Discover Permaculture - The Podcast

Discover Permaculture
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

Host Geoff Lawton & guests discuss how to fight back against ecological collapse not with fear or hostility, but with design, community, and purpose. This podcast explores permaculture design solutions for every climate and at every scale. Real stories. Real designs. Real hope.

  1. Aug 11

    What If Permaculture Became a National Strategy?

    What would happen if permaculture principles shaped not just our gardens and farms, but our schools, communities and national policies? Geoff Lawton joins Jim Gale, Katherine Reynolds and the Discover Permaculture podcast team to explore stewardship, bioregional design, education, food systems and the “invisible structures” that shape society before bringing the conversation back to practical action people can take in their own communities. Jim also shares his Stewardship Party campaign and his argument that planting, seed sharing and local organization can begin creating change long before an election takes place. Watch the video episode here. Key Takeaways: 00:00: Permaculture can be applied far beyond gardens and farms, including education, economics, governance and other systems that shape society. 10:44: Growing food can reduce dependence on centralized systems while strengthening household and community resilience. 21:23: Bill Mollison’s “invisible structures” highlight the importance of designing systems such as education, finance, law and decision-making, not just landscapes. 35:21: Shared ethics such as Earth care, people care and fair share can provide common ground across different viewpoints. 52:20: Bioregional thinking looks at climate, water, ecology and communities as a basis for better local and regional planning. 1:13:02: Education is presented as a key pathway for long-term change, with stewardship and practical permaculture skills integrated into learning. 1:17:45: Change can begin immediately through planting, seed sharing, local organization and practical action rather than waiting for political systems to act. Guests: Jim Gale — Jim is an entrepreneur, permaculture advocate and founder of Food Forest Abundance. His work focuses on turning underused land into productive food forests while promoting food security, self-reliance and community resilience. He is also the founder of the Stewardship Party, bringing permaculture-inspired ideas into education, policy and local actionFood Forest Abundance: https://foodforestabundance.com Stewardship Party: https://stewardshipparty.orgCatherine Reynolds — Catherine is Chair of the Board of Permaculture Australia and a regenerative systems thinker with a background in governance and organizational transformation. Her work explores how permaculture ethics and design principles can help strengthen communities and reshape the social, economic and governance systems that influence how we live. Permaculture Australia: https://permacultureaustralia.org.au

    What If Permaculture Became a National Strategy?

  2. Jul 29

    Land Access, Ownership & the Future of Settlement

    Geoff, Ben, Eric and Sam explore land as an investment versus land as a living system. They discuss community ownership models, eco-villages and practical ways people can gain access through skills, relationships, leasing and direct agreements with landowners. Watch the video episode here. 🎓 Explore Geoff's online courses: https://www.discoverpermaculture.com Key Takeaways: 00:01:49: Land access is not the same as land ownership. Secure access to productive land may matter more than holding an individual title. 00:03:29: Land has shifted from a source of security to a speculative asset. What changes when financial value becomes more important than improving the land? 00:23:26: Ecological systems do not follow property boundaries. Water, wildlife, soil and pollution connect entire watersheds and communities. 00:31:43: Alternative ownership models already exist. Multiple occupancy, community title, company structures, long-term leases and eco-villages offer different ways to share land and infrastructure. 00:44:58: Community living must be designed. Good intentions are not enough. Shared land requires clear governance, defined responsibilities and people who know how to cooperate. 00:49:03: You can begin without owning a farm. Gardens, volunteering, apprenticeships, leasing, shared projects and direct arrangements with landowners can all create meaningful access. 00:53:16: Skills and relationships create opportunities. Becoming capable, trustworthy and useful may provide a stronger path to land than simply waiting until you can afford to buy it.

