Zenlarge Show

Anybody who is familiar with this podcast knows that I have investigated at great length the problems that we face. But eventually there came a time in which I had to do something and move forward and start looking at realisitic solutions. In this episode and in past episodes and alos in upcoming episodes I want to highlight the people who are going out there and making a difference at the local level.  I want to know why they do it and how they do it. I want to know what they are doing and who is doing it with them. I think these podcasts can be an invaluable treasure for those interested in getting involved.

I was introduced to Aaron Wissener through Chris Bedford. Chris mentioned multiple times that Aaron was a go-getter and someone I definitely needed to talk to. He is the founder of a local organization in Muskegon, MI called Local Future. The mission of Local Future is to create local resilient communities but the organization really sprang out of Aaron's realization that Peak Oil was a reality and that the reality of Peak Oil would have real world implications. Therefore Aaron saw a need to organize people around the idea of resilient communities.

In this episode Allan Balliett introduces me to the new term BioDynamics(or is it an ancient term as old as civilization itself?). Biodynamic agriculture is a method of organic farming that treats farms as unified and individual organisms, emphasizing balancing the holistic development and interrelationship of the soil, plants, animals as a self-nourishing system without external inputs insofar as this is possible given the loss of nutrients due to the export of food.

Allan Balliett mentions the book Ideal Soil: A Handbook for the New Agriculture by Michael Astera numerous times and presents the book as a manual on how to create plants that are both healthy and nutrient dense. The idea that we can just add more compost to solve many of our gardens problems may be flawed because the soil is more dynamic than what conventional wisdom would have you believe. In some cases soil samples may be necessary to identify missing nutrients.

Just when you didn't need one more thing to be concerned I bring forth unto you another civilization-stunning problem that threatens our modern living and is by it's very nature the issue is a political pariah. The issue is about water, and why we need to educate ourselves on how we use this valuable resource and realize just how scarce fresh water is.

'Water, water everywhere

Nor any drop to drink.'

My guest was Robert Glennon, professor at the University of Anizona and author of the book Unquenchable: America's Water Crisis and What To Do About It. In this interview we discuss the amount of freshwater available vs. the amount of water on earth and how the hydrologic cycle has supplied our earth with freshwater since... well... the beginning of the hydrologic cycle.Since that time, we have had the same amount of freshwater as the dinosaurs but we use freshwater in many different ways that are important to our modern living. Some of which are destroying the freshwaters ability to used for human consumption. It doesn't take more than a passing glance at the statistics of water to be concerned. Robert Glennon does more than just glance at the stats and delves into some serious issues that we face when it comes to freshwater use and it's longer term threat. Robert goes as far as to say that we face a Crisis.

Unquenchable: America's Water Crisis and What To Do About It

My guest this week was Aaron Lucich, the film-maker of the upcoming film 'We Are What We Eat'. Aaron also is a public speaker on the subject of Organic Food.

In our interview we, of course, covered many topics but mainly centered the ideas that are in his film. We talked about the need for more sustainable and natural growing of food rather than the industrial model of farming which is wasteful and ultimately unsustainable. We talk about the best methods of reaching out to the masses and consider options that could be used on a large-scale (beyond the small pockets of already aware citizens). We also talked about eating lifestyles such as Weston A Price and Vegan.

At the end of this podcast I added on another seperate podcast that is just of myself, Steve Patterson, that you will enjoy. I rant and rave like a madman, but not really. I just jotted down a few things I wanted to say, turned on the microphone, and riffed for a good 35 minutes. Let me know what you think of my random thoughts, and if you feel it necessary you can email me at twobeerswithsteve(at)hotmail.com.

Bob Cannard Video Interview From the Aaron Lucich Facebook Page... a must see.

Johnny Max of the website Heirloom Seed Swap joins me  to talk about how you can save your seeds and engage in seed swapping (he also has his own podcast, Self Sufficient Homestead and BeerTalkRadio, interestingly enough).

