podcast topic requests/questions

Nina, I totally hear you. For me, permaculture is fulfulling in the way that chopping wood is fulfulling; yeah, I could use a hydraulic log-splitter, but I don't get the same kind of physical validation.

As to activism, my opinion is (this applies to the rest of the post ) one has to pick one's battles. Choose a reasonable, attainable goal, achieve it, and then move on to the next step. If you're fighting a losing battle, I'd say you're fighting the wrong battle. There is so much room for change, why be fatalistic about it? Example: hydrocarbon fuels aren't going to disappear. Why not do as much as one can to promote the development of a natural gas economy, as opposed to a gasoline/diesel economy? Natural gas burns cleaner, and the United States has recently discovered that they have the equivalent of four times the quantity of energy in shale gas as OPEC has in its entire reserve. If there was no demand for conventional oil except for the production of synthetics, what do you figure would be the effect on conventional gas prices? I will bring to attention that both Ford and Chrysler are releasing truck/car models that have compressed natural gas as alternative fuel options.

As another example, the Occupy movement throughout the West had little to no effect other than to generate material for slow news days, largely because, I think, there was no coherent message, and, more importantly, no plan to do anything other than complain. Imagine what could have been done if all that energy had been put towards a productive end!

Sorry, I just think that protesters that could otherwise be working to pay their own way, at least, were ill-served by a decision to camp out for a few weeks on public property, considering the outcome, or just the reality of the situation.

-CK

Hi all,

I was just wondering if this was the best place to post responses to podcast material as well as podcast topics, or if there's a better thread for this. I'm going to take a leap here, though, to address something Paul was wondering about rammed earth. I think, not having tried this application personally (to seal a linerless pond), that because the rammed earth layer would be not only dense, but also very thick, that the rammed earth wouldn't succumb to water infiltration for the same reason a pig-sealed pond or a Sepp-sealed pond wouldn't: localised compaction seals water out. With rammed earth, the only difference is the fact that it would be tamped down with a tamper, and built up from several layers of material. I would also wonder if you could encourage a gley layer to develop by harvesting grasses or some green layer that you would lay down under the second-last or last layers. Compaction plus air means conditions for anaerobic decomposition, or a water-shedding gley layer.

Thanks,

-CK

Chris Kott wrote:Hi all,

I was just wondering if this was the best place to post responses to podcast material as well as podcast topics, or if there's a better thread for this. I'm going to take a leap here, though, to address something Paul was wondering about rammed earth. I think, not having tried this application personally (to seal a linerless pond), that because the rammed earth layer would be not only dense, but also very thick, that the rammed earth wouldn't succumb to water infiltration for the same reason a pig-sealed pond or a Sepp-sealed pond wouldn't: localised compaction seals water out. With rammed earth, the only difference is the fact that it would be tamped down with a tamper, and built up from several layers of material. I would also wonder if you could encourage a gley layer to develop by harvesting grasses or some green layer that you would lay down under the second-last or last layers. Compaction plus air means conditions for anaerobic decomposition, or a water-shedding gley layer.

Thanks,

-CK

Hey Chris,
We don't have a specific thread for the natural swimming pools podcast, but do have a natural swimming pools thread. We are debating if maybe we will start having discussion threads for podcasts.
If you have any specific responses that don't fit another thread, feel free to make a new thread.
Thanks for your response,
Suzy

Question for podcast:

Tomatoes and other annuals the Paul Wheaton way?

While I am always expanding my numbers of perennial foods such as fruit and nut trees, greens that reseed themselves and just planted sunchokes there still remain those commonly eaten foods that, in my part of the world, are annuals.
Tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers have to be saved from seed and replanted every year. How would you do this in a permaculture setting – do you have a better way?

I notice that there is a lot of talk about ‘putting the garden to bed’ or just ignoring it for the winter. Here in middle south (and southward of that) winter is the time to get crackin’.

people are always asking me about planting English peas, carrots, greens, radishes, mustard, turnips, winter rye and so forth IN THE SPRING – and I have to tell them they have missed the boat -- that boat sails in the fall.

