The Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson

In this Episode Tom Spellman shares more than five decades of experience growing, propagating, and managing fruit trees, with a focus on what he calls urban fruit tree culture. He explains why backyard growers should prioritize varieties they enjoy, choose trees and rootstocks suited to their climate, manage tree size, and use successive ripening to extend harvests. Tom also discusses protecting fruit trees from heat, sunburn, wind, and sudden weather events through whitewashing, shade, pre-irrigation, and mulching. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes a simple goal for backyard growers: get a little bit of fruit all the time rather than an overwhelming amount all at once.
Our Guest: Tom Spellman 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 La Verne Nursery where he was general manager for 20 years. And Dave Wilson Nursery where he was the southwestern sales Manager for over 20 years. Since retiring he is an Urban Fruit Tree and orchard consultant. Most of all he is the person that knows more about fruit trees than anyone else I know!
Key Topics & Entities
Urban fruit tree culture
Fruit tree variety selection
Rootstocks and climate adaptability
Tree size management
Successive ripening
Bare root fruit trees
Desert fruit tree growing
Sunburn and sunscald protection
Wind stress and windbreaks
Pre-irrigation before extreme heat
Mulching and soil temperature
Companion planting
Citrus in desert climates
Container-grown citrus

Key Questions Answered
What is urban fruit tree culture?
Urban fruit tree culture is growing fruit trees under limited backyard conditions, where space is restricted and the goal is to make the most productive use of that space. Tom recommends growing varieties you actually like and will use while considering climate, geography, and soil type.
Why is tree size management so important for backyard growers?
Backyard growers generally don't need hundreds of pounds of one type of fruit at once. Keeping trees compact makes pruning, thinning, harvesting, and other maintenance easier while allowing multiple varieties to be grown in the same space.
How can successive ripening extend a backyard harvest?
By planting varieties that ripen at different times, gardeners can harvest the same type of fruit over a much longer period. Instead of getting one large crop for two weeks, several varieties can provide fruit for a month and a half or longer.
How should gardeners choose a fruit tree rootstock?
The rootstock needs to be adapted to the gardener's climate and soil as well as the variety itself. Tom explains that desert growers need rootstocks capable of handling heat, sandy soil, low-desert conditions, and alkalinity.
Why are bare root trees pruned before planting?
When bare root trees are dug, their roots are pruned. The top should be pruned back to balance the reduced root system so the tree can establish new growth successfully. Tom's experiments show that heavily pruned bare root trees can develop significantly more vigor and new scaffold growth than unpruned trees.
How can fruit trees be protected from extreme desert heat?
Tom recommends protecting exposed bark from sunburn with a breathable whitewash, using limited temporary shade during a tree's first summer, and thoroughly pre-irrigating before a predicted extreme heat event.
How does mulch help fruit trees in hot climates?
A four- to six-inch layer of mulch can keep soil temperatures significantly cooler, improve water retention, increase biological activity, and reduce weed seed germination. Tom also recommends maintaining a broad mulched basin around fruit trees.
What is the advantage of companion planting around young fruit trees?
The space around young trees is already being irrigated and maintained, so annual or temporary companion crops can make productive use of that space while the trees are becoming established. Crops such as cowpeas and sweet potatoes can also help reduce ground temperatures.
Why is citrus especially valuable for desert gardeners?
Citrus offers a wide range of varieties with different harvest periods. By selecting varieties with different seasons, gardeners can potentially harvest citrus for many months of the year.
Can people grow citrus in climates where it cannot survive outdoors year-round?
Yes. Tom describes container culture as an option for people with sunrooms or greenhouses. Trees can be moved outdoors after the danger of frost and brought back inside when cold weather returns.
Why is container culture difficult in the desert?
Extreme heat and sun can create severe stress for container-grown trees. Tom explains that some desert wholesale growers use a "pot in pot" system, placing containers into the ground to keep the root zone cooler.
What is the main difference between commercial and backyard fruit growing?
Commercial growers generally want a large quantity of one variety to ripen at the same time for efficient harvest and marketing. Backyard growers usually benefit more from the opposite approach: multiple varieties that provide a smaller amount of fruit over a longer period.
Episode Highlights
Tom began working in a nursery at age 13, riding his skateboard about a mile and a half to work.
He spent 20 years working with mentor Dieter Lotter at La Verne Nursery and describes that experience as an education that couldn't be bought in school.
Urban fruit tree culture starts with growing what you like, what you will use, and what is adaptable to your climate and soil.
Keeping fruit trees compact allows backyard growers to manage, harvest, and prune them from the ground while making better use of limited space.
Successive ripening allows multiple varieties to share the footprint of one large tree while extending the harvest season.
Pre-irrigating before an extreme heat event can make the difference between severe tree damage and a healthy orchard.
A good layer of mulch can cool the soil, conserve water, improve biological activity, and reduce weeds.
Tom's central philosophy for backyard growers is simple: "a little bit of fruit all the time."

