Permaculture Podcast by Paul Wheaton
Paul Wheaton
Paul Wheaton is the creator of Permies.com which has the largest and most popular permaculture community in the world! On this podcast Paul Wheaton will discuss everything from the ultimate permaculture design to compact florescent light bulbs. Commentaries and interviews with the leading voices in permaculture, homesteading, rocket mass heaters, farming, beyond organic foods, alternative anergy and living a self-sufficient life.
Episodes
Podcast 763 – RMH Smackdown – J-Tube vs Batch Box – Part 3
Paul’s Rocket Mass Heater smackdown with Matt Walker continues into some more novel directions, such as the minimum size you can get to work well, installing RMHs in zones with mandatory air intakes, and how feasible it would be to build a mobile RMH in a van or some other vehicle. Support the podcast on […]
Podcast 762 – RMH Smackdown – J-Tube vs Batch Box – Part 2
Paul and Matt Walker continue their smackdown on the merits of J-Tube verses Batch Box style Rocket Mass Heaters, and although they’re neck and neck in terms of efficiency, they differ when the fires out and the J-tube scores a couple of wins with plugging and simplicity. But no dampers in the chimney, thanks. Support […]
Podcast 761 – RMH Smackdown – J-Tube vs Batch Box – Part 1
Paul and Matt Walker of Walker Stoves fame take the hot seat and weigh in on the J-Tube verses Batch Box debate. They take into account whatever they can think of, from design and build complexity, to barrel durability, wood capacity, and balancing radiators verses mass. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion […]
Podcast 760 – Permaculture Smackdown 33 – Beyond Organic Eggs – Part 3
Paul finishes up the smackdown with Samantha and Rob by discussing how the chickens will get their protein, how many chickens there’ll be, and methods of population control before taking a few questions from chat, like how cold hardy are feral chickens, and the practicality of a fish trap/farm Support the podcast on Patreon Show […]
Podcast 759 – Permaculture Smackdown 33 – Beyond Organic Eggs – Part 2
Paul, Rob, and Samantha continue discussing bringing chickens to basecamp. Paul’s not too enthused about getting feral chickens thanks to the neighbour’s toxic gick but up at the labs is a different matter, but electric fence is a complete no-go. Junkpole fences? Absolutely. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More information and […]
Podcast 758 – Permaculture Smackdown 33 – Beyond Organic Eggs – Part 1
Paul sits down with Rob and Samantha for a smackdown on chickens, why Basecamp went 13 years without them, why they’re coming now, his history with “feral chickens” and how to produce eggs that with a little luck, will be 40x better than store bought, and his plans for a paddock shift system for them. […]
Podcast 757 – Does a Wofati need Concrete Footings? – Part 2
Todd McDonald’s consultation on the subject of wofati construction continues into more general lessons learned from Paul’s experience with building them, such as paranoia about drainage being a virtue, and making sure they have a toilet system within 100ft, or indoors, ideally. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More information and discussion […]
Podcast 756 – Does a Wofati need Concrete Footings? – Part 1
One Todd McDonald has foolishly parted with actual money to ask Paul about his experiences with building Wofatis, specifically about the weight capacity of the footings and weather he needs to add concrete or “dead men”, as Paul had added to Allerton Abbey to shore up the posts. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes […]
Podcast 755 – The Challenges of Building Community – Part 2
Paul, Kay, Julia, Samantha, and Ash Jackson continue discussing the challenges of building intentional communities, Paul’s desire to eat at the same tables as everyone else more than once a week, how to filter noble people for the top, and potentially splitting bootcamp into 2 when it fills up. Support the podcast on Patreon Show […]
Podcast 754 – The Challenges of Building Community – Part 1
Paul sits down with Kay, Julia, Samantha, and Ash Jackson, to talk about Permaculture Thorns, his work in progress book about the difficult realities of building permaculture community, and what he’s learned from the online Permies.com community. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More information and discussion of this podcast on this […]
Podcast 753 – The Twisted Feels of Being Angry at Good Guys – Part 3
Paul’s discussion with Ash Jackson, Derek T, and Samantha continues with more on community living and finding the right one, some ways to cool a house (Rocket Mass Heaters can still help here), and how to start people off with new ideas without overwhelming them. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More […]
Podcast 752 – The Twisted Feels of Being Angry at Good Guys – Part 2
