The EcoIQ Project

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

What a pleasure to host Dr Charles Massy.  Another master storyteller.   Dr Charles Massy is a farmer of more than 35 years and by his own account has learned from many deep mistakes on the land.  In talking with with Charles I had the wonderful feeling I have with so many guests of intense excitement and hope that seems to accompany so many producers and followers in the Regenerative Agriculture Movement. Having authored several books, the latest being the highly acclaimed "The Call Of The Reed Warbler", Charles deeply believes in the relevance and power of storytelling. His latest book is actually just that! the personal stories that came out of interviewing over 80 farmers that made a transformation into regenerative agriculture.  The actual  story containing the 'call of the reed warbler' was the highlight of the interview... walking across the regenerated land of a farmer and being show a flowing creek restored to a thriving eco system and hearing the song of a bird that hadn't been in that area for maybe a hundred years.  .  .. As our listeners know by now I like to go deep with our guests and covered many deep areas of transformations on many levels, with Charles. We talk about the importance of communication among all things, the relevance of instinct and bio sensitivity, and the amazing speed of recovery and regeneration on lands managed largely by just 'getting out of the way'.  The land, the food, the mind, the body, the soul. I know you'll enjoy this episode as much as I did. "Regenerative Agriculture is a knowledge rich agriculture that anyone can own, and you are not dependant on top down corporations, the big machinery or the intellectual property behind the chemicals and patent seeds...........its a bottom up approach that empowers and is democratic.     This revolution is one based on peace and health. its kind of ironic. The Revolution of peace....." Hi my friend. If you read down this far it means you appreciate what we doing with The EcoIQ Project. This is just the beginning. Our mission is to foster and empower deeper ecological connection in culture, in business, in body, mind, and soul .  A big part of that will very soon be education and on the ground projects.. Right now we are building our foundations and those are foundations include YOU!  This project is about you and your connection. Your feedback is invaluable to our progress and our ability to serve you and many other in the best way we can.   The time to unite and start or accelerate your journey is NOW. Take a few minutes to support us and you and fill out some feedback right HERE         ( https://forms.gle/TpKPaUvidbpqU4AJA ) Thanks for listening  Aharon Henderson The EcoIQ Project

Our guest this week was the activist, educator, artist and innovative mycologist Peter McCoy. Peter is the self published author of Radical Mycology (2016), a massively comprehensive and in depth look at fungi and its many contexts at multiple levels including agro ecology, bio remediation, medicine, food, cultivation and the various cultures surrounding fungi. Seeing another unfulfilled global need, and within one year after his book release, Peter founded Mycologos, the worlds first dedicated school for all things mycology, and the next iteration of his mission to bring to light and share the amazing keystone ecological element of fungi. For the last 17 years Peter has been an advocate and an educator for understand the significance of fungi and its connection to basically everything ecologically speaking, including us. His work has featured in numerous news and media outlets and documentaries. Peter is also the lead mycologist at Mycocycle a Chicago based bio remediation firm, and an advisor to various other platforms.  With more and more people awakening to the importance of understanding and working in alignment with ecological processes and cycles, his passion for communication and going deep into the rabbit hole of this elusive world brings us into an ever closer relationship with the indefinable and infinitely complex intelligence within our global ecologies and nature itself.  Peter also hosts; Radical Mycology, a blog site to showcase blogs, art and other eclectic content, and the radical mycology convergence, a physical culmination of several years of Peters first project into Mycology, a humble zine of the same name, made just for friends. Facebook page is HERE, and HERE. and a new film festival one HERE. I really enjoyed this interview, and we covered a LOT of ground regarding fungi, and its many contexts, and of Peter's personal passions and insights in his journey.  We also deep dive into the utility of the learning of fungi as a tool for personal transformation. I have always thought of the fungal world as the element of communication and connection in whole ecologies, and rightly the keystone 'piece' of the whole because of it..  It was amazing to hear this echoed by someone so deeply immersed and learned in the subject.   With Peter McCoy "immersed" is the word, he has that natural obsessive drive displayed by so many natural entrepreneurs, the drive to express and expand and develop a unique message to a wider and wider audience. The new entrepreneur whose goal and mission is to share and give.  Something Robert Kiyosaki calls "Spiritual Money" Hope you stick around to hear the whole this.  If you dig what we do, your feedback will help me adapt to YOU. You can fill out a small and fun form HERE and let me know what you think.  

