Episode 15, Spiral Ridge Permaculture with Cliff Davis

Today’s guest is another man. And I just want to say that I realize that all genders aren’t equally represented amongst our guests. And really nor are all cultures and ethnicities. Many others have noticed a certain homogeneity in permaculture, and I’m not interested or informed enough to get into a discussion of why that is, but I did want to put out a call for more guests on the show from any and all backgrounds. The more perspectives we can get on this the better I think. If you have a suggestion, please share in the comments down below this article.

There’s this old parable about six blind men and an elephant that has crossed between many eastern religious traditions. (there’s that gender bias again…) Anyways these blind people were asked to determine what an elephant looked like by feeling different parts of the elephant’s body. The blind man who feels a leg says the elephant is like a pillar; the one who feels the tail says the elephant is like a rope; the one who feels the trunk says the elephant is like a tree branch; the one who feels the ear says the elephant is like a hand fan; the one who feels the belly says the elephant is like a wall; and the one who feels the tusk says the elephant is like a solid pipe.

The parable is used to illustrate the manifold nature of truth and living in harmony with people who have different belief systems.

To me this shows why it’s important to hear many different perspectives from many different people, because that’s the best way to get the most complete picture. Most truths are not black and white, they are multifaceted and nuanced, so taking in multiple points of view on a topic or idea is like adding biodiversity to your “truth seeking ecosystem.”

Today’s guest, Cliff Davis was telling me that having all those pigs and plants to care for makes it hard to leave home and travel to experience new cultures and perspectives. And he values those experiences for personal growth and expansion, plus their a great source for new ideas. But fortunately there’s a continual flow of students and interns coming through his place, Spiral Ridge Permaculture, that always bring great new stories, ideas, and knowledge to share and add to the evolving cultural soup there. So let’s get down to business, with Cliff…

I so wish you could all go there, and participate in the happenings at Spiral Ridge Permaculture. It’s really something you gotta experience. But, if you’re stuck at home with livestock, then hopefully you at least enjoyed the taste of it from this podcast. Cliff and I connect really well, probably because we’re both pig farmers, so I’m sure we’ll have him back on the show in the not too distant future. If you have any questions or comments for Cliff, please post them in the comments below. And don’t forget to check out their site, SpiralRidgePermaculture.com

Thanks so much for listening. More great stories coming up, on the Permaculture Realized Podcast.