The Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson

Our monthly Seed Chat at SeedChat.orgIn This Podcast: Greg Peterson and Bill McDorman explore the idea of the seed commons—seeds as shared cultural, ecological, and community wealth rather than private commodities. They discuss how market-driven seed systems have eroded biodiversity and why community-based models are essential for resilience in the face of climate, economic, and social uncertainty. Through stories, examples, and lived experience, they show how seed co-ops, exchanges, libraries, and grassroots experimentation restore abundance, adaptability, and human connection. The conversation frames seed saving as both a practical survival skill and a deeply human act of stewardship.Key Topics & EntitiesSeed commonsShared wealthBiodiversity lossClimate change adaptationSeed co-opsAppalachian SeedsSnake River Seed CooperativeSeed exchangesSeed librariesSeed Library NetworkSeeds in CommonOpen-pollinated seedsIndigenous and community seed stewardshipWhat does it mean to treat seeds as part of the commons?Seeds are framed as shared wealth—like air or water—meant to circulate freely so they can keep adapting, carrying cultural memory, and supporting future generations rather than being locked behind patents or profit motives.Why is the current market-based seed system failing biodiversity?Large-scale commercial systems prioritize uniformity and profit, leading to the extinction of many traditional varieties and reducing the genetic diversity needed to adapt to climate and ecological change.How do seed co-ops work in practice?Regional growers collaborate to grow, clean, package, and distribute seeds together, sharing labor and profits while keeping ownership local and ensuring regionally adapted varieties remain available.What role do seed exchanges and seed libraries play in communities?They provide accessible, low-cost ways for people to share seeds, stories, and growing knowledge, strengthening trust, local resilience, and intergenerational learning.What is unique about the Seeds in Common model?Instead of preserving varieties separately, Seeds in Common mixes many varieties together and distributes them widely, prioritizing real-world adaptation and survival over strict categorization or commercial naming.Can individuals really name and steward new plant varieties?Yes—historically, many important crops came from backyard growers. Naming and caring for a variety is an act of responsibility, not ownership, rooted in long-term stewardship rather than profit.Episode HighlightsSeeds as shared wealth are essential for resilience, adaptability, and cultural continuity.Seed co-ops like Appalachian Seeds and Snake River Seed Cooperative keep control local and varieties alive.Seed exchanges offer efficient, story-rich ways to share seeds and knowledge within communities.Seed libraries have rapidly grown worldwide, each shaped by local values and creativity.Mixing and growing diverse seeds reveals what truly works under local, low-input conditions.Naming and saving seeds is a deeply human tradition that predates modern agriculture.Abundance thinking emerges naturally when people engage directly with growing and saving seed.Calls to Action & ResourcesJoin live Seed Chats — https://seedchat.orgExplore regional seed co-ops —

Don Tipping's Legacy of Regenerative FarmingIn This Podcast: Greg reconnects with returning guest Don Tipping to explore nearly a decade of evolution at Seven Seeds Farm and Siskiyou Seeds. The conversation dives deep into regenerative farming, bioregional seed stewardship, on-farm ecology, and the long arc of plant breeding as climate adaptation. Don shares practical insights from 30 years of full-time farming, from pest resilience without chemicals to compost, livestock integration, and the vision for a decentralized bioregional seed bank. The episode emphasizes patience, systems thinking, and seed saving as both a practical skill and a cultural act.Guest Bio: Don has been farming and offering hands on, practical workshops at Seven Seeds Farm since 1997. Seven Seeds is a small, certified organic family farm in the Siskiyou Mountains of SW Oregon that produces fruits, vegetables, seeds, flowers and herbs, while raising sheep, poultry and people. The farm has been designed to function as a self-contained, life regenerating organism with waste products being recycled and feeding other elements of the system. Lauded as one of the best examples of a small productive Biodynamic and Permaculture farms in the northwest by many, Seven Seeds helps to mentor new farmers through internships and workshops. In 2009 they began Siskiyou Seeds, a bioregional organic seed company that grows and stewards a collection of over 700 open pollinated flower, vegetable and herb seeds and is constantly breeding new varieties.Key Topics & EntitiesDon TippingSeven Seeds FarmSiskiyou Seeds (Siskiyou Seeds)Regenerative agricultureBioregional seed stewardshipOpen-pollinated seedsSeed savingGarden ecologyPlant breedingPermaculture systemsCompost and soil fertilityLivestock integrationClimate adaptationCascadia Seed BankKey Questions AnsweredHow has Don’s farm and seed work evolved over the last nine years?The seed company has grown into the core of the farm’s work, with most annual and perennial crops now grown specifically for seed. Don has shifted toward contracting with a wider network of growers while focusing his own energy on plant breeding, research, and education.What makes bioregional, farmer-grown seed different from industrial seed?Unlike industrial seed—often brokered globally with little transparency—bioregional seed is selected under local climate, pest, and disease pressures. Over time, this results in crops that are better adapted, more resilient, and better suited to regional food systems.Why doesn’t Seven Seeds Farm rely on row covers or chemical inputs?By allowing natural selection to occur—such as letting cucumber...

