The Urban Farm Podcast with Greg Peterson

In this Episode - What if the key to growing healthier, more productive gardens isn’t more fertilizer, but healthier living soil? Ben Lederer, co-founder of Regenerative Soil Company in North Phoenix, joins Greg to explore how compost, worm castings, mulch, and beneficial biology can transform the soil beneath your garden. You’ll learn simple ways to start composting, use kitchen scraps and chickens to build a regenerative cycle, and improve your soil while reducing reliance on synthetic inputs. Ben and Greg also share practical ideas for taking one small step toward a healthier garden and a more resilient community. Our Guest: Ben is the co-founder of Regenerative Soil Company, a small batch amendment company based in North Phoenix. A longtime gardener, chicken keeper, and compost enthusiast, Ben is passionate about helping people grow healthier plants naturally through worm castings, regenerative gardening practices, and living soil biology. He also works in turf grass management and enjoys teaching practical, approachable ways to build healthy soil at home Key Topics Ben Lederer Regenerative Soil Company Worm castings Living soil biology Regenerative gardening Composting Green mulch and cowpeas Chickens and backyard food systems Local soil amendments Turf grass and soil management Permaculture and closed-loop gardening Arizona Worm Farm Community gardening The Worm Farmer’s Handbook Key Questions Answered How did Ben Lederer get into regenerative gardening and soil health? Ben grew up watching his parents garden and became fascinated by how plants grow. His experience in landscaping and turf grass management eventually led him to question conventional practices and look for ways to build healthier soil naturally. What are worm castings, and why are they useful in the garden? Worm castings are worm-processed organic material that contains microbes and nutrients. Ben describes them as a gentle organic fertilizer that can help plants grow stronger and handle environmental stress, while Greg shares his experience using them to reduce heat and transplant stress. What are some natural ways to improve garden soil? Ben recommends compost, worm castings, mulch, and green mulch. These practices can add organic matter, support soil biology, retain moisture, moderate soil temperature, and improve conditions for future plantings. How can cowpeas function as green mulch? Cowpeas help cover the soil, keep it cooler, and contribute nitrogen through their relationship with soil biology. At the end of the season, Ben recommends cutting the plants down and leaving the roots in the soil so they decompose in place. How can a beginner start composting at home? Ben says the simplest approach is to establish a compost pile in an appropriate area of the yard. A basic compost system needs a balance of nitrogen-rich “greens” and carbon-rich “browns,” along with moisture and occasional turning. How can gardeners get enough green material for compost? Ben suggests building relationships with neighbors and offering to collect their kitchen scraps. Providing neighbors with a five-gallon bucket gives them an easy way to contribute food waste while helping the gardener build compost. How do chickens, compost, and gardening form a regenerative cycle? Chickens can eat kitchen scraps, produce manure for the compost pile, and help turn and work through compost. The resulting compost feeds the garden, which produces more food and food scraps, creating a useful cycle between animals, compost, soil, and plants. Why does Ben emphasize buying soil amendments locally? Ben says local compost and soil products are more likely to retain active microbial life because they have not spent long periods sitting on a store shelf. He encourages gardeners to seek out local compost and soil producers. What does Ben see as the role of competition among local worm farms? Ben views other worm farms as potential complements rather than competitors. He believes there is ample demand for locally produced worm castings and that collaboration can help more gardeners succeed. What did Ben learn from personal setbacks? Ben describes rebuilding his life after struggling with drugs and alcohol as a teenager and young adult. He says the experience taught him resilience, responsibility, and accountability, and that those lessons now influence how he approaches agriculture and business. What book does Ben recommend for people interested in vermicomposting? He recommends The Worm Farmer’s Handbook by Rhonda Sherman, particularly for its detailed treatment of vermicomposting and producing worm castings at a larger scale. Key Takeaways Worm castings provide organic matter, nutrients, and microbial life for the garden. Composting kitchen scraps can reduce waste while building healthier soil. Mulch helps protect soil from heat and moisture loss. Cowpeas can provide living ground cover and leave valuable roots in the soil after the growing season. Chickens can become part of a closed-loop backyard food system. Building relationships with neighbors can solve the challenge of sourcing compost ingredients. Local soil amendments can help gardeners access fresher, biologically active materials. Gardening success comes from learning, experimenting, and accepting