Sense-Making in a Changing World

This episode is all about keeping bees in our backyards. This is part of our 5 part  Urban Agriculture podcast series celebrating Urban Agriculture Month (Nov 2022).  My guest today is Amanda Collins of Ballarat Backyard Beehives and member of the Ballarat Permaculture Guild. Amanda and her partner Scott became accidental beekeepers ten years ago after being gifted a hive and falling in love with the bees.Since then, their passion for beekeeping has grown into a small apiary of 80 hives, delivering beekeeping courses and undertaking formalised training in beekeeping, training and assessment and Agribusiness. Amanda is the founder of HiveMind Community Apiary, a community apiary established to provide beekeeper training for people at risk of living with a mental illness. The couple are strongly connected to their local community and are advocates for urban farming, verge gardening and sustainability. Urban Agriculture MonthThis special Urban Agriculture series on Sense-Making in a Changing World is brought to you by the Permaculture Education Institute in collaboration with Sustain Australia - celebrating growing food in cities and towns for Urban Agriculture Month.Podcast Host: Morag GambleMorag Gamble, founder of Permaculture Education Institute & teacher of permaculture teachers, is a passionate advocate for urban permaculture and has been deeply involved in creating, supporting and networking projects and programs for 30 years on 5 continents.  She is cofounder of Northey Street City Farm in Brisbane and the Australian Community Gardens Network. Her blog and youtube channel include loads of urban permaculture content and this podcast features many urban agriculture pioneers.I'd love to hear from you. Text me here.Support the showThis podcast is a project of the Permaculture Education Institute. We work with people on six continents, teaching permaculture design and skills - from how to be a community leader to creating a regenerative permaculture livelihood. Visit our website to find out more. You can start any time, in any capacity! We teach permaculture and host permaculture teacher courses. We also share conversations through monthly masterclasses, Our Permaculture Life YouTube, and offer free monthly film clubs in a supportive global community. This podcast is broadcast from a solar powered studio in the midst of a permaculture ecovillage food forest on beautiful Gubbi Gubbi country. Subscribe, share and comment if you enjoy and keep this podcast myceliating!

Welcome to this special Urban Agriculture  podcast series celebrating Urban Agriculture Month (Nov 2022). My first guest is Jacqui Besgrove of Pocket City Farms in central Sydney. Back in 2015, they began the transformation of a disused bowling green into a wonderfully thriving community food hub, and they want to contribute to urban farming becoming a normal part of our society and urban fabric.Local sustainable food production close to where the bulk of our population live - and can connect with and learn from - is integral in securing a healthy future for our communities and our planet. Pocket City Farm is about growing local and organic produce, providing education about food and farming, and creating community connection through being a welcoming place full of fabulous programs.Links:https://www.pocketcityfarms.com.au/https://www.pocketcityfarms.com.au/eventshttps://www.facebook.com/pocketcityfarmshttps://www.instagram.com/pocketcityfarms/https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocket-city-farmsGuest: Jacqui BesgroveJacqui Besgrove  is COO at Pocket City Farms and has over 10 years experience working as a permaculture designer as ¼ of Permablitz the Gong!, through her own private consulting practice Earthrise Permaculture and has experience applying permaculture design principles to social enterprise settings with her work at Green Connect. She leads Restorative Ecologies: Permaculture Principles and Practice as part of the UNSW Master of Environmental Management program. She is passionate about urban solutions and promoting permaculture principles and practice within our cities and suburbs to increase resilience and show how much fun radical downshifting can be.Podcast Host: Morag GambleMorag Gamble, founder of Permaculture Education Institute & teacher of permaculture teachers, is a passionate advocate for urban permaculture and has been deeply involved in creating, supporting and networking projects and programs for 30 years on 5 contineI'd love to hear from you. Text me here.Support the showThis podcast is a project of the Permaculture Education Institute. We work with people on six continents, teaching permaculture design and skills - from how to be a community leader to creating a regenerative permaculture livelihood. Visit our website to find out more. You can start any time, in any capacity! We teach permaculture and host permaculture teacher courses. We also share conversations through monthly masterclasses, Our Permaculture Life YouTube, and offer free monthly film clubs in a supportive global community. This podcast is broadcast from a solar powered studio in the midst of a permaculture ecovillage food forest on beautiful Gubbi Gubbi country. Subscribe, share and comment if you enjoy and keep this podcast myceliating!

