Episodi

  • Juanfran Lopez is an agricultural consultant and educator who works with subsistence farmers to empower them in their own knowledge by educating the science behind their traditional farming and behind his own regenerative farming tools of biofertilisers, Native microorganism formulations and circular chromatography testing. Juanfran represents and continues a deep tradition from spanish speaking agro ecological revolution starting from Francis Chabousou, and pushed further by Sebastiano Pinhero, Jairo Restrepo and Enugnio Gras. This deep contribution to the collective development of regenerative agriculture is often overlooked or remains unknown due to the publications and research remaining in Spanish.  The foundational tools of this tradition include biofertilisers using cow dung, native microorganism formulas and circular chromatography testing.  The approach is deeply scientific, highly intuitive and eminently applicable. Being originally developed from ex monsanto scientists for subsistence farmers throughout Latin America, the empowerment and low cost, high profit success  of the farmer is a high priority.  Knowledge, both of the farmer and inherently invested within the tools used, is the coin of the system and the natural intelligence of the farmer is highly valued. Networking of farmers is highly encouraged and facilitated to accelerate knowledge and learning.
    I really value your interest and input.
    If you have any comments or have a guest you'd like me to talk with shoot me a fb message HERE,  or email me at [email protected]
    Enjoy!
    we talk about in this episode
    local knowledge and farmer empowerment with deep science 
    exchanging knowledge with local farmers as scientists 
    plant health and farmer focus vs soil as foundation and biology as the focus
    empowering and freeing farmers with deep knowledge and farmer networking
    Juanfran starting his Phd on regenerative agriculture in Barcelona
    Working in semiarid ecologies and seasonal biological activity
    cultivating native microorganisms for formulations in the semi arid 
    "everything you learn today you need to share tomorrow, because maybe tomorrow you are not here.." 
    "the more you give, the more you get.."
    the scientific approach of 'Mineral, Microorganisms and Organic matter'
    uses and purposes of native microbe formulas, and biofertilisers as nutrition amendment 
    feeding biology and chelating minerals within biofertilisers
    using biology to assimilate various compounds, hormones and micro nutrients into biological metabolites
    importance of Redox in testing biofertiliser for facultative microbes
    quality ingredients, proper equipment and effective fermentation 
    linage of teachers and research from Chabbousou, Sebastiano, Jairo and Juanfran
    Juanfrans new book and using local resources
    ecological agriculture as a tool for personal transformation
    using microbiological formulas for human consumption
    Juanfrans new 300Ha semi arid project  

    Juanfran Lopez website for info, consultancy and learning
    https://www.juanfranlopez.com/
    Buy Juanfran Lopez online ebook, The Biofertiliser Manual
    http://www.regrarians.org/the-biofertilizer-manual-1st-edition/
    Regrarians webinar with Juanfran Lopez
    https://youtu.be/1ZV43M0jBog










  • This episode was with Curtis Stone. Curtis is the founder of the Urban Farmer (https://theurbanfarmer.co), a platform teaching how to farm in an urban or semi urban environment and turn a real profit. Curtis is the author of The Urban Farmer book (https://theurbanfarmer.co/book/). He manages the innovative Paperpot co (https://paperpot.co) farming tools shop with Diego Footer from Permaculture Voice. Hosts a high quality podcast, Liberty on the Land (https://libertyontheland.com), and a new and a amazing high value membership learning platform, From The Field (Fromthefield.farm) . 

    Curtis farms his own homestead and is collaboratively developing a collective family based property as an abundant stronghold in turbulent times. With over 30 million views on Youtube and 360k subscribers. Curtis has helped thousands, jump from courses into profitable farming businesses. 

    Curtis has become pretty famous in that interesting space of market gardening, and although the space of market gardening differs somewhat from my own passionate focus for many years on regenerative farming and a more broad acre and transformational approach, never the less the skills and knowledge and growth that manifests out of market gardens, have, i believe, incredibly high value in the whole picture of human transformation through a deeper connection with ecological processes. 

    Having the ability to create  very fast turn around food system that can be set up rapidly and with basic knowledge and minimal investment. To experience rapid abundance for your family and community. Thats can be life changing or life saving for most of us. Curtis is well and truly aware of that transformational side that is born out of living from the land.

    This was a really surprising episode for me, I knew from my previous talk with Curtis that there was way more to the urban farmer than market gardens and entrepreneurial farming. This episode I made a decision to follow the advice of my mentor and let my guest open up and explore his own message and ideas unfettered, and pivot my questions to encourage that.  

    We went into uncharted waters (literally!) about the importance of liberty on the land. what is 'citizen ship', and about the tradeoff between freedom and convenience.   About the intimate and intricate link between liberty and personal responsibility.  

    About how big ag and big pharma are removing our ability to assume more responsibility for our lives, our families and the land we live on, and should be living from. The result is ultimately way less freedom for us. 

    Curtis covers the difference and importance of common law which is really the REALITY ON THE GROUND, and the legal law which is a created law. We also continually keep returning back to idea that abundance is a natural state and that a mindset of scarcity is a constructed reality. Encouraging more responsibility and cooperation or..... no responsibility and competition.

    Curtis also shares a possible approach when dealing with the legal law vs the common law and your personal rights. I find this conversation very critical in our times for farmers especially and all peoples involved in entrepreneurship and harmony on the land. 

    I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did, and let me know what you think through the short questionnaire link below...

    https://forms.gle/qjUtsVwvRppL56ra9

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  • "The outcome of an intervention has nothing to do with the skills of the intervener and it has everything to do with the place within from which the intervener comes." (Otto Scharmer)  "There are few areas that lend themselves to transformation as readily as farming.... ...all living processes are fundamentally transformative.." (John Kempf) For this episode I had the great pleasure to interview a recent hero of mine John Kempf. 

