Tao Orion: Beyond the War of Invasive Species, Resilient Permaculture Design, and Transition Homesteading | Ep.14

What is ecosystem restoration and what are some common challenges of living off-the-grid?

Tao Orion—author, teacher, and mother—shares her experience with us on today's episode of Ancestral Health Radio.

This was a fun chat, for sure. Because some day in the near future I'd like to purchase land and start a family myself.

We discuss the need for a more holistic approach to land restoration, the medicinal properties of certain invasive plant species, and what tending the wild versus plow-based agriculture looks like.

In today's episode, you'll also learn...

Why your pastured eggs may be supplemented with grain,  The invasive species that can heal a common antibiotic-resistant strain of bacteria, Questions to consider before transitioning to land or rural property of your own, and... Much, much more. Subscribe on

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Episode Breakdown

Where Tao believes the future of restoration is going

Why you don’t need a lot of space to grow vegetables

Tao discusses ideas about communal or cooperative land management models for animal products

Oregon’s land use laws

Tao talks about the realistic challenges of animal husbandry

Why your pastured eggs may be supplemented with grain

Why Tao grew black soldier fly larvae

The many different animals Tao has raised and their associated costs

Why Tao is unsure of the sustainable management of invasive animal species

Tao’s concerns of herbicide contamination due to Oregon’s forest practices

Why Tao believes pesticides get more attention than herbicides

The dangers of glyphosate

Tao’s advice for people new to foraging or spending time in these managed outdoor areas

The medicinal benefits of invasive species

How to wildcraft Japanese knotweed

The traditional use of the Brazilian peppertree

Why Tao says it’s important we learn to read our landscape and use land use history

How indigenous people in California used fire to clear land and reset the succession of perennial plants and grasslands

Plow-based, annual agriculture and the domestication of the ox

What would happen if we were to increase the worldwide organic material by 1%

Why Tao thinks animal-based agriculture is insane

The permaculture mindset

Tao emphasizes the benefits of plant and animal stewardship and where she believes you should begin

Important points and challenges to remember when deciding on a future homestead