    Land Access, Ownership & the Future of Settlement

  3. May 16

    How to Set Up Permaculture Community Groups

    Local community may be one of the most overlooked forms of resilience we have. In this episode, Geoff, Eric, Ben and Sam discuss how permaculture community groups can help people share skills, grow food locally, support each other through uncertainty and create practical systems that improve everyday life. From portable food forests and school projects through to local governance, youth engagement and resilient local economies, this conversation explores why rebuilding community might be one of the most important things we can do right now. Permaculture Community Group Startup Kit: https://www.permaculturefairoaks.org/pfo_startup-kit/ Watch the video episode here. Key Takeaways: 00:00:24 - 00:05:26: Geoff introduces the idea of local permaculture groups as practical support networks built around food, skills and community resilience. 00:05:26 - 00:10:52: Eric shares how starting a local permaculture group transformed an empty urban lot into a growing community food forest project in Sacramento. 00:10:52 - 00:13:38: The conversation explores how permaculture projects can reconnect young people with meaningful work, food growing and community participation. 00:15:47 - 00:18:30: Sam explains why he originally dismissed gardening as too small-scale before realizing community-based permaculture could drive broader systemic change. 00:19:26 - 00:22:00: Eric discusses the challenge of engaging people and why demonstration sites and practical examples matter more than theory alone. 00:22:00 - 00:23:35: A discussion on topographic mapping, swales and how practical design tools help people better understand landscapes and water systems. 00:24:21 - 00:26:16: Geoff talks about food security, reducing dependence on fragile systems and why local knowledge matters more than ever. 00:30:01 - 00:32:29: Geoff explains why permaculture focuses on feeding local communities locally rather than relying on fragile global supply chains. 00:33:20 - 00:37:27: Practical discussion about setting up permaculture groups, local education systems, workshops and community-based learning. 00:39:15 - 00:40:18: Sam explains why resilience comes from shared skills and local cooperation rather than trying to become completely self-sufficient alone. 00:48:01 - 00:55:47: Sam breaks down the community meeting model he used in the Blue Mountains to organize people, prioritize issues and create local action plans. 00:56:21 - 00:58:07: Geoff shares plans for rebuilding Permaculture Byron and explains how listeners can start their own local groups using the startup kit.

    How to Set Up Permaculture Community Groups

  4. May 3

    Preparing For Hard Times

    What happens when fragile supply chains break down? In this episode Geoff and the crew discuss survival gardens, water security, edible weeds, medicinal plants, and practical ways to prepare for uncertain times.  Watch the video episode here. 🎓 Explore Geoff's online courses: https://www.discoverpermaculture.com Key Takeaways: 00:00:15 - 00:03:28: Why modern supply chains are fragile and how permaculture creates food security 00:03:28 - 00:04:24: Survival gardens and the power of perennial food systems - Isabell Shipard's books: https://herbs-to-use.com 00:04:24 - 00:05:58: Medicinal plants, foraging, and using plant ID apps 00:06:36 - 00:08:20: Jerusalem artichokes, edible weeds, and survival foods hiding in plain sight 00:09:24 - 00:10:51: Lessons from Covid and how permaculture builds resilience during crises 00:11:36 - 00:12:41: Geoff’s favorite survival crops: taro, cassava, yam, and chaya 00:12:41 - 00:14:29: Sprouts and microgreens as emergency nutrition systems 00:14:02 - 00:14:29: Action Step #1: Start sprouting seeds this week 00:15:05 - 00:16:23: Feeding 60 students with sprouts during supply shortages in Jordan 00:16:23 - 00:19:25: Comfrey, moringa, turmeric, and other survival superplants 00:19:25 - 00:20:36: Sterile comfrey varieties and how they spread 00:21:06 - 00:23:05: Long-term food storage strategies and preserving seeds 00:24:00 - 00:24:28: Action Step #2: Plant comfrey or moringa 00:25:12 - 00:26:38: How moringa seeds can clean dirty water naturally 00:27:01 - 00:27:30: Action Step #3: Learn and eat an edible weed 00:28:24 - 00:30:09: Why water systems are vulnerable in modern society 00:30:22 - 00:32:01: Simple rainwater harvesting explained 00:32:01 - 00:33:57: First flush diverters, algae biofilms, and rainwater tanks 00:33:58 - 00:36:13: Rainwater vs municipal water systems 00:39:53 - 00:41:05: Action Step #4: Set up a rain barrel and store water 00:42:25 - 00:43:33: Doulton ceramic filters and gravity-fed water systems 00:43:44 - 00:46:59: Reed beds, gray water, and using plants to clean water naturally 00:46:59 - 00:48:57: Final survival garden checklist and practical preparedness steps

    Preparing For Hard Times

  5. Apr 19

    Is Aid Designed to Solve Problems or Manage Them?

