The Urban Farm Podcast With Greg Peterson

Kelly Houle is a botanical and wildlife artist, calligrapher, and founder of Books of Kell’s Press, a 501(c) 3 nonprofit that works to create handmade books and original art to raise awareness about science and nature, and to raise money for humanitarian causes. Kelly is also creating a handwritten illuminated manuscript based on the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin in addition to a handful of other illustration projects. Kelly’s original paintings, handmade books, and prints are in numerous public and private collections around the world. She is currently developing a pilot art and science program to help create Monarch butterfly habitats as teaching gardens in schools. Listen in to learn about: Her love of learning and how that helped her get to where she is now All of her diverse interests Her paintings and how she takes the time to get the details right Why she has chosen botanicals as her focus and what that brings to her art What a botanical artist is, and how they try to capture what makes plants u

Becca lives in Northeastern Pennsylvania with her husband and seven children. She loves to garden, preserve her own food, spend time with her family and she’s an aspiring homesteader. She hopes to own a slew of chickens and maybe even a goat. Becca has started her own homestead and created a blog of her experiences called “Simply Quaint Homestead” to help others who hope to make the journey as well. Her specialty is gardening and home-canning and believes they go hand in hand. She says “If you can grow enough of your own food, you are able to home-can enough to make it through the winter.” Listen in to learn about: How her grandparents were the initial inspiration for her gardening love What she named her farm and why she was motivated to do so Why she raises her rabbits indoors Her definition of homesteading, and how you can ensure you self-sufficiency (this applies to apartment dwellers as well) How she is saving money through a variety of ways on her food supplies How she gains a sense of accomplishment w

An Urban Hydroponic project of PureHarvest Foods Tim is an urban agrarian from a farm and agriculture education training and background. He has dedicated his life to building farmer based systems and programs to improve agriculture, humane care of animals and now local Urban Agriculture. His current endeavor is PureHarvests Foods and the Project Arizona Urban Organic Veggie, rejuvenating vacant land in the city with scaled vegetable production and training a local workforce to meet all of the community’s fresh vegetable needs. Listen in to learn about: His long family history of sustainable agriculture How he got computers from Steve Jobs into his classroom The new project ready to deploy in Arizona to help serve food desert areas Why he thinks his urban farming project can help make 700 million heads of lettuce in Phoenix a year to serve the under-served areas How scale is significant for farmers and how locally grown food can help the reduce the waste in the food system How hydroponic gardening can be orga

Penny is internationally recognized as a prominent permaculture teacher, designer, and speaker. She holds a MS in Eco-Social Regeneration and a Diploma in Permaculture Design. Penny has been studying the Hermetic Tradition of alchemy and herbal medicine making in Europe and the United States for 4 years. Penny has been teaching internationally and working professionally in the land management, regenerative design, and permaculture development field for 25 years and has extensive experience in all phases of ecologically sound design and construction as well as the use of natural non-toxic building materials. She specializes in site planning and the design of resource-rich landscapes integrating - rainwater collection, edible and medicinal planting, spring development, pond and water systems, habitat development and watershed restoration for homes, co-housing communities, businesses, and diverse yield perennial farms. Listen in to hear about: Her background in landscape and textile design The day she found he

Brad Lancaster is the author of the award-winning Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond and co-founder of DesertHarvesters.org.  Since 1993 Brad has run a successful permaculture education, design, and consultation business focused on integrated regenerative approaches to landscape design, planning, and living. In the Sonoran Desert, with just 11 inches of annual rainfall, he and his brother harvest about 100,000 gallons of rainwater a year on an eighth-acre urban lot and adjoining right-of-way. This harvested water is then turned into living air conditioners of food-bearing shade trees, abundant gardens, and a thriving landscape incorporating wildlife habitat, beauty, medicinal plants, and more. The goal of his book series and overall work is to empower his clients and community to make positive change in their own lives and neighborhoods—by harvesting and enhancing free on-site resources such as water, sun, wind, shade, community, and more. It’s catching on, as evidenced by tens of thousands of pract

Michelle’s love for gardening most likely was imprinted during her childhood in Switzerland where she grew up surrounded by green and lush vegetation. She spent most of her childhood in her parents’ garden, connecting on a deep level with nature.  In her mid-twenties, she moved to Phoenix for a 6-month adventure. And now, after 19 years, she calls Phoenix her home.  Michelle is a trained graphic designer who received her Masters exploring biomimetic and sustainable graphic design. She is full-time faculty at the Design School at ASU. These days, her garden provides her with much needed time for restorative energy while she is working on her second Master’s through the newly established Biomimicry Program at ASU as well as on the Biomimicry Professional certification through Biomimicry 3.8.  Listen in and learn about: Her path from Switzerland to Phoenix and how a six month visit became a life long stay How a career in graphic design made her feel that she was helping to add to the problems When that lightbu

