845: Keri Evji's Regenerative Journey

Designs for Ecological Change

In This Podcast: Greg interviews Keri Evji, founder of Healing Roots Design LLC, a regenerative landscaping company in Asheville, North Carolina. Keri shares her journey of integrating nature's principles into her life and business, emphasizing a holistic approach to social and ecological change. She discusses her personal experiences and the inspiration behind her book, 'Regenerative Life Design Playbook,' which offers a multimedia toolkit for living a more connected and resilient life. Keri explores the concept of permaculture, its applications beyond gardening, and the importance of embracing our inner ecology for personal and cultural growth.

Our Guest: Keri is the founder of Healing Roots Design LLC, a regenerative landscaping company in Asheville, North Carolina. She is a creative entrepreneur, teacher, permaculture designer, author, musician, and community revitalist, committed to the healing of people and planet. Her goal is to empower others to be proactive agents of social and ecological change, building resilience, ecological integrity, and beauty. Keri is the author of the Regenerative Life Design Playbook, a multimedia decision making toolkit that applies nature's principles to lead a more integrated life.

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

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*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.

844 - Greg & Heidi's Hurricane Helene Experience

Greg Peterson and Heidi Lichte share their recent experiences dealing with Hurricane Helene, emphasizing the importance of community resilience and preparedness. They discuss their methods for surviving without power for seven days, such as using a rocket stove for cooking and a composting toilet, and highlight the significance of community support and resource sharing during crises. Additionally, they detail some successes and learnings from their farm, including growing elderberries, raspberries, sweet potatoes, and maintaining a resilient garden amidst climate challenges. Heidi also shares her ongoing passion for teaching online yoga classes, which she has adapted since March 2020.

Visit www.urbanfarm.org/844-garden for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

Become an Urban Farm Patron and listen to more than 850 episodes of the Urban Farm Podcast without ads. 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.

843: Planting in the Fall Garden - A Rosie Replay

A Rosie On The House Radio Show Replay

In This Podcast: Rosie on the House features Farmer Greg and special guest Nika Forte discussing urban farming and the importance of fall gardening. Nika details her role as the Urban Farms Director at St. Vincent de Paul's Urban Farm and their efforts in combating food insecurity through sustainable practices. They also emphasize the significance of healthy soil, appropriate garden placement, and choosing crops that are both enjoyable and cost-effective, with insights into seed preservation. Additionally, Nika introduces her children's book series aimed at promoting diversity in agriculture.

Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/843-Rosie for the show notes and links on this episode!

Become an Urban Farm Patron and listen to more than 850 episodes of the Urban Farm Podcast without ads. 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.

842: Preserving food with Wendi Bergin

In This Garden Chat:

Join Farmer Greg and Wendi Bergin - Wendi and Greg present an insightful overview of food preservation methods, emphasizing the importance of various techniques in extending the shelf life of different food items. They explore traditional methods like canning and pickling, alongside modern practices such as vacuum sealing and freeze-drying. Wendi details the principles behind these processes and offer practical tips for successful food preservation at home. Their discussion highlights the benefits of preserving food, including reducing waste and ensuring nutritious, long-lasting meals.

Our Guest: Wendy is a regular mom with a husband, a bunch of kids who she homeschools, some dogs, the founder of Joyfully Prepared, and the host of the Joyfully Prepared podcast.

She is dedicated to teaching busy moms skills like gardening, food preservation, natural remedies, and more, so they can take care of themselves and their families through developing talents with confidence while saving money. She's rolled down the mountain of progress so many times that she's skinned her knees, has grass in her teeth, and sticks in her hair.

All of these mistakes have actually allowed her to become more confident in her knowledge and skills. Whether it's canning, gardening, emergency preparedness, or anything else, she teaches others to feel confident in learning..

Visit www.urbanfarm.org/844-garden for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

Become an Urban Farm Patron and listen to more than 850 episodes of the Urban Farm Podcast without ads. 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.

Down on the Farm with Judith Horvath, Wendi Bergin & Farmer Greg

For a chat about what we are doing on our farms.