Amazing long form, round table conversation with Joel Salatin and Darren Doherty, recorded right before the CoVid lockdown. We get a real deep insight into what drives and concerns two amazing pioneers and innovators in agriculture and regenerative farming. Joel Salatin is an outspoken advocate for free speech and choice in food and farmer relationships and transparency of production. An author of 12 eclectic books on farming, entrepreneurship, legal battles and spiritual ecological connection.  Joel's latest communications outreach is his ever relevant blog Musings From a Lunatic Farmer.  Joel is also the head of the highly acclaimed Polyface Farms and widely accepted as the most famous farmer of our time and a huge mentor to thousands of young and passionate new farmers. Also self described as a Christian libertarian environmentalist capitalist lunatic farmer. I have huge respect and affection for Joel as an elder, a friend and a God fearing farmer.  Known as the master of process Darren Doherty has painstakingly developed an incredibly pragmatic and far reaching platform for total farm planning, the Regrarians Platform. With thousands of hours, ecological farm designs, implementations and successful students Darren’s innovative and incredible contribution to the regenerative farming movement is well established and most recently manifest in his long awaited book The Regrarians Handbook. When it comes to due diligence in farm planning and farming innovation Darren Doherty has become the undisputed last word.  I have a special respect and gratitude to Darren, as my first real teacher and connection into the world of regenerative farming and all the following evolutions.  The Regarians team and Polyface Farms also collaborated in the production of the deeply moving and acclaimed documentary, Polyfaces. check it. As we do at The EcoIQ Project, we like to dig deep into these leaders mindset, decision making processes and secrets of success, earned the long short way, through thousands of hours of involvement at all levels of regenerative farming and connecting to our intrinsic relationship to land, food, animals and country. We cover: Connections and preparations for the upcoming Mother Earth Fair and The Regrarians Handbook launch History of The Mother Earth Magazine and information sharing globally The beginnings of a close professional relationship The hunger for a deeper meaning in farming Thoughts on the work of Dr Jordan Peterson The importance of taking on individual responsibility Entrepreneurial mindset Secrets of mentorship and importance of passing on knowledge What is a big M small D approach? What is real diversity Techniques for developing and refining innovation. Is there a connection between our farming models and the strength of immune system? Richard Perkins and the desire to engage on the deeper end of the water… To serve is how we become most fully human. messages for all… A deep honour and pleasure to share words of wisdom from these two esteemed elders in this space. many lessons to mediate on and integrate. So get your pen ready and your finger poised over the rewind button, as we embrace the complexity in all things and go deep and dense with Joel Salatin and Darren Doherty.

The EcoIQ Podcast hosts soil regeneration and farming optimising coach, Nicole Masters. It was a real pleasure to get back to my own personal passion of all things soil science and biology. Nicole has an amazingly youthful energy that belies her deep passion for pushing the envelope of understanding and better practice in soils and production systems. Nicole’s approach remains refreshing undogmatic. Nicole is academically trained agro ecologist, author and soil regeneration coach. Nicole has travelled intensely for years educating hundreds of farmers, and facilitating a deeper relationship and understanding of soil health in relation to food production systems. A keen entrepreneur Nicole heads the team at the aptly named Integrity Soils, and recently finished her first publication, For The Love Of Soils. With demand for Nicole’s work and unique approach, far outstripping supply. Integrity Soils in set to embark on a mission to train more coaches and reach more producers who need help to make a shift in life, in business, in land practice and in mindset. How talk was super engaging and we covered a real lateral spread of topics in the space of regenerative farming and entrepreneurship. I REALLY enjoyed this talk and look forward to our next meeting. hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 2:00 Confronting personal bias as an individual 18:45 What is quorum sensing? microbes and insects 25:25 Why do I need animals on my farm and in my garden? 31:20 The miseducation of photosynthesis and measuring the basis of life. 46:57 Learning signs of succession, which direction are you heading? 53:25 The role of the entrepreneur, and soil coaching 1:03 What it takes to make Integrity Soils 1:05:30 Case studies of Integrity Soils 1:11:00 Another look at testing 1:15:10 Communication. learning to connect mind and heart 1:19:00 Spiritual succession and evolution 1:23:35 Going beyond health and the unique role of humans.. 1:26:40 Nicole’s message: take heart, because something great is coming..

"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 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

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 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.