     This interview was very special for me personally and one of the real highlights of the show so far.  I really resonated with Johns’ approach to farming and ecology.  John's approach is a balance of excitement and seriousness about the work.  I found John to have a deep and high resolution image of the science behind regenerative farming and a firm stance on the important and sacred role of human beings within their nested farming ecologies.  

    I really felt a renewal of potential from my talk with John and a genuine joy at his stories and experiences of resilience and transformation on all levels. The subtle blend of spiritual awareness and intellectual knowledge and wisdom really made me see John as a brother in arms.  It my opinion and I think John would agree, that there is a very clear path to a deep spiritual awakening and transformation through the open, intense and subtle use of the mind in trying to understand the complexity of living systems.  We will never get there but the journey is inherently empowering and eventually leads to the most natural miracle of all...   

    Abundance. 

    John Kempf is the CEO of the Regen Ag Academy (https://www.academy.regen.ag/) an online education platform, Advanced EcoAgriculture (https://www.advancingecoag.com/), an on-the-ground consultancy company, the sole contributor to his blog site John Kempf (https://johnkempf.com/blog/), and the host of the hugely popular and amazingly in-depth Regenerative Agriculture Podcast (http://regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com/). If that wasn't enough! John recently finished his book Quality Agriculture (https://www.qualityagriculture.com/), where he weaves the experiences of some of his most prominent guests together to showcase a growing global movement and a deepening relationship with agro ecology. John serves thousands of farmers in making a shift to the harmonious approach of regenerative farming.  Big on the bottom line for farmers, John is also outspoken on our need to shift our thinking to a more nuanced mindset that can more readily approach the stewardship of such complex living systems.  

    Check out also Johns; Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRApdrU3BA0Pzo6MNWTD2jg), webinars (https://www.advancingecoag.com/webinars), and Plant Nutrition Pyramid 

       I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did. and please check out the short questionnaire below, and let me know what you think. your feedback is what helps us grow and serve you better. feedback link is here>  https://forms.gle/ZVJjS4wKa7nQ8kvC6

  • What a pleasure to host Dr Charles Massy.  Another master storyteller.  

    Dr Charles Massy is a farmer of more than 35 years and by his own account has learned from many deep mistakes on the land. 

    In talking with with Charles I had the wonderful feeling I have with so many guests of intense excitement and hope that seems to accompany so many producers and followers in the Regenerative Agriculture Movement. Having authored several books, the latest being the highly acclaimed "The Call Of The Reed Warbler", Charles deeply believes in the relevance and power of storytelling. His latest book is actually just that! the personal stories that came out of interviewing over 80 farmers that made a transformation into regenerative agriculture.  The actual  story containing the 'call of the reed warbler' was the highlight of the interview... walking across the regenerated land of a farmer and being show a flowing creek restored to a thriving eco system and hearing the song of a bird that hadn't been in that area for maybe a hundred years.  .  ..

    As our listeners know by now I like to go deep with our guests and covered many deep areas of transformations on many levels, with Charles.

    We talk about the importance of communication among all things, the relevance of instinct and bio sensitivity, and the amazing speed of recovery and regeneration on lands managed largely by just 'getting out of the way'. 

    The land, the food, the mind, the body, the soul. I know you'll enjoy this episode as much as I did.

    "Regenerative Agriculture is a knowledge rich agriculture that anyone can own, and you are not dependant on top down corporations, the big machinery or the intellectual property behind the chemicals and patent seeds...........its a bottom up approach that empowers and is democratic.     This revolution is one based on peace and health. its kind of ironic. The Revolution of peace....."

    Hi my friend. If you read down this far it means you appreciate what we doing with The EcoIQ Project. This is just the beginning. Our mission is to foster and empower deeper ecological connection in culture, in business, in body, mind, and soul .  A big part of that will very soon be education and on the ground projects.. Right now we are building our foundations and those are foundations include YOU!  This project is about you and your connection. Your feedback is invaluable to our progress and our ability to serve you and many other in the best way we can.  

    The time to unite and start or accelerate your journey is NOW. Take a few minutes to support us and you and fill out some feedback right HERE        

    ( https://forms.gle/TpKPaUvidbpqU4AJA )

    Thanks for listening 

    Aharon Henderson

    The EcoIQ Project

  • Last week we had the good fortune to sit down again with a massive entrepreneurial leader, friend, and hero of mine, Richard Perkins.

    Richard is the founder of Ridgedale Permaculture farm in Varmland, Sweden and the author of Regenerative Agriculture, the most comprehensive book to come out on the subject to date. He hosts a very well followed youtube channel sharing insights and innovations from the farm and recently launched an online monthly membership site showcasing long form interviews of many of the successful young farmers who started out at Ridgedale Farm.  

    Its always an event to host Richard, as the man has a depth and intensity that, as a host, I feel duty bound to prepare for.  This is a must listen episode for anyone wanting to, or already in the midst of, farming as a business. We go deep into the importance and nuances of an entrepreneurial spirit and mindset. The need to be independent of 'middle men' and to share successes openly with others, in particular regarding that highest of innovative intellectual properties, books. We open the subject of systems thinking, accelerated learning and Richard's own insights regarding this profound information and approach. We talk about the various nuances of teaching, learning and mentoring on and offline, and, of course we cover in detail the drive, purpose and backstory behind the latest evolution of regenerative agriculture's most prodigious educator. The Farm Like A Hero Experience. 

