The answer to yesterday’s Seed ID challenge is…..

Wisteria! (Wisteria sinensis, W. floribunda, W. macrostachya, or W. frutescens) Congrats to all who guessed this fun and unusual large seed.

Wisteria is a member of the Fabaceae family (the legumes) and produces large, round, disc-shaped seeds inside long bean-like pods. These seeds are often mistaken for tree seeds, but they grow from one of the most eye-catching twining vines on Earth.

Depending on the species, Wisteria is native to parts of East Asia or the southeastern United States:
• Wisteria sinensis – native to China
• Wisteria floribunda – native to Japan
• Wisteria macrostachya & Wisteria frutescens – native to North America

These vines are known for their stunning cascades of purple, lavender, or white blossoms that emerge in spring to early summer. Their spiraling growth and fragrant flowers have made them beloved in gardens around the world.

Note: Choose local, native varieties that supports harmony with your surrounding ecosystem. When grown outside their native ranges, some species can become invasive to nearby trees and native plants. For this reason, they need active delicate stewardship to remain in balance in native regions.

For this reason Wisteria grows especially well in large pots or containers, which help limit root spread and prevents wild overgrowth. With good pruning and plenty of sun, potted Wisteria can bloom beautifully, making this a perfect way to enjoy its beauty in balance and Earth Care.

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🗣️ There is a recurring argument in our field that farms relying on WWOOFers or volunteers are undermining the economic stability of professional agriculture. The logic suggests that if a farm cannot afford to pay full wages for every hour of labour, it is a failed business model that shouldn't exist.

💸 I find this critique ironic because it ignores the rigged game we are playing. Industrial agriculture is propped up by massive State subsidies (CAP) and artificially cheap fossil fuels—invisible supports that allow big farms to lower costs despite their ecological inefficiencies. For small-scale farms that operate outside this subsidy bubble, volunteer energy is a useful counterbalance. We are trading non-renewable energy for labour, and machinery for human hands. In a market that heavily penalises labour-intensive restoration, the volunteer model is often one of the most effective ways to make the regeneration of the landscape viable.

🤝 There is also the accusation that volunteering displaces "real" jobs. But this relies on the false assumption that a volunteer and an employee are interchangeable units. They are not. A WWOOFer is not a substitute worker; they are a student and a temporary community member. The value exchanged is not just labour for cash, but assistance for education, food, and mentorship. If we were forced to monetise this interaction, we wouldn't replace the volunteer with a paid employee; we would simply stop hosting. The result wouldn't be more jobs, but less access to land and knowledge. We are trying to cultivate an "ecology of freedom," where relationships are defined by mutual aid rather than just a contract.

👩‍🌾 Some argue that because only the privileged can afford to work for free, this is merely "rural tourism" for the wealthy. But this argument inadvertently defends the very capitalist logic it claims to oppose: it assumes that money is the only legitimate mediator of value. By exchanging food and shelter for help, we allow a person to live without selling their time to the market. This is not replacing paid jobs; it is a refusal of wage slavery. I don't want to be an employer managing employees; I believe in mutual aid, not State ratification. We are not extracting labour but sharing the 'means of production'—land and skills. This isn't tourism; it is an attempt at radical redistribution of capability.

👨‍🏫 Of course, this is not "free" labour. It is an intense investment. I take immense pride in the hours I spend teaching, correcting posture, and explaining the biological "why" behind a task. This is why we prioritise long-term stays at Ortoforesta. We invest heavily in the first few weeks so that the volunteer evolves into a skilled steward. By the time they have learned, they are contributing meaningfully, not just as "help," but as capable growers.

🛠️ This creates a layer of resilience that money can't buy. We are engaging in a cross-pollination of skills, hosting engineers, carpenters, and creatives who bring solutions a standard payroll could never capture. It is a symbiotic relationship: they gain access to land and knowledge, and the farm gains a diverse, adaptive intelligence that strengthens it against shocks.

📜 It is also worth remembering that these exchanges are legal. Frameworks like WWOOF are recognised associations facilitating educational exchange, not subordinate employment. They exist to bridge the gap between urban life and rural reality. To equate a structured educational stay with exploitation is to misunderstand the fundamental distinction between an employee and an apprentice.

