Big change rarely starts with a plan. More often, it starts with one tree pulled out of the ground, and the willingness to see what grows in its place.
In this episode, Evan Marks, founder of The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano, walks through how a forgotten dirt lot and an old farmhouse became a 28-acre regenerative hub that now welcomes 150,000 visitors a year. He shares how he read the land before he ever planted it, why he pulled out hundreds of fruit trees that weren't thriving, and what it took to keep building something that's still evolving, season after season.
This is a conversation about working with nature instead of against it, at whatever scale you have. Evan grows 40 fruit trees on a lot that's just 5,000 square feet. So if you've ever wondered what your backyard, your community, or your own life could become, this episode is a good place to start listening.
Key Timestamps:
[00:00:00] Introduction
[01:04:00] Meeting at Punta Mona
[03:14:00] The Ecology Center Today
[05:15:00] The Grateful Dead and Farming.
[08:00:00] From Farmhouse to Regenerative Hub
[12:30:00] Designing with Nature
[18:45:00] Growing 40 Fruit Trees
[24:10:00] Starting Over After 200 Apple Trees
[28:30:00] Building Regenerative Communities
[35:20:00] Grow, Eat, Make, Peace
[42:15:00] When Plans Need to Change
[48:00:00] Change Your Own World
[52:30:00] Steven's Costa Rica Food Forest
Memorable Quotes:
"We're modeling creative solutions for thriving on planet earth. It's all of the elements of a healthy settlement, a healthy community, a healthy culture." [00:09:18] – Evan Marks
"We can't change the world. We can change our world. How big is your world? It starts with you and what you show up with every day." [00:52:18] – Evan Marks
If you're ready to take the next step, join the free Garden Club Summit to learn from world-leading experts in gardening, herbalism, growing food, and regeneration. Claim your free pass at: https://www.ecoversity.org/garden-club-summit?utm_source=spotify_for_creators&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=nyagc_podcast&utm_content=ep006_fruit
Connect with Evan Marks:
Website: https://theecologycenter.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theecologycenter/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theecologycenter
Connect with us:
Website: https://www.ecoversity.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecoversity
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EcoversityOrg/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ecoversityorg
Produced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com
