A chat with Janis Norton and Greg Peterson.   In This Garden Chat: Join Janis and Greg as they discuss what is permaculture and how can we begin to integrate it into our lives.   They start with a discussion of the definition of permaculture then dive into the 8 principles that are used in the Phoenix Permaculture Design Course or PDC.On the last Tuesday every month we host The Urban Farm Garden Chats where Greg Peterson has a relaxed conversation in a Zoom room with a special guest to cover useful gardening topics, and they answer questions from the live listening audience.To join us for the next event, go to www.GardenChat.org or Click HERE to register for the Monthly Garden Chat with Live Q&A

729: What Is Permaculture

728: The Impact of Seeds and Planning.A Chat with an Expert on Seeds.In This Podcast:This is the February 2023 Seed Saving Class discussing the impact of seeds and planning.  Bill and Greg Peterson give an overview of how to save some basic seeds and how to plan your garden for seed saving.  No, you don’t need acres of land, pollination bags or combines.  Some simple concepts will help you plan for the next steps in your seed saving adventure.  They chat through the latest things in seed saving and review the 5 easiest seeds to save.  And as a bonus they chat about how to do a germination test. It is easier than you think. At least ten times a year we have a live Seed Saving Class. Join the class! Register anytime for the next event.RegisterHere for the Seed Saving Class with Live Q&ABill McDorman is 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.Visit www.urbanfarm.org/seeds23feb for the show notes on this, and access to our full podcast library!

728: The Impact of Seeds and Planning

Join Farmer Greg on his monthly segment on the Arizona Radio Show Rosie on the House.  In this episode Greg chats about how to create a food forest in your front and back yard, plus reviews the 7 layers of your food forest.  He also explains how to set up zones in your space. You are not going to want to miss this one!"Rosie on the House is a father and son weekly radio show on home-improvement advice that is found on several key Arizona radio stations. It is a trusted source of home-improvement advice and know-how. Rosie and Romey consider that an honor and a responsibility, a feeling that Greg shares."On the fourth Saturday of each month, Farmer Greg will talk about all aspects of gardening and urban farming in the Arizona climates… Gardening Tips * Chickens * CompostingSmart Watering Tips * FruitTrees * Seed SavingSonoran Desert Weather *Permaculture TidbitsCome join us for the next broadcast or catch up on our previous shows through our podcast episodes.  Either way you will expand your knowledge about growing food in the local desert and gain new perspectives on your food system.Visit www.urbanfarm.org/Rose23Feb forthe show notes on this episode and broadcasting information!

727: Food Forests on Rosie on the House

Restoring Planetary Health and Rebuilding After an ImpactIn This Podcast:This is the second part of Greg’s interview with Rosemary Morrow, a member of the first generation of what we now call the Permaculture Movement.  We reached out to some of our friends in the permaculture community and asked, “If you could talk to Rowe, what would you ask her?”  Learn more about Rosemary’s decades of experience teaching permaculture all over the world as she discusses the answers to these thought-provoking questions. Don’t miss an episode!visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast Rosemary Morrow is a permaculture teacher, author, speaker, and agricultural scientist. She has spent decades travelling the world designing healthy living systems and applying permaculture as a practice to restore our planetary health. She has worked locally across Australia as well as globally with farmers and villagers in Africa, Central and Southeast Asia; people of war-torn nations such as Vietnam and Afghanistan; and communities experiencing the serious effects of climate change like the Solomon Islands.  Rosemary's latest book, Earth Restorer’s Guide to Permaculture, brings together 40 years of evidence-based approaches to guide us towards the regeneration of our Earth. Endorsed by the United Nations as a tool for their Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, this book shares how communities, cities, workplaces, and governments can collectively and positively shape our futures. Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/Podcast-by-episode-titles for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!Rosemary Morrow on the Earth Restorer's Guide to Permaculture, Part 2.urbanfarm.org/Rowe