🌱 This distinction is vital, because - I don’t know about you - but the world I am working towards is one of small-scale community effort, involving less money movement and more resource and skill exchange. As a vegetable grower, selling produce is almost marginal to the mission of regenerating the role of food in our ecosystemic interactions. If I lose a customer because they decide to go off and grow their own food, I have succeeded.

Similarly, if I lose an apprentice because they go off and start their own farm, I celebrate it. They will return not to buy a product or to work, but to exchange advice, seedlings, and expertise.

Nature's Wisdom: True Open Pollinated Seeds

Bio-diverse open-pollinated seeds are essential for maintaining adaptable, strong genetics in our seed & food supply.

True open-pollination, or 'promiscuous pollination' as Joseph Lofthouse noscriptd beautifully, is the natural process of pollination in which our pollinators, such as; bees, insects, birds, wind, or other natural ways transfer pollen from the male parts of a plant to the female parts of another plant. This process of diverse natural cross-pollination results in the creation of seeds/plants that are genetically strong and can, in time, be very well-adapted to their local environment. Genetic diversity is vital for our seed's long-term health and resilience and helps build vigorous plants resistant to disease, pests, and changing environmental conditions.

Together, let's rebuild our seed strength & keep our food systems healthy and resilient.

Find Seeds Here, To Begin Diversifying & Strengthening Your Saved Seed Varieties.

https://www.plantforchange.org/global-seed-directory

Sow. Grow. Harvest. Save Seeds. Repeat.

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Hemp Based Material In Action.

This is what steps in regeneration looks like. Many Hemp-based materials are already in deployment, offering real gains in insulation, fire resistance, and moisture regulation, without requiring a complete overhaul of existing building systems.

Hemp in precast concrete? You betcha!

Proving to be a great insulator. Thanks to Northeast Precast and Bison Biocomposites for their bold commitment to incorporate #hemp into mainstream construction and for inviting us to see the initial test pour!” Steve Groff

Bison BioComposites:
Building Grade Hemp Hurd 👈🏽
HempCrete Binder 👈🏽

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Pangolins: Vital Forest Guardians

Pangolins are one of Earth’s quiet protectors, working behind the scenes to keep forests healthy, resilient, and alive. Native across Africa and Asia, these ancient mammals have evolved alongside forest systems for millions of years, fulfilling a vital ecological role.

The pangolin feeds almost exclusively on ants and termites. A single pangolin can consume millions of insects each year, helping keep these populations in balance.

Within the soil food web, pangolins are secondary consumers, acting as keystone insectivores that regulate ant and termite populations while supporting healthy soil structure and forest regeneration.

Why this matters for living soil:

Ants and termites are essential decomposers, yet when their populations grow unchecked, they can damage young roots, trees, and microbial balance. Pangolins provide natural regulation, allowing decomposition, fungi, bacteria, and plant roots to coexist in harmony.

As pangolins dig into termite mounds and ant colonies, they gently aerate the soil. This improves oxygen flow, water infiltration, and indirectly supports nutrient movement. Their digging creates pathways for roots and microbes, while their waste returns nutrients back into the soil food web, feeding the smallest life forms that sustain forests from below.

Regeneration is also about protecting the relationships that make all life possible. Pangolins remind us that when a single native species is protected, entire ecosystems stabilize and thrive.

We support the soil food web by protecting its guardians. When we protect animal species like pangolins, we protect forests, water, soil, and our future. 🌱🌍

#soilfoodweb
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Biodynamic Association: Agriculture, Community, Economics Symposium

February 13-15 in Loveland, CO
 
 What shifts are needed to address the crises facing agriculture, our communities, and our economies?

How can we untangle the web of challenges we face and envision truly holistic approaches? 

The upcoming Agriculture, Community, Economics Symposium will build the initial foundations for further efforts this year and beyond. We're thrilled to be joined by some amazing panelists (with more being added!) and warmly invite you to be part of this rich and meaningful gathering, to help us reimagine and create a new future for agriculture. 
 
Please join us for an intimate gathering to:
reconnect with the sacred roots of agriculture and the spiritual vocation of the farmer.

Share promising initiatives and strategies that offer hope for the future of community-based farming and better understand the tangled web of challenges we face and envision more holistic approaches for our farms and communities.

Support one another in our challenging (and sometimes lonely) work as community-minded ecological farmers and agriculturally-minded social and economic visionaries.

More Info Here

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