Permaculture for the Future

Episode Highlights:Rob’s journey from being a pipeline engineer to permacultureHow harvesting energy coincides with permacultureDifference between the rebuild and resetWhy community groups are more important than gardeningWhy do we need to consider using alternative currenciesHow Rob is preparing for the big changes brought about by the pandemicWhy podcasts are more important than the pressA note by Katie LaMonteAbout Rob AvisWith over 15 years of combined experience in engineering, project management, ecological design and sustainable technologies, Rob co-owns Adaptive Habitat – a unique and leading edge property design and management company in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. As a skilled Professional Engineer, he offers a depth of practical expertise in building science and appropriate technology (solar, wind, combined heat & power), as well as rainwater harvesting, agro-ecology, ecosystem engineering, soil regeneration and onsite wastewater treatment / septic design.His extensive project management experience includes site analysis, technical design, cost estimating and scheduling, through to commissioning and construction.He holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Alberta, interned at the Folkecenter for Renewable Energy in Denmark, and co-founded Verge Permaculture in 2008, now an internationally-recognized & award-winning regenerative design, consulting, and education centre. With over 15 years of combined experience in engineering, project management, ecological design and sustainable technologies, Rob co-owns Adaptive Habitat – a unique and leading edge property design and management company in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. As a skilled Professional Engineer, he offers a depth of practical expertise in building science and appropriate technology (solar, wind, combined heat & power), as well as rainwater harvesting, agro-ecology, ecosystem engineering, soil regeneration and onsite wastewater treatment / septic design.His extensive project management experience includes site analysis, technical design, cost estimating and scheduling, through to commissioning and construction.He holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Alberta, interned at the Folkecenter for Renewable Energy in Denmark, and co-founded Verge Permaculture in 2008, now an internationally-recognized & award-winning regenerative design, consulting, and education centre. Online Permaculture Design Course with Josh RobinsonThe Online Permaculture Design Course

Episode HighlightsAdvantage of raising quail over chickenBasic things to get that Franchesca recommends when raising quail for the first timeThe process of hatching, breeding, and maintaining quailProcess of raising quails for eggs and meatPersonality and emotions of quails that you have to take noteAbout Franchesca DuvalFranchesca Duval is the Head Chicken Wrangler at Alchemist Farm in Sebastopol California. She is always tinkering with chicken genetics and pushes the edges of what is possible in the world of egg color and texture. She believes that beautifully colored eggs capture the imagination of humans and gently invites them to ask where their food comes from. Alchemist Farm is a humane chicken and quail hatchery that is pioneering a marriage of humane treatment of poultry with regenerative agriculture. Franchesca's farm demonstrates that a family business can thrive while doing right ecologically with a little creativity and a lot of heart.They are the only chicken hatchery in the United States that:*Runs on 100% clean renewable energy.*Is 100% zero waste and has all plastic free shipments.*Does not kill its male chicks upon hatch, they are donated to local impoverished families who raise them for food. *Keeps all of its breeding groups out on pasture and not in breeding cages. *Breeds for temperament. They have 35 roosters on our farm and their young children can walk right up to any of them and interact. No aggressive birds stay in their breeding program.* Chooses one organization to donate a portion of their proceeds to every year. In 2019 it was End68HoursofHunger in 2020 it is The Children’s Eternal Rainforest. They are proud participants of the 1%for the planet foundation.  For the latest updates from the farm they can be followed on Instagram as well as Facebook  

About Erik OhlsenErik Ohlsen is an internationally recognized permaculture teacher, educator, and author; he is an award winning landscape contractor and a life long activist. He has specialized in homestead scale regenerative design: including water harvesting, food forests, seed saving, community organizing, habitat development, erosion control, and building topsoil for over 20 years.Episode Highlights:Work Erik has done since starting with permaculture at 19 years oldHow Coronavirus interrupts our globalized connectionsHow Erik is mobilizing his local community through gardeningWhat is the Gift EconomyHow can a degraded landscape be turned into gardensShow Links:Erik Ohlsen’s websitePermaculture Skills CenterPermaculture Artisans

About Richard HeinbergRichard Heinberg is Senior Fellow of Post Carbon Institute and author of several books on energy and the environment, including Afterburn: Society Beyond Fossil Fuels, and, with David Fridley, Our Renewable Future. His upcoming book is Power: Humanity’s Quest for Ability, Control, Influence, and Beauty—and How It All Went Wrong.Show Highlights:Connections of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak to the different aspects of our societyReliance on economic efficiency to the COVID-19 PandemicWhy Resilience and economic efficiency can't go togetherHow Permaculture is a strategic program in times of disastersThe problem of our denial mechanism in dealing with real issuesResilience victory gardens for the futureLinks:Richard Heinberg's WebsitePost Carbon InstituteResilience.org