The EcoIQ Project – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Juanfran Lopez is an agricultural consultant and educator who works with subsistence farmers to empower them in their own knowledge by educating the science behind their traditional farming and behind his own regenerative farming tools of biofertilisers, Native microorganism formulations and circular chromatography testing. Juanfran represents and continues a deep tradition from spanish speaking agro ecological revolution starting from Francis Chabousou, and pushed further by Sebastiano Pinhero, Jairo Restrepo and Enugnio Gras. This deep contribution to the collective development of regenerative agriculture is often overlooked or remains unknown due to the publications and research remaining in Spanish.  The foundational tools of this tradition include biofertilisers using cow dung, native microorganism formulas and circular chromatography testing.  The approach is deeply scientific, highly intuitive and eminently applicable. Being originally developed from ex monsanto scientists for subsistence farmers throughout Latin America, the empowerment and low cost, high profit success  of the farmer is a high priority.  Knowledge, both of the farmer and inherently invested within the tools used, is the coin of the system and the natural intelligence of the farmer is highly valued. Networking of farmers is highly encouraged and facilitated to accelerate knowledge and learning. I really value your interest and input. If you have any comments or have a guest you'd like me to talk with shoot me a fb message HERE,  or email me at aharon@ecoiq.org Enjoy! we talk about in this episode local knowledge and farmer empowerment with deep science  exchanging knowledge with local farmers as scientists  plant health and farmer focus vs soil as foundation and biology as the focus empowering and freeing farmers with deep knowledge and farmer networking Juanfran starting his Phd on regenerative agriculture in Barcelona Working in semiarid ecologies and seasonal biological activity cultivating native microorganisms for formulations in the semi arid  "everything you learn today you need to share tomorrow, because maybe tomorrow you are not here.."  "the more you give, the more you get.." the scientific approach of 'Mineral, Microorganisms and Organic matter' uses and purposes of native microbe formulas, and biofertilisers as nutrition amendment  feeding biology and chelating minerals within biofertilisers using biology to assimilate various compounds, hormones and micro nutrients into biological metabolites importance of Redox in testing biofertiliser for facultative microbes quality ingredients, proper equipment and effective fermentation  linage of teachers and research from Chabbousou, Sebastiano, Jairo and Juanfran Juanfrans new book and using local resources ecological agriculture as a tool for personal transformation using microbiological formulas for human consumption Juanfrans new 300Ha semi arid project   Juanfran Lopez website for info, consultancy and learning https://www.juanfranlopez.com/ Buy Juanfran Lopez online ebook, The Biofertiliser Manual http://www.regrarians.org/the-biofertilizer-manual-1st-edition/ Regrarians webinar with Juanfran Lopez https://youtu.be/1ZV43M0jBog

This episode was with Curtis Stone. Curtis is the founder of the Urban Farmer (https://theurbanfarmer.co), a platform teaching how to farm in an urban or semi urban environment and turn a real profit. Curtis is the author of The Urban Farmer book (https://theurbanfarmer.co/book/). He manages the innovative Paperpot co (https://paperpot.co) farming tools shop with Diego Footer from Permaculture Voice. Hosts a high quality podcast, Liberty on the Land (https://libertyontheland.com), and a new and a amazing high value membership learning platform, From The Field (Fromthefield.farm) . 

Curtis farms his own homestead and is collaboratively developing a collective family based property as an abundant stronghold in turbulent times. With over 30 million views on Youtube and 360k subscribers. Curtis has helped thousands, jump from courses into profitable farming businesses. 

Curtis has become pretty famous in that interesting space of market gardening, and although the space of market gardening differs somewhat from my own passionate focus for many years on regenerative farming and a more broad acre and transformational approach, never the less the skills and knowledge and growth that manifests out of market gardens, have, i believe, incredibly high value in the whole picture of human transformation through a deeper connection with ecological processes. 

