640: Edible Ecosystems In a Nutshell.
Focusing On Leveraging Micro Landscapes Into Ecosystem Changes.
In This Podcast:
Zach Loeks encourages each of us to transform our human habitat by focusing on one small section of landscape at a time. He believes that changes are most successful when they are manageable, and he reminds us that positive change will naturally grow and spread. Zach paints a beautiful picture of “edible biodiversity” and then shares some manageable, specific changes that will move us toward that goal.
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Our Guest:
Zach Loeks is an educator, designer and grower who specializes in Edible Eco-system Design through landscaping and education. He manages an award-winning farm with diversified food forest products, heirloom garlic, and a hardy tree nursery. He is also the director of the Ecosystem Solution Institute, which is dedicated to the education, propagation and inspiration of ecosystem solutions for land use transition. The Institute oversees path-breaking education sites, including an Edible Biodiversity Conservation Area near Ottawa, Ontario and a suburban food forest in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Zach is also the author of several books including The Permaculture Market Garden, and The Edible Ecosystem Solution.
Listen in and learn about:
- Reconnecting permaculture techniques with the practicality of farming
- A 2nd generation permaculturist
- Not just biodiversity, but “edible biodiversity”
- Creating human habitat
- Old growth food forests – what does that look like?
- Recognizing underutilized land
- Layering – one of the most fun concepts in permaculture
- Finding design solutions that are approachable for residential and commercial farmers
- How to use patterning to simplify landscape design
- A call to action from Zach
- EPI sites – Education, Propagation, Inspiration
- Magic number 3
- Greg’s thank you to Zach’s father
As well as:
His failure – Looking out over land he had farmed for years and having it feel unfamiliar
His success – Mentoring his kids
His drive – Planting trees, and looking out and seeing the landscapes around become beautiful, abundant and biodiverse
His advice – When you simplify in landscape design, homesteading, or organic gardening, you end up achieving more.
Zach’s Previous Podcast Episodes:
625: Old Growth in a Food Forest
627: Ecosystem Mimicry and Layering
Books written by Zach:
The Edible Ecosystem Solution: Growing Biodiversity in Your Backyard and Beyond
The Permaculture Market Garden: A Visual Guide to a Profitable Whole-Systems Farm
Zach’s Book recommendations:
The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giono
How to reach Zach:
Websites: ecosystemsolutioninstitute.com and ecosystemu.com and zachloeks.com
UrbanFarm.org/ecosystemu
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