Show Notes What if the way we grow food could teach us how to build community — and even bridge our deepest divides? In this rich, wide-ranging conversation, Morenike sits down with Ryan Blosser, farmer, educator, mental health professional, and co-founder of Shenandoah Permaculture Institute, to explore the living intersection of land, belonging, and human connection. Ryan is the co-author (with Trevor Pearsall) of Mulberries in the Rain: Growing Permaculture Plants for Food and Friendship — a book that weaves personal story, practical plant wisdom, and a deeply relational philosophy of sustainability. This episode is one in From the Ground Up permaculture miniseries and it might be the most human one yet. From Division I basketball to Hawaii surfboards to food forests in the Shenandoah Valley, Ryan's journey is a masterclass in following the hard path toward what truly matters — and discovering that community is not built in a moment, but grown, slowly, through rupture and repair. In This Episode The origin story behind Mulberries in the Rain and why approachability matters in permacultureRyan's surprising path: from Division I basketball to surfing in Hawaii to discovering Bill Mollison and permacultureWhy plants become characters in our lives — and what deep relationship with a single plant can teach us about commitmentThe concept of the 'human sector' in permaculture design and why 98% of permaculture project failures trace back to itGuilds in permaculture: anchor plants, barrier plants, dynamic accumulators, pest confusers, beneficial attractors, and nitrogen fixersThe biggest misconceptions about permaculture (hint: it's not a technique — it's a design system)Why community building is hard — and why that's not a reason to stop.Permaculture's most urgent principle for our current political moment: integrate, don't segregateHonoring indigenous ecological knowledge — and moving beyond acknowledgment to actionHow to start your permaculture journey (spoiler: don't buy land yet)Resources Mentioned Mulberries in the Rain: Growing Permaculture Plants for Food and Friendship by Ryan Blosser & Trevor PearsallSand Talk by Tyson Yunkaporta — recommended by Ryan for indigenous ecological knowledgeDeakin University / Tyson Yunkaporta's Indigenous Technologies Lab document on respectful use of IEK Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier's work on permaculture design and guilds Wendell Berry poem: 'Be joyful, even though you have considered all the facts' Website: https://www.shenandoahpermaculture.com/ Shenandoah Permaculture Institute (SPI) — courses offered spring & fall; 2 scholarships available per cohort Upcoming SPI courses: University of Richmond area (spring) | University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg (fall) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shenandoahpermaculture/?__pwa=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shenpermaculture Enjoying Elevating Good Podcast? Share, follow, and review if you like what you hear so more people can discover EGP! Facebook Instagram Subscribe to additional content on Substack Shop for EGP merch: https://elevategoodpod.com
