@cormac_harkin chats with Marjorie Wildcraft from @BackyardFood
Brought to you by https://www.pdc2pro.com
For all our episodes go to: https://vinepermaculture.com/vinepodcast/
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/vinepermaculture
Growing Hope in Uncertain Times – Insights from Marjory Wildcraft
Introduction
In a world where grocery shelves rely on precarious supply chains and climate crises loom, Marjory Wildcraft’s voice rings out with clarity: Grow your own food. On the Permaculture Vine Podcast, Marjory sat down with host Cormac Harkin to discuss why food self-reliance isn’t just a lifestyle choice—it’s a survival strategy. From backyard rabbits to soil detox, here’s what we learned.
From Corporate Success to Soil Savior
Marjory’s journey began far from the garden. With a degree in electrical engineering and a thriving real estate career, she epitomized corporate success. But a failed project to source local organic food for a Texas school shattered her illusions. “There wasn’t enough food in the entire county to feed one school,” she recalls. This epiphany led her to sell her business, study permaculture, and found The Grow Network, a platform teaching practical food production.
Her engineering background proved invaluable. “It’s about systems,” she says. “Growing food is the ultimate systems design.”
The Backyard Trio: Garden, Chickens, Rabbits
Marjory’s signature advice for beginners? Start small with three elements:
- A 100 Sq Ft Garden: Focus on calorie-dense crops like potatoes and squash.
- Six Laying Hens: For eggs, pest control, and compost.
- Rabbits: One buck and three does can yield 200 lbs of meat annually—more efficient than raising larger livestock.
“Rabbits breed quickly, and kids often embrace them,” she notes, countering squeamishness. For those uneasy about butchering, she suggests bartering with hunters or farmers.
Busting Myths: It’s Not Just About Veggies
A key myth Marjory dispels is that gardening alone ensures food security. “Meat production is calorically efficient,” she stresses. Rabbits provide high-quality protein with minimal space and feed. Chickens offer eggs and soil enrichment. Combined with a garden, this trio creates a closed-loop system—waste becomes fertilizer, and pests become protein.
Community: The Forgotten Ingredient
Marjory underscores that isolation is the enemy of resilience. “You can’t do this alone,” she insists. Drawing from Cuba’s “Special Period” post-Soviet collapse, she explains how local gardeners became community leaders. Her advice:
- Start small, then share surplus seeds, chicks, or knowledge.
- Host skill-sharing workshops (e.g., composting, butchering).
- Build a network of like-minded neighbors.
“In a crisis, the person with a seed bank or rabbitry becomes essential,” she says.
Soil Detox: Fighting Hidden Toxins
One of Marjory’s latest ventures tackles a silent crisis: contaminated soil. Municipal “biosolids” (treated sewage sludge) are often laced with PFAS “forever chemicals” and heavy metals. After discovering these toxins in commercial compost, she partnered with researchers to develop a mineral-microbe mix that neutralizes pollutants.
“We proved it in the lab—toxic soil became safe,” she says. The solution, now being validated by microbiologists, could revolutionize urban farming. Learn more at The Grow Network’s Soil Detox portal.
Beyond the Garden: Medicine and Energy
Marjory’s expertise extends to home medicine and energy independence. She champions garlic as a potent antibiotic and biodigesters for converting waste into cooking gas. “Imagine never buying propane again,” she muses. Though biodigesters face challenges in colder climates, she urges experimentation: “Every region has solutions—mushrooms in Ireland, bananas in Puerto Rico.”
Confronting the “Global Cabal”
The conversation turns sobering as Marjory critiques systemic failures: corporate-controlled agriculture, manipulated weather (via HAARP), and impending economic collapse. Yet, she remains optimistic. “Aliens or not, we’re on the brink of a paradigm shift,” she laughs. Her antidote to doom? Action.
Final Thoughts: A Call to Grow
Marjory’s parting wisdom is visceral: “That panic I felt—What if I can’t feed my kids?—is what drives me. But growing food healed me. It’s spiritual, physical, and empowering.”
For newcomers, she offers a free webinar (backyardfoodsystem.com) and discounts on courses covering everything from fermenting to building greenhouses. “Start now,” she urges. “Your future self will thank you.”
Conclusion
Marjory Wildcraft’s story is a rallying cry. In a fractured world, the act of planting a seed becomes revolutionary. Whether you’re nurturing tomatoes in Texas or rabbits in Dublin, the message is clear: Food sovereignty is freedom. And as Marjory proves, it’s within reach—one backyard at a time.
Resources:
- Free Webinar: Backyard Food System
- Soil Detox Project: The Grow Network
- Herbal Antibiotics Book: Garlic Miracle by Stephen Buhner
“The future is homemade.” – Marjory Wildcraft
Chapters 00:00 Intro
00:31 Marjory Wildcraft Introduction
01:11 Inspiration to grow food
04:32 The influence of Rich Dad Poor Dad
06:00 How to start growing food
07:33 Rabbit challenges
10:06 The Grow Network
16:29 What do aliens eat?
19:12 Politicians Lie!
20:16 Solutions and building community
22:37 Soil Detox
28:33 Water Waste
31:14 Humanure & Biodigester
35:49 Courses on the grow network
37:02 Growing Medicine
39:34 Myths in backyard food production
43:46 Outro
www.vinepermaculture.com/specialed
Do you want a design or consultation for your property?
Book a free strategy call now?
https://shorturl.at/dFOEp
Shop for a property design now online @ Permaculture Canada:
https://permaculturecanada.world/shop/?ref=etcvdgzj
Register now for a PDC with Ecoversity – starts November!
https://join.ecoversity.org/vine
Support the Show (Affiliate Links):
Sign up for a 6 month online PDC with Ecoversity: https://join.ecoversity.org/vine
Get a permaculture design for your property: https://permaculturecanada.world/shop/?ref=etcvdgzj
Intro to Permaculture – Family Permaculture https://vinepermaculture.krtra.com/t/3defgUs54IlF
Learn to grow your own food – Thriving With Nature https://vinepermaculture.krtra.com/t/nVlw69NxBiCp
Designing your land – Eleonore https://vinepermaculture.krtra.com/t/JWy1G9kmQCYf
Permaculture Business Design Course: https://regenerationnationcr.com/permaculture-business-design-course/?affiliate=vinepermaculture