Today we had the great pleasure and honour to host a true hero in the space of regenerative farming , and a whole lot more besides! Master land steward, farmer rights activist and soil regenerating extraordinaire Joel Salatin. Joel Salatin is the leader of the super entrepreneurial and eclectic, Polyface Farm, which once sporting 4 meter deep erosion gullies, has become a benchmark for what is possible in highly synergistic and nature respecting agriculture. Joel Salatin is arguably one of todays most famous farmers. \ An outspoken activist for farmer’s rights and direct farmer consumer relationships. Prolific author and blogger, I've posted links to a great selection of Joel’s books and his blog. Both a true leader and a team player Joel is an active advocate for a truly engaged and deep connection with the earth and each other, Joel tackles the modern day ecological issues with a very personal and highly effective approach that combines science, eco intelligence, business savvy and spiritual connection. Joel is featured in the movies Fresh, Food Inc, American Meat, Farmageddon, Whats With Wheat and the Regrarians collaborative biography, Polyfaces. I really felt a special connection with Joel, and it was at times an emotional meeting, not least due to his expression of love for the Jewish people and his thoughts on the importance of establishing a deeply connected, ecological sound and sacred farming in Israel. Eternally positive, I felt somewhat underneath my discussion with Joel the feeling of receiving from an elder. Joel is a man who has talked the talk and walked the walk, and has really developed a deep intuition and understanding of the harmony in natural cycles and the dynamic of production systems. Joel brings a dignity back into a space that is, pretty much bankrupt of it from all sides. This is the first of many more and deeper connections between Joel Salatin and EcoIQ. You Can Farm Everything I Want To Do Is Illegal Fields Of Farmers Your Successful Farming Business Joel's daily blog Thankyou for your continued amazing contributions Joel! Don't forget to join our tribe and stay in touch with our new content, courses and events. Our next guest is the man Permaculture process, Darren Doherty 02:35 Gratitude 08:00 Constant Learning 10:45 Life Is So Sacred It Requires Death.. 15:35 Animalless Ecologies 18:00 Biological vs Mechanical 20:20 Joel's Grounding Practice, And On Letting Go Of Control 26:25 Fiefdoms And The Business Of Farming 39:45 Good Framing Is Beautiful! 44:45 Harmonising - Animals And The Carbon Cycle 59:10 Put Water To Work 1:06:30 Abundance 1:11:30 Assests And Liabilities In Soil 1:18:15 A Message To The Land Stewards Of Israel

This week we host Shai Danon, the man behind 'Raise the Frequency', activist, community leader and deep researcher. We go into the physics behind light and water, what it means to be a 'Real' hippy. and the incredible power of the sun as a biological synchronizer . This was an amazing interview.  be sure to join our tribe here and stay connected....     https://mailchi.mp/2137c6c45a14/ecoiq  Anyone interested in checking out Shai's impressive work can catch him at these links: https://ahava528.com/ https://www.youtube.com/user/ahava528/featured English playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGICVAZ-y1g&list=PLsWqwSg35DBA9XEABZyxkyj-FGhXrwmwN Time Stamps: 7:55  Relearning: We are electric beings 15:12 The positive in the negative 17:26 A real hippy and being tested 27:40 Connection and intelligence  32:00 Water 46:27 Communication in soil 48:00 The power of the dawn 50:00 The eye as a biological clock 54:46 All creation harmonises through the sun 58:00 being off timing and getting in time. Join our tribe and stay connected

This was a great interview by my colleague Jan Melhouse from The Business Artist Podcast with me as a guest.   I loved the direction of the conversation because we explored an area we haven't touched yet on EcoIQ, and that's entrepreneurship.  Like many spaces that focus on a connection with nature... business is many times held as 'dirty' thing in the unconscious. Those of us whose journeys exploring our nature connections, find us wanting to share our experiences and serve others, for those people, business will become an essential element in that effective sharing.  Let us not allow our limiting beliefs to blind us to the truth of natural abundance.... - What is an Ecological IQ? (01:06) - Why do you see Ecological IQ so strongly connected to building a business and making money? (11:50) - The fungi network is also referred to as the wood wide web, right? (18:27) - Which part play Ayahuasca and other psychedelics in Eco IQ? (26:49) - Can you give examples of people who built up highly successful businesses based on the strategies of nature (39:49) - Why is awareness for nature a step into spirituality ? (55:40) Jan Melhouse's contacts are: https://www.janmehlhose.com please drop me an reply if you enjoyed this episode or you have any feedback Aharonbenav@gmail.com