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The Modern Grower Podcast Network
Daily farm and garden talk. All about growing vegetables profitably and efficiently on small farms and in gardens. Each episode focuses on one specific topic - growing practices, how-to, farming challenges and struggles, sales and marketing, soil preparation, weed management, farm startup, market selection, and work-life balance. Hosted and produced by Diego Footer's Modern Grower Podcast Network.
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What should I feed my new baby chicks? - ASK Voices with Justin Rhodes

What should I feed my new baby chicks? - ASK Voices with Justin Rhodes

Homesteader Justin Rhodes of AbundantPermaculture.com talks about what you should feed your new baby chicks. To learn more about Justin and see all of the ASK Justin episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/justin. Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support.
10:2305/05/2016
Creating The Minimum Viable Farm - $20,000 on a 2000 Square Foot Micro-Farm - The Urban Farmer - Season 2 - Week 5

Creating The Minimum Viable Farm - $20,000 on a 2000 Square Foot Micro-Farm - The Urban Farmer - Season 2 - Week 5

What would the 2000 sq.ft. farm, let's call it a micro-farm, look like? How could you best utilize that space and take many of the techniques that Curtis uses on his current 1/2 acre urban farm, to make the micro-farm generate some decent cash flow. How much could you make on a micro-farm of just 2000 square feet? Really it depends on what you are growing and who you are selling it to. But grossing 20,000 on that 2000 square feet isn't crazy talk. And even half that, $10,000, is a realistic target to shoot for. When you think about that, that's a pretty lucrative given the space involved. I think most people can get access to 2000 sq.ft.  That's essentially fits well within your average American lawn. The 2000 square foot micro-farm has a lot of things going for it.  It's manageable, yet scaleable. It's big enough to matter to start you thinking and implementing a lot of these systems, yet it's not over whelming. It makes a great transition plot for someone looking to transition into farming or just get their feed wet. Given that today will be a case study looking at the 2000 sw ft micro farm. We'll break down what this farm might look like. How you would want to manage it. What types of crops you would want to focus on, and put some a basic framework in place that you can build off of. As, you see, you can do a lot with 2000 square feet, and it might not be that small after all. It's currently April 19, 2016. Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/theurbanfarmer Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support
53:1704/05/2016
How quickly should you scale up a pastured poultry operation? - Ask Voices with John Suscovich

How quickly should you scale up a pastured poultry operation? - Ask Voices with John Suscovich

Farmer John Suscovich of Camps Road Farm andFarmMarketingSolutions.com answers the question, "How quicklyshould you scale up a pastured poultry operation?"To learn more about John and see all of the ASK John episodes visitpermaculturevoices.com/john.
11:5303/05/2016
How to Position Your Pastured Poultry as a Premium Product, and the Economics and Challenges of Doing It with Paul Greive of Primal Pastures (PVP124)

How to Position Your Pastured Poultry as a Premium Product, and the Economics and Challenges of Doing It with Paul Greive of Primal Pastures (PVP124)

As you will hear from my guest today Paul Greive of Primal Pastures "One of the most important things about marketing is not convincing people your product is X, it's about finding people who actually want X."   That’s the route that Primal Pastures has gone.  They don’t sell a cheap product.  They have positioned themselves as the premium product.   And that means they don’t try to compete in on price.  And they don’t worry about the non-believers or the price discriminant buyers. Because no amount of convincing is going to make that buyer pay up.  They already have a price point set in their mind, and the mind is a very hard thing to change as a marketing.   Therefore Primal Pasture’s sole job as marketers is to try to find and sell to the believers.  The customers who value their product for what it is and are willing to pay for it.     Over time they have learned that "It's a really sustainable model when you can start focusing on the customer and then you can figure out what products meet their needs and what your skills are to make those products.”  It’s a key distinction that they have made for their brand, Primal Pastures and one that they have stuck too.   Branding and marketing are just one of the topics that Paul Greive of Primal Pastures and I talk about today.   In addition to that you will also learn about how to prepare for a transition from full time job to full time farmer, how to overcome early obstacles in farm startup and Paul tackles the question - is pastured poultry a good business? View the show notes at permaculturevoices.com/124. Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support.
01:19:2029/04/2016
Why type of electric fence and charger do you use? - ASK Voices with Justin Rhodes

Why type of electric fence and charger do you use? - ASK Voices with Justin Rhodes

Homesteader Justin Rhodes of AbundantPermaculture.com talks about what type of electric fence and charger he uses on his homestead. To learn more about Justin and see all of the ASK Justin episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/justin. Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support.
09:5428/04/2016
If you don’t succeed it’s your own fault.  Stop blaming people and get to work. - The Urban Farmer - Season 2 - Week 4

If you don’t succeed it’s your own fault. Stop blaming people and get to work. - The Urban Farmer - Season 2 - Week 4

It's currently April 12, 2016. We start off today talking about whether you should start farming with a greenhouse or not. The conversation quickly turns into reasons why people succeed and don't succeed. Hopefully this episode is a welcome kick in the ass for those who need it.  And motivation to keep kicking ass for everyone else. Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/theurbanfarmer Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support
01:07:3627/04/2016
Where do you process your chickens - on farm or off? - Ask Voices with John Suscovich

Where do you process your chickens - on farm or off? - Ask Voices with John Suscovich

Farmer John Suscovich of Camps Road Farm and FarmMarketingSolutions.com answers the question, "Where do you process your chickens - on farm or off?" To learn more about John and see all of the ASK John episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/john. If you like the show, please support the show by making a contribution at permaculturevoices.com/ilikevoices
08:4626/04/2016
EARTH DAY SPECIAL with the Original Earth Day Organizer Denis Hayes (CD3)

EARTH DAY SPECIAL with the Original Earth Day Organizer Denis Hayes (CD3)

In honor of Earth Day, today's show is a replay of the interview with the original Earth Day lead organizer Denis Hayes. Denis Hayes talks about a lifetime of work in environmentalism - the challenges, successes, the changing environmental problems since the 60's, and how he has endured numerous political changes in Washington. Denis was the organizer of the first Earth Day in 1970, headed the Solar Energy Research Institute under President Carter, and is now president of the Bullitt Foundation. In 1999 Time Magazine named him Hero of the Planet. In this episode we go through his early life in a polluted Washington paper milling community to how he became an environmental activist. We also discuss the creation and organization of the first Earth Day in 1970 and how the scope of the environmental problems have changed since then. Learn more about Denis at permaculturevoices.com/cd3.
01:15:5322/04/2016
How do I protect my chickens from predators? - ASK Voices with Justin Rhodes

