Soul Soil: Where Agriculture and Spirit Intersect with Brooke Kornegay

The Soul Soil Podcast is a place where ideas, experience, and resources come together around the topics of agriculture and spirituality with the goal of inspiring and empowering listeners to interact and cooperate with the land in a way that nourishes and sustains the human body, mind, and soul while regenerating and sustaining the land itself.

Akiva Silver - 3223 12.11 PM 03/02/2023

Akiva Silver - 3223 12.11 PM Akiva Silver has been studying and working with nature for the past 20 years. His endeavors have ranged from primitive wilderness survival to planting and maintaining diverse fruit and nut orchards, and to running his nursery business at Twisted Tree Farm. Akiva raises tens of thousands of trees every year, propagating from seeds and cuttings. He is an avid forager and observer of wildlife. Akiva has written three books, Trees of Power, The Conversation, and The Ocean of Dreams. In this episode… An approach to creating change through inspiration and alternative solutions rather than opposition…Bringing opposition to those in service only to self can interrupt their agenda, but building new and better systems lays the groundwork for change from a place of love. What we put our focus on often grows, and that includes world problems as well as alternative solutions. One alternative solution Akiva has been working on is cooking oil…using the oft-maligned bitternut hickory as a source of cooking oil, instead of relying on an annual monocrop like canola whose production creates a biological desert on the land. The story about Akiva’s experience with wilderness and survival skills, how the guilt of taking from the earth, the plant and animal bodies to fuel his own body, was transformed into gratitude, paired with a realization that we are part of nature and the carbon cycle, we have the same value and right to be here…”you are taking life to have life. Something is killed for you to have energy. When I kill a deer and eat it, I have that energy in my body. What I do with that energy matters more to me when I remember this.” You can take that energy and wallow in self pity and self doubt, or you can take that life in order to create beauty and kindness and propagate life. A certain responsibility enters the picture. The joy of doing work that is directed by the seasons, the patterns of nature, instead of by a human schedule. “Having an attitude of curiosity would lead to a totally different world” The best way to be mentally healthy and happy is to know that you have a purpose, know that you’re helping others…finding how you can be of service is the best thing you can do for yourself and the world. Resources Twisted Tree Farm and nursery online store YouTube channel , , and by Akiva Silver ; ; and by Samuel Thayer by Lee Reich Books by /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/26106441

Akiva Silver - 3223 12.11 PM 03/02/2023

Ep 049, Jared Sorensen: A Regenerative Approach to the Family Ranch 12/29/2022

Ep 049, Jared Sorensen: A Regenerative Approach to the Family Ranch Some people do things the way things have always been done. Others develop that curiosity muscle and are able to take in new information, weigh it against experience and, yes, intuition, and ultimately create new systems that work. The first thing Jared teaches a new farmer is “know thyself.” Jared and Selena have been married 26 years and are the parents of nine children and one grandchild. They are 3rd generation ranchers, managing the operation Jared’s grandfather and father built in Secret Pass and Clover Valley, Nevada. Jared is a life-long learner and has been applying and teaching principles of holistic management, soil regeneration, and biodynamics. Jared has mentored many young people seeking to get a start in agriculture. The Sorensens raise and market grass fed beef, teach onsite and virtual classes, and offer internships on the ranch. In this episode… partnering with his father and grandfather at age 16 making the shift to holistic, regenerative practices grazing management: mob grazing, the principle of thirds bringing the microscope to the farm: measuring the effectiveness of new practices by tracking the presence of a balanced microbial population healing the water cycle biologically—beavers as permaculture designers!; keyline systems the importance of knowing your why, knowing yourself…don’t set yourself up for failure by adopting a system that’s not yours, without taking the time to get to know yourself and what YOU were created to do here on this earth, your unique why…and then having the courage to embody that truth introducing a biodynamic approach to the ranch, being the human connection between heaven and earth to be better stewards of the earth, we need to increase our awareness, get past our “know it all” egoic tendency, moving past judgement and getting curious, knowing there’s something we can learn from everyone and every situation. A big dose of humility will serve us well it IS possible to break into agriculture without inheriting a farm Nature is more resilient than we give it credit for. There’s so much grace and forgiveness in trying to do the right thing, in getting past our arrogance and our ego. Progress can be made! Your self worth is infinite, it is separate from your net worth. Resources (Sorensen Ranch) (Biodynamic Ranch in Colorado) free ebook from Jared Sorensen hard copy /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/25457226