726: Rosemary Morrow on the Earth Restorer's Guide to Permaculture, Part 2

Restoring Planetary Health and Rebuilding After an ImpactIn This Podcast:In this very special episode, Greg talks with Rosemary Morrow, a member of the first generation of what we now call the Permaculture Movement.  Rosemary has decades of experience teaching permaculture all over the world and she shares how that global perspective influenced her most recent book.  Hear about her definition of permaculture, her philosophy on teaching permaculture, and her experiences teaching permaculture to people in many different countries.  We are delighted to have Rosemary on our podcast! Don’t miss an episode!visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast Rosemary Morrow is a permaculture teacher, author, speaker, and agricultural scientist. She has spent decades travelling the world designing healthy living systems and applying permaculture as a practice to restore our planetary health. She has worked locally across Australia as well as globally with farmers and villagers in Africa, Central and Southeast Asia; people of war-torn nations such as Vietnam and Afghanistan; and communities experiencing the serious effects of climate change like the Solomon Islands.  Rosemary's latest book, Earth Restorer’s Guide to Permaculture, brings together 40 years of evidence-based approaches to guide us towards the regeneration of our Earth. Endorsed by the United Nations as a tool for their Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, this book shares how communities, cities, workplaces, and governments can collectively and positively shape our futures. Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/Podcast-by-episode-titles for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!Rosemary Morrow on the Earth Restorer's Guide to Permaculture.urbanfarm.org/Rowe

725: Rosemary Morrow on the Earth Restorer's Guide to Permaculture

Appreciating the Variety of Pollinators That Visit Our GardensIn This Podcast:Phyllis Stiles is someone who loves to create a buzz about pollinators.  She became fascinated with bees when she started keeping her own, and that led to an appreciation of and sense of responsibility for all pollinators.  As she became aware of the problems they face, she decided to do something about it and created the Bee City USA program.  The program certifies for cities and universities, but as Phyllis explains, there are also many things that individuals anywhere can do to help our friends the pollinators. Don’t miss an episode!visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast Phyllis Stiles is founder and director emerita of Bee City USA®, which began in Asheville, NC in 2012. The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign named her “Pollinator Advocate of the Year for the United States” in 2015, the same year the sister program, Bee Campus USA, launched. To date, more than 330 cities and campuses in 46 states have joined the Bee City and Bee Campus USA networks.  Phyllis has made well over a hundred presentations and published countless newspaper and magazine articles about pollinator conservation across the nation. She spent her career at universities and non-profit organizations serving communities from West Africa to the Mississippi Delta, in fields ranging from natural resource and farmland protection to fundraising.Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/Podcast-by-episode-titles for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!Phyllis Stiles on the Bee City USA Program.urbanfarm.org/BeeCityUSA

724: Phyllis Stiles on the Bee City USA Program

723: Bodacious Garden.A Rosie on the House Radio Show.In This Podcast:This is the January 2023 show discussing how to grow your own BODACIOUS edible garden.  Greg covers all the bases – sun, water, soil, and garden helpers.  Plant your garden where it will get just the right balance of sun and shade by determining your garden’s solar aspect and observing the light as it moves throughout your space each day and each season.  Seek out every drop of water available to you.  Before you default to the typical drip irrigation system, consider also harvesting grey water, rainwater and air conditioning condensate.  The next, and most important component is healthy soil.  You’ll want to be sure it contains all five of the following: dirt, airspace, water, organic matter, and living organisms.  Greg talks about how to improve soil that is lacking in any of these things.  And last but certainly not least, he explains how chickens and weeds make fantastic garden workers.   "Rosie on the House is a father and son weekly radio show on home-improvement advice that is found on several key Arizona radio stations. It is a trusted source of home-improvement advice and know-how. Rosie and Romey consider that an honor and a responsibility, a feeling that Greg shares."On the fourth Saturday of each month, Farmer Greg will talkabout all aspects of gardening and urban farming in the Arizona climates… Gardening Tips * Chickens * CompostingSmart Watering Tips * Fruit Trees * Seed SavingSonoran Desert Weather * Permaculture TidbitsCome join us for the next broadcast or catch up on our previous shows through our podcast episodes.  Either way you will expand your knowledge about growing food in the local desert and gain new perspectives on your food system.Visit www.urbanfarm.org/Rose23Jan for the show notes on this episode and broadcasting information!