that some plants will fail. Ben sees collaboration among local producers as a way to strengthen gardening communities. Small actions, such as starting a compost pile, can contribute to stronger communities. Episode Highlights Ben describes growing up fascinated by backyard gardening and eventually bringing together his experiences in gardening, landscaping, and turf grass management. Worm castings are introduced as a low-risk organic fertilizer rich in microbial life. Compost, worm castings, and mulch form the foundation of Ben’s approach to improving soil naturally. Cowpeas can cover large areas, cool the soil, contribute nitrogen, and leave decomposing roots behind when cut down. Ben explains how chickens, compost, gardens, food scraps, and eggs can work together as a backyard regenerative cycle. Ben shares how his personal recovery taught him resilience and accountability and shaped his approach to building a regenerative business. Ben discusses why he sees Arizona Worm Farm as a complement rather than a competitor and why local worm-casting production matters. Ben’s final advice: pursue your dreams, start small, get your hands dirty, and recognize that individual actions can make a difference. Calls to Action & Resources Regenerative Soil Company — https://regenerativesoilco.com Instagram — https://instagram.com/regenerativesoilco Email — [email protected] Urban Farm Podcast Show Notes — https://urbanfarm.org/regenerativesoilco Book — The Worm Farmer’s Handbook by Rhonda Sherman Visit www.urbanfarm.org/regenerativesoilco for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library! Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden? The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges. You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback. Click HERE to learn more! *Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

Subtitle In this Episode Wendi Bergin and Greg Peterson explore preparedness as a practical, positive part of everyday life rather than fear-driven survivalism. They discuss building a working pantry, storing and rotating food, developing skills, maintaining backups, and preparing for the specific challenges of where you live. Greg and Wendi also share lessons from Hurricane Helene and other emergencies, emphasizing that preparedness creates peace and makes it easier to care for family, neighbors, and community. Key Topics Preparedness as a way of life Working pantry and food storage Freeze-dried and survival foods Food-system vulnerability Three-day grocery supply and “three-hour supply” Meal planning for food storage Pressure canning and food preservation “Two is one, one is none” Backup power and generators Water storage and filtration Emergency cooking and lighting Skills versus possessions Hurricane Helene preparedness lessons Neighborhood food infrastructure Key Questions Answered What does preparedness look like without becoming hoarding? Wendi and Greg describe preparedness as having useful supplies that are part of everyday life. Food should be familiar, used, and rotated rather than purchased and forgotten. How can someone build a food supply without buying large amounts of survival food? Start with meals the household already eats. Wendi recommends identifying 10 familiar meals and gradually stocking enough ingredients to make each meal multiple times. Why should preparedness be for everyone? Emergencies aren't limited to natural disasters. Job loss, health crises, family needs, power outages, and other unexpected circumstances can all create situations where having food, water, skills, and supplies makes life easier. Why are skills more valuable than stuff? Skills travel with you. Greg explains that gardening, food preservation, cooking, and other practical abilities remain useful even if you move somewhere else or lose access to your existing equipment and supplies. What does “two is one, one is none” mean in practical preparedness? It means having backups because equipment can fail when you need it most. Both Greg and Wendi share experiences where generators or other equipment failed or had to be given to someone else. How should people prepare for their particular location? Preparedness depends on local conditions. The conversation covers hurricanes in Florida, ice storms in New Jersey, extreme heat in the low desert, and the different needs of other climates and households. How can preparedness strengthen a neighborhood? Prepared people can share resources and skills instead of simply relying on others. Greg describes neighbors sharing food during Hurricane Helene and his idea for a neighborhood potato-planting party to build food production into the community. How can someone get started today? Start by taking inventory of what you already have: food, water, filters, flashlights, batteries, cooking equipment, generators, and other supplies. Then identify the gaps that matter most for your household and location. Episode Highlights Preparedness doesn't have to be heavy or fear-based; it can simply become part of everyday life. Build a pantry around food you actually eat, and rotate what you store. A stocked pantry became especially valuable when Greg and Heidi experienced a week without water and electricity during Hurricane Helene. Test generators and backup equipment