Having the ability to create  very fast turn around food system that can be set up rapidly and with basic knowledge and minimal investment. To experience rapid abundance for your family and community. Thats can be life changing or life saving for most of us. Curtis is well and truly aware of that transformational side that is born out of living from the land.

This was a really surprising episode for me, I knew from my previous talk with Curtis that there was way more to the urban farmer than market gardens and entrepreneurial farming. This episode I made a decision to follow the advice of my mentor and let my guest open up and explore his own message and ideas unfettered, and pivot my questions to encourage that.  

We went into uncharted waters (literally!) about the importance of liberty on the land. what is 'citizen ship', and about the tradeoff between freedom and convenience.   About the intimate and intricate link between liberty and personal responsibility.  

About how big ag and big pharma are removing our ability to assume more responsibility for our lives, our families and the land we live on, and should be living from. The result is ultimately way less freedom for us. 

Curtis covers the difference and importance of common law which is really the REALITY ON THE GROUND, and the legal law which is a created law. We also continually keep returning back to idea that abundance is a natural state and that a mindset of scarcity is a constructed reality. Encouraging more responsibility and cooperation or..... no responsibility and competition.

Curtis also shares a possible approach when dealing with the legal law vs the common law and your personal rights. I find this conversation very critical in our times for farmers especially and all peoples involved in entrepreneurship and harmony on the land. 

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did, and let me know what you think through the short questionnaire link below...

https://forms.gle/qjUtsVwvRppL56ra9

Amazing interview with the Urban Farmer and massive content creator, Curtis stone. Curtis is the founder of the Urban Farmer education entity, a platform teaching young hopefuls how to farm in an urban or semi urban environment and turn a real profit. He also manages an innovative online farming tools shop with Diego Footer from Permaculture Voice, Paperpot Co, hosts a high quality podcast, Liberty on the Land, and run a new and a amazing high value membership resource platform exploring beyond market gardens, From The Field. All this while still farming his own decent homestead plots and collaboratively developing a collective family based farming property to serve as an abundant stronghold in turbulent times. With a Youtube channel of over 30 million views and almost 360k subscribers. Curtis has helped thousands of young people who have springboarded from courses into profitable farming businesses. To say the least EcoIQ was well pleased to catch a little long form with Curtis Stone. It was also really enjoyable personally to dive deep into the entrepreneurial side of eco-agriculture. If your in the business or want to be, this is the one for you.

Be sure to check out Curtis through the hyperlinks above.

01:15 Content, content, content

04:27 Writing a book, farm failure and farm success

12:45 Entrepreneurial lessons, foundational values and adding value

18:40 Mentoring, developing character and individual responsibility

27:57 Changing perspective and speaking your truth

30:10 Going down the rabbit hole of cultural control…

47:50 The essential divine nature of a Human being

57:55 Getting back to eco-connection, the journey to farming

01:13:58 The power of an entrepreneurial context..

01:19:25 Manifesting new circles

01:20:00 Trimming the fat-entrepreneur level 2

01:36:30 From The Field - embracing complexity

01:45:00 A new farming life for Curtis Stone…

01:52:08 The places of Sustainable and Regenerative

01:54:45 Michael Abelman and connecting to the land

01:57:28 Curtis’s message: Don’t Hesitate, Act Now

"Perfectionism is the death of creativity"

An amazing, up close and personal discussion with Richard Perkins of Ridgedale Permaculture.

Richard Perkins is the author of the highly acclaimed and comprehensive Regenerative Agriculture manual, and, along with his wife Yohanna, is the founder and leader at the hugely diverse and productive Ridgedale Permaculture in Sweden. Ridgedale teaches upcoming farmers the understanding needed to develop profitable and knowledgeable farms. With almost 70k subscribers and youtube views of over 5.5M, Ridgedale is fast becoming a highly influential platform and force in the space of farming and a deeper approach to agriculture.

Richard has a very unique and special style of education, and emphasises the importance of learning to learn.