With Mary and Andrew from EdgePerma.comIn This Podcast: Andrew Tuttle and Mary Marshall, co-founders of Edge Perma and Redtail Edge Design, share how they’re using immersive technology to transform regenerative agriculture education. Drawing from backgrounds in permaculture, ecological design, and lived experiences of healing through land stewardship, they explain how virtual farm tours can make regenerative systems accessible to anyone, anywhere. The conversation explores permaculture as a pathway to peace, community resilience, and personal healing, while highlighting the power of relationship-building, service, and inclusive learning. This episode weaves together technology, ethics, and heart-centered education to reimagine how people connect with land and food systems.Episode HighlightsImmersive virtual tours as a tool to “copy and paste” regenerative systemsPermaculture as a framework for peace, food security, and climate resilienceUsing technology to expand access to farm-based learningThe emotional and healing power of land stewardshipTeaching ethics, design, and systems thinking through lived examplesShifting from rejection to resonance through service and community careEducation designed for inclusion, not gatekeepingKey Questions AnsweredHow did Andrew and Mary’s journey lead them to permaculture and regenerative agriculture?Their path began with questioning systems of conflict and scarcity, combined with personal grief and a search for healing. Permaculture offered a framework where humans could become restorative forces within ecosystems and communities.What problem do virtual farm tours solve in regenerative education?Most people never get to visit functional regenerative farms. Virtual tours bring these spaces to students, growers, and communities, removing barriers of geography, mobility, time, and cost.How do Edge Perma’s virtual farm tours work?They combine 360° video, drone footage, aerial panoramas, 3D models, and clickable learning elements to show farms from every angle, including system evolution over time.What makes virtual tours different from in-person farm visits?They add layers of understanding—like aerial views, topography, and system mapping—that aren’t possible on foot, while complementing (not replacing) real-world visits.How does this approach support different learning styles?The immersive, visual format supports neurodiverse learners and people who struggle with traditional classroom-based education, helping more people feel seen and included.What role does community and service play in their success?Andrew and Mary describe a shift from self-promotion to service, relationship-building, and listening—an ethic that unlocked trust, collaboration, and new opportunities.What does success mean to them beyond business growth?Success is measured in meaningful human impact—healing landscapes, supporting grief and remembrance, and creating spaces that nurture both people and the planet.Key Topics & EntitiesEdge Perma