    But most instructive and engaging of all is the 'everyday' insights and lessons shared from the journey, and life of a man on a serious mission to influence a movement and empower a community to make profound steps forward in a regenerative farming future for every young wannabe farmer with a dream.

    Like Richard pointed out in our talk "we are all standing on the shoulders of those who pioneered the way before us", but even so, it's slowly dawning on me that in the area of regenerative farming today, Richard Perkins is hands down the leader of the movement forward, in terms of on the ground fully comprehensive, successful students, platforms and learning opportunities available.  

    Highly recommend engaging in every aspect of what Richard and his team are offering.  The massively high value publication Regenerative Agriculture (https://www.regenerativeagriculturebook.com/), the constantly updated Ridgedale Permaculture farm youtube channel, the Ridgedale farm (www.ridgedalepermaculture.com) website itself and all the future courses coming up there, and of course the new and amazing Farm Like A Hero Experience (https://www.farmlikeahero.com). 

    Be sure to leave me some feedback HERE (https://forms.gle/XuAm4XTqZSxZcpQB6), about what you did and didn't enjoy. We grow and evolve, and contribute more, from more interaction with YOU.   

    enjoy.

  • Our guest this week was the activist, educator, artist and innovative mycologist Peter McCoy.

    Peter is the self published author of Radical Mycology (2016), a massively comprehensive and in depth look at fungi and its many contexts at multiple levels including agro ecology, bio remediation, medicine, food, cultivation and the various cultures surrounding fungi.

    Seeing another unfulfilled global need, and within one year after his book release, Peter founded Mycologos, the worlds first dedicated school for all things mycology, and the next iteration of his mission to bring to light and share the amazing keystone ecological element of fungi.

    For the last 17 years Peter has been an advocate and an educator for understand the significance of fungi and its connection to basically everything ecologically speaking, including us. His work has featured in numerous news and media outlets and documentaries.

    Peter is also the lead mycologist at Mycocycle a Chicago based bio remediation firm, and an advisor to various other platforms.  With more and more people awakening to the importance of understanding and working in alignment with ecological processes and cycles, his passion for communication and going deep into the rabbit hole of this elusive world brings us into an ever closer relationship with the indefinable and infinitely complex intelligence within our global ecologies and nature itself. 

    Peter also hosts; Radical Mycology, a blog site to showcase blogs, art and other eclectic content, and the radical mycology convergence, a physical culmination of several years of Peters first project into Mycology, a humble zine of the same name, made just for friends. Facebook page is HERE, and HERE. and a new film festival one HERE.

    I really enjoyed this interview, and we covered a LOT of ground regarding fungi, and its many contexts, and of Peter's personal passions and insights in his journey.  We also deep dive into the utility of the learning of fungi as a tool for personal transformation. I have always thought of the fungal world as the element of communication and connection in whole ecologies, and rightly the keystone 'piece' of the whole because of it..  It was amazing to hear this echoed by someone so deeply immersed and learned in the subject.  

    With Peter McCoy "immersed" is the word, he has that natural obsessive drive displayed by so many natural entrepreneurs, the drive to express and expand and develop a unique message to a wider and wider audience. The new entrepreneur whose goal and mission is to share and give.  Something Robert Kiyosaki calls "Spiritual Money"

    Hope you stick around to hear the whole this.  If you dig what we do, your feedback will help me adapt to YOU. You can fill out a small and fun form HERE and let me know what you think.  

  • In this period of time, at EcoIQ we have decided to run some interviews concerning the current global situation and all its elements.  As we move forward with our goal of fostering a deeper connection for us all with ecological cycles and processes. we will also begin releasing additional episodes with a focus on more controversial and human health issues.  While I would not at all consider myself a conspiracy theorist and nor do I have time to dive down those rabbit holes. Never the less I do feel it VERY important to be aware in a deeper way of certain agendas and vested interests and their effects on us at this time. This requires an open mind and critical thinking, to recognise truth and put aside what doesn't resonate with us individually without throwing out any attached wisdom, information or knowledge.  For me personally to becoming more aware is a painful but ultimately deeply liberating and powerfully motivating experience.

    Our guest this week is Shai Danon, the founder of Raise The Frequency in Israel, an innovative and empowering platform that promotes a very open minded approach to transparency of information regarding community and global health at all levels. 

    I really enjoyed talking with Shai and was very effected by our conversation, the biggest point for me was the huge importance of total individual  sovereignty mentally and physically, especially for our children, and to recognise when that is being infringed on.

    Shai is an incredibly prolific and active community, vlogger, activist, educator, speaker and seeker of truth. With over 10k followers on youtube and well over 2M views, to clarify in our small country of Israel thats sizeable, and 100s of videos and papers covering, bio physics of water, sound healing, dangers of WiFi and 5G, bio physics of light, modern day radiation, and human bio hacking. Shai sees the importance of local support and has a deep sense of commitment and responsibility to the communities here in Israel. He interviews a huge range of thinkers, academics and professionals about the most controversial challenges we face today in our world, and last year Shai decided to file suit against sections of the government against the untried implementation of 5G technology into Israel.

    Hope you enjoy and are moved by our talk as I was.

  • Amazing long form, round table conversation with Joel Salatin and Darren Doherty, recorded right before the CoVid lockdown. We get a real deep insight into what drives and concerns two amazing pioneers and innovators in agriculture and regenerative farming.

    Joel Salatin is an outspoken advocate for free speech and choice in food and farmer relationships and transparency of production. An author of 12 eclectic books on farming, entrepreneurship, legal battles and spiritual ecological connection.  Joel's latest communications outreach is his ever relevant blog Musings From a Lunatic Farmer.  Joel is also the head of the highly acclaimed Polyface Farms and widely accepted as the most famous farmer of our time and a huge mentor to thousands of young and passionate new farmers. Also self described as a Christian libertarian environmentalist capitalist lunatic farmer. I have huge respect and affection for Joel as an elder, a friend and a God fearing farmer. 