How do I protect my chickens from predators? - ASK Voices with Justin Rhodes

Homesteader Justin Rhodes of AbundantPermaculture.com goes over ways to protect your chickens from predators.To learn more about Justin and see all of the ASK Justin episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/justin.
08:3321/04/2016
How To and Why To Start Lettuce in Micro Soil Blocks - The Urban Farmer - Season 2 - Week 3

How To and Why To Start Lettuce in Micro Soil Blocks - The Urban Farmer - Season 2 - Week 3

It's currently April 5, 2016.Today's episode focuses on starting and transplanting Salanova via micro soil blocks.Curtis will talk about how he starts Salanova lettuce using the blocks and the advantages for doing so.We also run a quick time and cost analysis of starting lettuce in blocks versus cell trays to show the comparison. At the end of the episode I go over a recipe to use for the micro blocker and some basic techniques for using it. Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/theurbanfarmerSupport the show at permaculturevoices.com/support
47:4520/04/2016
What do you feed your chickens, and can they get their full diet off the pasture? - Ask Voices with John Suscovich

What do you feed your chickens, and can they get their full diet off the pasture? - Ask Voices with John Suscovich

Farmer John Suscovich of Camps Road Farm and FarmMarketingSolutions.com answers the question, "What do you feed your chickens, and can they get their full diet off pasture?"To learn more about John and see all of the ASK John episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/john.   If you like the show, please support the show by making a contribution at permaculturevoices.com/ilikevoices
10:5619/04/2016
Permaculture: Change the Name or Change the Reputation?  Answering critical questions around permaculture with Andrew Millison (PVP123)

Permaculture: Change the Name or Change the Reputation? Answering critical questions around permaculture with Andrew Millison (PVP123)

Learn more in the show notes at permaculturevoices.com/123Permaculture is very difficult to define for most people.  How do you define permaculture?  I go with Larry Santoyo's definition - “Permaculture is: Design protocols for critical thinking, decision making and problem solving – all based on the patterns of nature.” In today’s show my guest Andrew Millison and I will look at common frustrations with the word "PERMACULTURE". We’ll answer questions such as:Does permaculture need a new name, a consistent definition?Should permaculture reject the mainstream?Should permaculture go the mainstream?Should everyone learn permaculture, why or why not?Support the show at patreon.com/diegofooter
01:23:0915/04/2016
Why aren't my chickens laying eggs? Here's 20 reasons why - ASK Voices with Justin Rhodes

Why aren't my chickens laying eggs? Here's 20 reasons why - ASK Voices with Justin Rhodes

Homesteader Justin Rhodes of AbundantPermaculture.com goes over 20 reasons why your chickens might not be laying eggs. To learn more about Justin and see all of the ASK Justin episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/justin.
10:4814/04/2016
Scaling Up The Market Garden - A Visit to the Farm of the Future - The Urban Farmer - Season 2 - Week 2

Scaling Up The Market Garden - A Visit to the Farm of the Future - The Urban Farmer - Season 2 - Week 2

It's currently March 30, 2016. And over the past few months Curtis has literally been all around the world.I today's episode we'll look back at some of the places that he visited and what he took away from those visits.From the high tech innovation being done at Jean-Martin Fortier's Le Ferm de Catra Taaamp in Quebec to the low tech soil building techniques used by Jodi Roebuck to build soil in his bio-ingestive garden in New Zealand.It's not just all fun and stories, there's a lot of good information in this one such as do these techniques scale, how can you build soil, and how can you combine tarps and soil to really build soil.  Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/theurbanfarmerSupport the show at permaculturevoices.com/support
46:1413/04/2016
What breeds of broiler chickens do you raise and why? - Ask Voices with John Suscovich

What breeds of broiler chickens do you raise and why? - Ask Voices with John Suscovich

Farmer John Suscovich of Camps Road Farm and FarmMarketingSolutions.com answers the question, "What breeds of broilers do you raise?"To learn more about John and see all of the ASK John episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/john.   If you like the show, please support the show by making a contribution at permaculturevoices.com/ilikevoices
09:3412/04/2016
The Unlikely Path To Success: From Hockey Player to Personal Care Product Entrepreneur with Philippe Choiniere (PVP122)

The Unlikely Path To Success: From Hockey Player to Personal Care Product Entrepreneur with Philippe Choiniere (PVP122)

Not every business will work, but over the course of a career odds are, one idea will work.     If you want to be an entrepreneur, then it’s up to you to smartly continue on until you find it.  Because you can’t win the race, unless you finish the race.   But can you find that right idea?     Many of people don’t think that they can.     And it’s that defeating self talk that keeps many people from succeeding, and many more of even starting in the first place, thereby having no chance at future success.     This episode is geared at the entrepreneurs and the wantrepreneurs who are listening; the ones who think they can and the ones who think they can’t.    Because either way, you’re right.   In today’s show, I am talking with entrepreneur, and business owner Philippe Choiniere of Oneka.   Philippe didn’t have the ideal road to become a business owner (none of us do).   He started as as a professional hockey player and now finds himself owning a leading sustainable personal care products line.   Likely not the career path that he would have mapped out ahead of time.   But that’s the greatness of his path.  It wasn’t that ideal path, it was the real path, the actual path, that took place in reality.   His journey wasn’t always easy, it was hard, but he pushed through and he now has a growing and profitable business.   Along the way he gained the equivalent of three real world MBA’s in the school of hard knocks.  And he will share a lot of that with you in this episode.     He is going to talk extensively about his entrepreneurial journey.  He is going to talk about what it feels like to deal with rejection and failure.  And he is going to talk a lot about marketing and branding and some of the expensive lessons that he has learned along the way.     Philippe’s clearly learned a lot, and one tell to of that is the calmness and acceptance with which he states that everyone isn’t the right customer, and he is going to charge what his product is worth.    Sage advice.   Enjoy this one.   Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/122   Support Permaculture Voices on Patreon.
01:43:1408/04/2016
How do you feed 30 chickens on just $1.25 per day? - ASK Voices with Justin Rhodes