048, Amy Dempster: The Nature Experience 11/29/2022

047, Asia Suler: Earth-Centered Personal Growth 11/23/2022

046, Seán Pádraig O'Donoghue 07/28/2021

046, Seán Pádraig O'Donoghue “Our sense of ‘the individual’, which really began with the rise of capitalism and the forceful severing of people from land and community, led to the concept that there are categories of being that do and do not have consciousness, that are and are not alive, that do and do not have their own right to existence…and when we actually drop into our senses and allow ourselves to experience the living world, we discover that so many of the things that were not supposed to be intelligent, or sentient, are speaking to us and with us. And that changes everything.” Seán Pádraig O’Donoghue is an herbalist, writer, and teacher, and an initiated Priest in two traditions. He lives in the mountains of western Maine. Seán’s approach to healing weaves together the insights of traditional western herbalism, animism, and contemporary science. He regards physical, spiritual, and emotional healing as deeply intertwined. He is the author of The Forest Reminds Us Who We Are. In this episode… Early influences and experiences working with plant and animal consciousnesses How becoming more fully embodied opens awareness and the capacity to connect with nature The aromatic scents of plants are recognized as kinship signals within our bodies; when we can direct our attention to a specific plant, tension is released within our bodies so that we can connect more openly The near-constant barrage and sensory overload of modern living and its effect on our ability to deeply listen to subtle information in our natural surroundings Some simple practices that can help us open our awareness and refine our senses What’s most permanent about us is our threefold nature…the “Talking” or “Human” self that interacts with abstractions and language (our persona and ego), our “Animal” self that experiences sensation and emotions, responding to rhythm and ritual and love, and our “God” self or “Infinite” self that knows our divinity and infinity Examining our own programming and conditioning and reclaiming our body’s innate wisdom, through the senses, to convey information about the world around us Indigenous vs. colonizers, and the worldview of “we” vs. “I” “To die healed is to die while being in right relation with all things in your inner world and your outer worlds. That can happen only in the context where we recognize and experience the world as alive. We cannot come into this full expression of who we are without letting our consciousness to fully enter and fill our bodies.” “6,000 years of patriarchal civilization has created rigid patterns within humans where we are armoring ourselves against our own eros, our own nature, our own desire for life, as well as armoring ourselves against the feelings and experiences of those around us. When we are in that place of being cut off from ourselves and each other, we can more easily become the instruments of ideologies that try to tell us what’s right and wrong, and who does and doesn’t have a right to exist.” Resources by Seán Pádraig O’Donoghue https://otherworldwell.com/ by Cornelia Benavidez by John Moriarty by Gary Snyder /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/19963772

045, Deatra Cohen and Adam Siegel: Ashkenazi Herbalism 05/05/2021

045, Deatra Cohen and Adam Siegel: Ashkenazi Herbalism 75% of the world’s human population relies on traditional healing practices, most of which is herbal medicine. Herbs and other plants have shaped human culture and traditions since the beginning of time. The Ashkenazim of Eastern Europe’s Pale of Settlement have a well documented history dating back to the Middle Ages, but until now, accounts of their herbal healing practices have been absent from public record. Deatra and Adam have put together a snapshot of not only the herbs used by this culture, but also tell the story of its healers. Deatra Cohen is an author, herbalist, master gardener and artist. She was a reference librarian for many years and always had an interest in nature, plants and medicinal herbs. When she began to study herbalism formally, she discovered there was no written record of the medicinal plant knowledge of her ancestors, the Ashkenazi Jews from the Pale of Settlement in Eastern Europe. Adam Siegel is an author, translator, and bibliographer. He studied linguistics at the University of Minnesota and the University of California, and library and information science at San José State University. His translations from German, Russian, Serbian, and Croatian papers have been published widely, and he is a past recipient of the NEA Literary Translation Fellowship. In this episode… How enrolling in an herbalism course prompted Deatra to explore the herbal traditions of her ancestors The investigative process of digging for clues about traditional Ashkenazi herbalism, a topic with very little previously published information Researching the narrative of this culture and how it led to deeper conversations within Deatra’s family regarding World War II, displacement, and immigration Use of cupping, protection against evil eye, and magico-religious medicine Herbal cultural appropriation: from the perspective of the plants, this concept doesn’t exist! The magic of tending and caring for herbs that take care of you Resources by Deatra Cohen and Adam Siegel Contact Deatra: [email protected] /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/18981677

044, Amy Dempster: Gridkeeping 101 03/05/2021

043, David O’Carroll: Korean Natural Farming for the Ultimate Sustainable Solution (continued) 02/19/2021

043, David O’Carroll: Korean Natural Farming for the Ultimate Sustainable Solution (continued) David O’Carroll has been educating growers in the United Kingdom in Korean Natural Farming methods for the last 6 years at Ballagh Micro Farm, based in Devon, where beneficial microbes are being used to create healthy soil through powerful natural fertilizers. Having used Korean Natural Farming for a number of years on a smaller scale, such as establishing an agroforestry project and learning centre, he combined Korean Natural Farming and other methods of natural farming to accelerate the change in soil biology to showcase how healthy soil can be created. Working closely with many United Kingdom Hemp farms both locally and nationwide he has developed both organic pest management solutions, and adoption of Korean Natural Farming practices, in addition to further product developments within the hemp industry. In these episodes… Korean Natural Farming is a path for those who are put off by the high cost of outside agricultural inputs; KNF offers a local, renewable, sustainable source of fertility that aims to build soil that mimics a forest ecosystem KNF has allowed David to diversify his farm products and give him a revenue stream year-round and increase his resilience and small-farm sustainability Do as nature does (her methods are inexpensive and easy); understand the good and the bad are one (values are relative) The benefit of collecting indigenous microorganisms within the local vicinity (a 50 mile radius is a good reference point); microbes will teach each other how to adapt to different conditions I and others are one (understand crops by understanding your own body); you are what you eat, eats Applying KNF principles and techniques for waste management at large gatherings and festivals Lactic acid bacteria is the emergency response team that can correct both soil and gastrointestinal imbalance How the COVID lockdowns are affecting the way people think about food, farming, and gardening Indigenous microorganisms for no-smell compost toilets and hog operations Looking for the different phases of plant development in order to supplement the needed nutrients: leaf growth, root and flower, seed and fruit Utilizing KNF techniques in the developing world using locally available rice, sugar, fruit, plant matter, animal bones, and dairy or bean milk, and some form of alcohol Oriental Herbal Nutrient: a tincture of fermented garlic, ginger, cinnamon, licorice, and angelica Natural pest management /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/18007316