    Known as the master of process Darren Doherty has painstakingly developed an incredibly pragmatic and far reaching platform for total farm planning, the Regrarians Platform. With thousands of hours, ecological farm designs, implementations and successful students Darren’s innovative and incredible contribution to the regenerative farming movement is well established and most recently manifest in his long awaited book The Regrarians Handbook. When it comes to due diligence in farm planning and farming innovation Darren Doherty has become the undisputed last word.  I have a special respect and gratitude to Darren, as my first real teacher and connection into the world of regenerative farming and all the following evolutions. 

    The Regarians team and Polyface Farms also collaborated in the production of the deeply moving and acclaimed documentary, Polyfaces. check it.

    As we do at The EcoIQ Project, we like to dig deep into these leaders mindset, decision making processes and secrets of success, earned the long short way, through thousands of hours of involvement at all levels of regenerative farming and connecting to our intrinsic relationship to land, food, animals and country.

    We cover:

    Connections and preparations for the upcoming Mother Earth Fair and The Regrarians Handbook launch History of The Mother Earth Magazine and information sharing globally The beginnings of a close professional relationship The hunger for a deeper meaning in farming Thoughts on the work of Dr Jordan Peterson The importance of taking on individual responsibility Entrepreneurial mindset Secrets of mentorship and importance of passing on knowledge What is a big M small D approach? What is real diversity Techniques for developing and refining innovation. Is there a connection between our farming models and the strength of immune system? Richard Perkins and the desire to engage on the deeper end of the water
 To serve is how we become most fully human. messages for all


    A deep honour and pleasure to share words of wisdom from these two esteemed elders in this space. many lessons to mediate on and integrate. So get your pen ready and your finger poised over the rewind button, as we embrace the complexity in all things and go deep and dense with Joel Salatin and Darren Doherty.

  • Before the current global CoVid situation I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr Uri Meyer-Chissick.     Uri is well educated in multiple areas of food cultures, food and nutrition history, including extensive research into medieval medical scholars including the famous Jewish scholar and doctor Maimondes.  

    In Israel Uri is outspoken in the need to reconnect with our local biome and more specifically our local food history, cultures and traditions surrounding food.  Appearing on multiple Israeli news stations and independent media, including an amazing Ted Talk where he chronicles his family decision to go totally local for a year.

    He also runs a centre in the north of Israel that reconnects people to; food and local food preparation traditions and place, through regular group wild foraging tours. For those wanting to go deeper still, Uri also consults privately on deeper health from his center, and educates in natural medicine through lectures online and in person, locally and globally. He is the author of several books on wildcrafting, food as medicine, as established in the medieval Arabic world, and local food vs the issue of modern processed food.  

    It was a real pleasure to welcome Uri to the show. 

    As always i value YOUR feedback, EcoIQ grows from and for YOU.   enjoy.

  • The EcoIQ Podcast hosts soil regeneration and farming optimising coach, Nicole Masters.

    It was a real pleasure to get back to my own personal passion of all things soil science and biology. Nicole has an amazingly youthful energy that belies her deep passion for pushing the envelope of understanding and better practice in soils and production systems. Nicole’s approach remains refreshing undogmatic.

    Nicole is academically trained agro ecologist, author and soil regeneration coach. Nicole has travelled intensely for years educating hundreds of farmers, and facilitating a deeper relationship and understanding of soil health in relation to food production systems.

    A keen entrepreneur Nicole heads the team at the aptly named Integrity Soils, and recently finished her first publication, For The Love Of Soils. With demand for Nicole’s work and unique approach, far outstripping supply. Integrity Soils in set to embark on a mission to train more coaches and reach more producers who need help to make a shift in life, in business, in land practice and in mindset.

    How talk was super engaging and we covered a real lateral spread of topics in the space of regenerative farming and entrepreneurship. I REALLY enjoyed this talk and look forward to our next meeting.

    hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

    2:00 Confronting personal bias as an individual

    18:45 What is quorum sensing? microbes and insects

    25:25 Why do I need animals on my farm and in my garden?

    31:20 The miseducation of photosynthesis and measuring the basis of life.

    46:57 Learning signs of succession, which direction are you heading?

    53:25 The role of the entrepreneur, and soil coaching

    1:03 What it takes to make Integrity Soils

    1:05:30 Case studies of Integrity Soils

    1:11:00 Another look at testing

    1:15:10 Communication. learning to connect mind and heart

    1:19:00 Spiritual succession and evolution

    1:23:35 Going beyond health and the unique role of humans..

    1:26:40 Nicole’s message: take heart, because something great is coming..

  • Amazing interview with the Urban Farmer and massive content creator, Curtis stone. Curtis is the founder of the Urban Farmer education entity, a platform teaching young hopefuls how to farm in an urban or semi urban environment and turn a real profit. He also manages an innovative online farming tools shop with Diego Footer from Permaculture Voice, Paperpot Co, hosts a high quality podcast, Liberty on the Land, and run a new and a amazing high value membership resource platform exploring beyond market gardens, From The Field. All this while still farming his own decent homestead plots and collaboratively developing a collective family based farming property to serve as an abundant stronghold in turbulent times. With a Youtube channel of over 30 million views and almost 360k subscribers. Curtis has helped thousands of young people who have springboarded from courses into profitable farming businesses. To say the least EcoIQ was well pleased to catch a little long form with Curtis Stone. It was also really enjoyable personally to dive deep into the entrepreneurial side of eco-agriculture. If your in the business or want to be, this is the one for you.