For more information on Greg's Urban Farm Fruit Tree program in Phoenix visit FruitTrees.org
Visit www.urbanfarm.org/1005 for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!
Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges.You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback.Click HERE to learn more!*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

In this Episode Craig LeHoullier shares his lifelong journey from childhood gardening memories to becoming a renowned heirloom tomato grower, seed saver, and plant breeder. He explains the differences between heirloom, open-pollinated, and hybrid tomatoes and why preserving tomato genetics matters for future gardeners. Craig discusses the Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project, the story behind Cherokee Purple, growing tomatoes in containers and straw bales, and the importance of learning directly from your plants. He encourages gardeners to get their hands dirty, experiment, save seeds, and enjoy gardening as a lifelong journey.
Our Guest: Craig is a North Carolina-based gardener, author, and plant breeder known for his deep expertise in heirloom tomatoes. With a PhD in chemistry from Dartmouth and a 25-year career in pharmaceuticals, he later shifted full-time into gardening and seed saving. Craig is a longtime advisor to Seed Savers Exchange, and is credited with helping popularize varieties like Cherokee Purple tomatoes. He co-leads the Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project and authored Epic Tomatoes, a widely respected guide for home growers.
Key Topics & Entities
Craig LeHoullier and his 40-year gardening journey
Heirloom, hybrid, and open-pollinated tomatoes
Seed Savers Exchange
Tomato seed saving and preservation
The Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project
Cherokee Purple tomato
Tomato breeding and genetics
Epic Tomatoes
Straw bale gardening
Container tomato growing
Victory Seed Company
Gardening misinformation and experimentation
Food systems and food deserts
Gardening as community building