042, David O’Carroll: Korean Natural Farming for the Ultimate Sustainable Solution 02/19/2021

042, David O’Carroll: Korean Natural Farming for the Ultimate Sustainable Solution David O’Carroll has been educating growers in the United Kingdom in Korean Natural Farming methods for the last 6 years at Ballagh Micro Farm, based in Devon, where beneficial microbes are being used to create healthy soil through powerful natural fertilizers. Having used Korean Natural Farming for a number of years on a smaller scale, such as establishing an agroforestry project and learning centre, he combined Korean Natural Farming and other methods of natural farming to accelerate the change in soil biology to showcase how healthy soil can be created. Working closely with many United Kingdom Hemp farms both locally and nationwide he has developed both organic pest management solutions, and adoption of Korean Natural Farming practices, in addition to further product developments within the hemp industry. In these episodes… Korean Natural Farming is a path for those who are put off by the high cost of outside agricultural inputs; KNF offers a local, renewable, sustainable source of fertility that aims to build soil that mimics a forest ecosystem KNF has allowed David to diversify his farm products and give him a revenue stream year-round and increase his resilience and small-farm sustainability Do as nature does (her methods are inexpensive and easy); understand the good and the bad are one (values are relative) The benefit of collecting indigenous microorganisms within the local vicinity (a 50 mile radius is a good reference point); microbes will teach each other how to adapt to different conditions I and others are one (understand crops by understanding your own body); you are what you eat, eats Applying KNF principles and techniques for waste management at large gatherings and festivals Lactic acid bacteria is the emergency response team that can correct both soil and gastrointestinal imbalance How the COVID lockdowns are affecting the way people think about food, farming, and gardening Indigenous microorganisms for no-smell compost toilets and hog operations Looking for the different phases of plant development in order to supplement the needed nutrients: leaf growth, root and flower, seed and fruit Utilizing KNF techniques in the developing world using locally available rice, sugar, fruit, plant matter, animal bones, and dairy or bean milk, and some form of alcohol Oriental Herbal Nutrient: a tincture of fermented garlic, ginger, cinnamon, licorice, and angelica Natural pest management Resources David’s website: for access to a free online course in how to make Korean Natural Farming preparations by Masanobu Fukuoka by Sepp Holzer by Jeff Lowenfels by Daniel Chamovitz by Martin Crawford by Jorge Cervantes /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/18006119

041, Dr. Eben Alexander: Going Within--The Power and Promise of Unity Consciousness 01/25/2021

041, Dr. Eben Alexander: Going Within--The Power and Promise of Unity Consciousness “In order to rise to the challenge of addressing the global emergency known as climate change, we need to access and build a relationship with our higher soul. This connection fosters a life where we truly take stewardship of the planet and our relationship with other beings, and to the best of our ability, manifest love, kindness, and compassion for self, others, and the world. This leads us all to a better life.” Dr. Eben Alexander spent over 25 years as an academic neurosurgeon, including 15 years at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital, the Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. Over those years he personally dealt with hundreds of patients suffering from severe alterations in their level of consciousness. Many of those patients were rendered comatose by trauma, brain tumors, ruptured aneurysms, infections, or stroke. He thought he had a very good idea of how the brain generates consciousness, mind and spirit. In the predawn hours of November 10, 2008, he was driven into coma by a rare and mysterious bacterial meningo-encephalitis of unknown cause. He spent a week in coma on a ventilator, his prospects for survival diminishing rapidly. On the seventh day, to the surprise of everyone, he started to awaken. Memories of his life had been completely deleted inside of the coma, yet he awoke with memories of a fantastic odyssey deep into another realm – more real than this earthly one! His older son advised him to write down everything he could remember about his journey, before he read anything about near-death experiences, physics or cosmology. Six weeks later, he completed his initial recording of his remarkable journey, totaling over 20,000 words in length. Then he started reading, and was astonished by the commonalities between his journey and so many others reported throughout all cultures, continents and millennia. His journey brought key insights to the mind-body discussion and to our human understanding of the fundamental nature of reality. His experience clearly revealed that we are conscious in spite of our brain – that, in fact, consciousness is at the root of all existence. His story offers a crucial key to the understanding of reality and human consciousness. It will have a major effect on how we view spirituality, soul and the non-material realm. In analyzing his experience, including the scientific possibilities and grand implications, he envisions a more complete reconciliation of modern science and spirituality as a natural product. He has been blessed with a complete recovery that is inexplicable from the viewpoint of modern Western medicine. In this episode… The story of Dr. Alexander’s near-death experience and the subsequent journey into the nature of reality, the mind-brain connection, free will, and debunking conventional science’s denial of the existence of consciousness Dr. Alexander’s most powerful lesson since coming out of his coma has been the power of going within. Meditation is the first step to putting the little “ego-mind” in time-out, and helps us get in touch with aspects of ourselves that are more connected with other beings, and connected with the universe at large. That’s the best way to manifest the loftiest world of the dreams of our higher soul. The Life Review: a common feature of reported Near-Death Experiences where boundaries of self disappear and your life is presented to you from the emotional perspective of those around you (reinforcing the Golden Rule) Past-life accounts from children have been validated through historical research This material world is where our souls actually make progress, not the in-between spiritual realm Reincarnation was very accepted in the early days of Christianity, but the concept was written out by Constantine at the Council of Nicaea Several examples of people having NDEs and making miraculous full recoveries from deadly traumas and illnesses Darwinian concepts of evolution through competition (ideas that bled into our social and economic systems) versus evolution via collaboration and cooperation Meditation as a technique to get in touch with our higher souls, as well as a scientifically proven tool to lower stress and blood pressure, improve sleep and productivity, enhance the immune system, generate inner peace and assist with interpersonal conflict Pierre Teilhard de Chardin’s vision—echoed by those from the NDE world and the meditating community— of the evolution of all consciousness toward a higher level of oneness and connectedness and love, a utopian world for all of life on Earth—shifting the focus from the “ego-mind” toward the universal higher good It’s time to shift our identification away from individual nation-states and toward a global vision focused on the highest good of all beings; it’s time for us to wake up and care for each other and realize that a polarized society isn’t healthy and will sooner or later collapse under its own weight Resources http://ebenalexander.com/ by Eben Alexander by Eben Alexander by Eben Alexander and Karen Newell Audio CD by Eben Alexander and Karen Newell of Sacred Acoustics https://galileocommission.org/ by Michael Singer https://www.sacredacoustics.com/ Inner Sanctum Center () by Herbert Bruce Puryear by Paramahansa Yogananda by Anita Moorjani by Jill Bolte Taylor by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin by John C. Hagan III (abstract) /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/17686820