    Be sure to check out Curtis through the hyperlinks above.

    01:15 Content, content, content

    04:27 Writing a book, farm failure and farm success

    12:45 Entrepreneurial lessons, foundational values and adding value

    18:40 Mentoring, developing character and individual responsibility

    27:57 Changing perspective and speaking your truth

    30:10 Going down the rabbit hole of cultural control


    47:50 The essential divine nature of a Human being

    57:55 Getting back to eco-connection, the journey to farming

    01:13:58 The power of an entrepreneurial context..

    01:19:25 Manifesting new circles

    01:20:00 Trimming the fat-entrepreneur level 2

    01:36:30 From The Field - embracing complexity

    01:45:00 A new farming life for Curtis Stone


    01:52:08 The places of Sustainable and Regenerative

    01:54:45 Michael Abelman and connecting to the land

    01:57:28 Curtis’s message: Don’t Hesitate, Act Now

  • "Perfectionism is the death of creativity"

    An amazing, up close and personal discussion with Richard Perkins of Ridgedale Permaculture.

    Richard Perkins is the author of the highly acclaimed and comprehensive Regenerative Agriculture manual, and, along with his wife Yohanna, is the founder and leader at the hugely diverse and productive Ridgedale Permaculture in Sweden. Ridgedale teaches upcoming farmers the understanding needed to develop profitable and knowledgeable farms. With almost 70k subscribers and youtube views of over 5.5M, Ridgedale is fast becoming a highly influential platform and force in the space of farming and a deeper approach to agriculture.

    Richard has a very unique and special style of education, and emphasises the importance of learning to learn.

    Both viscerally and intellectually, Richard is a very sharp and wise thinker, and his learning is very extremely eclectic. Something I think is an important element in farming today and for farmers themselves is the necessary development of character. Richard really personifies this approach and the resulting conversation is both wide and deep.

    This talk was a very deep interview for me personally and I learnt of new connections and many areas of needed improvement for myself. My favourite learning is right here, personal, engaging and healthily challenging, and all born and expanded from immersion in ecological harmony and successful farming.  Focus in and collect the lessons. Trust you will enjoy it as much as i did.

    Keep in touch with Richard, Yohanna and Ridgedale  at:

    http://www.ridgedalepermaculture.com/

    pick up the book at:

    https://www.regenerativeagriculture.co/

    03:00 Changing tack, evolving a new direction

    16:55 Thoughts on market gardens

    21:52 Passion for life, entrepreneurship and evolving pathways

    dedication, responsibility and hard work are the foundations of good people.

    30:55 Keyline, permaculture, holistic management. refinement and the need for an empowered creative process.

    35:15 Perfectionism is the death of creativity-the need for systems thinking

    42:45 The culture and spirit of Ridgedale Permaculture - Hard work, flow and joy.

    48:00 The upcoming 'Hero' tour and a new development for Ridgedale

    1:02:40 Planting the seed and sharing in the process of growing harmony in production systems

    1:09:43 Dynamics and chaos

    1:11:05 Get up early and start observing!

    1:12:12 Get structured

    1:13:20 Getting momentum from social networks and dynamics

    1:15:35 structure and stop thinking

    1:16:58 who is spearheading new farms and steep learning curves

    1:23:23 Holistic training

    1:28:00 Good advice: Learning to learn

  • A long awaited interview with today's most respected Natural Farming expert, family man, global family farming educator, Chris Trump.
    Chris Trump is really an example of the farmers farmer.  Having passed through many years of conventional family farming, when Chris Trump (with encouragement from his father), decided to trial organic methods on their 880 acre macadamia farm in Hawaii, it was not a decision taken lightly, the learning curve was appreciated only equal to the importance of maintaining and improving the bottom line for his family and for those families supported by the farm.   
    The subsequent journey has become almost a roadmap for a deep and thorough investigation regarding the viability of a farming approach based on a deeper and deeper harmonisation with natural processes, as opposed to conventional prescriptive farming.  The hallmark of Chris's work is both deeply appreciative and humble of infinite and wondrous complexity of life and nature, and at the same time highly scientific and analytical.
    Many key areas for EcoIQ are covered here in depth.  The need for humility in working with farming, the fundamental empowerment of the farmer as a scientist and steward of the land and the life thats on it. The fundamental importance of fostering relationships across various fields, from the native soil ecologies to the individual farming mentality and toolbox of knowledge and approaches.
    Some may know Natural Farming as Korean Natural Farming.  We cover many aspects of KNF history and agricultural significance. Including an investigation of the jewel of preparations Indigenous Micro Organisms or 'IMO', along with the highly underrated and misunderstood Fermented Plant Juice.
    I loved this talk and really appreciated and resonated with Chris Trump's journey and work till now.  Hope you enjoy it too, as we dive deep and explore 
    Favourite timestamp (Too many!): I'd have to say from 58:00 on. we start going very deep and personal.....

    06:00 A farmer’s journey into natural farming
    23:30 Switching to 100% organic.
    26:07 Counterintuitive wisdom
    32:28 Farming is the ultimate science
    38:10 Adapting and evolving. Disasters and amazing grace.
    44:00 Deciding to understand deeply what is going on
    50:00 My own journey into natural farming - appreciating complexity
    58:00 Developing Awe and walking in gratitude
    1:04:30 Going deeper: Indigenous Micro Organisms
    1:13:30 More than meets the eye: Fermented Plant Juice
    1:21:00 Natural Farming with Animals
    1:24:20 The harmony of being profitable
    1:32:40 A Message from Chris Trump

  • A very rare and highly insightful conversation with the worlds foremost fire historian, Stephen J Pyne. We dive deeper into our relationship with fire and touch on our modern day, largely dysfunctional and reductionist, approach.