Paul, Ash Jackson, Derek T, and Samantha continue discussing a selection of ways in which they see people trying to do the right thing and not quite getting it, such as insisting on heat pumps, or not flying under any circumstances, with some more the decline of communities in urban areas. Support the podcast on […]
Podcast 751 – The Twisted Feels of Being Angry at Good Guys – Part 1
Paul sits down with Samantha, Derek T, and Ash Jackson to weigh in on the native verses non-native plant debate (with the hidden 3rd option to just grow food), lament on Paul’s rep as the light bulb guy, and some on the environmental and ecological effects of cattle and rotational grazing. Support the podcast on […]
Podcast 750 – Lab Cats – Part 2
Paul and Stephen continue talkinging about cats, how the semi-feral cats at the lab are treated, the new cathouses built into the Library and the Solarium for both their safety and casual observation, and how many other people (such as Bill Mollison) have very different standards of cat-care. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes […]
Podcast 749 – Lab Cats – Part 1
Paul and Stephen sit down to talk about the internet’s favourite topic: cats. And how they fit into permaculture. Honest. From Jocelyn persuading one to clear a chipmunk infestation in a day, Stephen’s favourite Donkey, to Paul’s care plan, there’s a surprising amount to talk about. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion […]
Podcast 748 – Low input heaters, Hight output gardens – Part 2
Paul, the tinpot dictator, continues being interviewed by SuburbanBiology on his Building a Better World book, his experience with the north west power planning council, how drama sabotages almost all intentional communities, SKIP, and what Paul wants his legacy to be. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More information and discussion of […]
Podcast 747 – Low input heaters, Hight output gardens – Part 1
Suburban Biology created a video of building his RMH which is a copy of the Cooper Cabin RMH. Last March, the channel’s owner visited and interviewed Paul about Rocket Mass Heaters, light bulbs, Paul’s software development chops, and the possibility of AI powered robot gardeners. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More […]
Podcast 746 – Hugelkultur Smackdown – Part 2
The hugelkultur smackdown continues with Alan Booker, Andreas, Beau Davidson, and Samantha discussing bio-remediation vs. conventional ways of dealing with toxic gick, water troughs, biochar in sandy or tropical areas, and hugelkultur’s place in livestock rotation. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More information and discussion of this podcast on this thread […]
Podcast 745 – Hugelkultur Smackdown – Part 1
Paul has rounded up Samantha, Beau Davidson and Alan booker for a smackdown on hugelkultures, strategies for building them, how (and how much) compost should be added, their orientation in relation to the terrain and sun, and how they’re perhaps not the best idea in the tropics. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and […]
Podcast 744 – Organic Bananas – Part 2
Cheryl’s interview continues with the topics moving onto clothes washing, with Paul still using Oasis detergent but is looking for alternatives and Cheryl uses baking soda. And on the topic of things Cheryl’s neighbours find weird – paddock shift systems, of all things. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More information and […]
Podcast 743 – Organic Bananas – Part 1
Paul sits down to be interviewed by Cheryl, seeing as he’s started to loose track of what he has and hasn’t talked about and promptly started discussing bananas, why buying organic ones is definitely better, and some of the things Cheryl does that make complete sense to her, but not her normie neighbours. Support the […]
Podcast 742 – Basecamp Walkies
Paul and Samantha go on a walk around basecamp to plant things along the trail, find some morel mushrooms, and discuss what they’ve been finding, the Native American Camas or Quamash, the blossoming trees, and how the hugelkulturs over at Beacon Food Forest measure up to his own. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes […]
Podcast 741 – Eat what you Grow
Paul sits down with Samantha to have a free-for-all on various topics, such as the eat-what-you-grow verses grow-what-you-eat philosophies, with Paul falling into the former camp with his fondness for sunchokes, some on the Gardening Gardeners programme at Bootcamp, and Missoula’s Earth Day event. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More information […]
Podcast 740 – Sleaze and Anti-sleaze – Part 2
Paul and Samantha continue discussing Spoon theory and how Bootcamp and Permies both avoid being spoon drains and potentially help regenerate spoons, while the upcoming Gardening Gardeners program is being worked on to try and take the load of obligation off of people. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More information and […]
Podcast 739 – Sleaze and Anti-sleaze – Part 1