723: Bodacious Garden

Making a Little Side Income Growing Citrus in the Pacific NorthwestIn This Podcast:Do you wish you could grow citrus but live outside of California or Florida?  Donna Balzer is growing lemons in Canada and she loves to teach others how she does it.  She and Greg discuss all the juicy details, covering topics from the roots to the leaves.  Donna explains how she cares for her citrus trees in the harsher climate using some unique methods to protect them from frost.  In return, they give her a delicious harvest that is not easily found in her area, and even a little bit of income. Don’t miss an episode!visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast Donna Balzer is the co-host of the internationally aired HGTV show “Bugs & Blooms", a regular guest on CBC radio in Alberta, a very popular and inspirational public speaker around gardening, and the bestselling author of No Guff Vegetable Gardening.  She lives with her adoring husband in Qualicum Beach, B.C. with their puppy. She has two greenhouses, twelve grandchildren, three grand-dogs, four grand-cats and two grand-guinea pigs all spread across Alberta and B.C. Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/Podcast-by-episode-titles for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!Donna Balzer on Growing Lemons for Profit.urbanfarm.org/DonnaBalzer

722: Donna Balzer on Growing Lemons for Profit

Teaching people of all backgrounds about sustainably growing food (at the Guelph Centre for Urban Organic Farming)In This Podcast:Mike Smith studied political science with the intention of changing agricultural policy and making a difference from the top down.  As important as that s, he eventually discovered that he could make a bigger impact on the ground – literally, with his hands in the earth.  Now he works at the Guelph Centre for Urban Organic Farming in Canada, actually growing food and teaching others how to do the same.  In this episode, Mike talks about the positive impact this has had on his life and on the local food economy. Don’t miss an episode!visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast Mike Smith manages day-to-day farm operations, including planning and preparing materials for the cropping season, at the Guelph Centre for Urban Organic Farming, a one-hectare (that is 2.47 acres) learning and research facility within the Department of Agriculture at the University of Guelph. Here he works with stakeholders, recruits staff, supervises interns and volunteers, and plays a key role in enhancing educational and outreach activities.  Mike received his B.A. in political science with a focus in agricultural policy from McMaster University and post-graduate certificate in project management from the University of Toronto. His education and experience give him a solid background in organic vegetable production, from planting to post-harvest activities, which he is using to impact the community.Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/Podcast-by-episode-titles for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!Mike Smith on A Demonstration Organic Farm.urbanfarm.org/Guelph

721: Mike Smith on A Demonstration Organic Farm

Having the right tools in the right condition for our farming jobIn This Podcast:Gardening can be hard work, but it doesn’t have to be.  Chris Sabbarese explains how the right tool not only makes the job easier, but it also makes it safer for you and your plants.  He describes the difference between a bypass pruner and an anvil pruner, what to look for when choosing tools, and some easy things you can do to keep your tools in tip top shape.  Chris also shares his gift for storytelling, taking this inspiring episode much deeper than the humble gardening tool. Don’t miss an episode!visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast Chris Sabbarese is the marketing, communications and social media director for Corona Tools, a leading global brand and manufacturer of quality garden and landscape tools since 1928.  He joined the organization in 2010, and manages the brand experience with end-users across all forms of digital & print media.  Chris also serves as the executive director of GardenComm, a non-profit membership organization made up of green industry communications professionals. Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/Podcast-by-episode-titles for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!Chris Sabbarese on Tools and Farming.urbanfarm.org/CoronaTools

720: Chris Sabbarese on Tools and Farming

Researching the Changes Occurring in Our Food SystemsIn This Podcast:The grocery aisle appears to provide a whole buffet of choices, but who are the companies behind those choices?  Phil Howard has studied our current food system and discovered that there are a surprisingly small number of companies who are in control.  Who are these companies?  How much power do they have and what are they doing to keep it?  More importantly, what can be done about it?  Phil lifts the lid on the industry to reveal the fragility of our modern food system. Don’t miss an episode!visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast Phil Howard is a member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems and a professor at Michigan State University. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Community, Food and Agriculture, and a graduate course in The Political Ecology of Food. Phil’s research focuses on the “food system” which involves all of the steps required to produce food and get it to our plates–from farming and processing to distribution and consumption. He is the author of Who Controls What We Eat? (2021) published by Bloomsbury Academic.Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/Podcast-by-episode-titles for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!Phil Howard on Who Controls What We Eat?UrbanFarm.org/PhilHoward

719: Phil Howard on Who Controls What We Eat?

