Goal: Create a canopy, protect the soil, conserve water, increase yields

After hurricane Mitch devastated Nicaragua in 1998, the scope of the climate crisis has become increasingly apparent to Franck Tondeur. For 30 years Franck has been utilizing the GROW BIOINTENSIVE® method to safeguard his small farm from increasingly severe weather; from torrential downpours to extreme drought. By densely packing a diverse array of crops and trees into his one-acre plot he has achieved food security and protected his land from uncertain conditions. Learn the basic principle of intensive planting from master farmer Karla Arroyo Rizo of Las Cañadas and witness how Franck’s strategies have helped him to thrive in the midst of a turbulent and unprecedented crisis.

Goal: Use specific plants and plant pairings to improve health, yields, fertility, attract beneficial insects and repel non-beneficial ones

Like much of the world, Ecuador has been ravaged by widespread agrochemical use. In response to this, the Vibrant Village Foundation has been teaching the GROW BIOINTENSIVE® method to farmers and gardeners to help recuperate their depleted soil. Illustrating the importance of companion planting has been key to improving nutrition and returning invigorating forces back into peoples’ gardens. Growing a diversity of the right crops not only provides a balanced diet, but also returns nitrogen and fertility to the soil, improving yields and inviting beneficial insects. This has eliminated the need for synthetic fertilizers and toxic pesticides and offered a meaningful solution to an entire region.

Goal: Grow carbon rich crops to support closed-system sustainable soil fertility

In this episode we travel to the Sacred Valley of Peru to examine the importance of growing Carbon-rich crops. Julio Nina shows us the vast corn fields in his home valley of Sacllo which has been farmed since before the time of the Incas. Together with Ecology Action instructor Rachel Britten, we explore the massive potential of growing crops that maximize our compost material while gathering carbon from the atmosphere and sequestering it in the soil. This exciting potential allows each one of us to play a role in mitigating climate change while increasing the closed-loop potential of our farms and gardens.