Both viscerally and intellectually, Richard is a very sharp and wise thinker, and his learning is very extremely eclectic. Something I think is an important element in farming today and for farmers themselves is the necessary development of character. Richard really personifies this approach and the resulting conversation is both wide and deep.

This talk was a very deep interview for me personally and I learnt of new connections and many areas of needed improvement for myself. My favourite learning is right here, personal, engaging and healthily challenging, and all born and expanded from immersion in ecological harmony and successful farming.  Focus in and collect the lessons. Trust you will enjoy it as much as i did.

Keep in touch with Richard, Yohanna and Ridgedale  at:

http://www.ridgedalepermaculture.com/

pick up the book at:

https://www.regenerativeagriculture.co/

03:00 Changing tack, evolving a new direction

16:55 Thoughts on market gardens

21:52 Passion for life, entrepreneurship and evolving pathways

dedication, responsibility and hard work are the foundations of good people.

30:55 Keyline, permaculture, holistic management. refinement and the need for an empowered creative process.

35:15 Perfectionism is the death of creativity-the need for systems thinking

42:45 The culture and spirit of Ridgedale Permaculture - Hard work, flow and joy.

48:00 The upcoming 'Hero' tour and a new development for Ridgedale

1:02:40 Planting the seed and sharing in the process of growing harmony in production systems

1:09:43 Dynamics and chaos

1:11:05 Get up early and start observing!

1:12:12 Get structured

1:13:20 Getting momentum from social networks and dynamics

1:15:35 structure and stop thinking

1:16:58 who is spearheading new farms and steep learning curves

1:23:23 Holistic training

1:28:00 Good advice: Learning to learn

A long awaited interview with today's most respected Natural Farming expert, family man, global family farming educator, Chris Trump. Chris Trump is really an example of the farmers farmer.  Having passed through many years of conventional family farming, when Chris Trump (with encouragement from his father), decided to trial organic methods on their 880 acre macadamia farm in Hawaii, it was not a decision taken lightly, the learning curve was appreciated only equal to the importance of maintaining and improving the bottom line for his family and for those families supported by the farm.    The subsequent journey has become almost a roadmap for a deep and thorough investigation regarding the viability of a farming approach based on a deeper and deeper harmonisation with natural processes, as opposed to conventional prescriptive farming.  The hallmark of Chris's work is both deeply appreciative and humble of infinite and wondrous complexity of life and nature, and at the same time highly scientific and analytical. Many key areas for EcoIQ are covered here in depth.  The need for humility in working with farming, the fundamental empowerment of the farmer as a scientist and steward of the land and the life thats on it. The fundamental importance of fostering relationships across various fields, from the native soil ecologies to the individual farming mentality and toolbox of knowledge and approaches. Some may know Natural Farming as Korean Natural Farming.  We cover many aspects of KNF history and agricultural significance. Including an investigation of the jewel of preparations Indigenous Micro Organisms or 'IMO', along with the highly underrated and misunderstood Fermented Plant Juice. I loved this talk and really appreciated and resonated with Chris Trump's journey and work till now.  Hope you enjoy it too, as we dive deep and explore  Favourite timestamp (Too many!): I'd have to say from 58:00 on. we start going very deep and personal..... 06:00 A farmer’s journey into natural farming 23:30 Switching to 100% organic. 26:07 Counterintuitive wisdom 32:28 Farming is the ultimate science 38:10 Adapting and evolving. Disasters and amazing grace. 44:00 Deciding to understand deeply what is going on 50:00 My own journey into natural farming - appreciating complexity 58:00 Developing Awe and walking in gratitude 1:04:30 Going deeper: Indigenous Micro Organisms 1:13:30 More than meets the eye: Fermented Plant Juice 1:21:00 Natural Farming with Animals 1:24:20 The harmony of being profitable 1:32:40 A Message from Chris Trump

A very rare and highly insightful conversation with the worlds foremost fire historian, Stephen J Pyne. We dive deeper into our relationship with fire and touch on our modern day, largely dysfunctional and reductionist, approach.