Seventeen years ago, Rob Pekin decided to radicalise the way we shop for and distribute fresh food. His concept for a new food system was based on community, connection and localisation – and the result is an Australian-wide food systems revolution called Food ConnectBorn and bred on a dairy farm in western Victoria, Rob began to imagine a different kind of food system after he lost the family farm and fell into a depression.“The food connect model started out as a multi-farmer community-supported agriculture project. It was really my attempt as a pretty busted-up dairy farmer, disgruntled with the world and how it worked, saying – well, if I’m going to do something on a solutions side of things, I have to address probably the biggest source of misuse of power, which is in the distribution side of things.”In the latest episode of the Sense-making in a Changing World podcast, I chat with Rob about his journey and the Food Connect vision.  Hear more in this earlier interview with Rob's partner and Food Connect co-creator, Emma Kate Rose. (interviewed on Episode 14)What they’ve created is an is an inspiring  highly networked localised ethical and regenerative  food system -  one that nourishes growers, consumers, producers, the earth and foregrounds indigenous voices.Before we begin, I'd like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the unceded lands from which I’m speaking with you, the Gubbi Gubbi, and pay my deep respect to their elders past present and emerging. I’d like to recognise care for country, the waters and biodiversity for millenia.Don’t forget to give the podcast five stars! Rating the podcast helps promote the podcast to others so we can share the stories of permaculture and the amazing people we interview.This podcast is supported by the Permaculture Education Institute.Thanks to Rhiannon Gamble for editing, and Kim Kirkman for the introductory music.I'd love to hear from you. Text me here.Support the showThis podcast is a project of the Permaculture Education Institute. We work with people on six continents, teaching permaculture design and skills - from how to be a community leader to creating a regenerative permaculture livelihood. Visit our website to find out more. You can start any time, in any capacity! We teach permaculture and host permaculture teacher courses. We also share conversations through monthly masterclasses, Our Permaculture Life YouTube, and offer free monthly film clubs in a supportive global community. This podcast is broadcast from a solar powered studio in the midst of a permaculture ecovillage food forest on beautiful Gubbi Gubbi country. Subscribe, share and comment if you enjoy and keep this podcast myceliating!

The topic of ethical fashion is in the media this week because the annual Ethical Fashion Guide has been released. But can fashion ever be ethical?My guest on this week’s Sense-making in a Changing World podcast is Shannon Lohr – a leader in the ethical fashion world.Shannon’s career is defined by her efforts to change the fashion industry, promoting a sustainable approach focused on local production, quality materials and timeless designs. She believes how we dress ourselves is connected to the health of the planet.“There is no such thing as perfectly sustainable fashion. Anytime you're making something new, it's going to have an impact,” Shannon says. “It doesn't matter if you make your clothing with organic cotton if landfill is still overflowing with clothing. The real problem is the culture and marketing system that the fast fashion industry uses which tells consumers: buy a dress, wear it that night, throw it to the back of your closet and never wear it again or put it in the trash. That’s what creates an inherently unsustainable fashion industry.” Shannon is the founder and director of Factory45 – an online business school that helps sustainable fashion entrepreneurs consider fashion design and manufacturing in a closed loop way. That means considering the life cycle of a garment beyond its immediate use and what the customer will do with it when they’re done wearing it.She’s also a strong advocate for increasing supply chain transparency through sourcing, localisation and storytelling. She’s been named a thought leader for the future of fashion and was nominated as a “Woman of Note” by the Wall Street Journal.I'd love to hear from you. Text me here.Support the showThis podcast is a project of the Permaculture Education Institute. We work with people on six continents, teaching permaculture design and skills - from how to be a community leader to creating a regenerative permaculture livelihood. Visit our website to find out more. You can start any time, in any capacity! We teach permaculture and host permaculture teacher courses. We also share conversations through monthly masterclasses, Our Permaculture Life YouTube, and offer free monthly film clubs in a supportive global community. This podcast is broadcast from a solar powered studio in the midst of a permaculture ecovillage food forest on beautiful Gubbi Gubbi country. Subscribe, share and comment if you enjoy and keep this podcast myceliating!

