Forest Alchemy w/ Mike & Ally

Perfect Unfolding by author Kristy Halvorsen: Leaving “Normal” and Following the Call 🌲 Episode 10 From the Forest Edge

Sometimes life falls apart. Sometimes it unfolds.
In this episode of Forest Alchemy, we sit down with author Kristy Halvorsen, whose book Perfect Unfolding explores what happens when you stop trying to control every outcome and start listening for what life is actually asking of you.
Kristy didn’t always live this way. She began her career as a mechanical engineer, later spent fourteen years as a firefighter and paramedic, and eventually felt the pull toward something deeper. In 2017 she sold most of what she owned and set out on a modern-day walkabout, living off-grid in an Airstream and migrating with the seasons.
Since then she’s been writing, traveling, and helping people rediscover who they truly are — not by pushing harder, but by trusting the unfolding.
In this conversation we explore:
• What it really means to follow the call of your life• Letting go of the idea of “normal”• The tension between planning and surrender• Nature as teacher and guide• Freedom, independence, and interdependence
And yes… we also spend a surprising amount of time talking about composting toilets.
Because sometimes the path to spiritual insight runs straight through a conversation about poop.
Welcome to Forest Alchemy.
Learn more at https://soulfireforest.podbean.com
Explore Soul Fire Forest events, workshops, and community offerings at http://www.soulfireforest.com
Learn more about Kristy Halvorsen and Perfect Unfolding at https://perfectunfolding.com

Nature Is the Therapist: A Conversation with author Julie Brams 🌲 Episode 9 from the Forest Edge

After many months away, Forest Alchemy returns with a conversation that feels like a remembering. We sit down with author Julie Brams to talk about her new book The Nature Embedded Mind and the quiet but life-changing idea that nature is not a backdrop to human life, but kin, relationship, and home.
Together we explore separation from nature as a real wound, the healing that becomes possible when we rebuild relationship with the living world, and what shifts when we stop seeing ourselves as apart from the earth. We talk about reciprocity, ancient knowing, children’s natural connection to the more-than-human world, and the hope that comes with remembering we were never meant to do this alone.
Forest Alchemy is the podcast of Mike and Ally from Soul Fire Forest, for people drawn to community, permaculture, nature, healing, practical skills, inner and outer regeneration, and the kind of conversations that make you feel a little more human and a little less alone.
Learn more at https://soulfireforest.podbean.com
Explore Soul Fire Forest events, workshops, and community offerings at http://www.soulfireforest.com
Learn more about Julie Brams and The Nature Embedded Mind at https://www.juliebrams.com/books

Feeding Ourselves with Trees (with author Elspeth Hay) 🌲 Episode 8 from the Forest Edge

🌳 Episode 8 – Feeding Ourselves with Trees (with Elspeth Hay) 🌳
In this episode we sit down with Elspeth Hay — writer, radio host, and author of Feed Us With Trees. What began as a simple curiosity about acorns and eating from trees grew into a conversation that wove together food, history, and healing. 🌰✨
We dive into:🌿 The forgotten role of nut trees in feeding entire communities for thousands of years🔥 Cultural fire practices, biochar, and how humans can act as a keystone species instead of a burden🌳 The history of the commons in Europe and how its enclosure still ripples through our food system today🪵 Basketry, weaving, and traditional ecological knowledge🥖 Food politics, sugar industry myths, and what “healthy food” really means when it comes from a healthy place
Along the way we share our own stories of gathering acorns by flashlight, experimenting with fire and soil building, and re-imagining our relationship with the land as one of kinship instead of domination. Elspeth’s stories remind us that humans are not separate from nature — we are part of the mycelial web of life, capable of bringing more abundance when we step back into our role with care and creativity. 🌎🤝
This is one of those conversations that leaves you seeing the world differently — more hopeful, more connected, and more inspired to try it yourself. 🌲💫
🎥 Prefer to watch? This episode is also available as a video on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/UQ1yK0Vi9N8

Root to Rise Reflections 🌲 Episode 7 from the Forest Edge

On this episode of Forest Alchemy, we gather in circle with some of the incredible humans who stayed through Sunday morning of our very first Root to Rise Skillshare weekend. What started as a closing conversation became a heartfelt exploration of what community really means—how it shows up in times of change, how it restores hope, and how it gives us strength to keep creating a new way of living.
You’ll hear stories of land stewardship, food forests, and visions for intentional community. We talk about intergenerational wisdom, rituals and rites of passage, resilience, and what it means to raise kids in connection rather than isolation. We touch on permaculture, plant communication, health, and the healing that comes from sharing meals, tools, stories, and laughter.
This episode is raw, real, and full of gratitude—for the friendships formed, the lessons shared, and the reminder that none of us are meant to do this alone. Root to Rise was more than a weekend gathering; it was proof that when we show up with open hearts, community grows.
Come sit with us, feel the sparks of reciprocity, and imagine the future we are all building together. 🌱🔥🌳