Paul sits down for a completely impromptu session with Samantha about the sheer amount of sleaze that has been growing (at least in the states) over the last decade, and how it drains the energy of people exposed to it, in a manner that’s best explained with cutlery? Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes […]
Podcast 738 – Grow Our Own Food (GOOF) – Part 2
Paul, Alexandra, Miranda, and M Ljin keep talking about how to get people into growing their own food, lamenting the loss of Alexandra’s local orchards, Ljin’s invading parsnips, food drying and foraging, and Montana’s famous huckleberries. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More information and discussion of this podcast on this thread […]
Podcast 737 – Grow Our Own Food (GOOF) – Part 1
Paul’s gotten tired of the whole “gardening is too expensive” thing, so has called in Alexandra, Miranda, and M Ljin to talk about ways to get hundreds of dollars of food for a few hours a week and couple of bucks. Hoop houses? Polytunnels? Experimental Rocket Mass Heaters? Or just use hugelkultur? Support the podcast […]
Podcast 736 – 45 Permaculture Solutions – Part 3
Paul presents a revamped version of 45 permaculture solutions, without the original 45 minute time limit, in company with Samantha and Andreas. The last 14 of Paul’s new 45(6?) Permaculture solutions get a go-over with Andreas and Samantha, with them covering such ideas as cob/adobe, slip straw, STUN gardening, landraces, skiddable structures, wavy deer fences, […]
Podcast 735 – 45 Permaculture Solutions – Part 2
Paul continues to talk about his revamped 45 Permaculture solutions with Samantha and Andreas , covering ideas such as Willow Feeders, dry outhouses, homegrown chicken feed, solar food dehydrators, berms, berm-sheds, stealth ponds, paddock shift systems, edible cleaners, and many more. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More information and discussion of […]
Podcast 734 – 45 Permaculture Solutions – Part 1
Paul presents a revamped version of 45 permaculture solutions, without the original 45 minute time limit, in company with Samantha and Andreas. The first of the solutions include Rocket Mass Heaters / cooktops / ovens / kilns, Lorenas, WOFATIs, Humus Wells, and of course, Hugelkultur. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More […]
Podcast 733 – How to heat your home at minus 100 degrees – Part 3
Paul and Peter van den Berg conclude their discussion on ways to keep a warm home in extreme conditions, with the subject shifting to the developments on the Rocket Mass Heaters in the various buildings at The Lab, and Peter’s plan for the next J-tube developments. Maybe at the next RMH Jamboree? Support the podcast […]
Podcast 732 – How to heat your home at minus 100 degrees – Part 2
Paul, Alexandra, and Peter van den Berg continue theorycrafting ways to keep a house warm in extreme conditions, without using electricity as mains supplies tend to fail under such conditions, and debating where a batch-box or J-tube style Rocket Mass Heater would be more appropriate. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More […]
Podcast 731 – How to heat your home at minus 100 degrees – Part 1
Paul is joined by Alexandra and Peter van den Berg to plan for keeping a house warm in extreme cold conditions, starting with the more obvious such as keeping wood indoors near the fire, lamentations on advertised efficiency ratings on wood stoves, and keeping indoor plumbing from bursting. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes […]
Podcast 730 – How to Heat Your Home with Green or Wet Wood – Part 2
Paul, Samantha, continue discussing wet and green woods as fuel, with them believing that it’s not quite so crucial for a RMH as the higher burn temps help burn the creosote. You can also use some angle iron as spacers on top of the stove with a layer of rocks on them as a ghetto […]
Podcast 729 – How to Heat Your Home with Green or Wet Wood – Part 1
Paul sits down to talk about how to prepare green or wet wood so it’s safe and effective for burning (and is later joined by Samantha). First off: never burn green wood – it’s a lot more work, gunks up the chimney, and gets you less heat. Store such wood indoors, on end, a few […]
Podcast 728 – Permaculture Smackdown 32 – Homestead Gumption – Part 3
Andreas, Paul, and Samantha’s talk on motivation reaches into its 3rd hour as they discuss homesteading verses permaculture homesteading, the fact that many people spend too much energy on things that don’t improve short-term quality of life, and some things that can help return gumption in the short term. Support the podcast on Patreon Show […]
Podcast 727 – Permaculture Smackdown 32 – Homestead Gumption – Part 2
Andreas, Paul, and Samantha continue the smackdown discussing some mistakes they and others have made, such as attempting to buy a homestead on a mortgage and keeping a worky job, Ant Village’s teething issues, and how kids staying around their folks can help build long-term community. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion […]
Podcast 726 – Permaculture Smackdown 32 – Homestead Gumption – Part 1
