PPP 29: Permaculture Luminary Mark Shepard on Lessons of Nature, Perennials, STUN method & Principles for Life/Land Restoration

This is Episode #29. Today, I am having a fangirl moment because I am interviewing the man who is responsible for officially putting a “permaculture” hook in my brain. 

Mark Shepard is the CEO of Forest Agriculture Nursery LLC, founder of Restoration Agriculture Development LLC and award-winning author of the book, Restoration Agriculture: which happens to be the very first book I ever read about permaculture principles. Mark is famous in the permaculture world and he is right here in Wisconsin, a zone 3/4 growing environment, which makes me even MORE excited to talk to him about his work, his advice and his dreams for making our environment a more abundant landscape!

So stick around to be inspired by one of the great thinkers and doers within the regenerative growing world and find out what he might be able to offer us in the form of practical takeaways!!

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• History of Mark Shepard and the catalyst for him getting involved with land management and sustainable living.
• The problem with annual plants and how they have deteriorated our land and varied ecosystems over time.
• Why being part of the typical American lifestyle and current economic system is a modern form of slavery.
• Reasons why permaculture is a tool in the tool box toward economic freedom and mindful living.
• Ecological capitalism, and how nature is an abundant life form. If we work in cooperation with nature and natural patterns, we can create a regenerative system. This system produces more yields and thereby creates more food/medicine/products for us.
• The importance of being a student of the natural world.
• How we can seek to do an ecological restoration in our own sphere of influence.
• Why the STUN (Sheer Total and Utter Neglect) Method ALWAYS works.
• Observation of plants and nature and how that can inform our gardening and growing practices.
• What trees/plants should we be looking to plant and grow and how do we go about designing our property to grow in the greatest abundance. By understanding what the area or region grew originally, and what weather patterns can aid in plant health. Very site specific. Specific trees for the Oak Savanna Area.
• Plant, Seek Feedback, & Adjust
• What can people who live in the city and suburbs do to be a part of the sustainability/permaculture world?Identify the plant biology around you, spend time in nature when you can, and change the world with your spending/eating habits.
• Forest Agriculture Nursery and why breeding trees and choosing trees based on their genetic capabilities for various regions is so important.
• Mark’s philosophies on living an abundant life!

Resources We Mention:

• Forest Agriculture Enterprises Forestag.com to buy trees from Mark’s Nursery!
• New Forest Farm Website. (Redesigning Agriculture in Nature’s Image). Restorationag.com to look into having Mark’s team work with you and your land to design a property that works in cooperation with nature.
• New Forest Farm to see Mark’s farm!
• Acresusa.com to find Mark’s books!
• Restoration Agriculture & Permaculture Courses
• Water for Any Farm (Mark’s Newest book!)

• Plant Community Types & Forest Types to figure out the plants that grow in your area!
• Farm Finder to find local farmers in your area!

For More on this Topic See:

• “Tree Crops” by J Russell Smith

• “Permaculture Designer’s Manual” Bill Mollison

• One Straw Revolution by Masanobu Fukuoka

The Best teacher is the Book of Creation, just live in nature.

Mark Shepard

Sponsors:

This show is brought to you by ME and my super supportive family! If you would like to support this process, please leave me a review, share with your friends/family, pray for us, and/or pay it forward by helping others in need.

Tippecanoe Herbs is the sponsor of this podcast!!! Check them out, and let them know I sent you!! 🙂

Intro/Outro Music by Scott Holmes, “A Wee Tipple”