regularly instead of assuming they will work when needed. Water, food, shelter, cooking, and light are fundamental preparedness priorities. Skills can be carried anywhere, while possessions can be lost, left behind, or fail. Start small: inventory what you already have, then fill the gaps based on your circumstances. Preparedness can move beyond the household into neighborhood food infrastructure and community care. Calls to Action & Resources Homesteading Made Simple — Podcast and YouTube channel featuring homesteading skills, mindset, gardens, animals, and homestead properties. Food storage inventory — Start by documenting the food, water, equipment, and other preparedness resources already in your home. 10 Times Food Prep Document HERE Visit www.urbanfarm.org/1007 for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library! Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden? The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges. You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback. Click HERE to learn more! *Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

A Seed Chat w/ Rebecca Newburn Rebecca Newburn, co-founder of Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library and a leader of the Seed Library Network, joins Greg Peterson for a conversation about the power of community seed libraries. They explore how seed libraries differ from seed banks, why local seed matters, and how seed saving can increase biodiversity, food resilience, and community connection. Rebecca also shares new resources for seed saving, education, children, librarians, and communities that want to create their own seed-saving cohorts. The conversation ultimately comes back to a simple idea: seeds are life embodied, and they sprout hope. Key Topics & Entities Seed Library Network Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library Seed libraries vs. seed banks Community seed saving and sharing Local and regionally adapted seed Seed diversity and biodiversity Permaculture and traditional wisdom Seed-saving education Seed-saving cohorts and teacher training Seed-saving guidelines and charts Seed libraries in public libraries and schools Food resilience and cultural preservation Key Questions Answered What is a seed library? A seed library is a free community resource where people can get seeds without paying for them or being required to return seeds. When gardeners learn to save and return seeds, the library can become increasingly self-sustaining. How is a seed library different from a seed bank? Seed libraries generally serve home gardeners and don't require seeds to be returned. Seed banks are more commonly associated with farmers and often require a return of seed in greater quantity than was borrowed. Where did the modern seed library movement come from? Rebecca was inspired by BASIL, the Bay Area Seed Interchange Library at the Berkeley Ecology Center. While taking a permaculture design course, she connected with one of its founders and decided to develop a replicable model for creating seed libraries. Why is local seed so important? Rebecca believes communities need to re-localize their seed. Much commercial seed is produced in different climates and sometimes different countries. Locally saved seed has the opportunity to adapt to local conditions while communities preserve greater genetic and cultural diversity. What does localizing seed look like? It means more people learning to save and share seeds, increasing the diversity of seed stocks, and paying attention to which plants actually thrive in their own communities. What should home gardeners save seed from? Save seed from what you like. Greg and Rebecca emphasize selecting plants that perform well in your particular environment and produce food you actually enjoy eating. What makes a seed library successful? Success depends on the community. It might mean getting people to garden for the first time, meeting the community's demand for seed, or gradually increasing the percentage of locally donated seed. Why is genetic diversity valuable in a home garden? Greater diversity can mean different plants mature at different times, while variation may provide more resilience when pests, frost, or other challenges affect the garden. What does a gardener need to know about saving viable seed? Seed saving isn't simply about collecting seeds. Some crops need cross-pollination and a sufficient number of plants to maintain viable genetics. Rebecca's forthcoming seed-saving chart addresses ease of saving, potential cross-pollination, viable seed production, and recommended population sizes. When are cucumber seeds ready to save? Unlike cucumbers harvested for eating, cucumbers intended for seed saving should remain on the vine until they become fully mature, orange, and even begin to soften. This allows the seeds to develop properly. How can communities create seed-saving teachers? The Seed Library Network is developing replicable seed-saving cohorts that combine online instruction from experienced seed savers with local hands-on learning. The goal is to help communities develop people who can teach seed saving to others. How can seed libraries connect with children and educators? Rebecca is developing coloring books, seed-saving activities, story-time