Episode 171: In this stimulating conversation with Regenerative Land Designer and Educator Javan Bernakevitch, we discuss life design and why it’s important. According to Javan, if we don’t design our lives, someone else will.  What are the signs of an undesigned life? Some of them include: not knowing what you’re good at, a lack of direction, being directed by past events, problems saying no, and having a hard time making decisions. In this interview, we talk about practicing values-based decision making and the impact that can have on taking charge of our time and prioritizing what’s m ..read more

Episode 169: Is Permaculture the best option we have to meet the demands of an unpredictable future? In this lively conversation with Rosemary Morrow, Margie Bushman, and Wes Roe, we discuss the potential Permaculture holds in restoring degraded ecosystems around the globe.  Rosemary Morrow is a Permaculture designer, teacher, and earth restorer. She is the author of numerous publications including Permaculture Teaching Matters and The Earth Restorer’s Guide to Permaculture. Rosemary is the co-founder of the Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute and Permaculture for Refugees. We hear abo ..read more

Episode 38: Our plant today is Fig and our guest is Dr. Lee Reich. Lee is a writer, horticultural consultant, and educator with graduate degrees in soil science and horticulture.  Lee is a big fan of Figs (Ficus carica) and in this episode we learn how to successfully propagate, grow, and harvest this ancient plant. Lee explains why it’s a challenge to know how many varieties of Figs there really are and shares his tips about how to keep your Fig tree healthy and happy. Figs are unique in the fruit world. Did you know that when you eat a Fig, you aren’t eating a fruit? A fig is really a ..read more

What does water want? What happens when we allow water to be water? Author Erica Gies explores the concept of Slow Water in her new book Water Always Wins: Thriving in an Age of Drought and Deluge.  Slow Water approaches are unique to each place and work with natural systems. Slow Water is key to greater resiliency and offers multiple benefits including reducing floods, droughts, and wildfires. The Slow Water movement asks where our water comes from and examines the impact that our water treatment methods have on the environment, other people, and animals.  In this episode, Erica ta ..read more

Episode 167: Learn how to garden like nature from writer, horticultural consultant and educator Dr. Lee Reich. We start the episode with an audio tour of Lee’s award winning “farmden,” which is more than a garden and less than a farm. Packed with plants, including Paw Paws, Hardy Kiwi, Gooseberries, Figs, and Filberts, Lee uses his land as a test site for showcasing his gardening techniques. After 40 years of tending the land, Lee not only grows healthy fruits and vegetables, but also lots of fertile soil and compost.  Lee and I discuss the art and science of building soil from the ..read more

Episode 166: Did you know that oceans make life possible on our planet? Even if we live far from the coast, our lives are influenced by the ocean. Oceans generate oxygen, capture carbon, shape weather, and provide habitat for countless creatures.  To learn more about these vast, yet fragile bodies of water that make our planet unique, beautiful, and able to support life, I speak with world renowned ocean scientist and explorer Dr. Sylvia Earle. In this inspirational interview, Sylvia shares her thoughts about what we can do to help our oceans and why urgent action is needed now. We ..read more

Episode 165: This special episode introduces the Regenerative Media Alliance, a project I have been working on for quite some time with fellow podcast producers Oliver Goshey and Scott Mann. The Regenerative Media Alliance or RMA is a cooperative group for podcasters and media creators working in the Permaculture, sustainability, and regenerative fields. Podcasting can be a bit lonely. If you’re like me and you produce your podcast in your “Shoedio” (also known as a bedroom closet),  you know how isolating it can be talking into a microphone and not knowing if there’s anyone out there wh ..read more

Episode 164: Are you a fan of Raptors or birds of prey? Members of this large group of magnificent birds include hawks, eagles, falcons, and owls. For many of us, seeing raptors in cities and in the wilderness is awe-inspiring. To learn more about these amazing birds, I am joined by Lisa Owens Viani and Allen Fish, co-founders of the nonprofit Raptors Are the Solution (RATS).  We begin by chatting about the wonders of raptors and why Lisa and Allen have devoted so much of their lives to helping these birds. We then discuss the impact that anticoagulant rodenticides is having on rapt ..read more

by Your Hungry Neighborhood Owl, as told to Jill Cloutier You may see me after the sun goes down. A sharp, swift glide, feathers wide and silent, a blur of brown or white. You may hear me. My calls can fill the darkness with an otherworldly sound. I am your hungry neighborhood owl and I’m here to tell you a few things. Many of us live with you including Barn Owls, Great Horned Owls, and Screech Owls. There are others in our family including Long Eared, CA Spotted, Northern Pygmy, Northern Saw Whet, and Flammulated. Short Eared and Burrowing Owls visit our area in the winter.  I am proud ..read more

Episode 163: What if you could replace your monocrop grass lawn with a “solar powered regenerative system that stores carbon while creating habitats”? You can! Learn how in this informative episode with Owen Wormser. Did you know that the average lawn is a a biological desert that needs vast amounts of resources to stay alive? By replacing your lawn with a meadow, you can sink carbon, retain water, provide habitat, attract pollinators, create beauty, and save money. Owen fills us in on how to transition your lawn to a biodiverse meadow and what a meadow needs to thrive. He shares some of his ..read more