(Below is content for the Permaculture Nursery Starter Bundle.
You can choose to watch each presentation on Youtube, download the audio version or read the transcript. Enjoy!)

Developing a Bioregional Seed Hub

Don Tipping

The rampant consolidation in the global seed industry has deprived many of us with access to bioregionally adapted seeds that have been at the cornerstone of agriculture since the dawn of civilization. Growing your own and enough surplus of seeds for the useful vegetables, flowers, herbs and grains that are important crops in your region is a significant contribution to a resilient, regenerative agriculture.

Don Tipping has been trialing, breeding, selecting and growing seeds for 30 years in SW Oregon and distributing over 700 varieties through Siskiyou Seeds.

“A nursery is like a bridge economy—it gives you quick cash flow while your orchards and perennial systems mature.”

“Every nursery needs mother plants—your living genetic bank that keeps the diversity flowing year after year.”

“Diversity isn’t just ecological—it’s economic. The wider your nursery offerings, the more needs you can meet in your community.”

“People don’t just buy plants—they buy stories. Share the history, flavor, or resilience behind each species and you’ll sell out.”

 “Growth doesn’t have to mean compromise—your nursery can scale while staying true to permaculture ethics and principles.”

47 Years of Permaculture Traveling Tree Sales

Michael Pilarski

In this inspiring session from the Permaculture Nursery Summit, Michael “Skeeter” Polarski shares insights from 47 years of tree sales and nursery work. He recounts selling over 188,000 trees, starting popup nurseries, organizing large tree festivals, and cultivating medicinal agroforestry systems.

Skeeter emphasizes the urgent global need for local nurseries as a climate solution and preparedness strategy, and offers practical tips for propagation, marketing, and sourcing affordable plant stock. His talk blends experience, storytelling, and actionable advice—encouraging a new generation to take up the essential work of growing plants and restoring ecosystems.

“We actually need thousands and probably millions of small-scale nurseries all around the world. Every area that needs restoration will need its own nursery.” 

“I didn’t even have a car, I didn’t have land. All I did was buy a bunch of trees I knew were good and brought them to my local co-op. It was successful and I built on that.”

“We produced around $50,000 worth of product on a quarter acre. That’s $200,000 per acre. You can make a living on a small footprint.” 

Access a Study Guide to go along with Michael Pilarskiʻs talk.

Get a CHEAT SHEET with actionable, handy tips!

Develop and Create Repositories of Permaculture Plants for the Public

Ken Ausmus

Permaculture pioneer Ken Ausmus shares insights from over 40 years of cultivating resilient, diverse food plants through his Oikos Tree Crops. Tracing his roots from childhood tree-farming to founding a mail-order nursery in 1982, Ken highlights the power of biodiversity—by exchanging seeds, sourcing regional varieties (like Sierra Nevada thimbleberries), and selecting wild-origin plants (Jerusalem artichokes, hog peanut, thicket bean, wild potatoes, mixed-genetic corn).

He encourages nurseries to embed personality, art, and storytelling into their branding, while offering practical advice on licensing, regulations, naming, plant-breeding patience, and deep plant connection—all grounded in permaculture principles.

Access a Study Guide to go along with Ken Ausmusʻ talk.

Get a CHEAT SHEET with actionable, handy tips!

Perennial Vegetables: How to Encourage Their Greater Adoption

Ben Caesar

Ben Caesar of Fiddlehead Nursery (Ontario) champions perennial vegetables through hands-on demonstration, workshops, and outreach. He highlights common yet underutilized edible perennials—like hostas, soup greens (fuki, Turkish rocket), Egyptian onions, and seedless sorrel—while making them accessible by discussing cultivation, nutrient density, and seasonal benefits. He emphasizes spring “hunger‑gap” yields, low-maintenance ground covers, and ecological resilience.

Ben also shows multiple culinary uses—tempura, salads, sauces—and engages people via tasting garden tours, social media, books, and propagation workshops. His approach is practical, informative, and inspiring for anyone wanting a productive, sustainable, and diverse edible landscape.

Access a Study Guide to go along with Ben Caesarʻs talk.

Get a CHEAT SHEET with actionable, handy tips!

Perennial Propagation and Honing in on Regionally Appropriate Plants

Peter Janes

Peter shares two decades of experience running Tree Eater Nursery in BC, highlighting propagation methods: seed-grown rootstocks for drought-tolerant tap roots, cuttings (grapes, figs), grafting onto native rootstocks (like crab apple, plum, chestnut), and “stooling.” He emphasizes building resilient ecosystems with edible forests suited to local climate and ecosystems.

Access a Study Guide to go along with Peter Janeʻs talk.

Get a CHEAT SHEET with actionable, handy tips!