     Steve Pyne is an emeritus professor at Arizona State University. He has been at ASU since 1985.  In 1986 he joined the charter faculty at ASU West, where he remained for 10 years. He transferred to the School of Life Sciences in 1999.  

    Stephen J Pyne is a HUGELY prodigious writer, he has published 35 books, most of them dealing with fire, including extensive historical fire surveys of America, Australia, Canada, Europe (including Russia), and the Earth.   What could be called his magnum opus a 5 book series collectively called Cycles Of Fire, constructs a highly detailed and deeply nuanced history of fire and most uniquely and importantly our relationship to it. 

    His latest book on Fire: A Brief History.  Condenses and distills thousands of published pages on fire elegantly in one volume.   

    I knew from the first lecture i heard of Stephen's that I must share his work with you.  As someone deeply invested ecology from a 'living' standpoint, Fire was never something I considered or looked into to much depth.  But I found Stephen's message of our need to engage and reassess our relationship with fire so resonating that it led me into a rich world that we interact with everyday and know very little about. 

    His Extensive academic work would be impressive on its own before you find that Stephen Pyne spent 15 seasons as a remote forestry fire fighter. Learning and living with fire since the age of 18.  

    This combination of two worlds lends Stephen's words and concepts a depth and subtlety beyond facts and figures, physics and chemistry.

    Hate it or love it, fire is a part of our world now and forever. A relationship like fire is not easily or wisely ignored.   It was an honour and and treat to learn another perspective on this ever present relationship.   Be prepared to change what you think about fire.  It changed me.  

    Hope you enjoy it

    Favourite timestamp: 32:57

     3:45  The clarifying power of writing everyday

    5:35  Living two lives between fire and academia

    11:30 Telling stories of fire

    12:47 Fire up and over the rim.

    15:00 Expanding the history of fire

    15:45 A relationship with fire

    20:50 A shift from burning landscape to burning fossil fuels. changing patterns.

    23:14 Traditional hunting societies and fire

    25:00 Ignition points. Aboriginal Australia

    27:43 Another wonderful Mollison story remains just that. sorry guys

    30:36 Getting back to the right fire patterns in Arnhem Land Australia.

    32:57 Its not just “too much fuel”

    48:55 Fire is not just physics and chemistry

  • Are you concerned about our global or your local ecology?  Are you convinced our future is bleak? sometimes the 'solutions' are embarrassingly simple.  An amazing interview with children's author, underground parent educator and Holistic framework facilitator, Sarah Savory.

    The daughter of world famous ecologist Allan Savory, who created and developed the Holistic Management framework. Sarah has taken her own understanding and passion for Holistic Management and brought right down back to the foundations, teaching, storytelling and facilitating individuals, communities and local governing bodies. Sarah's mission is to develop our decision making out of knee jerk reactions and into the elegantly simple and powerfully evolved Holistic context framework.  

    I really enjoyed this interview. Sarah Savory is a real gem of heart and knowledge, and I know EcoIQ will be collaborating much with continuing work in the future.  We talk about the art of storytelling, growing up among among elephants and hyenas, and the blurring of wild and domestic areas in Africa and as a necessity around the world. It was truly refreshing to reconnect with the power of engagement with ecology as a strategy rather than strict conservation. 

    Favourite timestamp was around 1:07:35, Sarah opens up the whole regenerating process of Holistic grazing right in the last quarter!

    1:10  Growing up in Zimbabwe and storytelling

    13:05 Conservation and Regeneration - blurring the lines between wild and domestic

    21:45 A Holistic Context

    (37:00 Bare ground will always lead to conflict
.)

    41:30 Victimhood and empowerment

    43:45 We are part of our harmonious ecology - elevating and accelerating

    (47:55 When we remove ourselves from the ecology, and 40,000 dead elephants)

    (50:35 Our shadow reveals our strongest power. “The gift is in the wound”, Doron Geber)

    1:01:50 Juanfran Lopez- “Nature is complex, humans make it complicated”

    1:04:30 Where to learn more about Holistic Management as a decision framework

    1:07:35 Joel Salatin - “Life is so sacred it requires sacrifice to thrive”

    1:17:07 Do we need less animals on the land and on the earth?

  • An amazing conversation with Adiel Shneur from Kamin Massa Israel.

    My biggest takeaway here was the profound insight I got in understanding this elegant and simple technology, and how this same understanding can build deeper connection and empowering knowledge in peoples lives.  

    favorite timestamp was 27:23.  amazing and deep.

    Adiel is the foremost pioneer in the highly efficient technology of thermal mass heating, known commonly as rocket stoves. As Adiel closes in on almost a decade long journey of research, building and testing, he has completed over 250 fully functional mass heaters built throughout Israel and abroad. After 7 years of permaculture design, teaching and implementation.  Adiel found his passion for all things ecological in the elements of fire and stone, and with thousands of ravings fans after his journey, Adiel could easily be recognised as the biggest driving force in this space in Israel today. 

    Once again, among the local hero's of the community here I'm always inspired to find such resilient and passionate individuals.

    After years of experimentation and refining, Adiel and his team at Kamin Masa have really come to a stage where they offer incredible mass thermal heaters fully installed both in Israel and overseas.  Like many pioneers both in Israel and overseas along the way Adiel has had an equally critical work of building awareness and educating the community on the technological difference between regular wood stoves and thermal mass heaters. In case you're wondering the difference is huge!