How do you feed 30 chickens on just $1.25 per day? - ASK Voices with Justin Rhodes

Homesteader Justin Rhodes of AbundantPermaculture.com talks about how he feeds his 30 chickens for just $1.25 per day. To learn more about Justin and see all of the ASK Justin episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/justin.
13:2507/04/2016
Taking Advantage of Time with the Passive Techniques of Over-Wintered Crops and Stale Seed-bedding - The Urban Farmer - Season 2 - Week 1

Taking Advantage of Time with the Passive Techniques of Over-Wintered Crops and Stale Seed-bedding - The Urban Farmer - Season 2 - Week 1

If we go back to where we left of Season One of the show, it was December and there really wasn't any crop production happening on the land itself for Green City Acres. At that time some of the land was sitting fallow waiting for future planting in the spring, and some of the land was occupied by dormant crops that had been planted a few months earlier in the fall. Let's find out how much Curtis' total farm has been quietly in production throughout the winter, with beds holding overwintered crops, and why. This episode also covers overwintering crops, prepping beds with tarps and stale seed bedding, and dealing with the shoulder season day length changes. Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/theurbanfarmer Support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support
46:4406/04/2016
Are pastured broilers profitable? - Ask Voices with John Suscovich

Are pastured broilers profitable? - Ask Voices with John Suscovich

Farmer John Suscovtich of Camps Road Farm and FarmMarketingSolutions.com answers the question, "Are pastured broilers profitable?"To learn more about John and see all of the ASK John episodes visit permaculturevoices.com/john.
09:5105/04/2016
Oregon State University's FREE ONLINE Intro To Permaculture Course by Andrew Millison (A5)

Oregon State University's FREE ONLINE Intro To Permaculture Course by Andrew Millison (A5)

A new phenomenon being developed by the US university systems is the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). Through his work teaching Permaculture within the Oregon State University Horticulture program, Andrew Millison was given the opportunity to develop an Introduction to Permaculture course in the MOOC format. Freely available to anyone interested, this course is slated to run three times this year with enrollment goals of thousands of students per course. Andrew will explain what a MOOC is and how it can expose and engage thousands of people in the Permaculture concept. Register for the MOOC at open.oregonstate.edu/courses/permaculture/ Learn more at permaculturevoices.com.
09:1004/04/2016
The Urban Farmer - Season Two Preview Show (S2E00)

The Urban Farmer - Season Two Preview Show (S2E00)

We're back for another Season of The Urban Farmer with Curtis Stone.Season Two will kick off on Wednesday, April 6.Just like last year, I am going to follow farmer Curtis Stone on a journey through a full farm season, taking you behind the scenes to see what being a small scale farmer is really like.   This episode is a preview of what's to come.Stay tuned every Wednesday for a new The Urban Farmer with Curtis Stone at permaculturevoices.com/theurbanfarmer.
16:0830/03/2016
TUF045 - "I am now on the path to starting my own farm!" - TUF Listeners Share Their Stories - The Urban Farmer - Encore Episode 5

TUF045 - "I am now on the path to starting my own farm!" - TUF Listeners Share Their Stories - The Urban Farmer - Encore Episode 5

All of the guests for this episode are listeners of the show.  Listeners just like you.   A few months ago I asked for feedback on the first season of the show, and I received a ton of it. Today, I will share some of it with you. If you submitted feedback for the show and gave me the OK to read it, thank you, this episode is yours.   As humans I think we live in a guru culture.  A culture that puts people on a pedestal.   And that can be dangerous because it creates limiting beliefs.   Beliefs that we could never be like them. Beliefs that we aren't good enough.   Beliefs that we have some sort of unfair disadvantage.   Beliefs that we can't do what they do.   Because they are an expert, and we aren't. A lot of people view Curtis as that expert and put him on that pedestal of knowledge. They create limiting beliefs in their mind and tell themselves, I could never do what Curtis does. I have sat in workshops with Curtis and heard it first hand, time and time again.   And if you believe that, that you could never do what Curtis does, then Henry Ford said it best... Whether you think you can, or think you can't - your right.   This episode today is for the people who think they can. If you ever feel stuck or stalled or find yourself struggling and wondering if you can actually do it, then here’s an episode for you. An episode full of stories of “ordinary” people doing the hard work to go after what they want in life, and showing that it might not always be easy, but it is possible. Learn more about this episode at permaculturevoices.com/tuf45 If you want to learn more about Curtis Stone and urban farming, then check out Curtis’ book, The Urban Farmer and his course, Profitable Urban Farming.
42:5523/03/2016
TUF044 - Farming in the City – The Presentation – The Urban Farmer – Encore Episode 4

TUF044 - Farming in the City – The Presentation – The Urban Farmer – Encore Episode 4

Today's episode is actually a rebroadcast of a presentation that Curtis gave in January in San Francisco. The presentation is called Farming in the City. In this presentation, Curtis will take you on a tour of his one third of an acre urban farm, where you will get an inside look at the day to day operations of the farm from vegetable production to sales. Curtis will show how he farms commercially, and profitably, in backyards and on small plots of land in the city, land that he doesn’t own. You’ll learn about the methods and techniques that Curtis has used over the last six years to grow his sales and profits. See video related to this presentation at permaculturevoices.com/tuf44 More on Curtis Stone: The Urban Farmer Book by Curtis Stone Profitable Urban Farming – The Course
01:01:3816/03/2016
Going from 30 Customers to Over 6000 - Sheri Salatin on Starting, Running and Growing Polyface Farm's Buying Club (PVP120)

Going from 30 Customers to Over 6000 - Sheri Salatin on Starting, Running and Growing Polyface Farm's Buying Club (PVP120)

