Happy Farmers Change the World | TWOII podcast | Episode #69

With Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu away, leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino holds the fort with a special episode about the art of land regeneration, happy farming, and reconnecting deeply to nature. This time, Jo is joined by special guests and happy farmers Mick McEvoy and Sister Trang Lam Hy (Sister Forest of Joy), two of the people behind the Happy Farms agroecology project in Plum Village.
The conversation touches upon many topics, from Zen philosophies, the Diamond Sutra, and deep ecology, to seasonal planting and practicing mindfulness while working the land; producing food AND caring for the Earth; collective awakening and beginning anew; empathy for our food; reclaiming the nobility of the farmer; the importance of growing (beautiful) vegetables in a time of polycrisis - even in small quantities; land regeneration and Zen Buddhism; Thich Nhat Hanh’s gardening metaphors; and more.
Enjoy and thank you for listening!
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 Intro
00:02:11 Intro Mick McEvoy
00:04:46 Intro Sister Lam Hy
00:06:29 What is the Diamond Sutra and how does it relate to deep ecology?
00:14:11 Working on the land and the practice of Zen Buddhism
00:26:31 The importance of growing beautiful vegetables
00:30:29 Happy Farm and grounding people in the practice of mindfulness
00:36:20 Thich Nhat Hanh's use of gardening metaphors
00:41:28 Happy Farm - facts and figures
00:49:22 Community and gardening
00:52:31 Help and advice on growing vegetables
00:56:03 ‘Grow It Yourself’ charity
1:00:20 Land regeneration and how it relates to Zen Buddhism
1:09:26 The impact of working the land on (happy) farmers
1:17:06 Mick McEvoy on ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’
1:19:13 Bhutan economic conference
1:22:05 Outro
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🎧 Listen to previous episodes on KZbin ➛ pvapp.to/twoii-episodes
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🔔 The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living is a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. 🔔
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The podcast is co-produced by the Plum Village App:
plumvillage.app/
And Global Optimism:
globaloptimism.com/
With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:
thichnhathanhfoundation.org/
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🎧 Listen to the podcast on the (completely free) Plum Village App ➛ link.plumvillage.app/mTpv and other streaming services.
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Resources:
Plum Village Community ➛ plumvillage.org/
Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation ➛ thichnhathanhfoundation.org/
Thich Nhat Hanh ➛ plumvillage.org/about/thich-n...
🎙️ Mick McEvoy ➛ www.parallax.org/authors/mick...
🎙️ Jo Confino ➛ / joconfino
🎙️ Sister Lam Hy ➛ plumvillage.org/articles/lear...
🎙️ Brother Phap Huu ➛ plumvillage.org/people/dharma...
The Happy Harm ➛ thehappyfarm.org/
Interbeing ➛ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing
The Five Earth Touchings ➛ plumvillage.org/key-practice-...
Happy Farms: ‘Reverence for the Land’ ➛ plumvillage.org/articles/reve...
‘Happy Farm: Rewilding’ ➛ www.parallax.org/mindfulnessb...
Sutras: ‘The Diamond That Cuts through Illusion’ ➛ plumvillage.org/library/sutra...
Dharma Talks: ‘Free from Notions: The Diamond Sutra’ ➛ plumvillage.org/library/dharm...
Deep ecology ➛ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_ec...
Vandana Shiva ➛ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandana...
Grow It Yourself ➛ giy.ie/
Eating Meditation ➛ web.plumvillage.app/meditatio...
Mary Oliver ➛ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Ol...
Bodhi Tree ➛ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi_Tree
Global North and Global South ➛ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_...
Braiding Sweetgrass ➛ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braidin...
Help us caption and translate this video: web.plumvillage.app/subs?yt=s...
#TheWayOutIsIn #ThichNhatHanh #PlumVillageApp #twoii

[@ParminderChauhan-mm5wk]

Connecting with mother earth and really appreciating it. Thank you for todays podcast . Found it very interesting and relaxing. You are amazing jo. Enjoy listening to your calming voice.

[@jonstein6868]

What a beautiful conversation! I have very happy memories of my time on the Farm and look forward to visiting again soon ❤

[@healinghasbegun]

Thank you so much for such a beautiful and nourishing podcast 🌻

[@giselamercado149]

Thank you very much for this beautiful Episode!

[@SisterSunnyFreeSpirit]

Beautifully delicious! Thank you! So grateful for TWOII!

[@veroniqueverstichelen7371]

Much respect for farmers that.farm organically and who understand the interconnectedness of all living beings and know that humans are not on top..that there is no hierarchy...hopefully when I have the time to listen to this it will reflect this.

[@GardenYourHeart98]

I have a plant nursery and I love gardening! 🙏😄🌻

[@colleendeane7888]

How interesting!

[@barbaramcspadden8655]

Hello from Illinois Valley farmland, Oregon. 🧿💙🌀

[@misinca]

Thank you, Jo, and to the happy farmers. I have a question : How do you deal with pests in crops and single plants? I have some plants in pots, and when I find in my plants, I doubt if I have to save the plant or the bugs! Greetings from Spain 🪷 🙏

[@GardenYourHeart98]

Hey. I bought a book called the science of gardening. It says instead of using pesticides you can use scent and sticky traps, provide good growing conditions, add organic matter, rotate crops, tidy diseased plants, use crop covers (fleece or insect mesh), pick pests off by hand or water spray, grow plants that attract beneficial insects like aphid eating hoverflies, provide trees and shrubs for birds or a pond for frogs and toads, release natural predators, or use natural pesticides like diatomaceous earth. The book is by doctor stuart farrimond

[@misinca]

@@GardenYourHeart98 Thanks a lot for your reply! 🙏🪷

[@GardenYourHeart98]

@@misinca no worries!

[@happytraveller8953]

@@GardenYourHeart98 I hear you on picking off the pests by hand so you don't use pesticides, but then what do you do with the pests? Let them go so they can re-infect your plants?

[@GardenYourHeart98]

@@happytraveller8953 I'm really not an expert gardener, and lately I don't have time to be all natural with my gardening, so I just carry my plants to the plant nursery near me and they spray everything... but if you don't want the harmful insects you can just put them away from your plants

[@happytraveller8953]

Don't suppose you are hiring, eh??? Do you have working retreats similar to those on the other Hamlets? Thanks.

[@plumvillageapp]

Dear friend, please check the Happy Farm website for more about how you can get involved :) You can find it in the show notes under this video along other useful resources. Hope this helps. With gratitude 🙏 plumvillage.app team

[@bertytonta7786]

Hello