Darren is a community pro-activist who has committed his life to helping people.  He is Founder and CEO of TigerMountain Foundation (a.k.a. TMF), which has implemented Empowerment Initiatives to uplift communities and eliminate blight. Tiger Mountain’s initiatives are community garden / landscaping development, audio, visual and performance art, community service and volunteerism. The gardens promote healthy living by growing lush-gardens and feeding the community.  TigerMountain Foundation’s Asset Based Community Development model was developed with the thought of urban renewal and restoration of communities. Participants who stay engaged are motivated to keep positive and will develop their individual very important assets. Darren’s motto is to change one mind and attitude at a time, encouraging all who have been touched to pay it forward, which will undoubtedly make the immediate community and the world a better place to live. Darren currently resides and works in the Phoenix Metropolitan area. Listen in a

Kerry is the founder and visionary of Zendoway and hopes to share with you from all her life experiences. Kerry serves as the Director of Human Resources and Operations for Actualize Consulting in which she spearheaded and runs a successful wellness program. In addition to wellness and leadership articles, Kerry has authored “Audrey’s Journey” a children’s book series focused on living with compassion and joy.  She also wrote the "Pile of Smile Activity Book" to give away free to children undergoing cancer treatments and If It Does Not Grow Say No” to teach kids about having fun with nutrition. Listen in and Learn about: Growing up on a 100-acre farm and how that set a foundation for her life How her children motivate her to teach yoga, nutrition and write books The story behind each of her books, including the book that educates kids about nutrition and inspire them to try vegetables Some of the activities in the interactive book that helps parents and teachers make eating vegetables fun How her family help

Jessica is a home canning expert and has worked for Jarden Home Brands for over 11.5 years. She currently is an Analytics Specialist (or Home Canning Expert) in Consumer Affairs and a certified process engineer through the USDA.  Being a life-long resident in Muncie, Indiana, Jessica has a strong affinity toward the Ball brand & its heritage in her community. Now in its 6th year, Can-It-Forward Day has a “Facebook Live! Event” taking place on Friday, July 22nd from 10AM – 3:30PM ET.  Jarden Home Brands, will host a series of live, unique recipe demos taking place in kitchens across the country. Listen in and learn about: How she came to have the career she never expected What a Home Canning Expert is and how to reach them The history and purpose of the Can-It-Forward Day program What to expect this year with the program How to get your canning questions answered live What resources you need to have for successful canning An important note for you if you have a glass top stove! The difference between the

Stacey has taught hundreds of teens and adults how to grow, harvest and prepare fresh foods. She is a recovering engineer and architect turned garden geek and farm nerd. Stacey founded BK Farmyards, a cooperative of urban farmers in Brooklyn dedicated to social justice through urban agriculture, and helped create over an acre of new farmyards in Brooklyn. She's been featured on Martha Stewart Radio, PBS online and once appeared on the David Letterman show with a giant radish. She envisions a world where everyone is nourished by the magic of fresh, affordable and culturally exciting food…extra points if it’s homegrown. Listen in and learn about: How a day at the Farmer’s Market changed her life Borrowing a neighbor’s yard to start her garden What Urban Farming means to her David Letterman and her Giant Radish and how she was disappointed How Buckminster Fuller had such a great impact on her life How she thinks the government can start to see farmers as a resource How farming in Brooklyn is different from othe

Jerome Osentowski has spent the last 30 years developing indoor and outdoor forest farming technology at his location in Basalt, Colorado. He is the founder and director of the Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute dedicated to education, research, and demonstration. Listen in and learn about: Creating an Indoor Food Forest and why he started with that Permaculture – what it is to Jerome Perennial Polyculture Carbon Farming Climate Battery Agroforestry and all different variations of that which are connected Starting an International Agroforestry school As well as: His biggest failure and what he learned from it What drives him And his one piece of advice for Urban Farmers

Gardening has been DeBorah Prince’s passion and therapy for over 20 years. She grows a huge range of fruits and veggies from asparagus to zucchini, makes her own compost and vermicompost, and her latest project is building a chicken coop. She lives in New Jersey and has been married for 23 years with a big family of 8 children and 15 grandchildren. Come listen to the delightfully upbeat gardener tell us how she decided to just start gardening and learned how from the internet and books.  She explains how the food available today is not real food, and why that matters to her family.  You can't help but laugh with her as she tells us why she named her urban farm and why everyone should name theirs.

After learning about the devastating effects of plastic pollution on the environment and human health, Oakland accountant Beth began an experiment to see if she could live without buying any new plastic. Since then, she has reduced her plastic waste to less than 2% of the national average. That experiment turned into the popular blog MyPlasticFreeLife.com and new book Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too. Her work and life have been profiled in the award-winning film Bag It, as well as Susan Freinkel’s book, Plastic: A Toxic Love Story and Captain Charles Moore’s Plastic Ocean. Listen in and learn: What motivated her to make such a drastic change in her life How long she has been able to maintain her life without plastic How her career as an accountant helped her in this path Some tips on how to adjust to a life without plastic Taking it step by step Storing items in the fridge and freezer Buying cheese without the plastic wraps How she removed all plastic packaging from her garde

Toby is the author of a new book on urban and suburban permaculture, The Permaculture City, as well as Gaia’s Garden, the best-selling permaculture book in the world, which won the 2011 Nautilus award and was named one of the ten best gardening books of 2010 by The Washington Post. He has been an adjunct professor at Portland State University and Scholar-in-Residence at Pacific University. Toby is a well-known permaculture teacher and has taught over 70 Permaculture Design Courses. He and his wife, Key el, live in Sebastopol, California. Listen in to our 100th episode and hear Greg and Toby chat about one of their favorite topics: Permaculture.    Go to our Podcast page at www.urbanfarm.org/blog/podcast/ to find photos, links, and more information on this podcast, as well as for each of our other great guest interviews.  You can also sign up for weekly email summaries of the interviews.