    In this episode, Geoff and the team unpack the hidden realities of the global aid industry—sharing firsthand stories from refugee camps, war zones, and on-the-ground permaculture projects. From inefficiency and dependency to real solutions that build self-reliance, this conversation challenges the system and explores what actually works. At its core, this episode asks a powerful question: Can we design aid that makes itself unnecessary? Watch the video episode here. Key Takeaways 00:00 – 01:01: Is aid solving problems… or managing them? 01:01 – 03:03: Aid as a business model reveals how funding structures and salaries can prioritize continuity over real solutions. 03:03 – 05:19: Firsthand experiences suggesting some projects may support hidden economic agendas. 05:19 – 08:21: Bureaucracy and overhead can leave only a small fraction of funding reaching people on the ground. 08:21 – 10:05: Can aid ever create independence? questions why successful outcomes are rarely scaled or shared to empower communities long-term. 10:05 – 12:56: A rare success story demonstrates how directing most funds to the ground can create farms, businesses, and lasting impact. 12:56 – 15:13: Why most aid fails long-term highlights the limits of single-solution projects compared to whole-system design thinking. 15:13 – 17:50: The well problem (and the real solution) shows why recharging landscapes beats endlessly digging deeper wells. 17:50 – 20:17: The goal: make aid redundant emphasizes teaching skills and building systems that remove the need for outside help. 20:17 – 22:00: How strategy must shift depending on whether people are temporary or settled. 22:00 – 25:10: A powerful refugee camp transformation shares how education and food systems created real hope and engagement. 25:10 – 26:26: How politics and authority can dismantle successful projects overnight. 26:26 – 29:24: Lasting change comes when people understand, value, and take ownership of systems. 29:24 – 32:00: Hw compost and water systems can become income streams and resilience tools. 32:00 – 36:26: Dependency vs real economies contrasts conventional aid with permaculture systems that create independence and local economies. 36:26 – 40:01: Why smaller, localized efforts are often more effective than large institutions. 40:01 – 45:13: The ethics and psychology of aid work dives into burnout, disillusionment, and the emotional weight of working in crisis zones. 45:13 – 48:17: What it really takes to make an impact highlights patience, persistence, and the long timeline required for meaningful change. 48:17 – 50:03: The hardest lesson: you may achieve very little (at first) reframes success as simply showing up and staying consistent. 50:03 – 53:29: Low-tech solutions win explains why simple, maintainable systems outperform complex, high-tech interventions. 53:29 – 59:08: How aid changes your worldview reflects on resilience, lost skills, and the contrast between modern and traditional knowledge. 59:08 – 01:00:25: Climate instability and fragile systems highlights how global systems are becoming increasingly vulnerable. 01:00:25 – 01:02:08: If imports stopped tomorrow… what happens? challenges us to consider how dependent our regions really are. 01:02:08 – 01:03:40: Permaculture thinking is essential in an increasingly unstable world.

    Is Aid Designed to Solve Problems or Manage Them?

  6. Apr 6

    The Weedy Garden Journey

    In this conversation, host Geoff Lawton, Ben, Eric, and Sam sit down with David Trood from The Weedy Garden as he shares how he went from knowing nothing about gardening to documenting one of the most compelling garden journeys online today. From a lockdown turning point to building a thriving garden from scratch, this episode moves beyond gardening into something deeper — purpose, honesty, and the tension between making a living and staying true to your values. Watch the video episode here. Key Takeaways: 00:04:32 – 00:05:41: The moment everything changed — lockdown, scarcity, and a shift in direction 00:05:41 – 00:08:30: Starting from zero and being introduced to a new way of thinking through Geoff 00:14:20 – 00:15:30: What nature teaches when you slow down and observe 00:15:13 – 00:16:33: “Plastic life” vs real life — a deeper realization 00:22:36 – 00:23:15: Why storytelling can communicate more than instruction 00:23:49 – 00:25:30: The attention economy and the pull toward fear-based content 00:34:39 – 00:36:30: The challenge of making a living without compromising values 00:36:30 – 00:40:48: Burnout, honesty, and rebuilding trust with an audience 00:40:02 – 00:40:48: A shift toward generosity and community 01:04:49 – End: Why the garden becomes something you can’t walk away from 🌏 Guest Notes: David Trood (AKA Weedy) — Known for his project The Weedy Garden, is a photographer turned gardener documenting the transformation of his weedy hill in Northern NSW, Australia. With no formal background in horticulture, his work is driven by curiosity, observation, and a deep commitment to learning directly from nature. Through poetic visual storytelling, he has built a global audience by sharing not just how to grow food, but how to reconnect with the living systems that sustain us. His approach prioritizes authenticity over growth, offering a rare and honest perspective in the digital landscape

