The Urban Farm Podcast With Greg Peterson

Ping Honzay is currently Member Programs Associate for the American Horticultural Society (AHS), where she coordinates national garden programs including the annual National Children & Youth Garden Symposium for educators and others who work to connect kids with plants and the natural world.  She has an M.S. in Natural Resources with a focus in environmental education, and has worked on a variety of organic farms and garden projects around the country.  When not in the office at AHS she enjoys keeping bees at River Farm, the AHS’s garden headquarters outside of Washington, DC. Founded in 1922, the American Horticultural Society (AHS) is one of the oldest national gardening organizations in the country.  AHS works towards its mission of “Making America a Nation of Gardeners, a Land of Gardens” by providing educational resources such as its award-winning magazine The American Gardener, programming and events both nationally and locally at its River Farm headquarters in Alexandria, VA, recognizing outstandi

David grew up in the West in a small town working in the family toy factory and enjoying the rivers, mountains and sage covered hills. After earning his BA in Earth Sciences at UC San Diego in 1970, he headed to UC Davis to complete an MS in Ecology in the multidisciplinary Eco-Grad Program.  He started a company doing environmental impact analysis, then transitioned to a solar research and design firm, Living Systems, where he worked on community design, passive solar heating and cooling, building codes and solar rights. David’s research on passive solar heating and cooling led him to the California Energy Commission as a solar specialist, where he worked on the passive section of the state Solar Tax Credit program. He then established the Passive Solar Institute to continue research, education, and consulting on solar design and energy conservation. He worked in straw bale building systems and helped complete The Straw Bale House in 1994. He returned to academia and worked on desert restoration at UC Rivers

Ryan is a Golf Course Superintendent by profession, and a homesteader by passion.  He and his wife own the Live Simply, Live Richly Farm. His wife of four years works from home raising their two small children and supporting his farming addiction. They are pursuing a simpler, more natural, God-Centered lifestyle in west-central Ohio on their one-acre homestead. IN THIS PODCAST: Ryan tells Greg why he and his wife decide to start growing their own food and how that has developed into a virtually self-sustained homestead for his young family. Ryan explains about how he transformed his greenhouse, do their own canning and even raise their own meat birds so that they know exactly what they are eating. His story is one that is sure hit home for our listeners in one way or another.  Greg liked it so much that Ryan is one of our Featured Farmers! Go to our Podcast page at www.urbanfarm.org/blog/podcast/ to find photos, links, and more information on this podcast, as well as for each of our other great guest intervie

Missy Gable serves as director for the UC Master Gardener Program and co-director for the UC Master Food Preserver program, both statewide programs under University of California’s division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR). Missy earned a B.S. Biological Sciences and M.S. in Horticulture and Agronomy from UC Davis. She enjoys sharing her passion for home horticulture, sustainable landscaping and home food preservation with the 6,500+ UC Master Gardener and Food Preserver volunteers and program staff across California. She loves the direct impacts both programs make in local communities, from teaching communities about growing and preserving their own food, reducing food and water waste, improving pollinator habitats, beautifying landscapes, and so much more.  IN THIS PODCAST: Missy introduces us to the Master Gardener Program and what the role and purpose of this program, as well as a new Master Food Preserver Program.  Then she educates Greg about two distinct climates zones maps and even teache

Tom has been involved in the nursery business since 1973. At that time, he was a freshman in high school and rode his skateboard to work. Since then he has worked for several different nurseries including Nogales Nursery where he learned landscape design, installation, irrigation and construction. Armstrong Nurseries where he worked with hybridizers, growers and retail on the weekends. La Verne Nursery which specializes in Avocado, Citrus, Sub-Tropical fruit trees and grafted ornamentals, where he was general manager for 20 years. And currently southwestern sales manager for Dave Wilson Nursery. Dave Wilson Nursery is the largest grower of fruit, nut and shade trees in the USA. They grow 10,500,000 plus trees per year and ships wholesale worldwide. Over the past 20 years Tom has also done television, video, radio, written, conducted workshops and lectured on the concepts of Backyard Orchard Culture and fruit growing in general. Tom's dedication and passion for quality fruit growing has taken him to dozens of