If you're a farmer, what are your options for selling product? CSA's, farmers markets, on farm sales, grocery stores, and buying clubs. Buying clubs? It's one of the options that doesn't get talked about a lot. But it's the focus of this episode. In this episode I am talking with Sheri Salatin of Polyface Farms about Polyfaces Metropolitan Buying Clubs. In their words they describe buying clubs as a a local food distribution system that combines the real-time interfaces of online marketing with community-based interaction. These kinds of interfaces, without bricks and mortar, using the internet, create efficiency and economies of scale in local food distribution. Sheri goes into a lot of the specifics about their buying club and talks about how she grew Polyface's buying club from 30 customers to over 6000. 30 to over 600. How they manage their inventory How they started their buying club How their buying club grew How their buying club allowed them to grow the farm If you don't know much about buying clubs now, you will leave this episode knowing a lot about buying clubs. Learn more from this episode at permaculturevoices.com/120   Did you like this episode?   If so, help support the show. Permaculture Voices is listener supported by people just like you. Please consider making a one time or reoccurring donation to support the show at permaculturevoices.com/support
01:01:2811/03/2016
Soil Life Exploding at Judy Farms - Using High Density Mob Grazing and Earth Worms to Build Soil by Greg Judy (PVP119)

Soil Life Exploding at Judy Farms - Using High Density Mob Grazing and Earth Worms to Build Soil by Greg Judy (PVP119)

This episode is the reading of the blog post, Soil Life Exploding At Judy Farms, written by Greg Judy. "2010 was our fourth complete year of Holistic High Density Planned Grazing on Judy farms. The last six months on Judy farms have been a real eye opener. We have seen some unique circumstances that have never been witnessed before on our farms. Some of the numbers and sights that we are seeing are going to be hard for you to believe. That is fine, skepticism is good. But………we now have much more hard data that has been collected from permanent transects on our farms. Before we dive into these latest happenings, I want to cover where we started at and the progression we have seen over the last four years. This will give you a time table of where we started at and the length of time that elapsed to the present." To read the full post visit permaculturevoices.com/119
22:3302/03/2016
Permaculture Plants: A Business and A Hobby with Taylor Walker (REPLAY)

Permaculture Plants: A Business and A Hobby with Taylor Walker (REPLAY)

Taylor Walker from Green Dreams Florida joins me. In this episode we talk being a designer, propagating and selling plants, and we get into specific plant species. Some of these are zone specific; some are more universal, like Mulberry. Towards the end of the episode Taylor goes in depth about 5 not so common plant species that make up a nice permaculture plant guild. He’s growing these plants in Zone 9 in Florida, but maybe you can find some microclimates in your own climate zone to take advantage of some of these species. Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/99
01:16:5329/02/2016
From No Experience to Full Time Farmer - A Look Back, and Forward, at a Farming Career with John Suscovich - Part 2 of 2 (PVP118)

From No Experience to Full Time Farmer - A Look Back, and Forward, at a Farming Career with John Suscovich - Part 2 of 2 (PVP118)

Today is Part 2 of an interview with farmer John Suscovich of Farm Marketing Solutions. You can listen to Part 1 of the interview here. Part Two was recorded a year after Part 1, and was recorded in February 2016. So you will get two perspectives from the same person, separated by a lot time and experiences. You hear about what John learned about life and farming over the course of year and how his farm evolved based on what he's learned. Today's episode focuses on how things have changed on the farm over the last year.  John will talk about what operations he dropped on the farm and why.  He will break down the economics between laying hens and broilers.  And he will talk about the macro concept of focusing on less to do things better overall. See some of John's videos in the show notes at permaculturevoices.com/118.
01:09:3326/02/2016
From No Experience to Full Time Farmer - A Look Back, and Forward, at a Farming Career with John Suscovich - Part 1 of 2 (PVP117)

From No Experience to Full Time Farmer - A Look Back, and Forward, at a Farming Career with John Suscovich - Part 1 of 2 (PVP117)

Today is part one of an interview with farmer John Suscovich.   And today's episode was recorded one year ago in February 2015.  And Part Two was recorded in February 2016. So you will get two perspectives from the same person, separated by a lot time and experiences. You hear about what John learned about life and farming over the course of year and how his farm evolved based on what he's learned. Today's episode will help a lot of your looking to start a farm or a business by tacking on questions such as, why going from intern to full on farmer as a business was a foolish move for John. And what advice he would have for someone just starting out. He will also share his thoughts on taking on part time farming with job versus going full time farming first. And how he deals with a farm that has a diversified product offering. Then in part two we will circle back with John one year later and see how things have changed on the farm, and why they have changed. Because a lot has changed in the last year.   And as you will hear in this episode, in farming and business, life if going to do whatever the hell it pleases to you. All you can control is how you react to whatever life throws at you, and you can either shut down or you can soar.” See some of the notes and John’s videos at permaculturevoices.com/117.
01:08:5724/02/2016
TUF043 - What Nobody Told Me About Small Farming: I Can’t Make a Living - DISSECTED - A Case Study – The Urban Farmer – Encore Episode 3

TUF043 - What Nobody Told Me About Small Farming: I Can’t Make a Living - DISSECTED - A Case Study – The Urban Farmer – Encore Episode 3

In this episode Curtis and I dissect an article that was published on Alternet on January 1, 2016 by farmer Jaclyn Moyer.   An article titled.... What Nobody Told Me About Small Farming: I Can’t Make a Living - People say we're "rich in other ways," but that doesn't fix the ugly fact that most farms are unsustainable This one is a good one and we cover a lot of business basics such as... Who is your customer? What is their demographic? And what do they want? What are you selling?  Is that the right crop? What are you focusing your time on?  Is that the right thing? And are you the right person to be doing this job. We will break down the article to hopefully help a lot of you avoid some of the troubles that Jaclyn talked about in the article.    Read the article at permaculturevoices.com/tuf43.
01:05:0122/02/2016
Greening Saudi Arabia - Seeing Progress, Plant Species, Lessons Learned, and No Regrets, an Update with Neal Spackman (PVP116)

Greening Saudi Arabia - Seeing Progress, Plant Species, Lessons Learned, and No Regrets, an Update with Neal Spackman (PVP116)