Just wanted to point out that a fair number of listeners have a very active growing season all winter long and there are a lot of things that will only grow in the winter.

I would love to hear more about areas that do not have a frost line and what are the best ways to improve that soil. I have totally revamped my approach to growing stuff based on what I have learned at permies but I’m always wondering – since all of these techniques seem to be geared towards people with snow – is there something else that I could or should be trying that would improve my growing conditions even more?

Excellent questions and comments, Jeanine! I'm making a note of 'em!

I was really impressed by Paul's digression in this podcast: Sepp Holzer’s Permaculture Chapter 3 Part 2 Continued
concerning things we could REALLY do to REALLY stop being part of the Bad Guy's system -- to really reduce our environmental
footprints and all that.

How about one or more podcasts just on that topic?

The harder topic (but which would really interest me) is related the stuff about how the corporate bad guys pay people to troll for them
-- how do we REALLY change the world when we are butting heads against them and all their big guns when we try to do that. (And all their
big guns are targetted at enslaving everybody).

Farmers tried to do that in the 1930's (I think it was then) with the Grange system... where they banded together so they could have some
control over the prices they were paid for their crops. It worked until the big bad guys shut them down.

Labor tried to do that with unions... but those have been emasculated.

Sometimes I think that trying to reform the abuser is the same as that guy in mythology who is always trying to roll the boulder up the hill only to have it roll back down.

I would be interested in finding out more about what Paul looks for as "signs" of ickyness on farms he visits, both in conventional and permaculture settings. Plus, ways to spot lies being told to elude that ickyness being mentioned. I think it would help people who might be looking for yummy, un-icky food, from a kick-ass farmer.

Thanks,
W

Podcast suggestion: I am currently freaking out about Pamphlet IX Permaculture Techniques by Bill Mollison. I don't know why I am only just now really getting excited about it after having already read it. I would love to hear Paul do a 'review' of this pamphlet like he has done with some books.

Paul, I just listened to podcast 162 - Berms and cherry tree intervention. I absolutely loved it!

I think the best part was how you helped Bill work through the logical progression of actions and think about what the consequenses might be/have been. This helped me to think about how to work on my own site. I request more podcasts based on your site visits with extensive critiques. I'm sure you still went a little soft on Bill.

For most of us newbies it is this unfamiliar thought process that holds us back in design. Thanks for your unwavering devotion to forwarding knowledge!

I am glad that the podcasts are back after a short hiatus! THANKS PAUL, Suzie and all the volunteers who make the podcast possible, I really appreciate!

I haven't listened to quite all the podcast yet so maybe it has been covered before, but I think an interesting topic would be green woodworking.

C Hopper wrote: I request more podcasts based on your site visits with extensive critiques.

We'll try!

Adrien Lapointe wrote:I am glad that the podcasts are back after a short hiatus! THANKS PAUL, Suzie and all the volunteers who make the podcast possible, I really appreciate!

I haven't listened to quite all the podcast yet so maybe it has been covered before, but I think an interesting topic would be green woodworking.

You're welcome! We almost did a podcast on green woodworking. I'll get it back on the list.

Starting a food forest...by Zone!
Like- Zone 5 Foundational plants for your new food forest.

Oh! Another suggestion for the podcast! Perhaps Paul could talk about his land search and the criteria he uses (size, slope, distance from Misoula, etc.).

Patrick Thornson wrote:Starting a food forest...by Zone!
Like- Zone 5 Foundational plants for your new food forest.

Ah, we've talked about what to plant in terms of "it depends" in podcasts before, so I'm not sure that we'll revisit this.

Adrien Lapointe wrote:Oh! Another suggestion for the podcast! Perhaps Paul could talk about his land search and the criteria he uses (size, slope, distance from Misoula, etc.).

There are some current specs in the Paul Needs Land thread, though I imagine what you might mean is to discuss the reasons or thoughts behind those specs, would that be correct?

Yes Jocelyn, that is exactly what I mean. I know he has covered things like slope orientation, water, etc. in other podcast, but it would be interesting to hear these ideas applied to his land search.