Join Farmer Greg, Wendi Bergin and Judith Horvath as we chat about the various challenges we face and techniques we use on our farms. In this episode we chat about growing tomatoes, from heirloom varieties to the more consistent cherry and grape tomatoes, and tackle climate issues, pests, and soil amendments. The conversation includes insights into permaculture practices, such as using Billy's Bone Sauce to deter deer and creating food forests with native plants. Sustainable gardening practices are explored with cassava, sweet potatoes, and mulch techniques. We further delve into food preservation, sharing methods and personal experiences with freeze-drying, dehydrating apples, and making apple cider vinegar, while addressing controversies such as 'Apeel.' This episode is filled with practical tips, cool tools like the 'Yuka' app for food labels, and creative hacks for jar sealing, culminating in resource sharing and the promise of future enlightening discussions.

Our Special Guests:

Our Guests: Check out Judith at https://www.fairhillfarm.com/ and Wendi at https://joyfullyprepared.com/

Visit www.urbanfarm.org/DownOnTheFarm2 for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

Become an Urban Farm Patron and listen to more than 850 episodes of the Urban Farm Podcast without ads. 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.

841: Wendi Bergin on on Being Joyfully Prepared

In This Podcast: Wendy Bergen, founder of Joyfully Prepared, shares her expertise and journey in gardening, homesteading, and preparedness, inspired by her family's sustainable living heritage. In her podcast, she offers practical advice on food storage, emergency readiness, and the importance of gratitude. The script underscores the value of practical skills, community service, and continual learning through storytelling and personal anecdotes. Wendy also provides resources for skill-building and emphasizes the joy and growth that comes from embracing intentional living and moving past perfectionism..

Our Guest: Wendy is a regular mom with a husband, a bunch of kids who she homeschools, some dogs, the founder of Joyfully Prepared, and the host of the Joyfully Prepared podcast.

She is dedicated to teaching busy moms skills like gardening, food preservation, natural remedies, and more, so they can take care of themselves and their families through developing talents with confidence while saving money. She's rolled down the mountain of progress so many times that she's skinned her knees, has grass in her teeth, and sticks in her hair.

All of these mistakes have actually allowed her to become more confident in her knowledge and skills. Whether it's canning, gardening, emergency preparedness, or anything else, she teaches others to feel confident in learning.

Book recommendation - Be Your Future Self by Dr. Benjamin Hardy

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

Become an Urban Farm Patron and listen to more than 850 episodes of the Urban Farm Podcast without ads. 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.

841: Harvesting and Storing

A Seed Chat with Bill McDorman

In this episode, Greg Peterson from Urban Farm U and Bill McDorman host a monthly seed chat focused on harvesting and storing seeds. They discuss methods of dry and wet harvesting, particularly for tomatoes and squashes, and emphasize the importance of understanding plant families in seed collection. Various methods to ensure seed viability, such as proper drying and cool storage, are explored, along with the significance of seed diversity and the role of local seed libraries. The conversation also highlights the need for more individuals to start saving seeds to adapt to changing climates and revitalize local agriculture. .

Visit www.urbanfarm.org/841-seed for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

What is the Seed Chat?

At least ten times a year we have a live Seed Saving Class with Bill McDorman, the former Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance, Ketchum, Idaho. He got his start in the bio-regional seed movement while in college in 1979 when he helped start Garden City Seeds. In 1984, Bill started Seeds Trust/High Altitude Gardens, a mail order seed company he ran successfully until it sold in 2013. 

Come join us for the next live class, or catch up on our previous classes through our podcast episodes.  Either way you will expand your seed knowledge and gain new perspectives on your food system.

Register anytime for the next event.

Register Here for the Monthly Seed Saving Class with Live Q&A

Become an Urban Farm Patron and listen to more than 850 episodes of the Urban Farm Podcast without ads. 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.

839: Jeremy Chevalier on Food Forest Innovations

Building food in our everyday landscapes.

In This Podcast: The podcast features Jeremy Chevalier, a Phoenix native and serial entrepreneur, who is pioneering urban food forest initiatives with his charity, Homegrown, aiming to combat food shortages by promoting regenerative agriculture and self-sufficient communities. Jeremy discusses his journey from a conventional career to founding Homegrown, influenced by his community experiences and discoveries in soil health and permaculture. His initiatives include permaculture-based landscape services, a soil-focused real estate project, and a local food system in Phoenix that encompasses gleaning and urban farming. The conversation highlights the importance of community engagement in transforming urban landscapes into food-producing areas while addressing the logistical challenges of distributing harvested produce.