Neal Spackman is regreening a portion of the desert that gets 3 inches of rain a year on average, but lately they aren’t even meeting the average. Greening the site by using true cost water accounting, meaning that they only use the equivalent of water that falls onto the site to establish the vegetation. With minimal rainfall, no pre-existing plant life and 100 plus degree summer temperatures, it is no easy task. Throw in the economic and social challenges of the village that he is working with and the task becomes even harder. But despite those challenges, progress is being made, and the sounds of crickets are now being heard. Life is coming back. We heard his story originally in Episode 78, permaculturevoices.com/78, and today we get an update and find out how much life is coming back. Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/116
01:07:0819/02/2016
Story Marketing - The Importance of Telling Your Brand's Story, but Not Just Any Story Told by Anyone, The Founder's Story with Marty McDonald

Story Marketing - The Importance of Telling Your Brand's Story, but Not Just Any Story Told by Anyone, The Founder's Story with Marty McDonald

Marty McDonald will be one of the speakers at PV3 in March 2016.Learn more about PV3 at permaculturevoices.com/pv3.The latest trend in marketing is story marking.  Telling your story in a way that unique, honest, and in a way that resonates with your target market.  But not all stories are created equal.  And not all stories should be told by anyone.  Because a good story told poorly is in affect a bad story.  So what makes a good story?  It's a bit like pornography; you know a good story when you hear it.  But at it's core good stories take us on a journey.  They are easy to follow and resonate with us emotionally.  Good stories are often concise and have a clear theme, which also makes the stories shareable.  Which is something that benefits you as a brand, if your customers can easily retell your story to their friends.In today's show I am joined by marketer Marty McDonald to talk about story marketing.Marty is Creative Director and Founder of egg in Seattle, a 12-year-old (and the first) communications firm focusing exclusively on sustainable brands.  He has over 20 years of national ad agency experience, and he knows his stuff.  You'll like this one. Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/marty.
47:4512/02/2016
Practical Thoughts on Broadacre Design - 25 Years of Design Mistakes, Evolution, and Innovation with Darren Doherty (PVP115)

Practical Thoughts on Broadacre Design - 25 Years of Design Mistakes, Evolution, and Innovation with Darren Doherty (PVP115)

Be very cautious about how much you are imposing on the landscape.  That's something that Darren talked about on this podcast before.  Because it's a big problem out there within the permaculture space.  People doing work on the land because they want to do the work, not because the context of the land justifies that work. It's a mistake that most of us have made.  And it's a mistake that Darren Doherty has made in his career.   With over 2000 clients and 25 years of professional design experience all around the world, Darren has seen a lot and learned a lot. In this episode we'll talk about what he has learned over the last 25 years. Darren shares a lot in this interview and takes on the hard questions like will this method of land design ever catch on? And what are some of the mistakes that he has made in his career.   You'll learn a lot about design in this one, including simple ways to be better than the average farm, and the importance of fiscal discipline. As you go through this episode think about your design work, and how some of the insights that Darren discuses could apply to your world.   Because at the end of the episode you may realize that a lot of the work that you have done or that you want to do isn't needed, because it's not in context.  And when you think about start thinking about design in the personal, environmental, and financial context, many designs become a lot simpler. Learn more at permculturevoices.com/115 Learn more about the Engineering Success with Darren Doherty at permaculturevoices.com/darrenpv3
01:18:4811/02/2016
10 Essentials For Profitable Urban Farming Presented by Curtis Stone (PVP114)

10 Essentials For Profitable Urban Farming Presented by Curtis Stone (PVP114)

Curtis Stone is the owner of Green City Acres, a multi-locational urban farm based out of Kelowna, BC, Canada.In 2014 his farm generated $75,000 in gross sales on 1/3 of an acre, spread over 5 small plots of land that consist of front yards and vacant lots.In this lecture, he will share with you his 10 essentials to profitable urban farming that will help you work less, and make more money at the same time. If you are currently farming, and looking for ways to improve efficiencies on your farm, or just getting started.This presentation could save you thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of time by implementing these steps.See the slides from this presentation at permaculturevoices.com/114Learn more from Curtis on the Profitable Urban Farming workshop held in person and online on March 6.  For more information visit permaculturevoices.com/urbanfarmingpv3
47:4010/02/2016
A Beginner’s Guide to Going from Getting “STUFF” Done to Getting “THE RIGHT STUFF” Done with Javan Kerby Bernakevitch (PVP113)

A Beginner’s Guide to Going from Getting “STUFF” Done to Getting “THE RIGHT STUFF” Done with Javan Kerby Bernakevitch (PVP113)

At the end of the day, month, year, decade or your life, the amount of #shityougotdone isn’t going to matter.  It’s the Quality of Life you’ve reached and maintained. It’s the relationships with your family and friends, the connection you have to your clients and land, the feeling you get when you go to sleep that matters. It’s the amount of personal work you’ve done to pull yourself out of negative thinking and mindsets of scarcity that you’ll appreciate the most.   It’s not the number of new crops you tried, cider batches, or projects developed… it’s how you lived that will mean the most. Getting shit done for the sake of #getshitdone can be a trap. It could very well become today’s equivalent to what pursuing “retirement” meant 20 years ago, or the ever-expanding idea of “more” and being rich: when is enough, enough? When is enough shit done, enough done? And are some activities completed more important than others? If those activities support a life that’s truly well-lived, then, yes: you’ve succeeded where many have tried and failed. If not, you’ll want to join us to ensure you’re getting the #rightshitdone.   Learn more about Javan at permaculturevoices.com/113     Learn more about the Mastering the Mastermind workshop at permaculturevoices.com/mastermindpv3
01:25:5109/02/2016
$200,000 Dollars in Sales from 320 Square Feet. Learn the tips and tricks that grower Chris Throreau is using to crush the microgreens business. (PVP112)

$200,000 Dollars in Sales from 320 Square Feet. Learn the tips and tricks that grower Chris Throreau is using to crush the microgreens business. (PVP112)