Healing Trauma & Conscious Parenting with Nikki Janowiak 🌲 Episode 6 from the Forest Edge

In this episode of Forest Alchemy, we sit down with our dear friend Nikki Janowiak—a TRTP (The Richards Trauma Process) practitioner at Land of Light in Paw Paw, Michigan. Nikki shares her journey into trauma healing work, the power of addressing the unconscious mind, and how TRTP helps people rewrite core beliefs and step into empowerment.
We also dive into conscious parenting, the importance of repair, and embracing emotions like anxiety and guilt as guides instead of enemies. Nikki opens up about her family’s adventure of downsizing into an RV, traveling to Florida, and beginning to build their dream home on new land.
This conversation weaves together trauma healing, parenting, community, and the courage to step into a new way of living.
✨ Topics we explore:
What TRTP is and how it works with the unconscious mind
Parenting as a spiritual path and the importance of repair
Befriending anxiety and shifting patterns of guilt and shame
Downsizing, traveling, and starting fresh on new land
The balance of relationships and following creative callings
As always, we close with a Forest Echo, featuring wisdom from Gabor Maté and Dr. Shefali Tsabary on parenting, presence, and the awakened family.

What Does Community Mean to You? Voices from Pyro Music Festival 🌲 Episode 5 from the Forest Edge

This episode takes you straight to the heart of the Pyro Music Festival in Grand Junction, Michigan, where we wandered through music, mud, and magic asking a simple but powerful question: What does community mean to you?
You’ll hear voices from musicians like Chase Makai, Willie from Pillars of Rome, and Amber Echo, festival friends, and fellow community builders from near and far. We talk about parenting in community, creative economies, sovereign living, school bus homes, soil building, and the soul-deep connections that emerge when the masks come off.
✨ This one’s filled with laughter, inspiration, a few squirrel tangents (naturally), and the kind of stories that remind us why we’re building Soul Fire Forest — so every day can feel a little more like Pyro.
🔥 Come gather ‘round the fire — and bring your bare feet, your weirdness, and your dreams.

Rooted in Wisdom: A Garden Tour with Keith Johnson🌲 Episode 4 from the Forest Edge

In this episode of Forest Alchemy, we sit down with legendary permaculture teacher and designer Keith Johnson, who’s been walking the permaculture path since 1978—the very year Mike was born. 🌱
Keith shares stories from the early days of the movement, his work with Permaculture Activist magazine, and how a life devoted to regeneration has shaped his world. We also get a personal tour of his lush gardens, food forest, orchard, and pond—complete with plant wisdom, practical tips, and a whole lot of heart.
This one’s both fun and super educational. Whether you’re a seasoned permie or just starting to dip your toes into the soil, you’ll walk away inspired.

Weirdos in the Garden: Soil, Soul, and Starting a Community with Liberty Bane 🌲 Episode 3 from the Forest Edge

This week, we plopped ourselves down in the garden with our dear friend (and fellow founding weirdo) Liberty Bane for a slightly rain-soaked conversation about how Soul Fire Forest came to be.
We talk about our separate paths to permaculture, how we found each other and this land, and why building soil is more important than building resumes.
We also dig into what it means to parent in community, why “normal” is a lie, and how beautiful life gets when you stop trying to fit into boxes that were never made for you.
There are tangents. There is laughter. There is one (ok maybe more than one) very enthusiastic monologue about soil. Welcome to the garden.

Poop, Preparedness & Power🌲 Episode 2 from the Forest Edge

In this episode of Forest Alchemy, we dig into what it means to live regeneratively—financially, emotionally, and ecologically. We talk about creative ways to make and save money, the real talk on composting toilets and humanure, and raising animals alongside young children. We also explore our evolving relationship with death, weather preparedness, and how to stay rooted in resilience while dreaming forward into alternative energy and more efficient living. It’s earthy, honest, and filled with both laughter and deep reflection.

Quacks, Compost, and Community 🌲 Episode 1 from the Forest Edge

In our very first episode, we dive into springtime homestead life — from raising ducklings to building compost and biochar. We reflect on the magic of land-based living and the joy (and chaos) of building community from the forest edge. Plus, a surprise visit from our community neighbor Keith brings a real-time taste of what it means to live with open doors and open hearts.