In this episode of The Foodscaper Podcast, Matt Lebon explores the concept of no-dig gardening with the world-renown Charles Dowding. A British gardener and environmentalist, Dowding has been a leading proponent of organic and no-dig gardening since 1982. He's written 12 books on the subject, including No Dig: Nurture Your Soil to Grow Better Vegetables With Low Effort. Charles shares how his propensity for sowing on a waxing moon, what spiritual composting means to him, and companion planting. 

Learn more about Charles and no-dig gardening: charlesdowding.co.uk/ 

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Title music: Honeydew by ⁠No Bill Dill⁠ | Produced by ⁠Rachel Kaplan⁠

In this episode of The Foodscaper Podcast, Matt Lebon explores the world of edible landscaping with Alec LePoidevin, the owner of Fresh Roots in Wisconsin. Alec shares how his curiosity for healthy, organic living led him to creating Fresh Roots, and sharing his passion for landscaping, organic gardening, teaching, and sustainability with the community.  

We delve into learning on the job, how to build a fence, tools and techniques that changed the game for Alec, new artistic methods to beautify spaces without breaking the bank, and which influences inspire him to dig deeper into edible landscaping.

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Title music: Miami by ⁠Party of Vibe⁠

Produced by ⁠Rachel Kaplan⁠

What does it really take to build a strong, reliable, and motivated crew?

Erik Ohlsen—founder of Permaculture Artisans and author of The Regenerative Landscaper —pulls back the curtain on what he's learned over two decades of growing his mission-driven company. 

Whether you’re hiring your first employee or managing a growing team, listen to learn how to hire and retain the best people for the job. 

Erik covers:

• What to look for when building your team

• How to hire (and keep) great people

• What to pay and how to know when you're financially ready to hire

• Scheduling, time management, and navigating last-minute curveballs

• The balance between hiring for skill vs. training on the job

• Interview questions that reveal true character

• Spotting red flags and assessing energetic fit

• Creative ways to care for and retain your people

• The leadership lessons that shaped his company culture

This is the conversation every edible landscaper or permaculture entrepreneur needs to hear—because building a resilient business starts with building a resilient team.

Want more support as you build your ecological edible landscaping company? Join our membership!

This is where you can get feedback on your work, join live coaching calls with Matt Lebon, and access a vast library of training videos to up your career in foodscaping.

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Are you considering a career change into ecological edible landscaping? 

Today’s guest on The Foodscaper Podcast made a brave jump from a career in public policy to opening her own foodscaping company in Tacoma, Washington.

I think you’ll be inspired by one of our community’s superstar entrepreneurs, Anna Markee, owner of Markee Ecological Garden Design.

Anna shares her business origin story plus advice for landing government contracts from a public policy insider. Tune in! 

Listen to the COMPLETE episode when you join The Foodscaper Membership - the first month is free! Come find your people and get support to grow a successful foodscaping biz. 

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In this episode of the Foodscaper Podcast, we're joined by Amber McClain, the installation department head and project manager at Nashville Foodscapes. 

From starting as a crew member to becoming a worker owner, Amber shares the nitty-gritty of managing installs during Tennessee's hot summers, keeping her crew motivated, and the strategies that ensure project success.

Amber offers her perspective on leading efficient installs that don’t burn crew members out. She talks about how Nashville Foodscapes designs, installs, and maintains edible and ecological landscapes as a worker-owned business.

Tune in to learn about the systems and teamwork that make Nashville Foodscapes one of the most long-standing companies in the industry.

Listen to the complete episode when you join The Foodscaper Membership - first month is free!

When you join the membership, you join a supportive community of edible landscaping pros at all stages. Receive feedback on your work. Join our live calls. Access a library of trainings for foodscapers, by foodscapers.

Find your people!

JOIN US at thefoodscaper.com/membership

This week on The Foodscaper I sat down with Lauren Craig of Humble Hive Consulting — a designer and consultant who’s helping people reimagine their relationship with land through edible and ecological landscapes.