"They weren't just buying the product; they were buying the whole package." That's how Chris Thoreau was able to go to a farmer's market selling one crop.  Just one.  Sunflower shoots.  He was able to go to market with just one crop because he was selling a product that had a great story.  It was a product that was produced hyper-locally and one that was delivered to market via pedal power on a bike. Since Chris started his microgreen business nearly 10 years ago he has grown the business into one that has multiple employees and one that will do over $200,000 in sales in 2016. If you want grow microgreens commercially, listen to today's episode.  You'll see how important it is to systematize your production and constantly record and analyze your results.   It's the constant testing, analyze and adaptation that has made Chris' business hugely successful.   I think that you will really get a lot out of this interview. You'll learn how Chris introduced a brand new crop to his market.  How he priced that product.   And how and why he thinks about new products to sell. There's a lot of in depth applicable business content in here for the experienced growers.  And for the beginners you will learn what Chris suggests for some good crops to grow. There's a lot in this one and at it's core this interview focuses heavily on core success principles - relentless testing and experimentation, constant record keeping and analysis, and knowing what to focus on.   Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/112 The Growing Your Microgreens Business Workshop mentioned in this episode – permaculturevoices.com/microgreenspv3
01:09:1608/02/2016
TUF042 - Six Months of Transition Into Farming – A Conversation with New Farmer Scott Hebert – The Urban Farmer – Encore Episode 2

TUF042 - Six Months of Transition Into Farming – A Conversation with New Farmer Scott Hebert – The Urban Farmer – Encore Episode 2

Scott Hebert started farming in June 2015 when his family business shut down. At that time he didn’t have anything to fall back on. But he had always had an interest in farming, and within a few days of getting the income shock warning his wheels had been put in motion and he was putting a plan into place to transition into a career as a farmer. He contacted Curtis to visit his farm, so he could start leveraging Curtis’ experience to plan his farm and his future. Because he knew wanted to farm, but didn't want to be broke, therefore, he had to make money at it, and that meant he had to have a plan and a strategic approach. And it’s that approach that we will be talking about in today’s show. It’s currently February 2016 and this episode was recorded with new farmer Scott Hebert a couple of months ago in December 2015. Let’s get into it and see what a transition into small scale farming is really like... Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/tuf42
56:2303/02/2016
The Power of Perseverance and Taking Risks, The Founder's Story with Erik Ohlsen

The Power of Perseverance and Taking Risks, The Founder's Story with Erik Ohlsen

Erik Ohlsen will be one of the speakers at PV3 in March 2016.Learn more about PV3 at permaculturevoices.com/pv3. My guest today Erik Ohlsen took a risk when he started his business. And it's a risk that paid off because he has grown that business into a design firm that grosses over $1M a year. But his business, Permaculture Artisans, is one that started small. It started with a $15 an hour job that Erik used as a leverage point to build on. In this episode Erik is going to talk about what it takes to be successful including the importance of being patient, the importance of having a good attitude, and knowing that your work becomes your resume and can open doors. Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/erik.
59:2201/02/2016
Regenerative Businesses and Landscape - It's a Process, One That's Always Trying to Improve, The Founder's Story with Ethan Soloviev

Regenerative Businesses and Landscape - It's a Process, One That's Always Trying to Improve, The Founder's Story with Ethan Soloviev

Ethan Soloviev will be one of the speakers at PV3 in March 2016.Learn more about PV3 at permaculturevoices.com/pv3. In today's show I'm joined by Ethan Roland Soloviev.  Ethan is an international expert on sustainable agriculture, permaculture, and eco-social entrepreneurship, and as co-founder of Terra Genesis International he consults on these topics for individuals, organizations and corporations internationally. In our conversation we'll utilize Ethan's experience to explore this concept of what is regeneration.  But don't worry it's not all theory, and there is some useable and applicable information in here. As you will find out Ethan view's regeneration as a process.  One that's always trying to improve.  And for many of us that's essential what our lives are.  An ongoing process where we try to improve the web of all things that is us.  It's a process that involves a lot of trial and error, successes and failures, and like a lot of you, and me, Ethan is someone who has said yes to a lot of things in his life and tried a lot of things.  And he is now hitting his strive and settling into one of his business where he feels that he can make the biggest impact.  And ironically it's a business that works with other business. how he came to that conclusions is interesting.  Because he used something called nodal analysis to help refine down his direction. It's an interesting concept and on that I hadn't heard about before.  Stay tuned to find out more about that in this one... Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/ethan.
38:5125/01/2016
TUF041 - Profitable Small Scale Farming in Sebastopol – A Visit to Singing Frogs Farm with Paul and Elizabeth Kaiser – The Urban Farmer – Encore Episode 1

TUF041 - Profitable Small Scale Farming in Sebastopol – A Visit to Singing Frogs Farm with Paul and Elizabeth Kaiser – The Urban Farmer – Encore Episode 1

While Curtis and I were on tour we made a stop at Singing Frogs Farm in Sebastopol to visit with farmers Paul & Elizabeth Kaiser. It's a pretty remarkable farm. The Kaisers are farming just over 2 acres and grossing over $100,000 an acre. They come from an agroforestry background and approach farming systematically as a business. This episode is some of our thoughts from our visit. To learn more visit the show notes at permaculturevoices.com/tuf41.
31:3219/01/2016
Going from Near Bankrupt to Debt Free, Grazing Cattle on Leased Land, The Founder's Story with Greg Judy

Going from Near Bankrupt to Debt Free, Grazing Cattle on Leased Land, The Founder's Story with Greg Judy

Greg Judy will be one of the speakers at PV3 in March 2016.Learn more about PV3 at permaculturevoices.com/pv3. In the late 90's Greg was down to $9 in the bank. The way that he was farming, wasn't working. Greg was grazing cattle using conventional methods at the time. And the costs were killing him, or should I say the debt was killing him. Cattle loans, equipment loans, feed costs, seed costs, and other input costs drawing too much away from his top line, thereby shrinking his bottom line. With an unprofitable farming operation and $9 left in the bank, Greg had two choices, roll over and quite, or try something new and effectively start over. With gritty determination, a passion for cattle, and a need to grow more grass, Greg dropped all of his conventional ways and began grazing cattle that he didn't own, on land that he didn't own, and with less inputs. The transition was nothing less than remarkable. Within a few years Greg had paid off all of his debt including his farm. He was adding new leases to his farm portfolio, and lessors were so happy they were granting him lifetime leases. But it wasn't just Greg's bottom line that was benefitting, the soil was as well. Greg's high intensity grazing was speeding up the growth of grass. And with more grass, comes more cattle. All without adding more land. Greg's methods have been widely successful and used for the last 15 plus years. And it all started when Greg's back was up against the wall and he decided to let the cows work for him, instead of working for the cows. If it ever feels like things just aren't working, then look no further than Greg Judy as a remarkable example of someone who had the passion, the grit, and the wherewithal to make a change when he could have easily just quit. Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/greg
01:00:3618/01/2016
Designing the Pathway to Regeneration, and Why We can't Do That, The Founder's Story with Gregory Landau

