Episode 456 · June 25, 2019
456: Raven Venturelli on Permaculture for the Small Farm
Bringing a whole system approach of design and nature to the farm.
In this episode
Taking a permaculture course as a young adult gave Raven Venturelli the confidence and inspiration to start her own farm. However, finding land in California to develop her nature-based farming concepts was difficult so she followed her parents and moved to Arizona. She has used her holistic design methodology to build a farming business the way she wants and the quality and diversity of produce at Blue Apple Farm has developed a following at the local farmer’s market.
Our Guest
-
- The world she wants to live in and how this led her to Cornville, Arizona
- Growing in a suburb of Los Angeles
- Taking a Permaculture course with Larry Santoyo
- Finding that the permaculture course gave her a perspective shift
- How she views permaculture and a philosophy or holistic design methodology
- Her path to owning her own farm
- The challenges she faced getting access to land she could farm with permaculture practices
- Painting a picture of the farm
- Building the changes into the farm that she wanted to see happen
- Hügelkultur beds and more
- Getting involved with saving seeds and finding the Organic Seed Alliance had an internship program
- Going to Montana to learn on Fresh Fruits Farm with Cark and Darcy Jones Sutton
- What our future food security is going to rely on
- Making sales at the farmers market and meeting restaurant customers
- Working her way to profitability and recognizing that small businesses take time to get started as well
- The diversity of her farm that meets her customers’ needs
- Living in a food desert and being a diverse produce seller at the farmer’s market
As well as
Her failure – “Farming is an exercise in failing gracefully”
Her success – Educating people to recognize seasonal produce
Her drive – Clean water, clean air, six inches of topsoil, and wanting to leave the place better than she found it
Her advice – Do what ever speaks to you to re-integrate yourself with the natural world, or at least acknowledge that the natural world is sentient.
Raven’s Book recommendations
The Myth of Human Supremacy
The Market Gardener: A Successful Grower's Handbook for Small-Scale Organic Farming
How to reach Raven
Facebook: @La Ferme PommeBleue
Email: blueapplefarmaz@gmail.com
UrbanFarm.org/blueapplefarm
Special thanks to our sponsors:gemplers.com/urbanfarm (use code URBANFARM01)
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