Picking the best indoor garden for your needsIn This Podcast:Angelo Kelvakis demystifies the hydroponic garden.  The right garden can be a great investment in your health and wellbeing.  Angelo helps take the guesswork out of choosing the garden that best fits your lifestyle.  He’ll teach you how to ask the right questions, identify the most important components, and research a system before you make a purchase, so you will continue to enjoy your garden and reap many benefits from it for years to come. Don’t miss an episode!visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast Angelo Kelvakis is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago where he studied environmental science and published research on nutrient uptake for plants. During this time, he also managed the Eco-Dome lab where he ran the aquaponics system which supplied fresh produce and fish to the Loyola Farmers Market. After graduating, he worked for several indoor farm companies helping them get start up, and finally was an early employee of Rise Gardens where he works today. At Rise, Angelo is both the Director of Research and Development, and a Horticulturalist where he is in charge of the Rise Lab focusing on nutrient design, plant growth research, and algorithm development.Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/Podcast-by-episode-titles for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!Angelo Kelvakis on Indoor Garden Systems.urbanfarm.org/RiseGardens

718: Angelo Kelvakis on Indoor Garden Systems

Growing and Saving SeedsIn This Podcast:Hassena Kassim returns to talk about the recent growth she is experiencing since moving from Arizona to North Carolina about 5 years ago.  She explains how growing and saving seeds for Sow True Seeds led her to the Organic Seed Alliance seed school and what she learned from completing the program.  Hassena admits to a newfound appreciation for beans as she shares interesting facts from their long and colorful history.  Don’t miss the fantastic seed resources mentioned in this episode!Don’t miss an episode!visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast Hassena Kassim is a mother and a newish farmer in Hot Springs NC.  She works the land with honeybees, chickens, dairy goats, gardens and several composting methods.  Hassena is a grower of seeds for Sow True Seed in Asheville, North Carolina and has recently completed the Organic Seed Alliance seed school. Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/Podcast-by-episode-titles for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!Hassena Kassim on Saving Seeds.urbanfarm.org/hassena

717: Hassena Kassim on Seed Saving

Staying Open to PossibilitiesIn This Podcast:In this special episode, Greg Peterson shares an update from his new home in North Carolina.  There are lots of exciting possibilities created by starting from scratch in a completely new and different place and Greg is taking the time to explore them all.  He also confirms that the Urban Farm programs are not going anywhere, and he replays the very first episode of the Urban Farm Podcast.Don’t miss an episode!visit UrbanFarm.Org/blog/podcast Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/Podcast-by-episode-titles for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!The Future of the Urban Farm and 000 Relaunch.

716: The Future of the Urban Farm and 000 Relaunch

715: What is Happening in the World of Seeds.A Chat with an Expert on Seeds.In This Podcast:This is the December 2022 Seed Saving Class with Bill McDorman discussing what is happening in the world of seeds.  Bill recently returned from the 9th Session of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in New Delhi. He shares what he learned about how the world is protecting the genetic resources of smallholder farmers in the global south who contribute so much to the diversity and genetic pool of our precious seeds.  At least ten times a year we have a live Seed Saving Class. Join the class! Register anytime for the next event.Register Here for the Seed Saving Class with Live Q&ABill McDorman is the co-founder of Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance, Seedsave.org, Seed School and the Great American Seed Up.  Bill has been teaching seed saving for decades and is dedicated to educating communities about the value of seed saving and local seeds as a foundation for a local food system.  Visit www.urbanfarm.org/seeds22dec for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

715: What is Happening in the World of Seeds.

Doreen Pollack on How Permaculture Changed Her Life.Integrating the "P" Word Into Everyday LifeDoreen Pollack took a permaculture course nearly 20 years ago and she has never looked back.  In this episode she explains how those concepts learned so long ago still influence every part of her life today.  She points out the positive impacts, not only on her garden, but on her thoughts, her actions, and especially on her daily interactions with the earth and the community of people around her.  Always eager to expand that community, Doreen shares her nuggets of wisdom and gently encourages everyone she meets to experience permaculture for themselves.Doreen Pollack has been a Master Gardener for over 18 years and has turned her urban lot in downtown Phoenix into a living example of what she teaches.  Her front yard now houses an edible garden where a bermuda grass lawn used to be.  Rainwater harvesting systems channel and store rainwater, compost piles supply needed amendments to harsh clay soil and creative plant locations maximize use of her urban lot. A Laundry to Landscape system uses washing machine output to water a 35-year-old grapefruit tree.  Doreen has taught hundreds of people about gardening through Master Gardeners, Mesa Community College, City of Tempe, and Rio Salado College, and has appeared on local news talking about gardening.  She loves to help people become better gardeners and stewards of the land.Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2023/01/06/714-doreen-pollack/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

