In this garden chat, Greg and Don Titmus dive into permaculture's eighth principle, 'Information and Imagination Intensive,' highlighting its emphasis on multi-disciplinary approaches to problem-solving using both low and high-tech solutions. They delve into the importance of utilizing quality thought and data to maximize yields and share personal experiences about integrating various systems like passive solar heating, water filtration, and composting. The discussion also covers the concept of food forests, zone planning, and sustainable design strategies for reducing energy and resource consumption. They encourage community collaboration and innovation, reflecting on their own permaculture journeys and offering insights on creating self-sustaining environments. Upcoming events like the Phoenix Permaculture Design Course and the Great American Seed Up are also mentioned.

Our Guest: Don grew up in London and at age 16 spent 4 years being trained in horticulture through an apprenticeship and a college course. From there he continued landscaping in his hometown until he moved to Arizona in 1981, where he worked in landscaping and then starting his own business in garden maintenance. In 2003 he attended a Permaculture Design Course, which was life-changing for Don. He knew right away that this was the path he’d been waiting for, and later attended two Permaculture Teacher Trainings.

Visit www.urbanfarm.org/918 for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

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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.

A Rosie On The House Replay

This episode is the replay pof our monthly 'Rosie on the House' radio show in Phoenix. It features host Romey Romero, Farmer Greg and guest Kari Spencer discussing backyard livestock, primarily chickens and goats, for urban farming. They chat about the benefits of keeping chickens and goats, including eggs, milk, garden pest control, and composting. They also delve into the logistics of raising these animals, such as the necessary supplies, housing, and regulations. The episode touches on the challenges and advantages of meat birds, ducks, turkeys, quail, and guinea hens, offering practical advice and sharing personal experiences for listeners interested in starting their own urban farm.

Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/917 for the show notes and links on this episode!

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

A Seed Shat with Bill McDorman

Register for our monthly Seed Chat at SeedChat.org

In This Podcast: In this month's Seed Chat Greg Peterson and Bill McDorman discuss the pressing issue of seed sovereignty in the age of corporate control. They highlight the growing dominance of a few corporations over the global seed supply, which has resulted in decreased biodiversity and increased farmer dependency. The conversation covers the importance of local seed libraries, open-source seed models, and the traditional practice of saving and sharing seeds as pathways to food freedom. Additionally, they emphasize the detrimental impact of capitalism on biodiversity, discuss historical and legal contexts like the Diamond vs. Chakrabarty Supreme Court decision, and introduce various resources and organizations working to combat corporate control in agriculture, such as the ETC group and Seed Library Network. Practical advice for listeners includes growing a diverse range of seeds, starting or joining seed libraries, and engaging in community-driven agricultural initiatives.

List of mentioned resources:

· First The Seed, the Political Economy of Plant Biotechnology. https://uwpress.wisc.edu/Books/F/First-the-Seed

· Shattering by Pat Mooney and Carrie Fowler

· https://SeedupInABox.com

· https://GreatAmericanSeedUp.org

· Diamond Vs Chakbarty - https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/447/303/

· Liberate Diversity - https://liberatediversity.org

· There’s an ongoing international survey hosted by Let’s Liberate Diversity https://seeds.ifoam.bio/seed-network-survey

· First the Seed: The Political Economy of Plant Biotechnology, Jack Ralph Kloppenburg, Jr.

https://uwpress.wisc.edu/Books/F/First-the-Seed2

· Consolidation in the Seed Industry - https://philhoward.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/seed2022.png

· Seeds & Genetic Diversity - https://www.etcgroup.org/issues/seeds-genetic-diversity

· ETC Group- https://www.etcgroup.org/issues/corporate-monopolies

· Going to Seed - https://goingtoseed.org/

· Adaptation Gardening - https://goingtoseed.org/products/1406309

· Seed Library Network -