 Steve Pyne is an emeritus professor at Arizona State University. He has been at ASU since 1985.  In 1986 he joined the charter faculty at ASU West, where he remained for 10 years. He transferred to the School of Life Sciences in 1999.  

Stephen J Pyne is a HUGELY prodigious writer, he has published 35 books, most of them dealing with fire, including extensive historical fire surveys of America, Australia, Canada, Europe (including Russia), and the Earth.   What could be called his magnum opus a 5 book series collectively called Cycles Of Fire, constructs a highly detailed and deeply nuanced history of fire and most uniquely and importantly our relationship to it. 

His latest book on Fire: A Brief History.  Condenses and distills thousands of published pages on fire elegantly in one volume.   

I knew from the first lecture i heard of Stephen's that I must share his work with you.  As someone deeply invested ecology from a 'living' standpoint, Fire was never something I considered or looked into to much depth.  But I found Stephen's message of our need to engage and reassess our relationship with fire so resonating that it led me into a rich world that we interact with everyday and know very little about. 

His Extensive academic work would be impressive on its own before you find that Stephen Pyne spent 15 seasons as a remote forestry fire fighter. Learning and living with fire since the age of 18.  

This combination of two worlds lends Stephen's words and concepts a depth and subtlety beyond facts and figures, physics and chemistry.

Hate it or love it, fire is a part of our world now and forever. A relationship like fire is not easily or wisely ignored.   It was an honour and and treat to learn another perspective on this ever present relationship.   Be prepared to change what you think about fire.  It changed me.  

Hope you enjoy it

Favourite timestamp: 32:57

 3:45  The clarifying power of writing everyday

5:35  Living two lives between fire and academia

11:30 Telling stories of fire

12:47 Fire up and over the rim.

15:00 Expanding the history of fire

15:45 A relationship with fire

20:50 A shift from burning landscape to burning fossil fuels. changing patterns.

23:14 Traditional hunting societies and fire

25:00 Ignition points. Aboriginal Australia

27:43 Another wonderful Mollison story remains just that. sorry guys

30:36 Getting back to the right fire patterns in Arnhem Land Australia.

32:57 Its not just “too much fuel”

48:55 Fire is not just physics and chemistry

Are you concerned about our global or your local ecology?  Are you convinced our future is bleak? sometimes the 'solutions' are embarrassingly simple.  An amazing interview with children's author, underground parent educator and Holistic framework facilitator, Sarah Savory.

The daughter of world famous ecologist Allan Savory, who created and developed the Holistic Management framework. Sarah has taken her own understanding and passion for Holistic Management and brought right down back to the foundations, teaching, storytelling and facilitating individuals, communities and local governing bodies. Sarah's mission is to develop our decision making out of knee jerk reactions and into the elegantly simple and powerfully evolved Holistic context framework.  

I really enjoyed this interview. Sarah Savory is a real gem of heart and knowledge, and I know EcoIQ will be collaborating much with continuing work in the future.  We talk about the art of storytelling, growing up among among elephants and hyenas, and the blurring of wild and domestic areas in Africa and as a necessity around the world. It was truly refreshing to reconnect with the power of engagement with ecology as a strategy rather than strict conservation. 

Favourite timestamp was around 1:07:35, Sarah opens up the whole regenerating process of Holistic grazing right in the last quarter!

1:10  Growing up in Zimbabwe and storytelling

13:05 Conservation and Regeneration - blurring the lines between wild and domestic

21:45 A Holistic Context

(37:00 Bare ground will always lead to conflict….)

