A Journey in Holistic Wellness

In This Podcast: Clinical herbalist Kimberly Kling returns to discuss regenerative health in a highly toxic modern world. Drawing from personal experience, clinical practice, and ecological awareness, she explains how petrochemicals, industrial agriculture, and environmental toxins disrupt human health—especially the gut microbiome, mitochondria, and detox pathways. The conversation moves from root causes to practical, accessible steps people can take, including food choices, herbs, lifestyle shifts, and community action. Throughout, the focus remains on empowerment, resilience, and reconnecting with plant wisdom rather than fear.

Our Guest: Kimberly is a clinical herbalist and the guiding force behind joyful roots in Southern Arizona where she helps her community locally and beyond cultivate inner wellness through earth centered herbal care, rooted in a deep reverence for the healing power of plants. Kimberly's journey began in childhood, crafting magical plant stews and foraging connections with Michigan's native flora. Her background in landscape architecture and engineering provided a foundation for understanding the intricate relationships between plants, people, and the land. However, it was motherhood and a personal health crisis that led to her clinical herbalism deepening her passion for holistic wellness. Now, Kimberly integrates traditional wisdom with modern herbal practices, empowering others to reconnect with plant wisdom for vibrant health and wellbeing.

Medical Disclaimer: In today's episode we are talking about our health. The information provided in this podcast is for general information and entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. We are not medical doctors and no medical doctor/patient relationship is formed. Always seek advice from your qualified medical doctor regarding questions you may have about your medical condition.

Key Topics & Entities

1. Kimberly Kling
2. Joyful Roots
3. Clinical herbalism
4. Environmental toxins
5. Petrochemicals
6. Haber-Bosch Process
7. Glyphosate, Diquat, Paraquat
8. Gut microbiome
9. Mitochondrial health
10. Autoimmune illness (lupus)
11. Antioxidants
12. Liver detoxification
13. Regenerative agriculture
14. Food forests

Key Questions Answered

Why are modern humans experiencing chronic illness earlier than previous generations?

Because exposure to synthetic chemicals, petrochemicals, pesticides, plastics, and food additives has rapidly increased over the last ~150 years, overwhelming biological systems that evolved alongside natural substances.

How do pesticides and herbicides affect the body if they’re “safe for humans”?

They often harm microbial...

A Rosie On The House Replay

In this episode we explore the concept of wicking bed gardens, hosted by Romey Romero & Farmer Greg, our guest is .

Farmer Greg joins Romey Romero on Rosie on the House to break down how to successfully grow fruit trees in the low desert, even during unusually warm winters. He explains why fruit trees are worth planting, how climate confusion affects citrus and deciduous trees, and the most common mistakes that kill young trees. The conversation covers proven planting methods, soil preparation, watering strategies, and long-term thinking for orchards that can produce for decades. This episode is a practical, experience-based guide for homeowners who want reliable fruit harvests in desert climates.

Key Topics & Entities

• Low desert fruit tree growing
• Citrus varieties (navel, Cara Cara, Trovita, Minneola, Gold Nugget)
• Deciduous fruit trees (apple, peach, apricot, plum, jujube, mulberry)
• Low-chill requirements
• Rootstock selection
• Bare root trees
• Urban Farm Fruit Tree Program
• Six-Six Basin Rule
• Desert soil organic matter
• Mycorrhizae and soil biology
• Irrigation and deep watering
• Mulch and microclimates

Key Questions Answered

Why plant fruit trees instead of relying on store-bought fruit?

Homegrown fruit has superior flavor, freshness, and nutritional value, and a single tree can produce for decades with proper care.

What makes fruit trees struggle during warm winters in the desert?

Low-chill trees may not receive enough cold hours to set fruit consistently, causing irregular growth, dormancy confusion, or skipped production years. Therefore, we need to make sure we plant low chill fruit trees.

What are the three non-negotiables when buying fruit trees for the low desert?

Choose low-chill varieties, ensure the correct rootstock for desert conditions, and select soft-flesh fruit that ripens before July 1.

What are the most common ways people accidentally kill fruit trees?