Welcome to this episode of Sense-Making in a Changing World.  I am delighted to be joined by the wonderful Emma Cutting, creator of The Heart Gardening Project and visionary Melbourne Pollinator CorridorThe Heart Gardening Project is a community initiative that joyfully connects humans to nature through street gardening. Emma revels in connecting the dots between different people and fields of expertise through this project and connecting to the world through her street gardening, getting completely covered in dirt and creating positive change.While she grew up on a farm in Northern NSW, Emma is now based in inner Melbourne and is a full-time mum, piano teacher, pianist, verge gardener, amateur plantswoman and amateur naturalist. She get's called many things -  a community pollinator activist - The Bee Lady. She has recently recovered from a 12 year battle with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which she says has helped shape her to be the person she is today. I think she is an extraordinary doer, catalyst and connector.Emma's book, the Melbourne Pollinator Corridor Handbook can be found here - a fabulous resource for people wanting to design for pollinator habitat in urban areas.The Melbourne Pollinator Corridor is an 8km community-driven wildlife corridor that will link 2 large green patches that run along the Birrarung (Yarra River), Westgate Park and the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. It is an Australia-first project that she hopes will create a buzz, and be replicated across the country and beyond. Emma is leading a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for this project. Already they have generated enough for the first hub of gardens. Let's help her create all four hubs across the corridor. Here is the link to donate.This podcast is wholly supported by the Permaculture Education Institute  - we teach  permaculture teachers. Check out this link for all of our courses, events and programs.The Permaculture Education Institute would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the unceded lands from which we are broadcasting this show, the Gubbi Gubbi, and pay our deep respect to their elders past presentI'd love to hear from you. Text me here.Support the showThis podcast is a project of the Permaculture Education Institute. We work with people on six continents, teaching permaculture design and skills - from how to be a community leader to creating a regenerative permaculture livelihood. Visit our website to find out more. You can start any time, in any capacity! We teach permaculture and host permaculture teacher courses. We also share conversations through monthly masterclasses, Our Permaculture Life YouTube, and offer free monthly film clubs in a supportive global community. This podcast is broadcast from a solar powered studio in the midst of a permaculture ecovillage food forest on beautiful Gubbi Gubbi country. Subscribe, share and comment if you enjoy and keep this podcast myceliating!

Welcome to the fourth and final part of this special localisation series on Sense-making in a Changing World podcast with internationally claimed localisation activist Helena Norberg-Hodge . We all know that a radical shift in the way humanity is living is essential for our future. Where do we spend our energy as activists to have the most impact possible? Here we explores the concept of Big Picture activism - acting locally and globally simultaneously and what role permaculture can play.  In the first 3 parts we talked about the global economy, localising our food system and the importance of focussing our efforts on building community and restoring ecosystems. Here in part 4 we dive big picture activism. Helena is the founder and director of  Local Futures, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to renewing ecological and social wellbeing by strengthening communities and local economies worldwide. Helena has just released a new film, Planet Local: A Quiet revolution. Her first book Ancient Futures, written in 1991 has been translated into 40 languages and sold over 1 million copies. She’s been the subject of hundreds of articles and written many books, including her latest book, Local is Our Future: Steps to an Economics of Happiness which accompanies her award-winning documentary, also called The Economics of Happiness. Helena’s work spans almost five decades, with support and collaboration from leading ecological thinkers. She has been the recipient of a right livelihood award, also known as the alternative Nobel peace prize and also the Goi Peace Prize. I first met Helena back in 1992 at Schumacher college, and was absolutely inspired by the work that she was doing and subsequently volunteered with her in Ladakh or little Tibet. So again grab your notebook, listen with friends, follow up by watching Helena’s films and delving into her study group materials and localisation action guide, and feel free to share widely.Before we begin, I’d like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which I’m meeting with you today. I’m here on the unceded land of the Gubbi Gubbi people and on the banks of the Moocaboola river. So sit back and enjoy, and thank you so much for being here as part of this series of conversations with Helena Norberg-Hodge.  This podcast series is hosted by MorI'd love to hear from you. Text me here.Support the showThis podcast is a project of the Permaculture Education Institute. We work with people on six continents, teaching permaculture design and skills - from how to be a community leader to creating a regenerative permaculture livelihood. Visit our website to find out more. You can start any time, in any capacity! We teach permaculture and host permaculture teacher courses. We also share conversations through monthly masterclasses, Our Permaculture Life YouTube, and offer free monthly film clubs in a supportive global community. This podcast is broadcast from a solar powered studio in the midst of a permaculture ecovillage food forest on beautiful Gubbi Gubbi country. Subscribe, share and comment if you enjoy and keep this podcast myceliating!