040, Jennifer Maynard: Staying Healthier and Living Longer with Phytonutrient-Rich Foods 01/12/2021

040, Jennifer Maynard: Staying Healthier and Living Longer with Phytonutrient-Rich Foods “Your food just feels good when I eat it”…this is the refrain Jennifer Maynard hears again and again from customers eating the meals she produces from her regenerative agriculture farm and assembles through her meal kit business—meals based on the Longevity Diet. Jennifer has done her homework when it comes to food that works with the human body. She has traveled to several of the blue zones—areas with a high concentration of people over 100 years old—and discovered not just what they eat, but how they live and grow their food as well. Jennifer worked in the Biotech and Pharmaceutical specialty medicine areas for over 20 years. After putting two decades of her passion into changing people's lives through modern medicine, she felt her knowledge and experience would be better served focusing on "Food as Medicine." Even though progress has been made with medicine, the battle with chronic illness is being lost. In order to address this, she founded Greater Greens, a regenerative organic farm, as the first step to bringing this movement front and center and to help focus on the root of our health challenges. Once the farm was fully operational, she co-founded Nutrition for Longevity, a farm-to-fork meal kitting company that focuses on bringing nutritionally tailored meals to the masses direct from her farm. In this episode… Phytonutrients and the connection between soil and human health, including our response to stress The soil microbiome is the plant’s immune system, much as the human gut microbiome makes up a huge part of the human immune system Practices that have led to the reduction of organic matter in U.S. soils from 11% to 1% Techniques Jennifer uses on her farm, Greater Greens, to produce high quality, phytonutrient-rich foods The critical role of native insect populations in maintaining agroecological balance The power of the consumer in making the shift toward regenerative agriculture Ways to get more nutrient-dense foods into our local communities How farms with healthy soils are far more resilient with regard to climate change We can begin to support farmers interested in transitioning to regenerative agriculture using carbon credits Kids actually WILL eat vegetables…produce that is grown in living soil is far more appealing than conventional veggies! Centenarians in the Blue Zones tend to be regenerative agriculture farmers, utilizing ancient techniques practiced by the indigenous populations Resources , Jennifer’s meal kit service Greater Greens on and on Instagram by Paul Hawken by Valter Longo /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/17521715

039, Dr. Patricia Tavormina: Microbial Intelligence Supports the Gaia Theory 12/10/2020

038, Kami McBride: Communication with the Natural World 11/30/2020

038, Kami McBride: Communication with the Natural World We are wired to perceive information from the natural world around us— it’s how we have survived as a species. The problem is we have shut it off, influenced at an early age by the adults in our lives. We all have the ability to tend our reciprocal relationship with the plants and the Earth. Kami McBride is the author of The Herbal Kitchen and has developed several online courses that facilitate the skills and confidence building to use herbs in day-to-day life for health and self-care. Kami’s 30+ years of teaching herbal medicine is steeped in her calling to inspire culture that embraces taking care of our bodies with healing herbs, a deep connection with the earth and a lifestyle that passes this knowledge on to our children. Kami has taught herbal medicine at University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing, and the Integral Health Masters’ program at the California Institute of Integral Studies. She has helped thousands of families gain confidence using herbs for disease prevention and self-care. In this episode… Accessibility of herbal medicine versus the pharmaceutical model Effect of the disconnect from ancestral lands and foods Plant and earth communication is a continuum Our ability to connect with and see the world is incredibly profound between ages 1 and 3 Remembering our own “door”, the unique way we experience and interpret information from the natural world Ways to begin opening ourselves to plant communication—and the role of gratitude We can’t protect what we don’t deeply love Including Mother Earth in decision-making—listening to the land and including her voice in the discussion Full-spectrum herbal learning Bringing forth the Earth’s message for humanity When you make a deep connection with a plant, herbal medicine becomes personal embodied experience that goes so far beyond memorization People are being called to bring our culture back into right relationship with Nature Resources Kami’s plant communication course: by Robin Wall Kimmerer by Kami McBride /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/17008811

037, Brigit Strawbridge Howard: Dancing with Bees—Reclaiming Awe and Wonder in the Presence of Nature 08/27/2020