A Garden Chat with Don TitmusGreg Peterson and Don Titmus reconnect for a November Garden Chat focused on reviewing the ethics and principles of permaculture and how they apply beyond gardening into daily life. Drawing from decades of hands-on experience in arid and temperate climates, they explore observation, working with nature, stacking functions, and regenerative design. The conversation weaves together philosophy, practical examples from Phoenix and North Carolina, and reflections on how a Permaculture Design Course (PDC) can fundamentally reshape how people think and live.Our Guest: Don Titmus grew up in London and at age 16 spent 4 years being trained in horticulture through an apprenticeship and a college course. From there he continued landscaping in his hometown until he moved to Arizona in 1981, where he worked in landscaping and then starting his own business in garden maintenance. In 2003 he attended a Permaculture Design Course, which was life-changing for Don. He knew right away that this was the path he’d been waiting for, and later attended two Permaculture Teacher Trainings.Key Topics & EntitiesPermaculture ethicsPermaculture principlesObservation and designWorking with natureElements and stacking functionsZones (including Zone 0 / self-care)Regenerative and edible landscapesDrylands permacultureRainwater harvestingPerennial systemsPermaculture Design Course (PDC)Bill MollisonDavid HolmgrenUrban Farm PodcastBee Oasis (Mesa, AZ)Key Questions AnsweredWhat is permaculture, in simple terms?Permaculture is the art and science of working with nature—observing natural systems and designing human habitats that align with ecological patterns rather than fighting them.What are the core ethics of permaculture?Care for the earth, care for people, and care for the future (often expressed as sharing surplus). These ethics guide every design decision and ensure long-term sustainability and reciprocity.Why is observation considered the foundation of permaculture design?Spending time observing land, climate, wildlife, and human patterns prevents costly mistakes and reveals opportunities to work with existing energy flows rather than against them.What does it mean that “the problem is the solution”?Challenges—such as excess heat, water runoff, or waste—often contain the seeds of their own solutions when reframed through thoughtful design.How do elements and stacking functions create resilience?Each element in a system (trees, chickens, compost, water systems) should serve multiple functions, increasing efficiency, reducing waste, and strengthening connections across the whole system.What is a Permaculture Design Course (PDC), and who is it for?A PDC is a globally recognized 72-hour introduction to permaculture principles and design, tailored to local bioregions and intended to transform how participants think about land, community, and life systems.Why take a PDC in your own bioregion and in person?Local courses address climate-specific realities, and in-person learning builds community, shared experience, and deeper understanding through hands-on practice.How can permaculture principles apply beyond gardening?Permaculture offers a framework for life—informing health, relationships, work, energy use, and even practices like yoga—by emphasizing connection, care, and intentional design.Episode HighlightsPermaculture as a life framework, not just a gardening...

Seed Chat with Bill McDormanGreg Peterson and seed expert Bill McDorman dig into the urgent need for climate-resilient seeds as global conditions shift. They explore how traditional varieties falter under heat, drought, flooding, and unpredictable weather—and why locally adapted, open-pollinated seeds are becoming essential tools for regional food security. Bill outlines practical pathways for gardeners and growers to build resilience through diversity, landrace gardening, and modern microbiome research. Together they offer a grounded, hopeful roadmap for anyone looking to future-proof their garden or local food system.Key TopicsClimate-resilient seedsOpen-pollinated varietiesLocal adaptationLandrace gardeningSoil microbiome & mycorrhizaeRizophagy (Dr. James White, Rutgers)Elliot ColemanJohn JeavonsAl Gore COP30 climate updateHeritage grains & wheat diversitySeed libraries & seed exchangesNational seed infrastructure concernsJoseph Lofthouse & Going to SeedGenetic diversity & heterosisKey Questions AnsweredWhy do traditional seed varieties fail under climate chaos?Because they were bred for stable, narrow climate ranges with controlled inputs—conditions that no longer exist. Locally adapted seeds handle stress better and evolve alongside changing weather patterns.How can home gardeners contribute to climate adaptation?By introducing maximum genetic diversity into their gardens—mixing varieties, saving seeds, and participating in regional seed exchanges. This creates plant populations that actively adapt to local conditions.What is landrace gardening and why does it matter now?Landrace gardening mixes many varieties of the same crop and lets natural selection reveal the most resilient performers. It dramatically increases adaptability and requires less space and time than traditional trialing.How do soil organisms like mycorrhizae and bacteria affect climate resilience?They increase nutrient uptake, boost disease resistance, and help plants tolerate extreme conditions. Emerging rizophagy research shows plants actively cultivate microbes to meet stress.What resources should new growers explore to build resilience?Classics like The New Organic Grower (Elliot Coleman), How to Grow More Vegetables (John Jeavons), Joseph Lofthouse’s Landrace Gardening, and foundational seed-saving guides.Episode HighlightsClimate resilience requires local action, not waiting for national agricultural reform.Al Gore’s COP30 update emphasizes the urgency of transitioning agriculture.Soil microbiology breakthroughs (rizophagy) are reshaping how we understand plant roots.Most commercial varieties were never tested across wide climates—huge opportunity remains.Wheat alone has 400,000 documented varieties, yet only a handful dominate U.S. production.Diversity—not uniformity—is the foundation of resilience.Landrace gardening allows growers to trial hundreds of varieties in small spaces.Seed sharing and regional networks may become essential if national systems weaken.Calls to Action & ResourcesSeed Chat Live — SeedChat.orgGoing to Seed...