In episode three of our four-part conversation for World Localisation Day, Morag Gamble talks with Helena Norberg-Hodge about the central role of community and ecology in our world. And, how localising both of these things can improve the health of people and the planet.Helena is a filmmaker, author and founder and director of the international non-profit organisation, Local Futures. Helena and I first met in 1992, working on the Ladakh Project over the other side of the Himalayas in the Indus Valley. This time we spent together (and since) as well as her film, Ancient Futures, led Evan and me to work in Permaculture. Thirty years later, I’m still inspired and motivated by Helena’s wisdom and mission.In this episode, Morag and Helena discuss:How healthy communities nurture healthy happy children;The pitfalls of modern education systems and consumer cultures that pit children (and adults) against each other;The role of elders in communities;How indigenous knowledge and rural living has been systematically depreciated;The relationship between nature, animals and human happiness;How we can reconnect with place, even when we live away from our ancestral lands;What individualism looks like in modern cities and how we can break away from unhealthy lifestyles.This podcast is brought to you by The Permaculture Education Institute.Please rate and review this podcast in the Apple Podcast app, Spotify, or wherever you listen. By giving this podcast a five-star review, we can help bring Permaculture into other people’s lives.I'd love to hear from you. Text me here.Support the showThis podcast is a project of the Permaculture Education Institute. We work with people on six continents, teaching permaculture design and skills - from how to be a community leader to creating a regenerative permaculture livelihood. Visit our website to find out more. You can start any time, in any capacity! We teach permaculture and host permaculture teacher courses. We also share conversations through monthly masterclasses, Our Permaculture Life YouTube, and offer free monthly film clubs in a supportive global community. This podcast is broadcast from a solar powered studio in the midst of a permaculture ecovillage food forest on beautiful Gubbi Gubbi country. Subscribe, share and comment if you enjoy and keep this podcast myceliating!

Welcome to the second of this special 4 part series on Sense-Making in a Changing World podcast. I am talking with a pioneer of the new economy movement - internationally claimed localisation activist Helena Norberg-Hodge about the food system. Relocalising the food system is central to creating a shift in the global economy, restoring communities and regenerating landscapes. Regenerative food systems are locally-adapted biodiverse agro-ecosystems deeply connected to place and community.Helena is the initiator of the global celebration of World Localization Day which is being celebrated on 21 June in 2022. Together with Helena, we are celebrating all month with weekly conversations, but also a screening of her new film  Planet Local: A Quiet Revolution and hosting a Masterclass together.Helena is the founder and Director of Local Futures, an international nonprofit organisation dedicated to renewing ecological and social wellbeing by strengthening communities and local economies worldwide.Helena's first book Ancient Futures has been translated into 40 languages and sold over 1 million copies. She's been the subject of hundreds of articles and written many books, including her latest book, Local is Our Future: Steps to an Economics of Happiness, which accompanies her award-winning documentary, also called the Economics of Happiness. Helena's work spans almost five decades and she collaborates with leading ecological thinkers. She's been the recipient of a Right Livelihood Award, also known as the alternative Nobel Peace Prize and also the Goi Peace Prize for contributing to “the revitalization of cultural and biological diversity, and the strengthening of local communities and economies worldwide.”I first met Helena back in 1992 at I'd love to hear from you. Text me here.Support the showThis podcast is a project of the Permaculture Education Institute. We work with people on six continents, teaching permaculture design and skills - from how to be a community leader to creating a regenerative permaculture livelihood. Visit our website to find out more. You can start any time, in any capacity! We teach permaculture and host permaculture teacher courses. We also share conversations through monthly masterclasses, Our Permaculture Life YouTube, and offer free monthly film clubs in a supportive global community. This podcast is broadcast from a solar powered studio in the midst of a permaculture ecovillage food forest on beautiful Gubbi Gubbi country. Subscribe, share and comment if you enjoy and keep this podcast myceliating!