I’ve listened to about 80% of Paul’s podcasts, but have only heard quick or vague references about alternatives to cleaning products. So I was wondering if it would be possible to get more information about cleaning products.

What are some environmentally friendly and affordable cleaning products or recipes for cleaning products?

What are some more natural alternatives to bleach or other harsh chemicals?

How bad are some cleaning products such as bleach, comet, tilex, formula 409, dishwasher detergent, laundry detergent, dish soap, bar soap, fancy bath soaps / lotions, oxyclean, hand sanitizer, etc…? What are some of the effects on us or on the environment?

When / How can borax, cleaning soda, baking soda, vinegar, soap berries, or citrus…. Be used? How can they best be utilized and when/where are they most effective?

What if growing soap berries isn’t feasible (yet)? And buying soap berry products is WAY too expensive.

Where can recipes for cleaning supplies be found? Or instructions for alternative cleaning methods?

What did our great grandparents use to clean?

slowly working my way through the podcast archive, very grateful for the zip packs. Downloaded my first one this morning, 121-160, had an error with 132 but it could have been the way I was unzipping using windows explorer.


podcast suggestion: Interview Jackson Landers, author of the new book Eating Aliens about harvesting invasive species for food.
Wild hogs are a nuisance, but are also grass fed pork, some ranchers pay to have them removed. See his article Want To Help the Environment? Go Shoot a Pig in Slate Magazine

His personal blog: http://rule-303.blogspot.ca/

It would be good if you could convey your story on lamb.

Also, it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on "getting started" with permaculture farming. E.g. Should one buy land first? What to build first if you do get land (wofati, swales, hugelbeds). Etc.
I know the answer is: "it depends", but you sure have an opinion on that and you could use your farm on Mount Spokane and the upcoming one in Missoula as examples. Plus it could be interesting to relate Ernie's "one dollar bill" trick for getting started.

Following the latest podcast, any questions for Paul?

I have heard other well known permaculturists talk about the idea that plants will not take up heavy metals into their bodies until a soil ph of 4.5 is reached in the soil.
If I am not mistaken, the explanation offered relates to the idea that the heavy metals (e.g. lead, arsenic) are not water soluble until a ph of 4.5 is reached. And until that level is reached, plants will choose other elements that are currently water soluble.
I would be very interested to hear more information/opinions on this.
Thanks!

Tom Davis wrote:I have heard other well known permaculturists talk about the idea that plants will not take up heavy metals into their bodies until a soil ph of 4.5 is reached in the soil.
If I am not mistaken, the explanation offered relates to the idea that the heavy metals (e.g. lead, arsenic) are not water soluble until a ph of 4.5 is reached. And until that level is reached, plants will choose other elements that are currently water soluble.
I would be very interested to hear more information/opinions on this.
Thanks!

Hey Tom it was nice meeting you at the Earthworks Workshop. Vinegar on our BBQ!? This was the first time I heard this PH-specific heavy metal uptake information as you and Paul were talking. Mind was blown, therefore mouth was shut at the time.

I was wondering if Paul or Adrien or anybody could maybe do a podcast on the keynote speech at the convergence, and the reception of it. Did anybody get a recording? Any links?

There really hasn't been much on fungi, and it's a really important part of nature, medicine, food, and permaculture. After listening to the podcast, I understand how you don't want to work with the other more famous guy, but Ja Schindler of Eugene does mushroom cultivation workshops all the time. He would be an excellent guy to interview and talk to about fungi and permaculture.
Thanks,
JOhN S
PDX OR

Ok, I am just throwing it out there that I would LOVE to hear a podcast where Paul interviews Arthur Haines of arthurhaines.com if you've never heard of him, he is an excellent authority on paleo diet especially wild crafted foods, from identification, to harvest,to processing, he is incredible, check out his youtube! I emailed him and he is down to do a podcast. I gave him Adrian's email, but not sure what came of that.

A Sepp-sealed pond vs. a pig-sealed one? are you saying Sepp Holzer personally will wallow in the pond and seal it with his girth?