714: Doreen Pollack on How Permaculture Changed Her Life

Kathy Jentz on National Seed Swap Day.Promoting Biodiversity in Our Gardens and Farms.Kathy Jentz started National Seed Swap Day to officially celebrate and encourage something farmers and gardeners have been doing for hundreds of years – trading seeds.  She chats with Greg about the origins of the event, what happens at a modern swap, and what the many benefits are for both new and experienced gardeners.  (HINT: It’s not just about the seeds!)  Kathy provides valuable information for anyone thinking of attending or organizing a seed swap.Kathy Jentz is editor and publisher of the award-winning Washington Gardener Magazine, based in Washington, DC.  She is also the editor of three plant society journals: the Water Garden Journal, The Azalean, and Fanfare, and she hosts the popular GardenDC Podcast, which was recently named Best DC Podcast.  Kathy is co-author of The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City and has a new book, Groundcover Revolution coming out soon, which is available for pre-order now on Amazon.   Her mission is to turn black thumbs green. A life-long gardener, Kathy believes that growing plants should be stress-free and enjoyable. Her philosophy is inspiration over perspiration.Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2023/01/03/713-kathy-jentz/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

713: Kathy Jentz on National Seed Swap Day

Kathy Mortensen on Not Just Any Farmers Market.Managing a family-based, full-participation farmers market. We meet Kathy Mortensen who manages a community market from an entirely different state. The health focused market in Naperville, Illinois is growing with big events, strategic booth placement, and fun vendor-involved themes. We find out what she is doing to make it a successful event for the local community.Kathy grew up with nine siblings and had family meals every night.  Her mom was very sustainable and on an extremely tight budget, yet only purchased meat from the local butcher; and fresh fruits and vegetables were the norm.  Kathy’s husband started running the Naperville Farmers Market when the founder passed it on to him. Kathy took it over when he left his position at work, never expecting it to develop into what it is today.Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2022/12/30/712-kathleen-mortensen/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

712: Kathy Mortensen on Not Just Any Farmers Market.

710: Grain Culture.In This Podcast:  This is the November 2022 class discussing Grain Culture! Heritage and ancient grains are taking center stage in all kinds of gardening programs and on tables across the country. Find out why these grains are easier on bellies, easy to grow and a lot easier to process than you may think. At least ten times a year we have a live Seed Chat.Some links from this class:The Grain Bundle at GASUBreadlab.wsu.eduHeritageGrains.orgDrip Tape Class - replaySeedSchoolOnline.comJoin the class! Register anytime for the next event.Register Here for the Seed Saving Class with Live Q&ABill McDorman is 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.Visit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2022/12/16/711-garden-chat/ for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!

710: Grain Culture.

A chat with Greg, Janis, and Doreen.  The holidays are just around the corner, and we all love to share gifts from our heart with our friends and family. Join us as we share our ideas for some cool gardening gifts both from and for the garden. This is sure to be an inspiration filled class. Our team members Janis Norton and Doreen Pollack joined Greg in this fabulous brainstorming session.On the last Tuesday every month we host The Urban Farm Garden Chats where Greg Peterson has a relaxed conversation in a Zoom room with a special guest (or two) to cover useful gardening topics, and they answer questions from the live listening audience.To join us for the next event, go to www.GardenChat.org or Click HERE to register for the Monthly Garden Chat with Live Q&AOur Special Guest:Doreen Pollack is a member of the Urban Farm Team. She has been a Master Gardener for over 16 years. She has also turned her own urban plot in a downtown Phoenix Historic District into a living example of what she teaches.  Her front yard now houses an edible garden where a lush Bermuda grass lawn used to be.  Rainwater harvesting systems channel and store rain, compost piles supply needed amendments to harsh clay soil and creative plant location maximize use of this neighborhood lot. A Laundry to Landscape system uses washing machine output to water a 35 year old grapefruit tree.   Editor's Notes: Check out our articles on Wicking Beds as this was a question in the chat tonight. www.urbanfarm.org/wickingbedsVisit https://www.urbanfarm.org/2022/12/16/711-garden-chat/ for show notes and links

The Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson

The Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson

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