook: Landen Schaelling
• Instagram: Sacred Soil Solutions

Email

[email protected]

Visit www.urbanfarm.org/SacredSoil for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?

The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges.

You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback.

Click HERE to learn more!

*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

In this Episode Aly Nickling-Riddle shares her journey from personal tragedy and corporate life to building a homestead in Northern Ontario. After leaving everything behind to travel in a vintage RV, she unexpectedly met her future husband, and together they pursued a simpler, more self-sufficient lifestyle. Aly discusses the realities of homesteading, the emotional and financial challenges many aspiring homesteaders underestimate, and the inspiration behind her book Homesteading: Is It the Lifestyle for You? This conversation offers a practical roadmap for anyone considering a move toward greater self-reliance.

Our Guest: Aly is a Canadian author, keynote speaker, McGill lecturer, and freelance journalist who brings a refreshingly honest perspective to modern homesteading and self-sufficient living. With a background in media, business, and more than a decade of professional writing experience, she helps people think carefully before making major lifestyle changes. Her book, Homesteading: Is It the Lifestyle for You?, encourages aspiring homesteaders to look beyond social media ideals and understand the real physical, financial, and emotional demands of rural life. Through workshops, lectures, and presentations, she focuses on practical planning, resilience, sustainability, and building realistic paths toward long-term self-reliance.

Key Topics

• Aly Riddle
• Riddle Ridge Homestead
• Homesteading: Is It the Lifestyle for You?
• Self-sufficiency and resilience
• Emotional challenges of homesteading
• Financial planning before buying land
• Community and neighbor relationships
• Rural versus urban lifestyles
• Infrastructure costs and land development
• Preparedness and disaster resilience
• Building realistic homestead plans
• Personal consultations for aspiring homesteaders
• Hurricane Helene recovery lessons
• The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery

Key Questions Answered

Why did Aly choose the homesteading lifestyle?

After experiencing multiple personal tragedies and a divorce, Aly decided to rebuild her life from scratch. She left the corporate world, traveled in an RV, and eventually found a path toward a simpler, more intentional lifestyle.

What inspired the book Homesteading: Is It the Lifestyle for You?

Aly and her husband noticed many people leaving homesteading after only a couple of years because they entered the lifestyle with unrealistic expectations. The book was created to help people understand what they are truly signing up for before they buy land.

What makes this book different from other homesteading books?

Most homesteading books focus on skills and projects after purchasing land. Aly's book focuses on the planning, financial, emotional, and practical considerations that should happen years before purchasing property.

What is the biggest misconception about homesteading?

Many people believe homesteading is a slower, stress-free lifestyle. In reality, it replaces urban stresses with different challenges that require resilience, adaptability, and commitment.

How does Aly define homesteading?

Homesteading is any effort to become more self-sufficient and less dependent on systems that can fail. It can happen in rural settings, suburban backyards, or even urban apartments.

What hidden costs surprise new homesteaders?

Infrastructure expenses such as wells, septic systems, driveways, utilities, and ongoing maintenance are often underestimated. Many people also overestimate how quickly a homestead can generate income.

Why is community important for homesteaders?

Strong neighbor relationships provide support, skill sharing, trade opportunities, and resilience during emergencies. Community often determines long-term success more than individual effort.

What lesson did Aly learn from a tornado striking her property?

The experience reinforced that no amount of planning eliminates uncertainty. Gratitude, adaptability, and resilience become essential when nature disrupts carefully crafted plans.

What drives Aly's work today?

She is passionate about helping people move from dreaming about self-sufficiency to creating practical, realistic plans that can succeed over the long term.

Episode Highlights

• Aly rebuilt her life after personal tragedy by leaving corporate life and traveling full-time in a vintage RV.
• She met her future husband on the very first day of a work-camping opportunity in Florida.
• Their homesteading journey required far more planning and time than they originally expected.
• Emotional resilience is often more important than practical skills for long-term success.
• Homesteading can be practiced anywhere, not just on large rural properties.
• New homesteaders frequently underestimate infrastructure and development costs.
• Community relationships can be as valuable as land, tools, and equipment.
• A tornado that dropped over 100 trees on Aly's property became a lesson in gratitude and resilience.

Calls to Action & Resources

Book — Homesteading: Is It the Lifestyle for You? (Available through Amazon and local bookstores)

Instagram — Riddle Ridge Homestead

Facebook — Riddle Ridge Homestead

Consulting Services — Personal planning consultations for new and aspiring homesteaders available through the website.

Visit www.urbanfarm.org/RiddleRidge for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

 Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?

The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges.

You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback.

Click HERE to learn more!

*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.