Designing the Pathway to Regeneration, and Why We can't Do That, The Founder's Story with Gregory Landau

Gregory Landau will be one of the speakers at PV3 in March 2016.Learn more about PV3 at permaculturevoices.com/pv3.If the current current method of business isn't working, then something more regenerative would be better right?Then it's up to us to design it.Only we can't.Because a truly regenerative web is a living whole systems awareness of all of the decision makers.  Something that's a process.  An awareness that grows over time.  It's not something that happens overnight, and it's not something that we can design.We can only start to put the connections in place.  Then it's up to all of the decision makers in the process to take the ball and run with it.  Working together towards a common goal knowing that it isn't instant change, it's a common goal that they are all working towards.But seeding those connections can be tough.  Because sometimes the input producers like farmers, can't get a seat at the table with some of the decision makers who make the end product.   And that's where firms like Terra Genesis and designers like Gregory Landau come in.Gregory has also founded a direct-trade chocolate business to help reforest tropical Latin America through regenerative trading relationships.Today we'll be using his experience with cacao to to talk about Designing the Pathway to Regeneration, and Why We can't Do That.Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/gregory
49:3215/01/2016
Building Businesses, Marketing, and Dealing with Failure, The Founder's Story with Jack Spirko

Building Businesses, Marketing, and Dealing with Failure, The Founder's Story with Jack Spirko

"You have to be willing to fail. You have to be OK with failure." That's what entrepreneur Jack Spirko told me. He's built a variety of businesses in his career. Some of which have been very successful and some of which have failed. One of his successes has been the hugely popular Survival Podcast. You can learn a lot of Jack. Jack is a permaculturist, small scale farmer, and he knows a lot about running and marketing businesses. If you want to run a farm based business, listen to today's episode. You'll see how important it is to take risks and put in a lot of hard work knowing that you could fail and it could all be for naught. A big part of success really is that simple. Eight years ago Jack started his podcast recording it in his car on his way to work. He didn't have grand plans of it being a business at the beginning. He just needed to figure out how this podcasting thing worked for a client. So he figured he would give it a shot and see what came of it.. He focused on content that he was interested in. Thinking that others likely would be as well, they were. He then focused on building his audience and then building the business around that.   He started low tech, and low cost using some very cheap equipment, in the beginning putting out content consistently was more important. And he put together his notes each morning getting up at 330AM before he left for work. He put in the time. Something that’s not always easy to do. I think that you will really get a lot out of this interview. You'll learn how to market your products. How to come up with new products to sell. And why the customer isn't always right, and why all customers aren't the customer that you want.. There's a lot in this one and at its core this interview gets into what it takes to build, grow and market a business. It might make you want to start a business; it might make not want to start a business. Both valuable conclusions. Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/jack Jack Spirko will be one of the speakers at PV3 in March 2016.Learn more about PV3 at permaculturevoices.com/pv3.
01:25:2911/01/2016
Business with a Holistic Approach - What Do You Want, and How Do You Design a Path to Get There, The Founder's Story with Mary Johnson

Business with a Holistic Approach - What Do You Want, and How Do You Design a Path to Get There, The Founder's Story with Mary Johnson

Mary Johnson will be one of the speakers at PV3 in March 2016. Learn more about PV3 at permaculturevoices.com/pv3. What does success mean to you? Hopefully you know, because if you don't you might be chasing the wrong things. Success is different for everyone. For some people it's money and fame and for some people it's freedom of time and freedom of place. How do you define it? Once you define it and get what it means to you, you can then start to create a system to achieve success as quickly and happily as possible. That's what I am talking about today on the show with my guest Mary Johnson. Mary is a consultant and coach who has worked with hundreds of famers and entrepreneurs to try to help them improve their business, and their lifestyle. And one way that she does that is through the use of holistic management goal setting. Basically asking what makes you happy and is your business supporting that? Because for many people it isn't, especially farmers who don't think of it farming as a business and then end up not making any money farming, thereby leaving them unable to maintain the lifestyle that made them happy. It's a common problem, and hopefully this episode will fill in a few gaps with the problem and get you thinking. Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/mary
33:0308/01/2016
Personal Financial Planning for Entrepreneurs (and Everyone Else), The Founder's Story with Mary Beth Storjohann

Personal Financial Planning for Entrepreneurs (and Everyone Else), The Founder's Story with Mary Beth Storjohann

Mary Beth Storjohann will be one of the speakers at PV3 in March 2016. Learn more about PV3 at permaculturevoices.com/pv3. My guest today, Mary Beth Storjohann, is a certified financial planner and is the Founder of Workable Wealth, specializing in financial planning for Gen Y. She works as a writer, speaker and financial coach with individuals and couples in their 20s and 30s across the country to help them to make smart, educated decisions with their money. I brought her on today to talk about financial planning, when it comes entrepreneurship. Something she knows a lot about as both financial planner, and an entrepreneur herself. Like many of you, she is young, married, and has a daughter, and she start her business on the side. In other words, she gets it. Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/marybeth
42:3504/01/2016
TUF040 -  End of Season Reflection - Thinking about How Things Went This Year, to Alter Course and Plan for Next Year - The Urban Farmer - Week 40

TUF040 - End of Season Reflection - Thinking about How Things Went This Year, to Alter Course and Plan for Next Year - The Urban Farmer - Week 40

If you want to be better off in December 2016, then the planning for that starts now in December 2015. The biggest leverage point which for the farm season next year is right there in front of you. You just need to tease it out. That's what today's show is about. Doing some End of Season Reflection - Thinking about How Things Went This Year, to Alter Course and Plan for Next Year I hope that you can use some of the information that we talk about in this episode to reflect on your 2015 farm season, so you can get better in 2016. With the end of the year, comes the end of this show. This is Episode 40 of The Urban Farmer, the last episode of the show. Good luck with everything in 2016 and beyond. Keep growing, keep pushing forward, and keep getting after it. Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/tuf40
49:2530/12/2015
TUF039 - The Urban Farmer Season Wrap Up and Looking Ahead - Thanks for Listening - The Urban Farmer - Week 39