41:30 Victimhood and empowerment

43:45 We are part of our harmonious ecology - elevating and accelerating

(47:55 When we remove ourselves from the ecology, and 40,000 dead elephants)

(50:35 Our shadow reveals our strongest power. “The gift is in the wound”, Doron Geber)

1:01:50 Juanfran Lopez- “Nature is complex, humans make it complicated”

1:04:30 Where to learn more about Holistic Management as a decision framework

1:07:35 Joel Salatin - “Life is so sacred it requires sacrifice to thrive”

1:17:07 Do we need less animals on the land and on the earth?

An amazing conversation with Adiel Shneur from Kamin Massa Israel.

My biggest takeaway here was the profound insight I got in understanding this elegant and simple technology, and how this same understanding can build deeper connection and empowering knowledge in peoples lives.  

favorite timestamp was 27:23.  amazing and deep.

Adiel is the foremost pioneer in the highly efficient technology of thermal mass heating, known commonly as rocket stoves. As Adiel closes in on almost a decade long journey of research, building and testing, he has completed over 250 fully functional mass heaters built throughout Israel and abroad. After 7 years of permaculture design, teaching and implementation.  Adiel found his passion for all things ecological in the elements of fire and stone, and with thousands of ravings fans after his journey, Adiel could easily be recognised as the biggest driving force in this space in Israel today. 

Once again, among the local hero's of the community here I'm always inspired to find such resilient and passionate individuals.

After years of experimentation and refining, Adiel and his team at Kamin Masa have really come to a stage where they offer incredible mass thermal heaters fully installed both in Israel and overseas.  Like many pioneers both in Israel and overseas along the way Adiel has had an equally critical work of building awareness and educating the community on the technological difference between regular wood stoves and thermal mass heaters. In case you're wondering the difference is huge!

Be sure to be open to the deeper connections from of Adiel's journey. I learned a LOT.

hope you enjoy it as much as me.

be sure to join the EcoIQ Tribe and go deeper with us.. 

06:10 journey from ecology to mass thermal heating - rocket stoves.

11:20 the development of mass heaters over time…

12:05 an upgrade of an upgrade- choking design

19:05 what! I’m actually cooling my house?

21:25 making connections. burning or smouldering

27:23 travelling fire and a marriage with earth

30:39 getting it - the intelligence of fire

33:45 igniting a new passion - starting from zero

36:40 the mass heater market - DIY or high end design?

38:50 Peter Van De Berg - the batch box and the falafel

43:00 learning and empowering

45:00 getting it tested professionally

51:04 what is your stove encouraging you to do?

54:50 teaching in Israel and overseas

58:30 abundance

1:01:55 learning to listen.

What a heartfelt conversation with a true pioneer of Israel's heirloom seeds with Harel Weiss from Nativity Seeds.
Harel is a true unsung hero of our region.
Biggest takeaway : The power of shifting from a place of anger to a place of peace. Putting the hands in the soil.
Harel is the founder of Nativity Seeds, Israel. The only dedicated heritage seed company actively regenerating and collecting indigenous and family seeds in Israel.  
After a scholarship in Seed Savers Exchange in Iowa, Harel took his education and passion and poured it into developing awareness of the critical importance of heritage seeds in Israel.  Starting from virtually nothing and with no significant support network, Harel has worked over the last 8+ years developing his knowledge and bank of seeds endemic to this region, with the goal of sharing these incredible lines to a global audience.   
One of the thigs I really loved about this interview was the down to earth humbleness of Harel, and the quiet courage he displays, as he keeps growing and promoting visceral awareness and knowledge of the seeds f the Holy Land.  
I felt really honoured to share Harel's growing success story.
Biggest takeaway : The power of shifting from a place of anger to a place of peace, and putting the hands in the soil.
Hope you enjoy it as much as i did.
Don't forget to leave some FEEDBACK

I look forward to my next connection with the ever humble, ever vibrant, Harel Weiss.
Hope you enjoy it!

We release a new episode with INCREDIBLE guests every Tuesday
Watch out next week when we drop our amazing conversation with Israel's own Master of fire technology, Kamin Massa's own, Adiel Schneur
.
As always i look forward to feedback from YOU. the good and the bad.  EcoIQ is here to serve YOU.