Andreas takes the lead! He sits Paul down (later joined by Samantha) to talk about keeping yourself motivated and your homestead going, particularly for city folk looking to start. Easiest way is to experience a working homestead first, like bootcamp, and be part of a group (also like bootcamp). Support the podcast on Patreon Show […]
Podcast 725 – Creating Permaculture Communities with Stephen Brooks – Part 2
Paul and Stephen Brooks of Ecoversity continue talking about setting up successful and enduring permaculture communities, how much turnover there is in the residents over time, getting government approval, the importance of them having fun and feeling empowered. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More information and discussion of this podcast on […]
Podcast 724 – Creating Permaculture Communities with Stephen Brooks – Part 1
Paul sits down with Stephen Brooks of Ecoversity to discuss permaculture communities and how to create them. Pretty good choice of person to talk to, considering he’s made 3 of them in Costa Rica with over 200 families taking part in them, on top of about 150 kids in the school. Support the podcast on […]
Podcast 723 – Purple Permaculture Playing Cards – Part 2
Paul and co. (Samantha, Mike Haasl, Andres, and Julia Winter) continue their rundown of some select cards from the new Purple Permaculture Playing Cards deck, such as Paul’s in development automatic backyard food pump, hay box cookers, Ferd and Gert, and the solar food dehydrator with rocket assist. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes […]
Podcast 722 – Purple Permaculture Playing Cards – Part 1
Paul sits down with a raft of people (Samantha, Mike Haasl, Andres, and Julia Winter) to discuss a few select cards of the new Purple Permaculture Playing Cards, with the first 4 being variations of Rocket Mass Heaters, namely cooktops, the Lorena, kilns, and water heaters. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion […]
Podcast 721 – An Eye Towards AI – Part 3
Paul continues the discussion about AI and education with Alan, Alexandra and Samantha as it moves onto SKIP, PEP, more direct forms of knowledge sharing like Alexandra’s RMH courses, SKIP going worldwide, and how preppers can benefit from hoarding knowledge and skills instead of just more guns. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and […]
Podcast 720 – An Eye Towards AI – Part 2
The discussion between Paul, Alan Booker, Mike Haasl, and Alexandra Malecki about Artificial Intelligence continues into the domain of trade schools and their viability with the potential of AI workers encroaching onto the field, assuming the whole hallucination issue can be sorted. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More information and discussion […]
Podcast 719 – An Eye Towards AI – Part 1
Paul calls up Alan Booker, Mike Haasl, and Alexandra Malecki to talk about the pros and cons of Artificial Intelligence and college, their effects on the youth of today, and possible ways through for them a rapidly changing world. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More information and discussion of this podcast […]
Podcast 718 – Conventional Wood Stoves
Paul calls up Uncle Mud to pointedly not discuss rocket heaters, but instead talk about more traditional wood burners, the drawbacks of low-and-slow burning overnight, airflow and intakes, thermal mass, and the Scandinavian origins of non-rocket mass heaters. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion More information and discussion of this podcast on […]
Podcast 717 – Gardening Gardeners – Part 2
Paul and Samantha continue discussing bootcamp, going over how he’s changed it since going to Portland, and how it compares to the WWoOF programme. Paul believes that bootcamp would be a good fit for many people that didn’t quite get along with WWoOf but liked the idea. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and […]
Podcast 716 – Gardening Gardeners – Part 1
Paul and Samantha sit down to discuss Paul’s visit to a bunch of potlucks in Portland, and how the local over-abundance of pears on the ground comes back to bootcamp and how it tries to not only grow food, but turn people into gardeners. And how it doesn’t charge rent so you’re actually free to […]
Podcast 715 – Brock’s Consultation – Part 2
Brock’s consultation continues with Paul further detailing hugelkultur use and use of paddocks to raise chickens while keeping them away from human food, and that Brock should focus on roughly a quarter acre of his land at a time and make it awesome before moving to the next. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes […]
Podcast 714 – Brock’s Consultation – Part 1
Brock has foolishly sent money to Paul for a consultation on his 2-acre Minnesotan property with a bunch of ash trees for the inevitable hugelkultur recommendations, a persistent department-of-making-you-sad, and a goal of feeding a family of 5 on hopefully more than sunchokes and walking onions. Support the podcast on Patreon Show notes and discussion […]