    Be sure to be open to the deeper connections from of Adiel's journey. I learned a LOT.

    hope you enjoy it as much as me.

    be sure to join the EcoIQ Tribe and go deeper with us.. 

    06:10 journey from ecology to mass thermal heating - rocket stoves.

    11:20 the development of mass heaters over time


    12:05 an upgrade of an upgrade- choking design

    19:05 what! I’m actually cooling my house?

    21:25 making connections. burning or smouldering

    27:23 travelling fire and a marriage with earth

    30:39 getting it - the intelligence of fire

    33:45 igniting a new passion - starting from zero

    36:40 the mass heater market - DIY or high end design?

    38:50 Peter Van De Berg - the batch box and the falafel

    43:00 learning and empowering

    45:00 getting it tested professionally

    51:04 what is your stove encouraging you to do?

    54:50 teaching in Israel and overseas

    58:30 abundance

    1:01:55 learning to listen.

  • What a heartfelt conversation with a true pioneer of Israel's heirloom seeds with Harel Weiss from Nativity Seeds.
    Harel is a true unsung hero of our region.
    Biggest takeaway : The power of shifting from a place of anger to a place of peace. Putting the hands in the soil.
    Harel is the founder of Nativity Seeds, Israel. The only dedicated heritage seed company actively regenerating and collecting indigenous and family seeds in Israel.  
    After a scholarship in Seed Savers Exchange in Iowa, Harel took his education and passion and poured it into developing awareness of the critical importance of heritage seeds in Israel.  Starting from virtually nothing and with no significant support network, Harel has worked over the last 8+ years developing his knowledge and bank of seeds endemic to this region, with the goal of sharing these incredible lines to a global audience.   
    One of the thigs I really loved about this interview was the down to earth humbleness of Harel, and the quiet courage he displays, as he keeps growing and promoting visceral awareness and knowledge of the seeds f the Holy Land.  
    I felt really honoured to share Harel's growing success story.
    Biggest takeaway : The power of shifting from a place of anger to a place of peace, and putting the hands in the soil.
    Hope you enjoy it as much as i did.
    Don't forget to leave some FEEDBACK

    I look forward to my next connection with the ever humble, ever vibrant, Harel Weiss.
    Hope you enjoy it!

    We release a new episode with INCREDIBLE guests every Tuesday
    Watch out next week when we drop our amazing conversation with Israel's own Master of fire technology, Kamin Massa's own, Adiel Schneur
    .
    As always i look forward to feedback from YOU. the good and the bad.  EcoIQ is here to serve YOU.

    If you dig what we do so share this link with your friends!
    be sure to let us know what you think and drop us a reply

    02:15 Growing semi arid heirlooms seeds by the seasons

    05:20 The journey to heirloom seeds, and a place of peace.

    10:55 seed savers exchange

    13:30 whats so special about a heritage seed?, and genetic bottle necks


    22:27 The journey to food of the Holy Land, what plants want


    28:27 Kay Baxter’s stories and Harel’s search for family seed lines.

    31:47 The exhilaration of discovering and rejuvenating ancient seed lines

    34:45 purebreed seeds

    36:30 the monopoly of seeds and empowering people

    38:05 modern agriculture is at an end.

    39:40 epigenetics and adding love

    41:45 the seeds of the Holy Land

    43:54 Joel Salatin’s mention.. connection to the ancestors of Israel’s agriculture, and land race seeds

    46:45 Seasons of life- spring

    51:27 We are subjects of the Kingdom of nature

    52:50 A message from Harel

    54:51 The key of creating connections

  • What an amazing interview with master gardener and HUGE seed saving hero, Kay Baxter. 
     Along with her husband Bob corker and family, Kay is the founder of the Koanga Institute and the Kotare eco village project in Wairoa, New Zealand.  An inheritor of gardening knowledge of several generations, Kay Baxter has a deep and visceral understanding of the rhythms and cycles of nature that move so fast when you manage a garden. With over 800+ reserved heritage seeds and over 400 reserved fruit tree and berry stocks from all over New Zealand, Kay is truly a master of her craft and has managed to save not only the seeds of her communities but also the stories of those families. More recently Kay has headed a new project 'Regeneration Production', a highly comprehensive and in-depth resource of online masterclasses and courses on gardening, garden planning, permaculture, improving nutrient density in food, making real compost and the critical first step of taking a seed to a seedling successfully. Kay’s online content is formidable and is growing year by year. at a time in life when many would be winding down their activities Kay seems to be growing the team and forging ever more new directions in her mission to create a deeper ecological connection.
    Kay is the author of numerous books and booklets including the koanga garden and design your own orchard.
    A deep believer in the self regenerating quality of the human body and the soil Kay Baxters journey is an example of the difference one family can make when they follow their passion and strength.
    I was really surprised how much i enjoyed connecting again with someoene who is condensing deep knowledge into mastering home gardens. Hope you enjoy it as much as i did.
    Don't forget to leave some FEEDBACK HERE, and join the EcoIQ Tribe to stay in touch with all we do.
    05:48 What drives Kay baxter
    09:15 My nana didn't give me ‘how to garden’…- the power of giving and inherent intelligence
    17:00 making a choice to grow food and allowing connections to happen
    21:21 low minerals.. and the animal connection
    24:38 the unexpected buzz of regeneration. an unexpected abundance of frogs
    26:00 guilds, families, good design and the power of connections
    28:00 what is a guild?
    31:40 personal discoveries testing brix….raising vibrations
    34:16 physics of soil, connections and brix
    39:30 the epiphany of effective gardening and testing Brix
    42:35 what is so special about heritage seeds….
    44:54 communication of living soil
    45:40 90% of the plants food can come from the universe.
    46:35 the human effect on seed genetics. one small step at a time….
    49:30 the experience and responsibility of receiving a family’s seed heritage
    51:40 people dying
    52:19 Lessons from Joel Salatin on building a team
    53:45 A story of a seed
    57:12 art of dealing with abundance
    58:17 effective heritage seeds, local or not?
    1:03:06 we cant go back……creating a new culture…being connected
    1:08:07 Lessons from Darren Doherty “how can you critise integration”
    1:09:30 stepping into the digital world
    1:11:30 influencers : Dr Christine Jones, Nicole Masters and Grant Patten
    1:12:25 Kay’s role as translating biological farming for home gardeners
    1:12:46 Advice to getting started
    1:15:20 A message from Kay Baxter.