We go over the basics of seed-saving your own seed from the crops that you grow in your own garden. Then we discuss how you can take those seeds and trade them for a wide variety of different seeds on his website www.heirloomseedswap.com

The discussion also goes over how to cultivate your own species of a vegetable variety. There is some pretty gardening questions put forth by myself (I'm a newbie at this gardening thang) but much of it will have value to even the seasoned gardener.

This week I talk with Stefan Molyneaux, host of FreeDomain Radio. Not only can you get this episode as a podcast but you can also watch the video of Stefan’s Youtube channel, here is the LINK. You can see ol’ Two Beers in action in this video as he interviews a guest, I have to admit that staring into a camera is not the most comfortable experience in the world but it is a new challenge that I hope to overcome. In fact, if you find me terribly dreadful in this interview (which upon review I think is the case) then you can blame it to the fact that it was the camera in my face.

Like every episode on this program we discussed a multitude of topics, some of which were free markets, healthcare, public smoking, the initiation of force, Alex Jones, why I (or Stefan, or anyone looking to make a difference) will never run for office, etc..

As always with Stefan, if you don't agree with him then at least be entertained by his info-tainment, it is truly some of the best out there.

Chris Bedford returns to talk about what is going on since we last talked. In that time frame he has continued work on his local farmers market, worked as a community activist, and is currently working with a committee on bringing a TED Conference to a nearby college.... what have you been doing since Chris was last on our show?

We also wander off into many other topics worthy of discussion, of course, the most notable side discussion is our chat about the Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie. Chris Bedford shared some insightful analysis from someone who was a union activist for many years.

By far the most requested guest from listeners is John Michael Greer and I am pleased to have finally have him on as a guest. Although at first glance I wondered why listeners were so enamored with this gentleman with the long beard who writes for the blog The ArchDruid Report, but I soon found out that JMG's perspectives on many subjects pertaining to economic, techno-industrial, and Peak Oil concerns were in-line with typical guests on Two Beers With Steve.

In this discussion we delve into many topics starting with Druidry and then moving into Peak Oil and the ASPO conference. Interestingly enough JMG was a guest speaker at the ASPO conference and details that difference between the 'suits' and 'sandals' crowd. We also talk about the impact of a world affected by oil shortages and I ask John Michael if he holds out hope for any new technologies that will fill the gaps left by diminishing oil production (and I asked that question with a straight-face mind you).

For the hardcore crowd who can't get enough Two Beersy talk I added on a five minute after-interview discussion I had with JMG that I thought would be interesting to anyone listening. Just let the music play and the credits roll at the end of the podcast and you'll be rewarded.

Patrick of Patrick.net stops by to discuss the housing market. Much of what we discuss has been talked about before concerning housing but in this discussion we have the benefit of a long period of hindsight. We trace the housing crash from its origins through today and then Patrick offers his version of what the future holds for us. Patricks forecasting of the future is insightful because he incorporates the failures of other nations that have faced the same dilemma as the US (mainly Japan) and we are just re-tracing their steps.

Patrick.net

Never before has this program, Two Beers With Steve, had a guest who was as far into the Mainstream Media Culture as Jeff Cohen has been. Jeff Cohens bio reads like a guest on the McLaughlin Group, not this ol' shabby program... but please, nobody tell Jeff.

I thoroughly enjoyed interviewing Jeff Cohen and I also thoroughly enjoyed his book Cable News Confidential (2006). Even though people have made the criticism of Jeff Cohen that he is a typical left-wing liberal I think his book and his rhetoric go beyond the two-party paradigm to expose something larger; corporate control. He speaks as though he has no mainstream media career to protect anymore and that may be true since he has established himself firmly in the alternative media system.

This show was a departure from traditional topics but still is fascinating and worth a double-listen. Take care and let me know what you think about this topic... I'd be interested in knowing.