960: Regeneration and Innovation: The Future of Farming

Don Tipping's Legacy of Regenerative Farming

In This Podcast: Greg reconnects with returning guest Don Tipping to explore nearly a decade of evolution at Seven Seeds Farm and Siskiyou Seeds. The conversation dives deep into regenerative farming, bioregional seed stewardship, on-farm ecology, and the long arc of plant breeding as climate adaptation. Don shares practical insights from 30 years of full-time farming, from pest resilience without chemicals to compost, livestock integration, and the vision for a decentralized bioregional seed bank. The episode emphasizes patience, systems thinking, and seed saving as both a practical skill and a cultural act.

Guest Bio: Don has been farming and offering hands on, practical workshops at Seven Seeds Farm since 1997. Seven Seeds is a small, certified organic family farm in the Siskiyou Mountains of SW Oregon that produces fruits, vegetables, seeds, flowers and herbs, while raising sheep, poultry and people. The farm has been designed to function as a self-contained, life regenerating organism with waste products being recycled and feeding other elements of the system. Lauded as one of the best examples of a small productive Biodynamic and Permaculture farms in the northwest by many, Seven Seeds helps to mentor new farmers through internships and workshops. In 2009 they began Siskiyou Seeds, a bioregional organic seed company that grows and stewards a collection of over 700 open pollinated flower, vegetable and herb seeds and is constantly breeding new varieties.

Key Topics & Entities

1. Don Tipping
2. Seven Seeds Farm
3. Siskiyou Seeds (Siskiyou Seeds)
4. Regenerative agriculture
5. Bioregional seed stewardship
6. Open-pollinated seeds
7. Seed saving
8. Garden ecology
9. Plant breeding
10. Permaculture systems
11. Compost and soil fertility
12. Livestock integration
13. Climate adaptation
14. Cascadia Seed Bank

Key Questions Answered

How has Don’s farm and seed work evolved over the last nine years?

The seed company has grown into the core of the farm’s work, with most annual and perennial crops now grown specifically for seed. Don has shifted toward contracting with a wider network of growers while focusing his own energy on plant breeding, research, and education.

What makes bioregional, farmer-grown seed different from industrial seed?

Unlike industrial seed—often brokered globally with little transparency—bioregional seed is selected under local climate, pest, and disease pressures. Over time, this results in crops that are better adapted, more resilient, and better suited to regional food systems.

Why doesn’t Seven Seeds Farm rely on row covers or chemical inputs?

By allowing natural selection to occur—such as letting cucumber beetles eliminate weaker plants—the farm selects for stronger genetics over time. This approach is paired with whole-system ecology that supports predators and beneficial insects.

Why should gardeners save their own seed?

Seed saving is empowering, abundant, and adaptive. One plant can produce years’ worth of seed, while gradually adapting to a gardener’s microclimate and conditions, even without advanced technical knowledge.

How does Don manage seed purity when growing multiple crops?

By understanding plant species and their pollination rules, Don grows only one variety per species when crops are close together. Knowing botanical Latin and species boundaries is key to effective seed saving.

What role do animals play in the farm’s regenerative system?

Livestock act as ecological equalizers—cycling nutrients, selecting diverse forage, and converting plants into fertility, fiber, and food. Sheep, poultry, and other animals help close nutrient loops and reduce off-farm inputs.

Why is manure sourcing such a critical issue for organic farms?

Persistent herbicides can survive composting and contaminate soil for years. Sourcing manure from known organic dairies ensures transparency, protects soil health, and maintains organic integrity.

What is the vision behind the Cascadia Seed Bank?

The goal is a decentralized, fireproof, nonprofit bioregional seed bank designed as a living backup for regional food systems—paired with on-farm trials, education, and community engagement.

Episode Highlights

1. The shift from crop protection to crop selection as a pest-management strategy
2. Seed saving as “the original magic penny” that multiplies abundance
3. Garden ecology as a diagnostic lens for pest and disease problems
4. Compost as the foundation of soil, seed, and long-term fertility
5. Livestock hides becoming more valuable than meat in evolving farm economics
6. Plant breeding as a long-term response to climate change
7. The need for regional seed sovereignty beyond global seed vaults

Calls to Action & Resources

1. Siskiyou Seeds — https://www.siskiyouseeds.com
2. Siskiyou Seeds YouTube Channel — https://www.youtube.com/@SiskiyouSeeds
3. The Agrarian Renaissance Podcast — Available on YouTube and podcast platforms

Visit UrbanFarm.org/SevenSeeds for the show notes and links on this episode!

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