Christine launches The Collective Resilience: We Rise Podcast

The Collective Resilience: We Rise features solutions-seekers, change-makers, and those creating a resilient future. We share stories and strategies to inspire action to build resilience and community transformation. To create change, people need to feel like they belong and that they are part of a growing movement. They need to know their voice matters and that they have the inspiration, agency and ability to transform their communities. They are the key to a resilient future.

From the Navajo Nation to the mountains of Appalachia, incredible work is being done by community members. Change is often sparked by inspiration: seeing what others have done, especially in similar communities. People see that when someone looks like them or lives in a place like theirs, and has created real, true and lasting change, change that will allow their granddaughters and grandsons to thrive — they begin to imagine what might be possible in their own communities. No longer waiting for someone else to come and save them, they realize they are the ones they have been waiting for. But what creates that spark? What creates that inspiration? Learning through stories and examples, feeling a sense of agency and belonging, and getting fired up to kick ass creates that spark.

We Rise will help community leaders and members learn to forge a new path toward creating resilience and true transformation. One person at a time, one community at a time, one region at a time, the quilt of transformation can grow piece by piece until resilience becomes the norm instead of the exception. Together, we rise.

Visit the website to learn more and listen in: https://yeswerise.org/

Christine and Reed of Dialogue + Design are featured in this C-Ville’s article: “How does your garden grow?”

An interview with Christine about their permaculture homestead in central Virginia shows the connection Reed and Christine have with the land and permaculture principles: observing natural conditions (like water flow, sun, wind, and wildlife), and designing in a way that protects and mimics those systems.

“Permaculture suggests dividing a property into “zones” based on how often you’ll frequent each area. Most people usually stick close to their dwellings, so gardens will get more attention if they’re in that zone one or two. Gyovai and Muehlman cultivate a kitchen garden for veggies, intentionally sited very close to their house. “They are largely keyhole-shaped beds designed to maximize growing areas and minimize pathways,” says Gyovai, adding that the compost pile is also in zone one, right next to the kitchen garden. “It’s easy to run outside and pop things in the compost. That fosters energy cycling and recycling.”
Read the whole article by Erika Howsare here.

Dialogue + Design featured on Virginia Home Grown

This July, Christine and Reed were featured in an exciting edition Virginia Home Grown.  There they discuss the basics of permaculture and sustainable living.  Take a tour of their home and see how they’ve incorporated permaculture gardening, straw bale construction, passive solar housing, and bee keeping into their property.  Then join Christine in the studio for a demonstration of how to incorporate sheet mulching into your home garden.  Together, Reed and Christine demonstrate how we can all live more locally and sustainably.

Watch the whole segment for free at the Virginia Home Grown website.

Christine's permaculture expertise

Christine shares valuable insight into her home permaculture garden.

Garden provides habitat for wildlife

A variety of plant species provides both a beautiful, sustainable garden and a habitat for wildlife.

Berries growing on shrub

Growing fruit on perennial trees and shrubs is easy and delicious.

A sustainable home blends in with nature

This sustainable home blends in perfectly with its natural surroundings.

Raising chickens at home

Keeping chickens at home provides a supply of delicious eggs and helps manage garden pests.

Reed interviewed regarding bees

Keeping bees at home promotes garden health through pollination as well as delicious honey.

Solar hot water panels

Solar hot water heating is a sustainable way of providing hot water to our homes.

Sheet mulching demonstration

The video segment includes a wonderful sheet mulching demonstration.