036: Shannon Brescher Shea: Sustainability on the Home Front 08/18/2020

036: Shannon Brescher Shea: Sustainability on the Home Front “Parenthood is EASY!” said no one, ever. Raising children to be conscious, kind, sustainably-minded adults can be extra challenging in an age of global ecological collapse, and in a country characterized by immediate gratification, polarization, and single-use EVERYTHING. Today we talk with Shannon Brescher Shea about how to bridge our desire to be part of the solution, with being caretakers and models for the little people in our lives. Shannon Brescher Shea is devoted to telling authentic stories about green living and parenting. She's the author of the environmental parenting advice book Growing Sustainable Together: Practical Resources to Raise Kind, Engaged, Resilient Children and writes the parenting blog We'll Eat You Up, We Love You So. After receiving a master's degree from Oxford University in Nature, Society, and Environmental Policy, she worked for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and U.S. Department of Energy. She biked from New York City to Washington D.C. to raise money for climate change advocacy, protested the Keystone XL pipeline when she was pregnant, and led family community bike rides. Shea has bylines in numerous publications, including the Washington Post, Sierra Magazine, Scary Mommy, and Romper. She lives in the Washington D.C. suburbs with her husband and two kids. In this episode… Mom Guilt: the struggle between spending time on climate activism vs. being present for your children The many aspects of sustainability that arise in a family’s daily life that are all teachable moments Lessons children can learn from working in gardens (see article below) Kids who garden are more likely to try new foods! Psychological benefits to spending time outdoors (especially for children diagnosed with ADHD) Teaching kindness to children in words and action, especially regarding those who are different or have different circumstances Introducing children to environmental action in a playful way that empowers them to influence the power structures that affect us all Helping kids want less stuff by limiting their exposure to advertisements and helping them think critically about them Bringing awareness to the way the activities we choose to engage in impact the people, community, and world around us; making conscious choices Resources by Shannon Brescher Shea by Shannon Brescher Shea (Washington Post) by Atinuke by N.K. Jemisin by Kate Messner Soul Soil Podcast Soul Soil /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/15661979

035, Lori Taylor: Fresh Food Activism with The Produce Moms 08/11/2020

035, Lori Taylor: Fresh Food Activism with The Produce Moms If you can commit to serving fresh fruits and vegetables every time you serve food— to yourself, to others, and especially to children, you will feel better, you will look better, and your community and loved ones will thrive. Food security is national security, and supporting the US farmers who grow our produce is a vote for healthy bodies and healthy economies. Today we talk with Lori Taylor of The Produce Moms, a community of passionate fresh produce advocates with a mission to inspire everyone, especially children, to eat more fruits and vegetables. For ten years Lori sold fresh produce to over 300 grocery stores throughout the US. Today, Lori and her team are fully focused on educating consumers about fresh produce, introducing them to produce brands, engaging the produce industry with consumers in inspiring conversations, and promoting public policy to protect and increase the availability of fresh produce at American schools. Lori is a top child nutrition lobbyist and grassroots activist in the US with a staunch focus on bringing more fresh-form fruits and vegetables to USDA School Meals as well as food insecurity nutrition programs such as SNAP and WIC. Her policy work in D.C. includes Farm Bill and Child Nutrition Reauthorization. Lori is the host of The Produce Moms Podcast, a seasoned Keynote Speaker and is currently writing her first book. Lori resides in Indianapolis, IN with her husband Chip, their two sons Joe and Mac, and their Great Dane. In this episode… How The Produce Moms got started Don’t overthink it—one step in the right direction is how you start addressing these issues 94% of the farms in the US are family-owned Food security is national security The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program within the Federal School Nutrition Program Food is culture Producing more using less is the secret to sustainability in our agriculture systems No one cares about the planet the way that growers do Technology in agriculture Whole Foods named “regenerative agriculture” the top food trend of 2020 Double up food bucks—stretching the SNAP and WIC dollars at farmers’ markets Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program empowers both students and the local food economy Only 2% of the fruits and vegetables served in schools are “fresh form” or raw Monthly produce challenge calendar Resources Soul Soil Podcast Soul Soil /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/15544817

Episode 034, Lexie Gropper: Restoring Ecosystems, Health, and Community in the Amazon 08/04/2020

Episode 034, Lexie Gropper: Restoring Ecosystems, Health, and Community in the Amazon Today we have the opportunity to glimpse what it means to stand for community and healing in the midst of the fallout of Western extractive corporate interests. Lexie Gropper is a biologist dedicated to deepening her understanding of the life cycles, with a passion for the processes of decomposition leading to fertile grounds and new opportunities. She dedicates her energy to the cultivation of plants, fungi, bacteria, relationships, community, and healing. Lexie has been living in the Ecuadorian Amazon since 2014. She lives on her family's reforested edible jungle, a literal island in the middle of a sea of deforestation and ongoing contamination from petroleum extraction, cattle ranching, and cash crop monocultures. The name of their project is Amisacho Restauración, where they've dedicated themselves to three direct lines of action with communities in their region: restoring ecosystems, restoring health, restoring community. In this episode… About Amisacho Restauración, reforestation, and education Rescuing ancient soil building practices such as terra preta The history of resource extraction in Sucumbios, Ecuador The ongoing 27-year legal battle between the indigenous population of Ecuador and Texaco (formerly Chevron) for the crime of ecocide and challenges of watching a corporation exploit loopholes in the legal system to avoid responsibility for damages Involvement with Environmental Reparations Committee, organizing social approaches to environmental restoration and reparations The health therapy program which sends health specialists trained in permaculture, biomagnetism, and holistic psychotherapies to support cancer patients in areas affected by the contamination of the waterways by petroleum industry byproducts Growing mycomedicinals (medicinal mushrooms) and donating tinctures to help support the remote indigenous population Offering courses in soil regeneration and returning indigenous forest microbes to the land The magickal mystickal Wood Wide Web, bokashi and biochar Biomagnetism Resources Support Amisacho Restauración in donating seeds and mushroom medicinal tinctures to Sucumbios Reparation Committees. Paypal: ; email: ; facebook: amisacho Instagram: amisacho_restauracion by Carol Steinfeld by Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew by Leila Darwish by Peter McCoy by Sandor Ellix Katz The Soil Keepers: Interviews With Practitioners on the Ground Beneath Our Feet and by Nance Klehm Soul Soil Podcast Soul Soil /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/15477575

