Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Geoff, Ben, Eric and Sam explore land as an investment versus land as a living system. They discuss community ownership models, eco-villages and practical ways people can gain access through skills, relationships, leasing and direct agreements with landowners.
Learn More & Join the Community:
🌐 Visit the podcast homepage to listen with your preferred platform: discoverpermaculture.com/podcasts/discover-permaculture-the-podcast
🎓 Explore Geoff's online courses: discoverpermaculture.com
Key Takeaways:
- 00:01:49: Land access is not the same as land ownership. Secure access to productive land may matter more than holding an individual title.
- 00:03:29: Land has shifted from a source of security to a speculative asset. What changes when financial value becomes more important than improving the land?
- 00:23:26: Ecological systems do not follow property boundaries. Water, wildlife, soil and pollution connect entire watersheds and communities.
- 00:31:43: Alternative ownership models already exist. Multiple occupancy, community title, company structures, long-term leases and eco-villages offer different ways to share land and infrastructure.
- 00:44:58: Community living must be designed. Good intentions are not enough. Shared land requires clear governance, defined responsibilities and people who know how to cooperate.
- 00:49:03: You can begin without owning a farm. Gardens, volunteering, apprenticeships, leasing, shared projects and direct arrangements with landowners can all create meaningful access.
- 00:53:16: Skills and relationships create opportunities. Becoming capable, trustworthy and useful may provide a stronger path to land than simply waiting until you can afford to buy it.
🌏 Guests
Eric Seider — Eric is a permaculture consultant, designer, and educator since 2008. He has helped communities around the world create resilient systems, working across deserts, forests, and urban landscapes. As the leader of the Permaculture Community Group in Fair Oaks, California, he cultivates a local hub for education, hands-on learning, and collaboration. Eric turns ideas into thriving ecosystems and empowers others to do the same.
🔗 Website: ericseider.com
📸 Instagram: @ericseider
▶️ Youtube: youtube.com/@EricSeider
📘 Facebook:
facebook.com/ericseider22
🌾 Permaculture Community Group: permaculturefairoaks.org
🌿 Community Facebook: facebook.com/permaculturefairoaks
Ben Missimer — Ben is a regenerative designer and technologist who uses LiDAR, drone imaging, and GIS tools to reveal the hidden patterns of the land. From remote landscapes to urban projects, he transforms terrain data into actionable designs that restore ecosystems. His work combines science, technology, and permaculture principles to guide landscapes from degraded to abundant.
🔗 Website: pearlriverecodesign.com
📸 Instagram: @benmissimer
▶️ Youtube: youtube.com/@benmissimer/videos
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/PearlRiverEcoDesign
Sam Parker-Davies — Sam is a global permaculture designer, teacher, and consultant with projects spanning deserts, forests, and mountains across 12+ countries. He blends hands-on implementation with deep design thinking, helping communities regenerate both ecosystems and the social systems that depend on them. Sam’s teaching and consulting showcase how practical permaculture can create abundance in even the most challenging environments.
🔗 Website: samparkerdavies.weebly.com
📸 Instagram: @samparkerdavies
▶️ Youtube: youtube.com/@sam.parkerdavies
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/sam.parkerdavies
#permaculture #landownership #landaccess #landstewardship #communityliving #ecovillage #permaculturedesign #foodsecurity #selfreliance #regenerativeagriculture #sustainableliving #communityresilience #ecologicaldesign
Geoff, Ben, Eric and Sam explore land as an investment versus land as a living system. They discuss community ownership models, eco-villages and practical ways people can gain access through skills, relationships, leasing and direct agreements with landowners.
Learn More & Join the Community:
🌐 Visit the podcast homepage to listen with your preferred platform: discoverpermaculture.com/podcasts/discover-permaculture-the-podcast
🎓 Explore Geoff's online courses: discoverpermaculture.com
Key Takeaways:
- 00:01:49: Land access is not the same as land ownership. Secure access to productive land may matter more than holding an individual title.
- 00:03:29: Land has shifted from a source of security to a speculative asset. What changes when financial value becomes more important than improving the land?
- 00:23:26: Ecological systems do not follow property boundaries. Water, wildlife, soil and pollution connect entire watersheds and communities.
- 00:31:43: Alternative ownership models already exist. Multiple occupancy, community title, company structures, long-term leases and eco-villages offer different ways to share land and infrastructure.
- 00:44:58: Community living must be designed. Good intentions are not enough. Shared land requires clear governance, defined responsibilities and people who know how to cooperate.
- 00:49:03: You can begin without owning a farm. Gardens, volunteering, apprenticeships, leasing, shared projects and direct arrangements with landowners can all create meaningful access.
- 00:53:16: Skills and relationships create opportunities. Becoming capable, trustworthy and useful may provide a stronger path to land than simply waiting until you can afford to buy it.
🌏 Guests
Eric Seider — Eric is a permaculture consultant, designer, and educator since 2008. He has helped communities around the world create resilient systems, working across deserts, forests, and urban landscapes. As the leader of the Permaculture Community Group in Fair Oaks, California, he cultivates a local hub for education, hands-on learning, and collaboration. Eric turns ideas into thriving ecosystems and empowers others to do the same.
🔗 Website: ericseider.com
📸 Instagram: @ericseider
▶️ Youtube: youtube.com/@EricSeider
📘 Facebook:
facebook.com/ericseider22
🌾 Permaculture Community Group: permaculturefairoaks.org
🌿 Community Facebook: facebook.com/permaculturefairoaks
Ben Missimer — Ben is a regenerative designer and technologist who uses LiDAR, drone imaging, and GIS tools to reveal the hidden patterns of the land. From remote landscapes to urban projects, he transforms terrain data into actionable designs that restore ecosystems. His work combines science, technology, and permaculture principles to guide landscapes from degraded to abundant.
🔗 Website: pearlriverecodesign.com
📸 Instagram: @benmissimer
▶️ Youtube: youtube.com/@benmissimer/videos
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/PearlRiverEcoDesign
Sam Parker-Davies — Sam is a global permaculture designer, teacher, and consultant with projects spanning deserts, forests, and mountains across 12+ countries. He blends hands-on implementation with deep design thinking, helping communities regenerate both ecosystems and the social systems that depend on them. Sam’s teaching and consulting showcase how practical permaculture can create abundance in even the most challenging environments.
🔗 Website: samparkerdavies.weebly.com
📸 Instagram: @samparkerdavies
▶️ Youtube: youtube.com/@sam.parkerdavies
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/sam.parkerdavies
#permaculture #landownership #landaccess #landstewardship #communityliving #ecovillage #permaculturedesign #foodsecurity #selfreliance #regenerativeagriculture #sustainableliving #communityresilience #ecologicaldesign