  • A very open conversation with the master of process and productive, integrative land planning, Darren Doherty.

    Darren Doherty and his family are the masterminds behind The online learning resource The Regrarians platform, along with The REX farm planning course, The Rap and the ROC international conventions. Darren is also the originator of carbon farming as a course, and is credited with popularising the international movement RegenAg, he is also the author of the comprehensive and developing Regrarians Handbook.

    Darren's portfolio includes over 15000 graduates, and active involvement in the design and development of over 3000 broad acre projects over 6 continents (Their platform is especially popular in Latin America).  But more than Darren's numbers and achievements I realized that Darren brings something very unique and all his own into the space of ecological connection, intelligence, regeneration and farming.  A truly openminded yet highly pragmatic approach. Darren's not afraid to be an active critic of the weaknesses behind any system, and is equally respectful of the strengths of the same systems. Darren is an active supporter, and somewhat of a spotlight, for a host of true heroes, and their work, in this space globally. Darren heralds the growing acceptance of a pluralistic view towards ecologically harmonious production systems. 

    We delve into a more personal side with Darren Doherty and his journey so far.  Covering his core values and beliefs behind the drive to serve more people more effectively with their own land.

     Keyline, holistic management, the mental climate and grandmas hands. It was really exciting to dive in to see what makes the man tick and have a laugh or two.   

    I cant recommend Darren Doherty's work enough and there is a reason why he is the master of process. 

    check out the Regrarians platform here  

    If your not part of the EcoIQ Tribe then jump in here 

    06:30 Hosting, teaching and managing 120+ REX students online

    14:35 Purpose

    17:04 The Why

    23:43 Helping people miss the first shot- innovation is chaos..

    25:25 Designing vs planning

    28:00 Design, process and Permaculture

    30:20 Personal Bias- attacking the idea and not the person

     35:17 A Holistic context and happiness

    44:10 Not everyone needs a garden

    49:20 The importance of family

    59:05 Keyline Planning and Holistic Management

    1:04:00 Permaculture and Keyline

    1:09:30 Process vs principles, planning vs design

    1:13:58 Joel Salatin and harmonising with each other

    1:19:40 The influence of Latin America, and taking lessons from Roundup

    1:30:35 The core issue behind shifting mental climate

    1:38:50 A message for healing - the world wants to live.

  • Today we had the great pleasure and honour to host a true hero in the space of regenerative farming , and a whole lot more besides! Master land steward, farmer rights activist and soil regenerating extraordinaire Joel Salatin.

    Joel Salatin is the leader of the super entrepreneurial and eclectic, Polyface Farm, which once sporting 4 meter deep erosion gullies, has become a benchmark for what is possible in highly synergistic and nature respecting agriculture.

    Joel Salatin is arguably one of todays most famous farmers. \

    An outspoken activist for farmer’s rights and direct farmer consumer relationships.

    Prolific author and blogger, I've posted links to a great selection of Joel’s books and his blog.

    Both a true leader and a team player Joel is an active advocate for a truly engaged and deep connection with the earth and each other, Joel tackles the modern day ecological issues with a very personal and highly effective approach that combines science, eco intelligence, business savvy and spiritual connection.

    Joel is featured in the movies Fresh, Food Inc, American Meat, Farmageddon, Whats With Wheat and the Regrarians collaborative biography, Polyfaces.

    I really felt a special connection with Joel, and it was at times an emotional meeting, not least due to his expression of love for the Jewish people and his thoughts on the importance of establishing a deeply connected, ecological sound and sacred farming in Israel.

    Eternally positive, I felt somewhat underneath my discussion with Joel the feeling of receiving from an elder. Joel is a man who has talked the talk and walked the walk, and has really developed a deep intuition and understanding of the harmony in natural cycles and the dynamic of production systems. Joel brings a dignity back into a space that is, pretty much bankrupt of it from all sides.

    This is the first of many more and deeper connections between Joel Salatin and EcoIQ.

    You Can Farm

    Everything I Want To Do Is Illegal

    Fields Of Farmers

    Your Successful Farming Business

    Joel's daily blog

    Thankyou for your continued amazing contributions Joel!

    Don't forget to join our tribe and stay in touch with our new content, courses and events.

    Our next guest is the man Permaculture process, Darren Doherty

    02:35 Gratitude

    08:00 Constant Learning

    10:45 Life Is So Sacred It Requires Death..

    15:35 Animalless Ecologies

    18:00 Biological vs Mechanical

    20:20 Joel's Grounding Practice, And On Letting Go Of Control

    26:25 Fiefdoms And The Business Of Farming

    39:45 Good Framing Is Beautiful!

    44:45 Harmonising - Animals And The Carbon Cycle

    59:10 Put Water To Work

    1:06:30 Abundance

    1:11:30 Assests And Liabilities In Soil

    1:18:15 A Message To The Land Stewards Of Israel