033, Heather Kelejian: Transformation Through Horticulture Therapy 07/28/2020

033, Heather Kelejian: Transformation Through Horticulture Therapy How do you feel when you get out in nature? What happens to your mental state when you spend some time in your garden? Today we chat with Heather Kelejian about her role as Executive Director of the Ability Garden, a place where horticulture therapy is available to a number of populations for the purpose of supporting the healing of emotional wounds, motor skill development, sensory stimulation, improving social interactions, navigating life changes and trauma, and connection with nature. Heather is a North Carolina native, growing up in Chapel Hill and Charlotte who has called Wilmington home for 23 years. A love of plants and being outside came from a childhood spent with her Grandmother, who had a bountiful garden every year. Heather has an English degree from UNC – Chapel Hill and has pursued graduate studies in both Gerontology and Public Administration. She has worked with the Ability Garden since 2003, initially as a Master Gardener Volunteer, a Horticultural Therapy Intern and Program Director, and eventually as Executive Director. Heather is a member of the Coastal Compost Council, the Carolinas Horticultural Therapy Network, and the Voyage and Wellness Committee. Her passion is finding ways to bring people and plants together. In This Episode… Heather’s path to horticulture therapy The populations she serves and skills they foster through the Ability Garden—socialization, vocational experience, nutrition and water quality education, fostering connections, learning how to nurture a living being Working with students flagged for behavior issues Using garden tasks as metaphors for life Addressing grief, instilling a sense of accomplishment and ownership Gardens to bring community members together and help establish a group identity Bringing all the senses into the garden, using the garden space for physical therapy patients Exposing urban individuals to nature; addressing fears of dirt, bugs, snakes, etc Importance of observing the inherently abundant nature of a natural system Resources https://abilitygarden.org/ https://therapeutic-hort.ces.ncsu.edu/ Walt Whitman by Anne Goldgar by Richard Powers Soul Soil Podcast Soul Soil /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/15385145

032, Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust: Land Sovereignty for POC 07/09/2020

032, Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust: Land Sovereignty for POC In today’s episode, we talk to Coordinator Stephanie Morningstar and John Deloatch (JD) Giraldo of the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust. Their vision is to advance land sovereignty in the northeast region through permanent and secure land tenure for Indigenous, Black, Latinx, and Asian farmers and land stewards who will use the land in a sacred manner that honors our ancestors dreams - for sustainable farming, human habitat, ceremony, native ecosystem restoration, and cultural preservation. Stephanie Morningstar, of the Oneida Nation, is an herbalist, soil and seed steward, scholar, student, and Earth Worker dedicated to decolonizing and liberating minds, hearts, and land- one plant, person, ecosystem, and non-human being at a time. Stephanie is the Coordinator of the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust, grows medicines and food for her community at Sky World Apothecary & Farm; and mobilizes knowledge for Indigenous-led climate change and food sovereignty research projects for Global Water Futures. John Deloatch Giraldo is an Earthworker that focuses on connection to the land, healing with the land and education of how natural systems work. He is guided by Freedom Loving Plants, also known as weeds, and the stories of ancestral plants. His dream is to have green spaces where people can pass on family and cultural traditions as well as create new experiences. He believes it’s critical to have spaces where people can pass on their stories and ways of being in respect to Mother Nature, especially for people who are migrating from different Mother Lands to those who are being raised here so they can maintain a sense of culture, tradition and sovereignty. Resources https://nefoclandtrust.org/ by Leah Penniman and by Octavia Butler and by Margaret Atwood by Jeff and Melanie Carpenter To learn more about the Grow and Glow package mentioned in today's episode, visit To learn how to become a Patreon and support the show while getting extra resources and support, visit /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/15140372

031, Elizabeth West and Lisa Redman: Woodland Harvest Mountain Farm 06/30/2020

030, Katrina Blair: The Wild Wisdom of Weeds 05/26/2020

030, Katrina Blair: The Wild Wisdom of Weeds Nature is inherently abundant. No one has to spray the forests or plant the wetlands in order for them to thrive in perfect balance. As such, food gathered from the wild has the highest potential to nourish us on a deep level. When we realize that we have access to this bounty without having to intervene and sweat and toil (the original definition of agriculture!)…when we truly know this, then we can begin to release our scarcity mentality, relax our grip, our need to control. This shift is particularly liberating. Katrina Blair began studying wild plants in her teens when she camped out alone for a summer to embrace a wild foods diet. She later wrote “The Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants of the San Juan Mountains” for her senior project at Colorado College. She completed a MA at John F Kennedy University in Holistic Health Education. She founded Turtle Lake Refuge in 1998, a non-profit, whose mission is to celebrate the connection between personal health and wild lands. Turtle Lake Refuge includes a wild living foods café, sustainable education center and community farm. Katrina teaches permaculture and wild edible and medicinal classes locally and globally. She is author of several books including: “Local Wild Life- Turtle Lake Refuge’s Recipes for Living Deep” and “ The Wild Wisdom of Weeds: 13 Essential Plants for Human Survival. In this episode… Early influences and experiences with plants On beginning a conservation-focused nonprofit that manages parks and open spaces organically How plants can teach us from the inside out The life-changing impact of cultivating space — in your day, in your diet, in your mind How wild foods affect your mind, body, and spirit When we realize that we’re part of Nature, and Nature is inherently abundant…something shifts inside us and we can release our scarcity story Resources by Katrina Blair by Ann Wigmore /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/14562164

