Episode 897 · August 1, 2025
897: Building Permaculture Community through Education with Ryan Blosser.
From semipro basketball to permaculture...here's a story!
In this episode
Ryan Blosser shares his inspiring journey from being a basketball player to becoming a leading figure in permaculture. Ryan moved from his hometown in Waynesboro, Virginia, to Hawaii, where he discovered a deep connection to nature through surfing, which eventually led him to permaculture. He co-founded the Shenandoah Permaculture Institute and runs the Waynesboro Education Farm, integrating K-12 public school curricula with organic farming. Ryan shares about his book 'Mulberries in the Rain,' that he co-authored with Trevor Piersal, and details his path to bringing permaculture into mainstream education through university partnerships. He emphasizes the importance of resilience, community, and the design process in achieving personal and professional success. Become an Urban Farm Patron and listen to more than 850 episodes of the Urban Farm Podcast without ads. Click here to gain access to the entire library.
Our Guest
Ryan is a writer, educator, and farmer living in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. He is a nonprofit leader and market gardener. Currently he runs the Waynesboro Education Farm through Waynesboro Public Schools where he is tasked with integrating the K-12 public school curriculum into a functioning mixed vegetable organic farm. He also is a cofounder and lead teacher with Shenandoah Permaculture Institute.
Ryan's Book Recommendation
Sand Talk, How Indigenous Thinking can Save the World By Tyson Yunkaporta
How to reach Ryan
Website - ShenandoahPermaculture.com
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