AHR 20: How to Become a Sacred Gardener and Sow the Seeds of Co-Creative Agriculture with Steven Martyn

Episode Breakdown

The disillusionment of our culture and where Steven believes many of us begin our search

The story and connection between Steven and his grandfather (hint: grafting)

Steven mentions a few of his inspirations and resources from living in the woods

Steven discusses what brought him out of the bush

Steven talks about age and the illusion of choice

Steven’s introduction to wild or sacred gardening and warrior-king culture

James and Steven talk about our lack of story and participation and co-creation with the land

How to build a secular relationship with the Earth

Why being “green” isn’t enough

Steven explains the reciprocal relationship between the land and animals and hunter, fisherman, or gardener and the animals and land

James shares a resource where you can live and learn from organic farming

Both Steven and James want you to become a craftsman (or woman!)

Ways Steven says you can give back to the land or wild places you take from

The problem with nuclear families and the abandonment of eldership

How to respect the land that you steward through sacred communication

Steven explains what he calls “industrial ruts” and how easily it is to fall into them

Why we want to find a place and grow our roots into the ground

Benefits and differences of maple water and why you shouldn’t buy maple water products you see on store shelves

Why harvesting root vegetables in the spring produces more natural sugars

Steven mentions that he healed himself of Lyme disease with herbs

Steven’s parting words

Questions I Ask

“Can you open that up for us and tell give us some of your background as to kind’ve where you got to where you are today?”

“You grew up with some of this knowledge?”

“What exactly is grafting?”

“What exactly made you feel like you needed to be living in the woods? What type of lifestyle were you living?”

“Whose teachings did you latch onto in the beginning, then?”

“How do we start fostering a more conscious relationship with the land?”

“Is having a plot of land going to hold us down?”