I see there's one podcast on urban permaculture, but if you haven't already done it then I want:

--urban; tiny lot
--shady (north side of house, mostly)
--leady (and probably arsenic-y)
--near the coast
--cold climate
--with Other People (ie housemates) who don't see you as %100 right (I know, weird, right?)

And it might be that I just need to have Sepp Holzer tell me "get out of there" like he did Paul.  

Or personally seal my pond.  

But maybe there's a better way to play the game while here too.  

I realize it kinda sounds like asking for a design for my house, but mostly it's for anyone in coastal New England--we all have the lead, the tininess, the shadesville, quite often.

And that gives me another idea, a podcast on Thomas Jefferson's botany and research, and maybe one on other researchers who've contributed in various ways before the term "permaculture" was coined.  Carver, Burbank?

Then too I always wanted a show Extreme Permaculture Makeover, which I know has its instant-gratificationy drawbacks but would still be fun.  A calorie-off? a soil-build-off? an annualized thermal inertia-off?

Chris Kott wrote:Hi all,

I was just wondering if this was the best place to post responses to podcast material as well as podcast topics, or if there's a better thread for this. I'm going to take a leap here, though, to address something Paul was wondering about rammed earth. I think, not having tried this application personally (to seal a linerless pond), that because the rammed earth layer would be not only dense, but also very thick, that the rammed earth wouldn't succumb to water infiltration for the same reason a pig-sealed pond or a Sepp-sealed pond wouldn't: localised compaction seals water out. With rammed earth, the only difference is the fact that it would be tamped down with a tamper, and built up from several layers of material. I would also wonder if you could encourage a gley layer to develop by harvesting grasses or some green layer that you would lay down under the second-last or last layers. Compaction plus air means conditions for anaerobic decomposition, or a water-shedding gley layer.

Thanks,

-CK

Thanks for your thoughts, Joshua, Glenn, John S. and so many more! The podcasts have been erratic, to say the least.

I have tried several times to get the podcasts re-started, on a schedule or something. And, repeatedly, I have been overly optimistic about how much Paul and I both can fit into our days. (That's the brief explanation. You're welcome for me not going on a rant here. :-) )

Paul and I want to get back to podcasts. We talk about it frequently. And we have a backlog of topics and reviews that Paul wants to do, and hopefully we'll get back to them at some point.

Thank for listening!

Thanks so much Jocelyn,  I certainly don't want to pressure you and look forward to them if and when the time is right.  Meanwhile I can listen to the gazillion other podcasts that already exist plus the ones by the voices in my head.

Acorn processing hacks.

We've been going over this a lot on the acorn mush preparation thread, but I keep thinking there's got to be an easier way, and that probably Paul did a podcast on it at some point.  I finally did search and didn't find any podcast on acorns other than raising pigs.  (Well, yes, that is an easier way--but other than that, and for starch purposes).

Maybe it could cover hacks for other nuts.

The pattern I've seen in articles on the subject is they say "this is so easy and freely abundant, you just do XYZ and you have food" where XYZ ends up being a bunch more work than I want to be doing, plus a lot more leaching out of the good bits from the acorns.

I'd also like to understand how the industrial processing of them works.  Maybe folks in Korea know more about that.

I loved the new grain harvesting technique in the last podcast!

Two podcast thoughts/ requests

1) at this moment what is the world going to look like in 20/50/100 years. There is so much dystopian viewpoints out there. Whats the reality? Well, whats your take on the reality?

2) how can we effeciently and effectively grow small scale grains without machienery. And more importantly how to harvest, thresh, winnow and grind small scale grains

Rock on

it seems in a past podcast we covered some of these things

extreme variations of rocket mass heaters like 90%+ efficiency

we talked about three improvements to the fisher price house rmh which should take it to heating with one twentieth the wood.

how can we effeciently and effectively grow small scale grains without machienery. And more importantly how to harvest, thresh, winnow and grind small scale grains  

I think we covered that in october.  I even made a video:

Ill check it! Thanks Paul

Reviews of Minecraft permaculture designs:

https://youtu.be/0gyTBZccQKA

I think Minecraft has some potential for being that “video game that teaches permaculture” but wow there’s a lot that actual permaculture could add to this conversation.