Transition Whatcom

All the Peak Moment Videos Filmed at Inspiration Farm

I'm starting to lose track of the Peak Moment episodes filmed at Inspiration Farm, so I thought it would be nice to see them in one place.  Visit peakmoment.tv and subscribe to see these consistently good series of interviews (and see if you can find the one filmed in my front yard).

I'm also hoping you will be inspired to consider attending the Permaculture Design course at Inspiration Farm coming up August 17-29th. Learn more here. For even more info, view the ongoing thread about the PDC at permies.com here.

*BONUS!  This PDC includes free admission and participation with the Whatcom Skillshare Faire/Northwest Permaculture Convergence happening in nearby Ferndale, WA on Aug. 23 and 24!*

Handmade Tools Make Simple Work at Inspiration Farm

Published on Jul 5, 2014

Watch Brian Kerkvliet cut thick grasses easily and quickly with his hand-built scythe — a far cry from a noisy weed whacker! He demonstrates three tools whose design he has honed over the years: the scythe, grass rake and U- bar or broadfork. "It took a few years to get the right methodology, the right blades, the right sharpening technique, and the ergonomic setup so it's effortless," he says of the scythe. The U-bar gently aerates soil and doesn't compress it like a rototiller. "I used to rototill, run my tractor. The beauty of this is you don't have to do the whole area. You just do the beds you need to do. It might take me 15-20 minutes to do these beds, and I'm good for three years." Episode 269. [inspirationfarm.com]

Shaping Water and Soil at Inspiration Farm

Published on Jun 14, 2014

"If you grow good soil, everything else falls into place. You grow good plants, you grow good animals, you grow good people." Permaculturist Brian Kerkvliet shows how he gently shapes soil to form ponds which overflow into connected swales (ditches on contour). They slow and retain water while distributing nutrients through the whole landscape. On the mound of soft earth dug out from one swale, he planted mostly edible cover crops, berry bushes and 25 fruit tree species in only three days. "We don't till [the soil]," he says. "The worms till. The moles till. We find the niche where each element works the best." Episode 267. [inspirationfarm.com]. See photos during spring at http://peakmoment.tv/journal/a-new-se..

Inspiration Farm - Cultivating Nourishing Food and Creativity

Published on Jan 21, 2013

"Changing times calls for changing lifestyles." says Brian Kerkvliet. "So we've put more energy into the land. The more you get your fingers in the soil, the more endorphins rush through your head. You get excited by all of that." Using permaculture and biodynamic practices, Brian's family is endlessly experimenting and innovating to find what works. His wife Alexandra and daughter Rosalie introduce us to the goats, pigs, and cows who are essential players in their farm's web of life. Don't miss the outdoor shower with water heated by microbes in the compost pile! (Episode 226). [inspirationfarm.com]

Come to the SkillShare Faire!

Published on May 4, 2014

Brian Kerkvliet is one of numerous subjects in this Skillshare episode. Join the fun at the 2013 Whatcom SkillShare Faire! Make fire by friction. Thresh seeds with a 100-year-old pedal-powered machine. Learn to card, spin and weave. Make a rocket stove. In this extravaganza of sharing, residents teach and learn all kinds of useful, practical skills — like making soap, sharpening tools, and raising chickens. "Share your Skills, Trade your Wares." Organizers from Transition Whatcom, near Bellingham, Washington, are reviving old skills and showcasing new ones in a festive event including local music, local food, and activities for children. Episode 265. [whatcomskillsharefaire.org]

Farm Resilience with Brian Kerkvliet

Finally, NOT from Peak Moment, but a YouTube interview by Farm Resilience with Brian Kerkvliet who describes what a resilient farm will look like in the 21st century.

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