Ep. 152 – Transforming a Farm to a Permaculture Oasis with Graham Towerton

Graham Towerton of Permaculture Canada joins me to share about his Michigan farm and his permaculture plans for this year.

In the last 10 years Graham has transformed his farm from regular corn and soybeans to a permaculture oasis! (see the pictures below)

He is growing heritage raspberry and asparagus in permaculture with strawberries as the herb layer. Also Olive Leaf Arugula that is essentially perennial. We also share about chestnuts and our other tree plans for this year.

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Transforming his land with permaculture

Check out these before and after pictures.

This was Graham’s MI farm – Before (2014) and After (2024):

Permaculture farm before and After
Graham’s Farm Before (2014)
Graham farm permaculture
Graham’s Farm 2014
Graham farm permaculture
Graham’s farm 2022
Graham farm permaculture
Graham’s Farm 2024
Kitchen garden before and After
Kitchen Garden – Before and After

Can you integrate permaculture with a solar farm?

Graham discusses what it’s like when a solar farm moves in next door, and how he used that to his advantage, incorporating permaculture as much as possible to best use the bordering zones.

Graham also shares about his mulching and compost strategy to build up fertility without having to bring in outside chemical inputs.

You can connect with Graham on:

Permaculture Canada

Permaculture Adventures Michigan

Graham’s Instagram page @GrahamTowerton


Grow Nut Trees is now taking orders for Spring shipping or local pickup.

NEW for this year are more types of chestnuts, including Qing Chinese hybrid chestnuts. Qing (pronounced “Ching”) is a Chinese chestnut Half-sib from a named tree that was open pollinated by other trees, including hybrids. The Qing tree is a heavy producer with sweet flavored extra large nuts. These seedlings were grown locally and are adapted to the Midwest.

chestnut seeds

Grow Fodder Trees! New this year are cuttings for fodder trees – mulberry and hybrid willow. These are fast growing and the leaves are edible as forage for animals (my horses love them – maybe a little too much). Plus the mulberries can feed chickens if planted near a chicken run. And they are good for chop and drop. Get your mulberry and willow cuttings from Grow Nut Trees.

Chestnuts, hazelnuts, elderberry, and comfrey that are adapted to the Midwest.

GrowNutTrees
grow nut trees, elderberry

GrowNutTrees.com


If you like this content and the podcast, here is how you can support the podcast and my Thriving empire of side hustles:

  • Shoot me a tip on Venmo or CashApp @ThrivingtheFuture.
  • Go to the Stuff page on Thriving the Future site and buy something.
  • OR – click on one of the Amazon links on the Stuff page and then buy your other stuff that you want. Anything you buy on Amazon for 24 hours will give Thriving the Future a credit (a Piece of the Action).
  • Buy comfrey crowns or cuttings on Grow Nut Trees. More trees will be available in Sept.
  • Go to my other site AllGardenAdvice.com – Gardening Ideas and Tips, and check out the articles and stuff.


Raised beds that I am building to test Perennial Kitchen Garden layouts:

Vego Garden Modular Metal Raised Bed (which I will make 5′ x 3.5′, 17″ tall).

I use this for a perennial kitchen garden – growing herbs to use daily in the kitchen. Just come along and pick what you need for tonight’s dinner.

Vego Garden Modular Metal Raised Bed – 5′ x 3.5′ x 17″

Meadow Creature Broadfork is my favorite tool for starting new garden beds. I turn over the sod, add a layer of compost, then Milpa, and cover with woodchips.

Meadow Creature Broadfork – My favorite tool


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