resources, songs, bookmarks, downloadable materials, and "Program In A Box" concepts that libraries, educators, and homeschoolers can use to teach children about seeds. Episode Highlights Seed libraries are free community resources where people can access seeds without the obligation to return them, while seed banks typically involve more formal seed-return requirements. Rebecca's experience creating Richmond Grows became a replicable template that has helped thousands of seed libraries get started around the world. The Seed Library Network map has about 1,500 self-reported seed libraries, while Rebecca notes that the actual number worldwide is much larger. Rebecca wants to see more local seed, arguing that centralization of seed has contributed to lost biodiversity and that locally adapted seed becomes increasingly important amid extreme weather. Greg shares his own experience discovering crops worth saving after moving from Phoenix to Asheville, including a self-seeding basil, a favorite round cucumber, and productive broccolini. Rebecca is developing a seed-saving chart covering plant families, ease of saving, cross-pollination, viable seed production, and recommended population sizes for home gardeners. The Seed Library Network is developing a 2027 cohort model to train more community seed-saving teachers and make high-quality seed education available to communities around the country. Rebecca describes seeds as grounding, life embodied, and something that "sprout hope," connecting seed saving with resilience and community. Calls to Action & Resources Seed Library Network — seedlibrarynetwork.org Seed Library Map — Explore or add a community seed library through the Seed Library Network website. Create a Library Resources — Free step-by-step resources for starting a seed library. Richmond Grows Seed Library — https://www.richmondgrowsseeds.org/ Seed Library Network Newsletter — https://seedlibrarynetwork.substack.com/ Sign up for our monthly Seed Chat at SeedChat.org Visit UrbanFarm.org/1006 for the show notes and links on this episode! Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden? The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges. You can chat with Greg to get permaculture based feedback. Click HERE to learn more! *Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

In this Episode Tom Spellman shares more than five decades of experience growing, propagating, and managing fruit trees, with a focus on what he calls urban fruit tree culture. He explains why backyard growers should prioritize varieties they enjoy, choose trees and rootstocks suited to their climate, manage tree size, and use successive ripening to extend harvests. Tom also discusses protecting fruit trees from heat, sunburn, wind, and sudden weather events through whitewashing, shade, pre-irrigation, and mulching. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes a simple goal for backyard growers: get a little bit of fruit all the time rather than an overwhelming amount all at once. Our Guest: Tom Spellman has been involved in the nursery business since 1973. At that time, he was a freshman in high school and rode his skateboard to work. Since then he has worked for several different nurseries including La Verne Nursery where he was general manager for 20 years. And Dave Wilson Nursery where he was the southwestern sales Manager for over 20 years. Since retiring he is an Urban Fruit Tree and orchard consultant. Most of all he is the person that knows more about fruit trees than anyone else I know! Key Topics & Entities Urban fruit tree culture Fruit tree variety selection Rootstocks and climate adaptability Tree size management Successive ripening Bare root fruit trees Desert fruit tree growing Sunburn and sunscald protection Wind stress and windbreaks Pre-irrigation before extreme heat Mulching and soil temperature Companion planting Citrus in desert climates Container-grown citrus Key Questions Answered What is urban fruit tree culture? Urban fruit tree culture is growing fruit trees under limited backyard conditions, where space is restricted and the goal is to make the most productive use of that space. Tom recommends growing varieties you actually like and will use while considering climate, geography, and soil type. Why is tree size management so important for backyard growers? Backyard growers generally don't need hundreds of pounds of one type of fruit at once. Keeping trees compact makes pruning, thinning, harvesting, and other maintenance easier while allowing multiple varieties to be grown in the same space. How can successive ripening extend a backyard harvest? By planting varieties that ripen at different times, gardeners can harvest the same type of fruit over a much longer period. Instead of getting one large crop for two weeks, several varieties can provide fruit for a month and a half or longer. How should gardeners choose a fruit tree rootstock? The rootstock needs to be adapted to the gardener's climate and soil as well as the variety itself. Tom explains that desert growers need rootstocks capable of handling heat, sandy soil, low-desert conditions, and alkalinity. Why are bare root trees pruned before planting? When bare root trees are dug, their roots are pruned. The top should be pruned back to balance the reduced