Tom has been involved in the nursery business since 1973. At that time, he was a freshman in high school and rode his skateboard to work. Since then he has worked for several different nurseries including Nogales Nursery where he learned landscape design, installation, irrigation and construction. Armstrong Nurseries where he worked with hybridizers, growers and retail on the weekends. La Verne Nursery which specializes in Avocado, Citrus, Sub-Tropical fruit trees and grafted ornamentals, where he was general manager for 20 years. And currently southwestern sales manager for Dave Wilson Nursery. Dave Wilson Nursery is the largest grower of fruit, nut and shade trees in the USA. They grow 10,500,000 plus trees per year and ships wholesale worldwide. Over the past 20 years Tom has also done television, video, radio, written, conducted workshops and lectured on the concepts of Backyard Orchard Culture and fruit growing in general. Tom's dedication and passion for quality fruit growing has taken him to dozens of

Shelley has distinguished herself by meeting the personal and professional challenges of living and working with progressively disabling multiple sclerosis. An award-winning writer, author of 7 books, and professional motivational speaker, Schwarz uses her experiences to inspire and empower audiences to rise above challenges and teaches them how to bloom where they’re planted. Her focus is finding solutions to common everyday problems that people diagnosed with chronic illnesses face.  From getting yourself dressed and making meals to tending gardens and continuing recreational activities you enjoy, her philosophy is that a problem is only a situation waiting for a solution.  IN THIS PODCAST: Shelley shares an account of life with Greg who recognizes her as having an “epic” story. She has refused to allow her life enjoyment to end with her diagnosis of MS and now works to help others keep living their lives as well. She shares some tips, hacks and encouragement for how to keep doing what you love despite the

Loretta lives with her husband and two children in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of north central Texas.  Having been gardening most of her adult life, she became intrigued with the urban homestead movement and is now on a mission to transform her little piece of the busy city into a thriving homestead.  Her passion was fueled even more when she discovered aquaponics and learned that she could combine her love of gardening with one of her other favorite things, fish!  Raising delicious tilapia in her aquaponics system only fed the fire and now their little homestead includes a small flock of laying hens with plans to add meat rabbits this fall. IN THIS PODCAST: Greg and Loretta have a great time sharing their love and appreciation of truly home prepared meals.  Loretta tells Greg all about how she has established her own aquaponics system on her homestead and now enjoys the health benefits of the love and care she has put into her organically based homestead.  Together they share some tips and advice on how to h

Mary was raised on a Holstein dairy farm in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York.  In 2008 she founded SEEAG, Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture, which teaches children about the farm origins of their food and connects them to the farmland in their own backyard.  After years of teaching thousands of local school children, Mary realized their parents also knew little about local agriculture.  So she founded Ventura County Farm Day, a county-wide agricultural education event, which includes over 20 local farms, tours and activities.   In This Podcast: Greg chats with Mary and learns how she recognized the need for agriculture education for both kids and adults in her community and how she started an organization to do something about it. Mary also teaches Greg something he did not realize about agriculture and education. Together they share an appreciation of the Do-er’s in the world. And she explains about the annual event she organized to help farmers in her county connect wit

Morag loves living a permaculture life. She is a passionate permaculture teacher, an experienced designer, a permaculture blogger and film maker, a regular feature writer for the the Australian Permaculture Magazine and Correspondent for the new ABC Simple Living and Permaculture radio show. She lives at Crystal Waters a permaculture village in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast with her husband and young family, who she homeschools.  They designed and built their eco-home without going into debt, collect all their own water, deal with their own wastewater and produce their own power.  Morag loves teaching from her gardens - in this educational space she leads her Nature Kids programs, Young Ethos Scholar programs, Earth School camps for high school students and the Permaculture Life education series for adults. IN THIS PODCAST: Greg and Morag cross time to chat about the beauty of living a simple life in conjunction with nature. She tells an inspiring story of how she has implemented her permaculture learn