029, Heather Mizeur: Radical Love 05/19/2020

029, Heather Mizeur: Radical Love How the world would be different if politics were rooted in radical love? This is the question being asked by Heather Mizeur, CEO + Founder of Soul Force Politics, a non-profit educational organization dedicated to the cultivation, empowerment, and alignment of inner wisdom and external engagement as a catalyst for individual and community transformation. Mizeur teaches heart-centered mindfulness and resilient leadership to strengthen democracy and soften political divides. After a successful career as a health care policy analyst in Congress, a Maryland State Manager of a U.S. Presidential campaign, and a stint on her local City Council, Mizeur was elected to serve two four-year terms as a Democratic member of the House of Delegates in the Maryland General Assembly (2007-2015). She was also a Democratic candidate for Governor of Maryland in 2014 and became one of the state’s most recognized voices promoting progressive change. She lives with her wife, Deborah Mizeur, on a 34-acre organic herbal medicine farm on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. How would the environment be different if we radically loved our planet? How would we be different if we knew that the planet radically loves us? In this episode… Heather’s path as a social justice advocate in politics, and how all the external engagement led to a desire to dive into internal work There’s so much power in the Pause that allows heart-based inner wisdom to emerge The choice to love each other even when it’s hard or when our opinions differ…the choice to embrace the Unity Consciousness that we are all One Becoming comfortable with stillness in a world rife with distraction and numbing vices, in bringing forth healing and heart-wisdom Going against the flow of Western culture where emptiness, need, lack, and scarcity fuel our economy, and instead, opting to find the wholeness inside us How caring enough to unveil our own best self first, leads to a vibrational connection to others doing similar work…leading to opportunities to collaborate and impact our world and remake it through the lens of love Sitting with WHAT IS, observing what circumstances come our way, instead of getting swept up in the emotions those circumstances generate How our connection with Mother Earth reflects our relationship to ourselves Resources /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/14485649

028, Bryan O'Hara: Increase Life, Abundance, and Vitality with Intensive No-Till 05/05/2020

028, Bryan O'Hara: Increase Life, Abundance, and Vitality with Intensive No-Till If there were one enterprise that addresses environmental degradation, chronic illness, depression, and poverty, would you be willing to learn about it? Today, we speak to someone who seems to have hit the jackpot…he and his family have developed a highly productive, dense nutrient-producing farming style that feeds people like medicine. They have reached a point with their fields where weeds, pests, and disease issues are all but null, and the life and vitality that reaches well beyond their farm is rewarded with a community that supports and celebrates their efforts. Bryan O’Hara has been growing vegetables for a livelihood since 1990 at Tobacco Road Farm in Lebanon, Connecticut. He works with natural systems to build complex and balanced soil life, resulting in a highly productive, vibrant growing system. Bryan was named Northeast Organic Farming Association’s Farmer of the Year in 2016, and is the author of . It’s easy to fall into the mentality that humans are bad for the Earth…but the Earth is actually overjoyed to have humans work with her, and are in fact the Earth’s best allies in bringing about health, vitality and increase of life and abundance for not only ourselves, but all of nature around us. In this episode… How declining environmental conditions caused Bryan to explore the way he raised his vegetables How he transitioned to a no-till growing system Weeds, insects and disease show the farmer what kind of imbalance exists in the environment; when plants are a state of health and vitality, insects and diseases do not attack those plants We are currently experiencing a global pandemic that we can view as an indicator that our planetary environment is likewise imbalanced If a crop is experiencing lack of fertility or vitality, it will experience pest and disease pressure. Typically, a pesticide is applied to protect that crop, but if that plant lacked the vitality to survive, it will not confer vitality to the animal (or human) that consumes that crop. …conversely, a crop that is full of vitality that doesn’t attract insects and diseases, has the vital compounds that readily transfer to the consumer and produces higher-functioning humans or animals. Many of Bryan’s customers have been with him for 3 decades…over that time, the impacts of consuming highly vital, nutrient dense food have had profound effects on their health, vitality, and even their medical conditions. How operating within the community with the goal of “love for the other” creates a culture of cooperation, goodwill, and success Growing 4 acres’ worth of produce in one acre…the efficiencies of crop intensification Layering composting materials with living plant cover and other no-till techniques How to identify nutrient-dense food without equipment Some think that humans are fundamentally bad for the Earth…but working this way with natural forces, creating this kind of vibrancy, gives human life tremendous meaning…once you see the potential, the heights of health and vitality and increase of life and abundance for not only you, but all of nature around you. The Earth is actually overjoyed to have humans work with her, and are in fact the Earth’s best allies in bringing out more vibrancy and life. Resources by Bryan O’Hara /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/14283563

