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My guest for this episode is Mark Shepard, author of Restoration Agriculture. As you might expect from this show we start with his biography and background, work our way through a call to action for permaculture practitioners and a need to be realistic in our efforts, and finally wrap up this conversation by discussing his work of restoration agriculture. Don’t worry though, this is the first piece that Mark and I recorded together, so there will be more on this subject to follow, including listener questions in episodes two and three. I’m can produce episodes like this one, and those that follow in this series, because of your support. You allow me to schedule large blocks of time to have expansive candid conversations with interesting guests for the good of the permaculture community and beyond. If you value this show and these experiences, and I think you do since you choose to tune in, then support the show. Go to www.thepermaculturepodcast.com/support to find out how. I found this interview, and the other time I spent with Mark, delightful and challenging. He asks hard questions and proposes solutions that at first glance seem difficult, but that ultimately are necessary to doing this work in a meaningful way and getting beyond the “feel good” actions of a little here and a little there. The potentially unstable future posed by weather wierding and climate change requires action. Now. As part of that, and because I don’t believe in asking anyone to do something that I wouldn’t or haven’t done, I’m going to take up Mark’s challenge to eat a diet free of annual grains and annual legumes for 30 days. Actually, I’ll be doing it for 31, from August 1st through the 31st, 2014. Will you join me in this journey and see what the experience is like in a world of mass produced foods and perceived scarcity? Together we can show the possible abundance that lurks beyond the shelves of our local supermarket. Expect a month or so to pass until the next of these pieces with Mark, and the final one to come out in late September or early October. Also, Jen Mendez at Permie Kids is holding a series of online discussions via Google Hangouts that she’s calling Edge Alliances. This is a way for permaculture practitioners and educators to come together and discuss ideas, share experiences, ask questions, and propose solutions. Sunday, July 20th she is examining self-empowerment and self-defense, and on Sunday, July 27th the conversation will look at Forest Schools as a model for childhood education. You can find out more about these at: https://www.permiekids.com/community-collaboration/ Are you practicing restoration agriculture? Or just want to talk permaculture? Let me know: E-mail: The Permaculture Podcast Facebook: Facebook.com/ThePermaculturePodcast Twitter: @permaculturecst The Permaculture Podcast with Scott Mann The Permaculture Podcast (Episode: MarkShepard)