Author of the recent award-winning book, “Harvest the Rain,” published in 2010 by Sunstone Press, Nate brings an extensive background to his current work and practice as a designer, “landscape-changer,” and forward-looking writer. For over a decade, Nate has spoken, taught, and penned numerous columns, guides, and publications extending permaculture practices in vitally important ways. At home, in our backyards, in the workplace, regionally, nationally, and internationally, Nate’s work addresses what he calls “changescapes,” “permapatterns,” and “permaDesign” — providing practical and visionary ways to be productive and add value to our lives, homes, communities, and environment. Nate’s PermaDesign firm believes decisions that “green” our daily lives should add beauty, comfort, and value to our most-important investments. While impacting our world at home, we can all positively affect the environment upon which we depend. Each of us can make a difference by the way we see and the way we act. IN THIS PODCAST: 

Laura is a master teacher in numerous fields of the ancient science of life that arises from the Vedas and brings us Yoga, Ayurveda and Jyotish…time-tested and evidence-based pathways to healing, wholeness and higher self-actualization.  Working for years in the fields of health and human potential for decades, Laura is a Vedic Healer, Ayurvedic Consultant, Yoga Teacher, Jyotish Master, Life Coach, and well-followed blogger on Ayurvedic Nutrition. She has studied the world over with some of the greatest luminaries of our time, practicing and sharing what she has learned from ancient, proven wisdom for modern, exciting times. Offering classes and consultations in Ayurveda, Jyotish, Yoga Therapy, Whole Food Cooking and Nutrition, and life coaching, a session with Laura can address health issues, chronic pain, emotional balance, stress reduction, yogic living, spiritual growth, self-realization.  Her blog food-alovestory.com is an inspirational resource for sacred, sumptuous living. IN THIS PODCAST:  Laura and

Eric is the award-winning author of Paradise Lot and Perennial Vegetables, and the co-author of Edible Forest Gardens. He is an appointed lecturer at Yale University, a Senior Biosequestration Fellow with Project Drawdown, and an international trainer. Eric presents in English, Spanish, and botanical Latin throughout the Americas and beyond. He has studied useful perennial plants and their roles in agroforestry systems for over two decades. Eric has owned a seed company, managed an urban farm that leased parcels to Hispanic and refugee growers, and provided planning and business trainings to farmers. He is the author of The Carbon Farming Solution: A Global Toolkit of Perennial Crops and Regenerative Agricultural Practices for Climate Change Mitigation and Food Security. Greg and Eric have a great conversation talking about carbon, climate change, permaculture and there are a few tidbits in here that even caught Greg by surprise. Go to our Podcast page at www.urbanfarm.org/blog/podcast/ to find photos, links

John is a husband, father to four, small farmer, author, and speaker. After serving on the board of the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, he was asked to serve as interim Executive Director and now full Executive Director. John has participated in the small farming and food freedom movement in many ways over the years, serving as administrator for one of the largest local food buying clubs in the nation (Whole Life Buying Club). He acted by standing up with the members of that buying club to unjust enforcement actions that denied them access to real food, protesting the FDAs harassment of farmers and consumers seeking real food. John regularly speaks across the nation on matters related to food, health, and farming.  He and his family steward the 35 acres that they like to call Some Small Farm. John and Greg have an eye-opening chat about the rights of farmers and growers in America. Listen in and learn about: His unlikely path to where he is now, from a junk food eating video game junkie teenager to the

Hayley joined International Network for Urban Agriculture (INUAg) as the Director of Programming and Operations in March of this year. She develops and leads international and regional programming for the organization.  Hayley graduated with a B.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing from Colgate University, and is thrilled to be working with INUAg to help urban farmers cultivate sustainable food systems. The INUAg advocates for, educates, and provides funding to urban farmers world-wide. They help urban growers connect to each other to share best practices and provide promotional support to their projects. They’ve facilitated exchanges between farmers in the U.S. and farmers in Europe, Canada, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, and the Philippines. They are currently collecting submissions for their Annual International Leaders in Urban Agriculture Awards Listen in and learn about: Hayley’s story about how she got to where she is at the International Network for Urban Agriculture More about what the non-profit

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

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

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

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

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