If you dig what we do so share this link with your friends!
be sure to let us know what you think and drop us a reply

02:15 Growing semi arid heirlooms seeds by the seasons

05:20 The journey to heirloom seeds, and a place of peace.

10:55 seed savers exchange

13:30 whats so special about a heritage seed?, and genetic bottle necks…

22:27 The journey to food of the Holy Land, what plants want…

28:27 Kay Baxter’s stories and Harel’s search for family seed lines.

31:47 The exhilaration of discovering and rejuvenating ancient seed lines

34:45 purebreed seeds

36:30 the monopoly of seeds and empowering people

38:05 modern agriculture is at an end.

39:40 epigenetics and adding love

41:45 the seeds of the Holy Land

43:54 Joel Salatin’s mention.. connection to the ancestors of Israel’s agriculture, and land race seeds

46:45 Seasons of life- spring

51:27 We are subjects of the Kingdom of nature

52:50 A message from Harel

54:51 The key of creating connections

What an amazing interview with master gardener and HUGE seed saving hero, Kay Baxter.   Along with her husband Bob corker and family, Kay is the founder of the Koanga Institute and the Kotare eco village project in Wairoa, New Zealand.  An inheritor of gardening knowledge of several generations, Kay Baxter has a deep and visceral understanding of the rhythms and cycles of nature that move so fast when you manage a garden. With over 800+ reserved heritage seeds and over 400 reserved fruit tree and berry stocks from all over New Zealand, Kay is truly a master of her craft and has managed to save not only the seeds of her communities but also the stories of those families. More recently Kay has headed a new project 'Regeneration Production', a highly comprehensive and in-depth resource of online masterclasses and courses on gardening, garden planning, permaculture, improving nutrient density in food, making real compost and the critical first step of taking a seed to a seedling successfully. Kay’s online content is formidable and is growing year by year. at a time in life when many would be winding down their activities Kay seems to be growing the team and forging ever more new directions in her mission to create a deeper ecological connection. Kay is the author of numerous books and booklets including the koanga garden and design your own orchard. A deep believer in the self regenerating quality of the human body and the soil Kay Baxters journey is an example of the difference one family can make when they follow their passion and strength. I was really surprised how much i enjoyed connecting again with someoene who is condensing deep knowledge into mastering home gardens. Hope you enjoy it as much as i did. Don't forget to leave some FEEDBACK HERE, and join the EcoIQ Tribe to stay in touch with all we do. 05:48 What drives Kay baxter 09:15 My nana didn't give me ‘how to garden’…- the power of giving and inherent intelligence 17:00 making a choice to grow food and allowing connections to happen 21:21 low minerals.. and the animal connection 24:38 the unexpected buzz of regeneration. an unexpected abundance of frogs 26:00 guilds, families, good design and the power of connections 28:00 what is a guild? 31:40 personal discoveries testing brix….raising vibrations 34:16 physics of soil, connections and brix 39:30 the epiphany of effective gardening and testing Brix 42:35 what is so special about heritage seeds…. 44:54 communication of living soil 45:40 90% of the plants food can come from the universe. 46:35 the human effect on seed genetics. one small step at a time…. 49:30 the experience and responsibility of receiving a family’s seed heritage 51:40 people dying 52:19 Lessons from Joel Salatin on building a team 53:45 A story of a seed 57:12 art of dealing with abundance 58:17 effective heritage seeds, local or not? 1:03:06 we cant go back……creating a new culture…being connected 1:08:07 Lessons from Darren Doherty “how can you critise integration” 1:09:30 stepping into the digital world 1:11:30 influencers : Dr Christine Jones, Nicole Masters and Grant Patten 1:12:25 Kay’s role as translating biological farming for home gardeners 1:12:46 Advice to getting started 1:15:20 A message from Kay Baxter.