Paris Masek is the Managing Director for Green on Purpose and the Director of Agriculture Programs for Quincea Social Enterprises. He is also a PhD candidate at ASU in English Literature working with Indigenous American Literature and Cultures. He is an active member of the Maricopa County Food System Coalition as well as an urban gardener who uses raised beds, edible landscaping, and a flock of chickens in his downtown residence to keep fresh produce and eggs on his family’s dinner table.  Come listen as Paris talks about His path from heading towards a career in medicine then to marine biology to fish farming. Following in the footsteps of his father, and learning the craft of farming on summer breaks. Studying the fish in the SRP canals: grass carp, fingerlings, and big head carp How the organization Quincea works with people with disabilities and American veterans using agricultural jobs as vocational training. What a food hub is and how it connects with local small farms How food hubs can help solve foo

Dr. George Brooks Jr. is the Founder and President of the NxT Horizon Group. Dr. Brooks holds an earned Ph.D., in Wildlife and Fisheries from the School of Renewable Natural Resources at the University of Arizona and is an established social, environmental, economic and political leader and business consultant. With the motto of “AgTech for the Real World” NxT Horizon focuses on bioenergy development in Africa, and the development and application of new urban farming technologies (aquaponics) to solve real world social, environmental and economic problems. Come listen to Dr. Brooks as he helps us understand more about aquaponics and our opportunities with it.  He talks about... How he got started working with aquaponics at a very young age His path to become a marine biologist Aquaponics in a drought prone areas like Phoenix Why fish farms did not work in Arizona in the 1980’s Why fish farms really can work in urban areas The “Diffusion of Innovation Curve” How Aquaponics is like the Solar Market What is nex

Michael Judd has worked with agro-ecological and whole system designs throughout the Americas for the last 20 years focusing on applying permaculture and ecological design to increase local food security and community health in both tropical and temperate growing regions. The founder of both Ecologia, LLC, Edible & Ecological Landscape Design and Project Bona Fide, an international non-profit supporting agro-ecology research. Come listen and learn about Michael's adventure in rural latin america and what he learned from some Mayan tribes.  He tells us how he learned they managed to meet all of their needs without help from the outside.  Here is a bit of what we can learn in this podcast: What the word Regenerative means How design can take natural healthy ecosystems and design for human needs as well as life around us. Agro-ecology and what that means What is “alley-cropping” Stacking functions and “how you can get the most bang for your buck” and what it might look like. Herb Spirals description and why

Jodi Torpey on Blue Ribbon Vegetables Growing vegetables worthy of entering competitions. Jodi is an award-winning vegetable gardener, craftsy gardening instructor, and the founder and editor-in-chief of WesternGardeners.com. In addition to the two books she authored, her garden writing also appears in digital and print media. Since 2010 she’s organized the annual Plant a Row for the Hungry campaign in Denver, Colorado. Jodi has a lot of great advice on how and why to start growing vegetables for competition purposes.  Listen in to our "biggest" podcast ever and find out why we say that.  For more links, photos and resources for this podcast go to http://www.urbanfarm.org/blog/2016/06/28/jodi-torpey/

Molly comes from a long line of farmers in Washington state. She grew up on a farm with chickens, cows, pigs and the occasional turkey. She has two boys and her own acre in Spokane where they raise chickens, honey bees and of course, fruits and veggies.  She’s just getting started and hope to transform her property into a working, thriving, educational farm where she can teach her family and others how to grow their own food. Molly did not want to be a farmer when she went to college so she pursued other interests.  Eventually she bought a house with an acre of land and a bee hive. Listen to her story of how she is returning to farming to give her children better food options, and using her education background to help teach others about beekeeping and basic farming. https://www.urbanfarm.org/blog/podcast/

Larry has been a teacher and practitioner of Permaculture Design for the last 28 years. After a career in law enforcement, Santoyo went onto land use planning and was mentored by Permaculture’s founding father, Bill Mollison. Santoyo went on to teach Permaculture with Mollison around the US and Australia. He has taught environmental design at colleges and universities nationwide, including UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, Evergreen College, CSU Northridge, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.  He is also the Senior Designer at Earthflow Designs of Los Angeles, one of the largest Permaculture companies in the world. The firm specializes in planning and design that integrates economic development strategies with ecological systems management in residential, commercial and municipal projects. Listen here and learn about: His interesting and circuitous path to permaculture design Trying to define permaculture Why he thinks no one actually DOES permaculture What he thinks is the most important thing to learn about permacult