    The Weedy Garden Journey

  7. Mar 23

    Efficiency: Industrial Agriculture Vs Local Food Systems

    What does “efficiency” really mean in food production? Host Geoff Lawton and Ben, Eric and Sam discuss the hidden costs of industrial agriculture and explore how regenerative systems can produce more with less by working with nature, not against it. Watch the video episode here. Key Takeaways: 00:00 – 02:00: Introduces the idea of efficiency in food systems and questions whether yield and labor truly define it. 02:00 – 03:30: Reframes efficiency through an energy audit—measuring all inputs and outputs over the life of a system. 03:30 – 06:00: Explains how soil health is the real foundation of productivity, not just visible crop yields. 06:00 – 09:30: Breaks down the hidden environmental and social costs that industrial agriculture leaves out. 09:30 – 13:30: Explores how monoculture systems increase short-term efficiency but reduce long-term resilience. 13:30 – 15:30: Introduces the idea of combining farming scale with garden diversity for better outcomes. 15:30 – 20:30: Compares perennial and annual systems, showing how long-term plantings require fewer inputs over time. 20:30 – 26:30: Contrasts industrial control with ecological design, emphasizing working with natural systems. 26:30 – 31:30: Questions conventional productivity metrics and highlights the importance of nutrition and system health. 31:30 – 36:30: Discusses the benefits of local food systems in reducing transport and increasing resilience. 36:30 – 39:00: Looks at historical examples like victory gardens to show how decentralized systems can feed populations. 39:00 – 45:00: Emphasizes the role of home-scale food production in improving food security and independence. 45:00 – 51:00: Explores how regenerative systems become more economically viable over time. 51:00 – 60:00: Concludes that true efficiency comes from designing systems that work with nature and produce surplus energy.

    Efficiency: Industrial Agriculture Vs Local Food Systems

  8. Mar 16

    Business in Permaculture

    In this episode, Geoff, Ben, Eric and Sam sit down with business coach and permaculture practitioner Bronwyn Chompff-Gliddon to explore how ethical businesses can thrive while spreading permaculture ideas into the wider world. Watch the video episode here. Key Takeaways: 00:00:00 – 00:03:30: Permaculture needs profitable businesses to scale beyond small communities. 00:03:30 – 00:06:00: Bronwyn’s journey connects permaculture with real-world business systems. 00:12:30 – 00:18:30: Permaculture practitioners commonly undercharge their work. Undercharging limits impact and leads to burnout. 00:18:30 – 00:26:00: Price based on value created, not time spent. 00:26:00 – 00:29:00: Permaculture challenges extractive, industrial business models. 00:29:00 – 00:33:00: Ethical businesses reinvest surplus into people and land. 00:33:00 – 00:36:30: Money can be directed like a resource in a system. 00:36:30 – 00:44:00: Marketing feels uncomfortable for many practitioners but it can be reframed as education and storytelling. 00:44:00 – 00:52:00: Giving value builds trust and attracts the right clients. Share freely, then charge for deeper expertise. 00:52:00 – 00:56:00: Good design creates far more value than it costs. 00:56:00 – 01:00:00: Success can attract criticism within the movement. 01:00:00 – 01:03:00: It’s possible to grow while staying ethically grounded. 01:03:00 – 01:06:00: Translate permaculture into language clients understand. 01:06:00 – 01:09:00: Give first, build trust, then offer paid services. 01:09:00 – 01:12:00: Real businesses must navigate taxes, systems, and competition. 01:12:00 – 01:15:00: Stay grounded in ethics as complexity grows. 01:15:00 – 01:18:00: Permaculture businesses can model real-world abundance. 01:18:00 – END: Scaling permaculture requires viable, well-communicated businesses.  About Bronwyn Chompff-Gliddon:Bronwyn is a business coach and permaculture practitioner based in Western Australia. She works with small businesses and entrepreneurs—especially those in the permaculture and sustainability space—helping them develop financially viable enterprises while aligning their work with ecological and ethical principles. 🔗 Website: https://evertrue.com.au  ▶️ Youtube:     / @evertruecoach    🌿 Community: https://permacultureaustralia.org.au

    Business in Permaculture
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Host Geoff Lawton & guests discuss how to fight back against ecological collapse not with fear or hostility, but with design, community, and purpose. This podcast explores permaculture design solutions for every climate and at every scale. Real stories. Real designs. Real hope.

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