Key Questions Answered
What makes a tomato an heirloom?
Craig defines an heirloom as a genetically stable variety that can be passed down through saved seed, with age and a meaningful history or story associated with it.
What is the difference between heirloom and open-pollinated tomatoes?
All heirlooms are open-pollinated, but not every open-pollinated tomato is an heirloom. Craig uses 1949, when Burpee's Big Boy was introduced, as a useful guidepost for distinguishing older heirlooms from newer open-pollinated varieties.
Why are hybrid tomatoes valuable?
Hybrids can combine desirable traits such as disease resistance, heat tolerance, growth habits, and productivity. Craig emphasizes that there are excellent hybrids, heirlooms, and open-pollinated varieties.
How did the Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project begin?
Craig and Patrina began crossing large, flavorful heirlooms with dwarf tomato varieties to create tomatoes that could be grown in smaller spaces while retaining excellent flavor and interesting characteristics.
Why is Cherokee Purple important to Craig?
Craig received seeds in 1990 from J.D. Green, who told him they came through a Cherokee family history in Tennessee. Craig grew the tomato, named it Cherokee Purple, and helped distribute it so the variety and its story could continue.
What makes a tomato variety worth preserving?
Beyond flavor and popularity, a variety may contain genetic traits that could become important for future challenges such as heat, drought, water scarcity, or emerging diseases.
What is one of the biggest mistakes gardeners make with tomatoes?
Craig says gardeners need to pay attention to their plants. Daily observation can reveal early signs of disease, nutritional problems, water stress, and other issues before they become serious.
What is the key to successful straw bale gardening?
A straw bale is conditioned with nitrogen, water, and fertilizer for roughly two weeks before planting. The bale heats up as it decomposes and provides a productive growing medium that eventually becomes useful organic matter.
What tomatoes work well in small spaces?
Craig recommends Sun Gold cherry tomatoes, dwarf tomatoes, and micro-dwarf varieties for containers and limited growing spaces. Cherry tomatoes can also perform well with less sunlight than many larger varieties.
What is Craig's advice for beginning tomato growers?
Get your hands dirty, start with good seedlings or learn to start your own seeds, and let the plants teach you. Gardening is an education and a journey rather than a rigid set of instructions.
Episode Highlights
Craig traces his love of gardening to childhood memories of working with his father and grandfather and describes how joining Seed Savers Exchange in 1986 sparked his passion for heirloom tomatoes.
He explains how heirloom tomatoes preserve genetics, history, and stories—and why today's newer open-pollinated varieties may become tomorrow's heirlooms.
Craig describes the Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project, which ultimately produced about 170 new varieties through collaboration among roughly 1,000 gardeners.
He explains why preserving even ordinary tomato varieties can matter, since hidden genetic traits may provide future solutions for heat, drought, water shortages, and disease.
Craig tells the remarkable story of how he received the tomato that became Cherokee Purple and how a chain of seed sharing kept the variety from disappearing.
He explains why gardeners should observe their tomato plants every day and adjust their methods based on growing conditions rather than blindly following a fixed schedule.
Craig describes straw bale gardening, including conditioning the bales, managing water and nutrients, and eventually reusing the spent straw as valuable growing material.
He closes with a simple philosophy: get your hands dirty, grow something, turn off the distractions, and let gardening change your life.

Resources
Craig LeHoullier's Website — craiglehoullier.com
Instagram — @nctomatoman
Email Craig — nctomatoman@gmail.com
Epic Tomatoes — Epic Tomatoes: How to Select and Grow the Best Varieties of All Time
Victory Seed Company — victoryseeds.com
Joe Gardener Organic Gardening School — Self-paced courses covering seed starting, organic vegetable gardening, and tomato growing.
Seed Savers Exchange — Craig's longtime seed-saving community and an important part of his journey.

Visit www.urbanfarm.org/EpicTomatoes for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!
Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges.You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback.Click HERE to learn more!*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

A Rosie On The House Replay w/ Jenny Beasley
Jenny Beasley of Heart for the City shares how a barren dirt lot in Glendale, Arizona, became a thriving community garden serving families, schools, volunteers, and gardeners from eight different cultures. She explains how partnerships, raised beds, shared food, and educational programs helped transform the space into much more than a place to grow vegetables. The conversation explores how community gardens create belonging, purpose, friendships, healthier neighborhoods, and stronger connections between people. Jenny also offers practical advice for anyone interested in starting a community garden of their own.
Key Topics & Entities
Heart for the City Garden
Jenny Beasley
Community gardens
Glendale, Arizona
Raised garden beds
Community partnerships
City of Glendale
School garden partnerships
Eight different cultures
Cucuzza squash
Urban gardening in the desert
Gardening education
Food access
Community building