Welcome to the first of this special 4 part series on Sense-Making in a Changing World podcast. I am talking with a pioneer of the new economy movement - internationally claimed localisation activist Helena Norberg-Hodge.  She initiated a global celebration of World Localization Day which is being celebrated on 21 June in 2022, but we are celebrating all month with weekly episodes with Helena.Helena is the founder and Director of Local Futures, an international nonprofit organisation dedicated to renewing ecological and social wellbeing by strengthening communities and local economies worldwide.Helena's first book Ancient Futures has been translated into 40 languages and sold over 1 million copies. She's been the subject of hundreds of articles and written many books, including her latest book, Local is Our Future: Steps to an Economics of Happiness, which accompanies her award-winning documentary, also called the Economics of Happiness. Helena has just released a new film, Planet Local: A Quiet Revolution Helena's work spans almost five decades and she collaborates with leading ecological thinkers. She's been the recipient of a Right Livelihood Award, also known as the alternative Nobel Peace Prize and also the Goi Peace Prize for contributing to “the revitalization of cultural and biological diversity, and the strengthening of local communities and economies worldwide.” I first met Helena back in 1992 at Schumacher College, and was absolutely inspired by the work that she was doing and subsequently volunteered with her in Ladakh (Little Tibet). This is the first of our series of conversations about localisation. A new episode will be released each Wednesday the global economythe food systemcommunity and ecologybig picture activismSo grabI'd love to hear from you. Text me here.Support the showThis podcast is a project of the Permaculture Education Institute. We work with people on six continents, teaching permaculture design and skills - from how to be a community leader to creating a regenerative permaculture livelihood. Visit our website to find out more. You can start any time, in any capacity! We teach permaculture and host permaculture teacher courses. We also share conversations through monthly masterclasses, Our Permaculture Life YouTube, and offer free monthly film clubs in a supportive global community. This podcast is broadcast from a solar powered studio in the midst of a permaculture ecovillage food forest on beautiful Gubbi Gubbi country. Subscribe, share and comment if you enjoy and keep this podcast myceliating!

Welcome to this episode of Sense-Making in a Changing World - being released at a critical moment in history here in Australia - the cusp of the Australian Federal election.A few months ago I interviewed my amazingly talented friend Tim Hollo, author, musician, climate activist, community leader, Director of the The Green Institute  Founder of Green Music, catalyst of so many community initiatives, AND currently a Greens candidate for the seat of Canberra in our current Federal Election. (I knew he was going to be way too busy for such a long and relaxed chat in the weeks leading up to election day). Almost 2 years ago I called a group together here in Australia informally called "Leadership in a Changing World" and it is through this that I came to meet and know Tim, and deeply understand the depth of his scholarship, compassion and action. I wish for our governments at all levels to be filled with people with the heart and thinking that Tim shares, and the practical skills and ideas too - what a different world and kind of democracy we would be experiencing Please take the time to listen - even if you are not in Australia. This is not campaigning - it is deep and thoughtful exploration about what Tim calls Living Democracy - actually the title of his forthcoming book published by UNSW Press . In his book, he offers bold ideas and a positive vision for the future. While it might be the end of the world as we know it, it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. In fact, around the globe, people and communities are beginning a whole new journey.Often we can feel disempowered in the political process, but political will is what we need to bring the changes necessary, and Tim encourages us that the power to change lies within all of us, and change will happen not by working individually, but by working together in communities to re-imagine our local areas that  begin to seed change everywhere through transformative collective action.I wish Tim all the best at the election this weekend, and wish us all a climate safe and just future. This show is hosted by Morag Gamble, founder of the Permaculture Education Institute. Before we begin, I’d like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the uncedI'd love to hear from you. Text me here.Support the showThis podcast is a project of the Permaculture Education Institute. We work with people on six continents, teaching permaculture design and skills - from how to be a community leader to creating a regenerative permaculture livelihood. Visit our website to find out more. You can start any time, in any capacity! We teach permaculture and host permaculture teacher courses. We also share conversations through monthly masterclasses, Our Permaculture Life YouTube, and offer free monthly film clubs in a supportive global community. This podcast is broadcast from a solar powered studio in the midst of a permaculture ecovillage food forest on beautiful Gubbi Gubbi country. Subscribe, share and comment if you enjoy and keep this podcast myceliating!