root system so the tree can establish new growth successfully. Tom's experiments show that heavily pruned bare root trees can develop significantly more vigor and new scaffold growth than unpruned trees. How can fruit trees be protected from extreme desert heat? Tom recommends protecting exposed bark from sunburn with a breathable whitewash, using limited temporary shade during a tree's first summer, and thoroughly pre-irrigating before a predicted extreme heat event. How does mulch help fruit trees in hot climates? A four- to six-inch layer of mulch can keep soil temperatures significantly cooler, improve water retention, increase biological activity, and reduce weed seed germination. Tom also recommends maintaining a broad mulched basin around fruit trees. What is the advantage of companion planting around young fruit trees? The space around young trees is already being irrigated and maintained, so annual or temporary companion crops can make productive use of that space while the trees are becoming established. Crops such as cowpeas and sweet potatoes can also help reduce ground temperatures. Why is citrus especially valuable for desert gardeners? Citrus offers a wide range of varieties with different harvest periods. By selecting varieties with different seasons, gardeners can potentially harvest citrus for many months of the year. Can people grow citrus in climates where it cannot survive outdoors year-round? Yes. Tom describes container culture as an option for people with sunrooms or greenhouses. Trees can be moved outdoors after the danger of frost and brought back inside when cold weather returns. Why is container culture difficult in the desert? Extreme heat and sun can create severe stress for container-grown trees. Tom explains that some desert wholesale growers use a "pot in pot" system, placing containers into the ground to keep the root zone cooler. What is the main difference between commercial and backyard fruit growing? Commercial growers generally want a large quantity of one variety to ripen at the same time for efficient harvest and marketing. Backyard growers usually benefit more from the opposite approach: multiple varieties that provide a smaller amount of fruit over a longer period. Episode Highlights Tom began working in a nursery at age 13, riding his skateboard about a mile and a half to work. He spent 20 years working with mentor Dieter Lotter at La Verne Nursery and describes that experience as an education that couldn't be bought in school. Urban fruit tree culture starts with growing what you like, what you will use, and what is adaptable to your climate and soil. Keeping fruit trees compact allows backyard growers to manage, harvest, and prune them from the ground while making better use of limited space. Successive ripening allows multiple varieties to share the footprint of one large tree while extending the harvest season. Pre-irrigating before an extreme heat event can make the difference between severe tree damage and a healthy orchard. A good layer of mulch can cool the soil, conserve water, improve biological activity, and reduce weeds. Tom's central philosophy for backyard growers is simple: "a little bit of fruit all the time." For more information on Greg's Urban Farm Fruit Tree program in Phoenix visit FruitTrees.org Visit www.urbanfarm.org/1005 for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library! Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden? The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges. You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback. Click HERE to learn more! *Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

In this Episode Craig LeHoullier shares his lifelong journey from childhood gardening memories to becoming a renowned heirloom tomato grower, seed saver, and plant breeder. He explains the differences between heirloom, open-pollinated, and hybrid tomatoes and why preserving tomato genetics matters for future gardeners. Craig discusses the Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project, the story behind Cherokee Purple, growing tomatoes in containers and straw bales, and the importance of learning directly from your plants. He encourages gardeners to get their hands dirty, experiment, save seeds, and enjoy gardening as a lifelong journey. Our Guest: Craig is a North Carolina-based gardener, author, and plant breeder known for his deep expertise in heirloom tomatoes. With a PhD in chemistry from Dartmouth and a 25-year career in pharmaceuticals, he later shifted full-time into gardening and seed saving. Craig is a longtime advisor to Seed Savers Exchange, and is credited with helping popularize varieties like Cherokee Purple tomatoes. He co-leads the Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project and authored Epic Tomatoes, a widely respected guide for home growers. Key Topics & Entities Craig LeHoullier and his 40-year gardening journey Heirloom, hybrid, and open-pollinated tomatoes Seed Savers Exchange Tomato seed saving and preservation The Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project Cherokee Purple tomato Tomato breeding and genetics Epic Tomatoes Straw bale gardening Container tomato growing Victory Seed Company Gardening misinformation and experimentation Food systems and