Climate Basics Podcast Episode 15 notes
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED reading - really top notch, informative and not that long.
https://www.shelterwoodforestfarm.com/blog/the-lost-forest-gardens-of-europe
Currently, our agriculture industry is essentially an extension of the oil industry, with some major participation from a handful of large chemical companies (Monsanto/Bayer). It produces 20-40% of global CO2! https://ourworldindata.org/greenhouse-gas-emissions-food
Industrial food production = burn or poison all the plants in an area, mechanically overturn the soil and pump water on site. Plant a monoculture of crops genetically altered to make them resistant to poisons being sprayed everywhere to prevent any other plants, insects, birds or field mice from growing there. Normally, that would result in low nutrition and poor harvest, but we oversaturate the soil with nitrogen and phosphorus industrially extracted from fossil fuels. Once the crop is ready use migrant labourers with no legal rights, paid slave wages to harvest at scale. If any of them complain about subhuman conditions, just deport them. There are about 120 million displaced people and that number is growing with climate change.. https://www.unhcr.org/about-unhcr/overview/figures-glance
In this manner, farmers are completely dependent on a very small cartel of suppliers for their herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, and seeds - none of which are actually required in healthy ecosystems - and often lose their farms to the cycle of debt for these extra inputs.
The results are worse yields and poisoned ecosystems and food supplies BUT you can do it anywhere you have a large population of desperate displaced workers. It’s based on the model of the slave plantations which fed the roman legions and, later, enriched european colonial powers.
This is not even close to an exaggeration. It’s like this nearly everywhere now.
Luckily, this is far from the only model for high-intensity food production. Most others are based on building up, rather than destroying, local ecosystems. All of the highest-yield models are polycultures - that is, different plants grown together, as happens in nature.
Ecology is a newer field of science than people realize, but outside of the west there are traditions going back millenia that provide inspiring examples.
Permaculture - Developed in Australia by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, and inspired by indigenous practices and the work of master farmer Masanobu Fukuoka, this uses 11 core principals to rebuild ecosystems and generate yields for practitioners without any external inputs. Yields are as high or higher than conventional, but with no input and equipment costs https://peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10.24072/pcjournal.521/
Agrivoltaic - When we grow plants around and underneath solar panels to maximize yields and protect plants from heat and excessive sunlight. I have worked on this while I was in Vermont after grad school, and we saw some notable successes. Overall, studies indicate Agrivoltaics can as much as double productivity. https://thebreakthrough.org/issues/food-agriculture-environment/can-agrivoltaics-eliminate-land-use-conflicts-more-research-could-tell-us-whether-they-are-ready-to-scale
Silvopasture - A very old practice where herd animals are sheltered beneath a tree canopy, protecting them from heatwaves while nutrifying the forest soils. Has amazing yields but requires collaboration and planning between herdsmen and farmers. ~10% higher rate of return versus open field grazing, not counting the ecological benefits and carbon capture.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-45960-0
https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-146/CSES-146.html
Agroforestry - Another ancient practice, there are actually many plants that CAN’T be grown in an open field but instead are grown inside existing forests under their protective canopy, giving economic reasons to maintain healthy forests. This is how you get the best produce for many of the most highly profitable crops like many medicine plants, ginseng, coffee, chocolate, etc. These systems have shown to be 30% more productive over ten years than conventional farming.
Polyculture - Plants grown near other plant species. This reduces pestilence and distributes nutrient flow, reducing inputs and increasing productivity. Google the “three sisters” corn, beans, and squash for a great classic example of indigenous polycropping.
Aquaponic - Far more profitable than hydroponic agriculture where all the nutrients have to be chemically added to the water carefully and deliberately, aquaponic systems use tanks with various species of fish to generate food for the plants on-site, allowing harvest of both plant and fish products with very little surface space. This is how we can feed large cities.
Chinampas - A form of agri/aquaculture developed by mesoamerican society, this involves forming islands in a lake to make garden beds which are naturally irrigated and enriched by the aquatic ecosystem surrounding them, allowing farming and fishing on the same land. This is among the most highly productive forms of food production in all of human history, and it’s still being done!
Biochar
Biodynamic - Developed by Rudolph Stiener, this combination of pseudoscience and ecology was the first western organic agriculture methodology, and is still popular among the Amish communities in the states and by some communities across Europe.
There are a lot more, but those are some established examples of regenerative ag.
Below is a visible, approachable list of 10 real farms around the world that use sustainable, nature‑aligned practices — contrasting with the industrial monoculture/chemical model described in the Shelterwood Forest Farm piece you shared. Each entry includes why they matter, what they do differently, and how they’ve been shared with broader audiences (media, documentaries, interviews, tours, etc.) — so nonspecialist viewers can connect ideas (ecology, biodiversity, soil health) to actual places and people doing things differently.
10 Notable Sustainable & Nature‑Harmonious Farms
1. The Biggest Little Farm (Apricot Lane Farms, USA)
Featured in the well‑known documentary “The Biggest Little Farm.”
• Exemplifies how regenerative agriculture works across plants, animals, and soil — building biodiversity rather than eliminating it.
• Shows how a degraded piece of land was transformed into productive, multi‑species ecosystem over years.
• Documentary makes complex ecology easy to follow and visually compelling. (Wikipedia)
2. Polyface Farm
Polyface Farm Web Address: 43 Pure Meadows Ln, Swoope, VA 24479 Phone: (540) 885-3590
Joel Salatin’s family farm — one of the most publicly discussed sustainable farms.