Lauren has built a business that roots into her local Ohio community but also stretches far beyond her local geography. From remote design and social media to mentorship and storytelling, she’s finding creative ways to connect with clients and landscapes across the map.

In our conversation, we dive into:

✨ How she built her business & finds clients

✨ The challenges (and magic) of remote design

✨ Tools she uses to bring landscapes to life from afar

✨ The human side of client relationships

✨ Mentorship, education, and lessons only the land can teach

If you’ve ever wondered how  to thrive as an edible landscape designer — or what it takes to build a design business rooted in design work and creativity — this episode is for you.

Get the complete episode when you join The Foodscaper Membership. Join for free at thefoodscaper.com/membership. There’s more gold in the second half!

In this episode of the Foodscaper Podcast, Matt interviews Mike Bennett, co-owner and president of Backyard Eats, an edible landscaping business based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mike shares the inspiring story of how his partner Chris Mattingly founded the company in 2016 and how they aim to share the magic of homegrown food.

They discuss the company's core services, which include design, build, and maintenance of food-producing spaces, and delve into the challenges of scaling and iterating their business model. Mike also talks about his personal journey from finance and music to becoming an integral part of Backyard Eats. Tune in to learn about the design principles, educational resources, and client engagement strategies that make Backyard Eats successful, as well as Mike's insights on overcoming common challenges in the edible landscaping industry.

Listen to the complete episode when you join The Foodscaper Membership - first month is free!

When you join the membership, you join a supportive community of edible landscaping pros at all stages. Receive feedback on your work. Join our live calls. Access a library of trainings. 

For foodscapers, by foodscapers.
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In this episode of the Foodscaper Podcast, Matt speaks with Lucy Imbach, founder of Island Harvest, the only edible landscaping business on Nantucket Island.

Lucy shares her background in environmentalism and food systems, and discusses her journey from farming to starting Island Harvest.

The conversation covers the intricacies of building and maintaining an edible landscaping business in a unique locale, including crop planning, carpentry skills, and client relations.

Lucy also delves into the advantages and challenges of operating in a place with a highly fluctuating population and a strong culture of garden maintenance.

Additionally, Lucy offers insights into her use of local resources and her process for planning and executing complex garden designs.

Join The Foodscaper Membership for the complete episode! First month is free. Plus, get feedback on your work, network with other pros and access our training library -made for foodscapers, by foodscapers.

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Learn more about Luci's work: https://www.ackislandharvest.com/

In this episode of The Foodscaper Podcast, we explore the world of edible landscaping with Nate Fournier, the owner of Reimagined Roots. Nate shares how his background in engineering influenced his journey into permaculture and food scaping, starting from a dream in 2014 to establishing his business during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We delve into the philosophy behind Reimagined Roots, their comprehensive services in transforming grasslands into abundant ecosystems, and the importance of creating 'Human Habitats.' Nate also talks about lessons learned from his previous career, the strategic establishment of a community-oriented eco hub, and the critical role of radical candor and continuous learning within his growing team.

Tune in for insights on integrating technology without compromising ecological integrity and the inspiring story of dedication, long-term planning, and community building in the permaculture industry.

In this episode of the Foodscaper Podcast, staff member Lindsay Wolff interviews Matt Lebon, founder of Custom Foodscaping, about the various aspects of managing and growing a foodscaping business. 

They delve into the importance of company culture, practical systems for daily operations, and effective communication tools like Slack and Clickup. 

Matt discusses the challenges and strategies associated with hiring, firing, and retaining employees while emphasizing the significance of acknowledging hard work and fostering a supportive work environment. 

The conversation also touches on balancing personal life as a new parent, maintaining mental health, and the importance of building long-term client relationships through maintenance contracts. Practical advice is shared for beginners on essential tools, equipment, and financial planning in the foodscaping industry.