Key Questions Answered
How did Heart for the City Garden begin?
Jenny Beasley was challenged to transform a barren, partly asphalt-covered dirt lot into a community garden. The City of Glendale provided the property, while a community development grant helped fund the initial development.
What made the raised beds such a game changer?
The raised beds gave individual families and gardeners a sense of ownership. They also allowed people from different cultures to grow vegetables they remembered from childhood or from their home countries.
How does the garden bring different cultures together?
Gardeners from places including Jordan, Trinidad, China, Mexico, Hungary, and Peru grow alongside one another, sharing vegetables, recipes, gardening knowledge, and traditions.
What is the biggest lesson Jenny learned about building community?
People want to feel connected and be part of something. Growing side by side gives people a natural way to participate, contribute, and build relationships.
How can someone begin creating a community garden?
First determine what type of community garden you want to create, then visit and learn from gardens with similar goals. Jenny says learning from people who have already developed successful gardens can save enormous amounts of time.
How does the garden operate in the Arizona heat?
Heart for the City Garden grows year-round. During the hottest part of the year, peppers, okra, herbs, and other crops are growing, while tomatoes can be more challenging.
How does the garden create purpose for people?
Jenny describes a woman who unexpectedly retired and found purpose, friendships, activity, and a new routine through spending time at the garden.
What happens beyond gardening at Heart for the City?
The garden hosts cooking events, recipe sharing, educational activities, guest speakers, celebrations, and even weddings. Visitors may leave with seeds, plants, or planting calendars.
How does the surrounding neighborhood participate?
Neighbors walk to the garden with their children, donate gardening supplies, volunteer, and help one another. The garden has become a close-knit neighborhood resource rather than simply a place to grow food.
What does Jenny consider the garden's greatest accomplishment?
She is most proud of how the gardeners connect, help one another, care for their garden spaces, celebrate life's milestones, and continue learning. As another gardener put it, they are “growing people also.”
Episode Highlights
A barren dirt lot becomes a thriving community garden and food forest over roughly 12 years.
Raised beds become a “game changer,” giving families ownership and encouraging participation from multiple cultures.
Partnerships with the City of Glendale, schools, businesses, and volunteers help sustain the garden.
The garden's cucuzza squash inspires a club, a giant trellis, shared recipes, and plenty of fun.
Gardeners support one another with rides, meals, home check-ins, and friendship—creating what Jenny calls a “big garden family.”
Cooking and food-sharing events help people learn what to do with the vegetables they grow.
The garden welcomes people from throughout the area who want to learn about gardening or simply connect with others.
Jenny's central message: community gardens don't just grow vegetables—they grow people and relationships.

Calls to Action & Resources
Heart for the City Garden — heartforthecityaz.org
Contact Jenny Beasley — hftc.gardens@gmail.com
Visit Heart for the City Garden — 69th Avenue, north of Bethany Home, behind the fire station in Glendale, Arizona.
Support the Garden — Donations and community support help with ongoing expenses, including water and garden operations.
In this episode we explore the concept of wicking bed gardens, hosted by Romey Romero & Farmer Greg, our guest is .
Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/1003 for the show notes and links on this episode!
Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges.You can chat with Greg, Janis or Ray to get permaculture based feedback.Click HERE to learn more!
*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

In this July Seed Chat, Greg Peterson, Bill McDorman, and Landen Schaelling explore how compost, fungi, microbial life, and living plant roots work together to build healthier soil. Landen explains why keeping plants growing is more important for long-term soil carbon than simply adding organic matter, and why fungal-rich compost can help store the carbon plants produce. The conversation covers cover crops, composting methods, curing, moisture, carbon-to-nitrogen ratios, chop-and-drop, crimping, and compost extracts.
Our Guests: Landen Schaelling is the founder of Sacred Soil Solutions. He is focused on bringing optimal and approachable microbe inputs to gardeners and homesteaders, while also teaching farmers in the American West how to implement soil building solutions at scale.
And Bill McDorman has committed his life to community-based seed stewardship. In 1984, he started Seeds Trust High Altitude Gardens, a bioregional mail order seed company that he ran for 28 years. He authored the book Basic Seed Saving in 1994, and in 2010 Bill and his wife, Belle Starr, founded Seed School.
Key Topics
Compost and soil health
Fungal-dominant compost
Soil food web
Cover crops and living roots
Rhizophagy cycle
Microbial fermentations
Liquid carbon and soil carbon storage
Thermophilic composting
Johnson-Su composting
Bokashi
Carbon-to-nitrogen ratios
Chop-and-drop and crimping
Compost curing and moisture
Landen Schaelling / Sacred Soil Solutions