food deserts Gardening as community building Key Questions Answered What makes a tomato an heirloom? Craig defines an heirloom as a genetically stable variety that can be passed down through saved seed, with age and a meaningful history or story associated with it. What is the difference between heirloom and open-pollinated tomatoes? All heirlooms are open-pollinated, but not every open-pollinated tomato is an heirloom. Craig uses 1949, when Burpee's Big Boy was introduced, as a useful guidepost for distinguishing older heirlooms from newer open-pollinated varieties. Why are hybrid tomatoes valuable? Hybrids can combine desirable traits such as disease resistance, heat tolerance, growth habits, and productivity. Craig emphasizes that there are excellent hybrids, heirlooms, and open-pollinated varieties. How did the Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project begin? Craig and Patrina began crossing large, flavorful heirlooms with dwarf tomato varieties to create tomatoes that could be grown in smaller spaces while retaining excellent flavor and interesting characteristics. Why is Cherokee Purple important to Craig? Craig received seeds in 1990 from J.D. Green, who told him they came through a Cherokee family history in Tennessee. Craig grew the tomato, named it Cherokee Purple, and helped distribute it so the variety and its story could continue. What makes a tomato variety worth preserving? Beyond flavor and popularity, a variety may contain genetic traits that could become important for future challenges such as heat, drought, water scarcity, or emerging diseases. What is one of the biggest mistakes gardeners make with tomatoes? Craig says gardeners need to pay attention to their plants. Daily observation can reveal early signs of disease, nutritional problems, water stress, and other issues before they become serious. What is the key to successful straw bale gardening? A straw bale is conditioned with nitrogen, water, and fertilizer for roughly two weeks before planting. The bale heats up as it decomposes and provides a productive growing medium that eventually becomes useful organic matter. What tomatoes work well in small spaces? Craig recommends Sun Gold cherry tomatoes, dwarf tomatoes, and micro-dwarf varieties for containers and limited growing spaces. Cherry tomatoes can also perform well with less sunlight than many larger varieties. What is Craig's advice for beginning tomato growers? Get your hands dirty, start with good seedlings or learn to start your own seeds, and let the plants teach you. Gardening is an education and a journey rather than a rigid set of instructions. Episode Highlights Craig traces his love of gardening to childhood memories of working with his father and grandfather and describes how joining Seed Savers Exchange in 1986 sparked his passion for heirloom tomatoes. He explains how heirloom tomatoes preserve genetics, history, and stories—and why today's newer open-pollinated varieties may become tomorrow's heirlooms. Craig describes the Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project, which ultimately produced about 170 new varieties through collaboration among roughly 1,000 gardeners. He explains why preserving even ordinary tomato varieties can matter, since hidden genetic traits may provide future solutions for heat, drought, water shortages, and disease. Craig tells the remarkable story of how he received the tomato that became Cherokee Purple and how a chain of seed sharing kept the variety from disappearing. He explains why gardeners should observe their tomato plants every day and adjust their methods based on growing conditions rather than blindly following a fixed schedule. Craig describes straw bale gardening, including conditioning the bales, managing water and nutrients, and eventually reusing the spent straw as valuable growing material. He closes with a simple philosophy: get your hands dirty, grow something, turn off the distractions, and let gardening change your life. Resources Craig LeHoullier's Website — craiglehoullier.com Instagram — @nctomatoman Email Craig — [email protected] Epic Tomatoes — Epic Tomatoes: How to Select and Grow the Best Varieties of All Time Victory Seed Company — victoryseeds.com Joe Gardener Organic Gardening School — Self-paced courses covering seed starting, organic vegetable gardening, and tomato growing. Seed Savers Exchange — Craig's longtime seed-saving community and an important part of his journey. Visit www.urbanfarm.org/EpicTomatoes for the show notes on this episode, and access to our full podcast library! Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden? The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges. You can chat with Greg or choose one of the senior members of our Urban Farm team to get permaculture based feedback. Click HERE to learn more! *Disclosure: Some of the links in our podcast show notes and blog posts are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a nominal commission at no cost to you. We offer links to items recommended by our podcast guests and guest writers as a service to our audience and these items are not selected because of the commission we receive from your purchases. We know the decision is yours, and whether you decide to buy something is completely up to you.