027, M Mueller: Expressions of Eternal Nature 04/28/2020

026, Dr. Arden Andersen: Nutrient Balance for Vibrant Health 04/21/2020

026, Dr. Arden Andersen: Nutrient Balance for Vibrant Health Just as pests don’t attack healthy crops, disease doesn’t take hold in a human body that is nutritionally balanced. With one foot in the world of agriculture and the other in medicine, Dr. Arden Andersen is in a unique position to observe the connections between soil health, food nutrient density, and human health. Dr. Andersen is a holistic family and occupational medicine physician in Gladstone, MO. Dr. Andersen possesses a unique understanding of the link between soil/ crop health and human health. He works both as an integrative family doctor and a soil and crop consultant with clients and speaking engagements across the US, 8 countries and two languages. Dr. Andersen has authored several books including Real Medicine-Real Health, Science In Agriculture, The Anatomy of Life and Energy In Agriculture, and Food Plague. He lectures around the world on the link between soil and human health, on public health issues and real preventive medicine. He has firm grasp of the underlying causes of illness and disease, environmental health and the contribution to human and animal illness and disease, the link between soil/human health and climatic issues, pandemics and the underlying solutions needed to return harmony and health to all living systems. This is a wonderful time to be alive…the equipment, products, and people that we have now that we didn’t have, even 30 years ago…we CAN have better quality food, and we do have the capability to completely reverse the problems on the planet today. In this episode… Dr. Andersen’s background and early influences connecting nutrition with health, from the soil to the doctor’s office Nutrition in food is influenced not only by the condition of the soil, but also by the presence of toxins which interfere with our nutrition With a higher nutritional balance of soil (and resulting food), the amount of environmental toxins present in the plants grown in those conditions decreases Municipalities sell their “biosolids” to farmers, who are attracted by the cheap NPK source, and end up poisoning their farms and soils with pathogens, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, degrading the soil further Electromagnetic qualities of plants and how that affects their nutrient uptake If we can maintain an appropriate nutrient balance in the soil, paramagnetism helps to stimulate biological activity—beneficial bacteria and fungi—root growth, and overall health and vigor Ancient paramagnetic limestone towers of Ireland Sometimes the biggest issue isn’t on the farm, it’s between the ears How to determine the nutrient density of produce The only reason we have weeds, diseases, and insect problems is nutrient imbalance; likewise, the only reason humans have disease is lack of nutritional balance Resources by David Lewis, Ph.D John Kempf’s regenerative agriculture workshops and courses: by Francis Chaboussou by Philip Callahan by Arden Andersen, Ph.D by Arden Andersen, Ph.D by Arden Andersen, Ph.D by Arden Andersen, Ph.D by Don Huber et. al. /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/14087120

025, Juliana Birnbaum: Sustainable Community 04/14/2020

024, Sherri Mitchell: Adapt, Overcome, and Integrate Through Love 04/07/2020

024, Sherri Mitchell: Adapt, Overcome, and Integrate Through Love The Coronavirus pandemic is catalyzing many things…and forcing us to take a good look at the systems we depend on. During this period of isolation, we have the opportunity to disconnect from large systems that do harm, and redesign our lives with the help of systems aligned with life and love. Do our communities have enough resources to support everyone to live their lives with dignity and allow for the spirit that lives within them to emerge and benefit the rest of the community? This situation can be viewed through a lens of fear, or it can be an opportunity to tune into our higher spirit and connect with the vibration of our creation song, Sherri Mitchell, Weh’na Ha’mu Kwasset (meaning “she who brings the light”), is an Indigenous rights activist, spiritual teacher, and transformational change maker. Sherri was born and raised on the Penobscot Indian reservation (Penawahpskek). She speaks and teaches around the world on issues of Indigenous rights, environmental justice, and spiritual change. Sherri has been actively involved with Indigenous rights and environmental justice work for more than 25 years, and she is the Founding Director of the Land Peace Foundation, an organization dedicated to the global protection of Indigenous land and water rights and the preservation of the Indigenous way of life. The key to being able to adapt, overcome and integrate the lessons of the day is to be able to approach everything we’re facing from a perspective of love. We have the chance to make an evolutionary leap of consciousness and come through this to the other side as better representations of our humanity. In this episode… How an illness contracted in Guatemala led to a spiritual awakening that set the course for her spiritual work The opportunity that this period of isolation is affording humankind at this time in history The connection between the physical and emotional experience of Mother Earth to what humans are currently experiencing The Wabanaki web of life creation story and how the fact that we are all made of the same matter parallels the phenomenon of quantum entanglement The Wabanaki story of the first illness and how it foreshadows current global events Getting our human minds out of the way so that we can hear the messages coming from plants and animals—guidance from the starlings Actions communities need to take in order to be resilient in the face of system collapse What’s being exposed to us at this time How we can bring the benefits of this time—the introspection, time with family, examination of community and cultural systems—into the future with us? Aligning the three fires, the vibrational frequencies of the minds of the brain, heart, and gut—is when we’re able to open up to the collective unconsciousness, to ancestral memory We are all constantly creating, we just aren’t conscious of what it is that we’ve created…we are now being asked to take responsibility for what humans have collectively created and to clean it up the mess Tools for embodiment and grounding We are here at this time, in these bodies, for a specific purpose…tune into your body and spirit daily and connect with the vibration of your own creation song Resources by Rivera Sun by Robin Wall Kimmerer My Beloved Kin by Lisa Brooks by Sherri Mitchell Sherri’s website: facebook.com/sacredinstructions IG: @sacredinstructions Twitter: @sacred411 /episode/index/show/soulsoil/id/13879016

023: A Quick Love Note to the Listeners 03/24/2020

Soul Soil: Where Agriculture and Spirit Intersect with Brooke Kornegay

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