Key Questions Answered
Why are living plants more important than simply adding compost for long-term soil improvement?
Living plants act as the soil's “income earners,” putting liquid carbon into the soil through their roots. Compost can support that system, but keeping roots in the ground is what continually feeds the soil food web.
What makes compost truly valuable?
The goal isn't simply the solid organic material. High-quality compost provides a living community of fungi and other soil food web organisms that can interact with plant roots and help store plant-derived carbon.
How can you encourage fungal growth in compost?
Landen recommends a high-carbon pile, roughly 60–70% carbon, along with consistent moisture. Chunkier wood chips can help encourage fungal activity, and the compost needs a long curing period for the microbial community to develop.
How long should compost cure?
After the heating phase, Landen recommends roughly nine to 12 months of curing with consistent moisture around 50–60%. He describes seeing a significant increase in fungi, protozoa, and other soil food web organisms as the compost matures.
Should compost be sifted?
Landen strongly recommends against sifting mature compost because it adds oxygen, dries the material, and can damage fungal hyphae. The living organisms on the compost matter more than producing a perfectly fine, crumbly product.
Can weeds function as cover crops?
Some weeds can contribute positively when they are temporarily left growing, but not all weeds provide the same benefits. Landen specifically notes that context matters and that some weeds can be less supportive of fungal relationships.
What is the difference between chop-and-drop and crimping?
Chop-and-drop can create a rapid release of nitrogen, while crimping breaks the stems without completely severing them, allowing nutrients to move more slowly into the root system. Either approach works best when another crop is ready to capture the released nutrients.
How often should microbial fermentation sprays be applied?
Landen says plants can benefit from very frequent, even daily, applications because they respond well to small amounts delivered consistently. However, he emphasizes that less frequent applications can still provide significant benefits when time is limited.
What should consumers look for when buying compost?
Landen recommends asking compost producers for microscope analysis. He argues that microscopy provides important evidence about the biological quality of the finished compost.
Episode Highlights
Living plants, not dead organic matter, are the primary “income earners” that build soil carbon.
Cover crops keep roots in the ground and continually support the soil food web.
Fungal-rich compost helps capture and store the carbon produced by plants.
A compost pile with roughly 60–70% carbon can encourage strong fungal development.
Thermophilic composting is only part of the process; long-term curing is critical.
Maintaining 50–60% moisture for nine to 12 months allows fungi and other soil organisms to develop.
Sifting compost can damage fungal hyphae and reduce biological quality.
Crimping can provide a slower nutrient release than chop-and-drop.
The goal of compost is not simply decomposition—it is developing and applying microbial life.
A fungally dominant compost can be extracted into water and applied directly rather than aerated like a bacterial tea.

Calls to Action & Resources
Attend future live Seed Chats — https://seedchat.org
Listen to previous Seed Chats — https://urbanfarmpodcast.com
Learn about Sacred Soil Solutions — Contact Landen Schaelling directly for information on Microbe Master Mix and educational resources. Instagram: @sacredsoilsolutions
Facebook: Landen Schaelling
Email: Landen.schaelling@protonmail.com

Our monthly Seed Chat at SeedChat.org
In This Podcast: In this month's Seed Chat Greg Peterson and Bill McDorman, discuss .
Visit UrbanFarm.org/1002 for the show notes and links on this episode!
Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges. You can chat with Greg to get permaculture based feedback.Click HERE to learn more!*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

A Chat with Wendi Bergin
Greg Peterson and Wendi Bergin explore the “harvest mindset” and how to prepare for abundance before the garden starts producing more food than you can eat fresh. They discuss practical ways to preserve tomatoes, including freezing, canning, dehydrating, steam juicing, tomato powder, salsa, sauce, and tomato water. The conversation expands into zucchini preservation, fresh-milled grain, homesteading, preparedness, and the idea that being prepared can bring peace rather than fear. Throughout, Greg and Wendi emphasize experimenting, sharing ideas, and finding joy in growing and preserving local food.
Key Topics
Harvest mindset and preparing for garden abundance
Preserving large tomato harvests
Freezing tomatoes whole
Water bath canning vs. pressure canning
Safe, tested canning practices
Tomato sauce, salsa, tomato juice, and tomato water
Steam juicing and tomato powder
Zucchini preservation, relish, fritters, and zucchini lasagna
Fresh-milled grain and home baking
Azure Standard bulk buying club
Homesteading and self-reliance
Preparedness as a source of peace
Local food economies and growing your own food
Basil preservation and pesto