Planting in hot microclimates, allowing grass to compete with roots, and relying on shallow daily drip irrigation.

How should fruit trees actually be watered in the desert?

Deep, infrequent watering—about once a month in winter and every 10–14 days in summer—allowing soil to dry between waterings.

Why are bare root trees preferred for deciduous fruit?

They’re planted while dormant, establish faster, and adapt better long-term than potted trees when planted correctly.

How long does it take for a fruit tree to really produce?

Year one focuses on roots, year two on shoots, year three begins fruiting, and years four to five bring full production.

Episode Highlights

• Fruit trees thrive when planted for climate, not convenience
• Citrus can be harvested across six months with smart variety selection
• The Six-Six Basin Rule dramatically improves survival and growth
• Desert soil must be rebuilt with organic matter and biology
• Overwatering and under watering look the same—but both can kill trees
• Bare root planting in January sets trees up for lifelong success
• A single well-planted tree can produce for 50–100 years

Calls to Action & Resources

• Urban Farm Fruit Tree Program — https://www.fruittrees.org
• Free Desert Fruit Tree Master Course — https://www.fruittrees.org
• Questions or tree photos...

Our monthly Seed Chat at SeedChat.org

In This Podcast: Greg Peterson and Bill McDorman explore the idea of the seed commons—seeds as shared cultural, ecological, and community wealth rather than private commodities. They discuss how market-driven seed systems have eroded biodiversity and why community-based models are essential for resilience in the face of climate, economic, and social uncertainty. Through stories, examples, and lived experience, they show how seed co-ops, exchanges, libraries, and grassroots experimentation restore abundance, adaptability, and human connection. The conversation frames seed saving as both a practical survival skill and a deeply human act of stewardship.

Key Topics & Entities

• Seed commons
• Shared wealth
• Biodiversity loss
• Climate change adaptation
• Seed co-ops
• Appalachian Seeds
• Snake River Seed Cooperative
• Seed exchanges
• Seed libraries
• Seed Library Network
• Seeds in Common
• Open-pollinated seeds
• Indigenous and community seed stewardship

What does it mean to treat seeds as part of the commons?

• Seeds are framed as shared wealth—like air or water—meant to circulate freely so they can keep adapting, carrying cultural memory, and supporting future generations rather than being locked behind patents or profit motives.

Why is the current market-based seed system failing biodiversity?

• Large-scale commercial systems prioritize uniformity and profit, leading to the extinction of many traditional varieties and reducing the genetic diversity needed to adapt to climate and ecological change.

How do seed co-ops work in practice?

• Regional growers collaborate to grow, clean, package, and distribute seeds together, sharing labor and profits while keeping ownership local and ensuring regionally adapted varieties remain available.

What role do seed exchanges and seed libraries play in communities?

• They provide accessible, low-cost ways for people to share seeds, stories, and growing knowledge, strengthening trust, local resilience, and intergenerational learning.

What is unique about the Seeds in Common model?

• Instead of preserving varieties separately, Seeds in Common mixes many varieties together and distributes them widely, prioritizing real-world adaptation and survival over strict categorization or commercial naming.

Can individuals really name and steward new plant varieties?

• Yes—historically, many important crops came from backyard growers. Naming and caring for a variety is an act of responsibility, not ownership, rooted in long-term stewardship rather than profit.

Episode Highlights

• Seeds as shared wealth are essential for resilience, adaptability, and cultural continuity.
• Seed co-ops like Appalachian Seeds and Snake River Seed Cooperative keep control local and varieties alive.
• Seed exchanges offer efficient, story-rich ways to share seeds and knowledge within communities.
• Seed libraries have rapidly grown worldwide, each shaped by local values and creativity.
• Mixing and growing diverse seeds reveals what truly works under local, low-input conditions.
• Naming and saving seeds is a deeply human tradition that predates modern agriculture.
• Abundance thinking emerges naturally when people engage directly with growing and saving seed.

Calls to Action & Resources

Join live Seed Chats — https://seedchat.org

Explore regional seed co-ops —