TUF039 - The Urban Farmer Season Wrap Up and Looking Ahead - Thanks for Listening - The Urban Farmer - Week 39

In today's episode Curtis and I will take a look back at the season of this show and talk about what's in store for the future for Curtis and this show. In regards to the future, you listening to this hold a bit of control on that in your hands. Because we want to hear what your thoughts are on this show - The Urban Farmer. This season what's resonated with you? What do you want to hear more about? And how has this show affected what you are doing? I don't beg a lot, but this is one case where I will, I am begging you, please send us your feedback on the show. Has it helped what do you want to hear more about, and are you using this information as a home grower versus a commercial farm? Please take a few minutes to let us know what you think. You can do so via email [email protected] and/or leave a comment in the show notes for this episode at permaculturevoices.com/tuf39. Thanks for listening to the show and supporting us this year. It means a lot to me. This show has been outlet for me, and a way for me to put something out there to make an impact, that I believe in and can stand behind. I hope that it has helped. Show Notes: permaculturevoices.com/tuf39
47:3723/12/2015
Trading Time for Dollars, Supporting Your Permaculture Goals with a Career Outside of Permaculture with Rob Kippel (CD9)

Trading Time for Dollars, Supporting Your Permaculture Goals with a Career Outside of Permaculture with Rob Kippel (CD9)

On today's show I am talking to Rob Kippel. Rob's not your typical permie. He's a paramedic, a real estate investor, and he owns a profitable franchise business that has nothing to do with farming, but his values align with the values that permaculture supports. And Rob likes the idea of regenerative agriculture, but he doesn't want to be the farmer. And when you hear this interview, I think you will probably agree, that Rob's skills are best suited for the other fields which he is already excelling at. Because he has accomplished a lot, and is doing a lot, and he's done it by age 31. I hope that this episode gets you thinking. Because the permaculture path might not be for everyone, and some people might be better off supporting Your Permaculture Goals with a Career Outside of Permaculture.... Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/cd9
01:14:1518/12/2015
TUF038 - It's Not All About the Money - Keeping What Works and Getting Rid of What Doesn't - The Urban Farmer - Week 38

TUF038 - It's Not All About the Money - Keeping What Works and Getting Rid of What Doesn't - The Urban Farmer - Week 38

How much work should you put into something before it gets to the point where it isn't worth it? At what point does the money, the effort, and the headache justify not doing it? With everything in business and farming, there is always a trade off, an opportunity cost. If you are doing one, thing, then it's at the expense of something else. Because you can't do it all, and regardless of the return, sometimes it's just not worth it. In this episode we spend a lot of time looking at how to decide if customers and crops are worth the effort. Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/tuf38.
54:5116/12/2015
The Importance of Story Telling (i.e. Marketing) - Who are you, what are you about, what makes your product unique and special, The Founder's Story with Hilary Bromberg

The Importance of Story Telling (i.e. Marketing) - Who are you, what are you about, what makes your product unique and special, The Founder's Story with Hilary Bromberg

If you are going to succeed in any business then you need to be able to tell a good story. Your skill, services, and product are only going to get you so far. You need to be able to tell the stories that get people to get behind you and pay for your products and services. If you can't do that, then you won't succeed. This is where marketing comes in. And for right or for wrong, marketing has a sleezy image. Because at the core of everything, marketers are propagandists. They are using information to manipulate you and get you to do something that you may or may not realize that you actually want to do. And as my guest today, Hilary Bromberg, will say, is the propaganda for somethign good or for something less than good. Because even the most noble causes need propadana to get people to pay attention. This episodes is all about marketing and story telling. And it's a beast. There's a ton of great advice in here from Hilary. But the advice and tips are subtle. This isn't go make this type of post on Facebook everyday types of tips. She will be talking about the fundamental principles of what makes people do what they do. Timeless adivce, that doesnt' change, because people don't change. Pay attention, and get ready. Learn more at permaculturevoices.com/hilary
40:2714/12/2015
Grow Wings and Fly (CD8)

Grow Wings and Fly (CD8)

In this episode, I want to talk about this idea of growing wings and flying. Not limiting ourselves from becoming who we are and maximizing our true potential. Because we live in a society where everything is comfortable, too comfortable. Where you more or less just plug into the system and get pulled along with it from grade school to college to job to social security... A society where today, if you have a full time job, and you tell someone that you are leaving your job, their likely first reaction is going to be what are you going to do for money. That’s what my parents feared in 1998 when I wanted to transition from a lucrative career with sure employment to a field that was saturated. And that’s the first question they asked when I told them I was likely leaving my job now. It’s part of our culture. The job. And we are all trained to be employees and we are believed to be dependent on that thing... the job. That’s our future and it’s with the company. And that guy, the the guy in the other room. That's where our retirement is sitting. Where our progress and future is in the hands of someone and something else. Not us. And that's great, because it absolves us of responsibility, and puts one layer of insulation between us and the harsh world of surviving on your own. A layer that makes us comfortable, and therefore vulnerable, more on that later. It’s comfortable because honestly it’s pretty damn hard to get fired once you have a job. With paycheck security, I think most people lapse into minimum viable effort, intended or not. I have worked around enough co-works to see that in reality very few people put in 40 hours of productive work a week despite being at 40 for 40 hours a week. It’s show up, do some work, surf the web, chat with co-workers, drink coffee, repeat, eat lunch, do a little work go, home. That is most of corporate America. It’s easy. It’s comfortable. And life is good when you just show up and collect a salary. But there is a cost to living in that bubble. Your price of admission is trading your time and freedom for perceived and temporary stability. Think about that one for a second. What makes that stable hourly or salary based job for the man so nice, meaning show up and get paid, is actually costing you time. Your life’s precious time. And what’s happening in your life during that time that you are missing. What life experiences and memories are you trading those dollars, be it small or large for? Spending 40 plus hours a week at a job week at a job which realistically likely requires less than 40 hours of actual focused and effective work to complete. Read more at permaculturevoices.com/cd8
49:3311/12/2015