Key Questions Answered
• What is a “harvest mindset,” and why is it important?
A harvest mindset means expecting abundance instead of being overwhelmed by it. If you plant 20 tomato plants, you may get very little—or you may get pounds and pounds of tomatoes. Preparing ahead of time allows you to enjoy that abundance rather than scrambling to figure out what to do with it.
• What is the biggest mistake people make when harvest season begins?
Not being prepared. Wendi recommends having your preservation equipment, jars, lids, and other supplies ready before the large harvest arrives.
• What is a simple way to preserve tomatoes before the harvest gets really large?
Wash the tomatoes, place them in bags, and freeze them whole. As the harvest grows, the frozen tomatoes can later be taken out and canned.
• Why does tomato canning require added acid?
The discussion explains that modern tomato varieties may not be acidic enough for safe water-bath canning without additional acid. Lemon juice is discussed as a way to increase acidity when canning tomatoes.
• What is the difference between water-bath and pressure canning?
Water-bath canning uses boiling water and is intended for sufficiently acidic foods. Pressure canning reaches temperatures above the boiling point of water and is used for lower-acid foods such as meats and vegetables.
• What can you do with tomato water from a steam juicer?
Instead of throwing it away, Wendi cans tomato water and uses it in stews, goulash, chili, and for cooking pasta.
• What are some ways to use tomato powder?
Dehydrated tomatoes can be blended into powder and used to thicken spaghetti sauce, flavor broths, add to roasts, make tomato paste or sauce, create spice blends, and make tomato soup.
• How can you preserve a large zucchini harvest?
Zucchini can be shredded, have its excess water removed, and frozen. It can also be made into relish or pickles, fritters, bread, and even a lasagna using sliced zucchini instead of pasta.
• What is the larger lesson behind food preservation?
Preparedness can bring peace and help people live above fear. Whether facing an emergency or simply an overwhelming garden harvest, preparation makes it possible to respond confidently and joyfully.
Episode Highlights
The harvest mindset starts before you have 50 pounds of tomatoes or zucchini.
Freeze smaller tomato harvests as they arrive, then process them later when the volume increases.
Being prepared means having jars, lids, equipment, and a preservation plan ready ahead of time.
Preserve tomatoes simply by canning them as pure tomato sauce and adding herbs and spices later when cooking.
Steam juicing can separate tomato juice from the solids, creating useful tomato water and concentrated tomato material.
Dehydrated tomatoes can become tomato powder with dozens of potential uses.
Zucchini can become relish, pickles, fritters, frozen shreds, or even pasta-free lasagna.
Preparedness isn't about fear—it can create peace, self-reliance, and joy in abundance.

Calls to Action & Resources
Azure Standard — azurestandard.com
Homesteading Made Simple / Joyfully Prepared Podcast — Search for “Homesteading Made Simple” or “Joyfully Prepared”
Homesteading Made Simple on YouTube — Search for “Homesteading Made Simple”
Urban Farm Podcast — Listen to the Urban Farm Podcast for more conversations about growing food, local food economies, and self-reliance.
Grow your own food — Visit your local farmers market, grow herbs and vegetables, and find ways to participate in your local food economy

Content Advisory
Food preservation safety is discussed, including water-bath and pressure canning. The guests strongly recommend following prescribed, tested canning recipes and established safety guidelines rather than using unverified preservation methods.
Visit www.urbanfarm.org/1001 for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library!
Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges.You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback.Click HERE to learn more!*Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.