• Uses “stacked” enterprises (pastured poultry, grass‑fed beef, rotational grazing) that mimic ecological relationships.
• Featured in Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma and several documentaries — providing a story‑driven look at alternatives to monoculture. (Wikipedia)
3. White Oak Pastures
White Oak Pastures Web Address: 101 Church St, Bluffton, GA 39824 Phone: +12296412081
• Large organic/regenerative farm with multi‑species grazing, on‑site processing, and ecosystem restoration.
• Has been featured in national press and recognized for regenerative practices that improve soil and biodiversity. (Wikipedia)
4. Soul Fire Farm
Soul Fire Farm Web Address: 1972 Ny Hwy 2, Petersburg, NY 12138-6012 Phone: +15188809372
• Combines ecological farming with food justice — training farmers and addressing inequities in the food system.
• Focuses on soil health, ancestral techniques, community empowerment, and silvopasture.
• Active public engagement with workshops, courses, and storytelling online. (Wikipedia)
5. Zaytuna Farm
Zaytuna Farm: Home of the Permaculture Research Institute Web Address: 1158 Pinchin Rd, The Channon NSW 2480, Australia Phone: +61 416 119 965
• Permaculture demonstration site founded by Geoff Lawton and the Permaculture Research Institute.
• Offers courses, tours, and much educational content — a practical example of designing farms as ecosystems, not factories.
• Widely referenced in permaculture education and sustainable agriculture networks. (Zaytuna Farm)
6. Punta Mona Permaculture Farm
Punta Mona Address: Limón Province, Costa Rica
• Tropical permaculture farm and education centre with diverse food forests and agroforestry systems.
• Visitors and volunteers experience working with biodiversity, soil building, and water conservation — very visually rich. (CSA Farm Directory)
7. Sheepdrove Organic Farm
Sheepdrove Organic Farm Web Address: Nutwood House, Warren Farm Sheepdrove Road, Sheepdrove Rd, Sheepdrove, Lambourn, Hungerford RG17 7UU, United Kingdom Phone: +44 1488 674747
• Large organic holding integrating diverse crops and livestock with formal biodiversity protection and habitat restoration.
• Publicly known in the UK farming/organic movement and featured in sustainability dialogue. (Wikipedia)
8. Duchy Home Farm
Duchy Home Farm Address: Upton, Tetbury GL8 8SE, United Kingdom
• Organic farm run on estate lands of The Duchy of Cornwall (King Charles III) — influential historically in UK organic transition.
• Shows how large estates can switch to organic, biodynamic production and sell through box schemes and local markets. (Wikipedia)
9. Canadian “Depth of Field” Featured Farms (multiple)
A documentary series highlighting real sustainable farms, including:
• Rooted Oak Organic Farm (Ontario) — agroecology produce and CSA.
• Meeting Place Organic Farm (Ontario) — regenerative livestock and diversified production.
• Kitchen Table Seed House (Wolfe Island) — organic seed production.
• Plus others (Black Sheep Farm, Pfenning’s Organic, etc.) that bring personal farmer interviews and storytelling to sustainable practices. (National Farmers Union)
10. Regenerative Small Farms Network Examples (USA & Canada)
(Examples from regenerative producers actively promoting their work through media/social channels)
• Back to Nature Farms (Nebraska) — grass‑fed, pasture‑raised.
• StarWalker Organic Farms (US) — integrated organic grains and livestock brand.
• Grass Roots Farmers’ Co‑op — community of regenerative producers with transparency and storytelling online.
These farms use direct farmer‑to‑consumer communication and storytelling to make sustainable agriculture more relatable. (Regenerative Farmers of America)
How They Contrast with Industrial Agriculture
The farms above generally share some or all of these principles (based on documentary and reporting sources):
✔ Polyculture & diversity — many species grown together to nourish soil and ecosystem (vs. monoculture). (Films For Action)
✔ Soil health & carbon sequestration — regenerative practices that build organic matter rather than deplete it.
✔ Direct marketing/community connection — CSA, farm tours, educational outreach, storytelling, documentaries.
✔ Less dependence on synthetic inputs — fewer pesticides/herbicides/fertilizers, greater reliance on ecology.
✔ Empowerment & justice approaches (e.g., Soul Fire Farm) — linking agriculture to social equity.
Media / Educational Assets (for broader audiences)
🎥 Documentaries with direct farm stories:
The Biggest Little Farm — narrative arc from degraded land to thriving regenerative ecosystem. (Wikipedia)
Voices of Transition — contrasts industrial agriculture with agroecology examples worldwide. (Wikipedia)
Pioneer Agroforestry Farm Tour — short interview series with real farmers implementing agroforestry. (SARE North Central)
Depth of Field: Films About Farming — short Canadian films focusing on actual farm practices and farmer voices. (National Farmers Union)
These films and series help visualize regenerative/popular sustainable practices for non‑expert audiences.
Suggestions for Further Research
Explore Regenerative Organic Certified farms in the Regenerative Organic Alliance directory to find certified producers worldwide. (Regenerative Organic Certified)
Examine global food system impacts of fossil‑fuel dependency in agriculture (documentaries like Voices of Transition and Kiss the Ground). (Factual America Podcast)
Look into academic comparisons of yield & biodiversity outcomes between diverse small farms vs. monocultures. (E.g., peer‑reviewed agroecology journals).
Investigate agroforestry and permaculture as scalable models for climate adaptation — drawing from EU, Africa, India/Asia cases.
If you want, I can map these farms to specific sustainability metrics (soil carbon, biodiversity indices, water use) and link to primary research papers showing their performance relative to industrial systems.
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