Our Guest: Jérémy is a Phoenix native and serial entrepreneur with a newfound passion for healing Earth’s soils and building resilient, self-sufficient communities. To that end, he’s launched Homegrown, a 501(c)(3) charity with a vision for a world in which public & private food forests blanket urban areas everywhere, and food shortages become a topic in history books. He’s building this vision through a handful of industry-disrupting ventures and programs including a neighborhood food rescue, permaculture-based landscaping services, and a soil health-focused real estate business. 

Book Recommendation: ___ by ___

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

Become an Urban Farm Patron and listen to more than 850 episodes of the Urban Farm Podcast without ads. 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.

Greg Peterson is currently in an area of North Carolina that is without power, water, cell or internet. They are okay for now because he has the permaculture and prepping skills he has honed over the last 40 decades. We do ask that you consider donating to local groups that are assisting in the recovery and assistance. We are donating to The Cajun Navy and encourage you to check out their website.

Greg Peterson - 250th Episode Special

Interviewing Farmer Greg himself - about his life mission and creating The Urban Farm.

In this podcast: This is the 250th episode of The Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson and the tables are turned as our guest host Jake Mace gets to take control of the interview.  Greg tells us his story, how writing a mission statement for a college assignment affected him, and why naming your farm is so important to him.  And, he shares more about the origin of The Urban Farm Nursery and of Urban Farm U.   

Greg has lived at the Urban Farm for almost 30 years.  His 1/3-acre yard features an entirely edible landscape, including over 70 fruit trees, rainwater and grey-water harvesting, solar applications, and extensive use of reclaimed and recycled building materials.

Greg is a longtime permaculture advocate, flunked out of university in 1981 because he was bored, then went back twenty years later to get a bachelor’s degree and a Masters in Urban and Environmental Planning in 2006 and is a lifelong continual learner.

On his days off he hangs out in his garden with his sweetheart Heidi and their chickens, creating new projects and catching some rays.

Go to https://www.urbanfarm.org/2017/06/20/greg-peterson-250th-podcast/ for more information, photos and links on this podcast and to find our other great guests.

838: Austin Frerick on The Food Barons of our Time.

Challenging the way our food is grown.

In This Podcast: In this podcast episode, we interview Austin Frerick an expert in agricultural and antitrust policy, discussing his book 'Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of the American Food Industry.' Austin shares his personal and professional journey that shaped his insights on the food system, highlighting the consolidation and exploitation in the industry through the profiles of various 'food barons.' The conversation explores the systemic issues related to the industrialization of agriculture, including environmental impacts and labor exploitation, and emphasizes the importance of returning to more sustainable, local food systems. Austin's narratives provide a critique of current policies and suggest actionable steps to challenge the status quo in favor of a more equitable and regenerative food future.

Our Guest: Austin Frerick is an expert on agricultural and antitrust policy. He has worked at the open markets Institute, the U S department of treasury and the congressional research service before becoming a fellow at Yale university. He is a seventh generation Iowan and a first generation college graduate with degrees from Grinnell College and the University of Wisconsin Madison. His latest work is a book called Barron's Money, Power, and the Corruption of the American Food Industry.

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

Become an Urban Farm Patron and listen to more than 850 episodes of the Urban Farm Podcast without ads. 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.

837: BioDynamics 101 with Mike Biltonen

In This Garden Chat:

Join Farmer Greg and Mike Biltonen, Exploring Biodynamics. Biodynamics is an advanced farming method that views the farm as a single, self-sustaining organism. It incorporates cosmic and lunar influences, along with organic farming practices, to enhance plant, animal, and soil health. Special preparations made from herbs, minerals, and manure are used to stimulate soil fertility and plant growth. Biodynamics also emphasizes the interconnectedness of all living systems and seeks to create harmony between them..

Our Special Guest:

Mike Biltonen has a rich background in sustainable agriculture with decades of experience in orchards, vineyards and specialty crops. His work focuses on the integration of biodynamic principles into farming, which aligns with the with his commitment to ecological sustainability and farming practices. His involvement with the Josephine Porter Institute for Biodynamics and Know Your Roots LLC showcases his dedication to advancing sustainability and biodynamic farming methods.

Visit www.urbanfarm.org/837-garden for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

Become an Urban Farm Patron and listen to more than 850 episodes of the Urban Farm Podcast without ads. 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.