The Permaculture Research Institute of Australia

Ever since I was born I have been living close to the land. Growing up in Southern Illinois my family would camp 6 months out of the year at crab orchard lake. Hunting, fishing, gardening, cutting firewood was part of our life. Living near large tracts of woodlands I experienced the Sacred taking walks, building forts and climbing trees. I have fond memories of those days.
After college I set out on a sacred journey to find the meaning of life. What I found was a way of life that mimicked nature, respected indigenous knowledge and created positive solutions to the world’s problems. I found permaculture or permaculture found me. Interning on organic market gardens, working at a tropical permaculture farm, designing and managing permaculture gardens, operating an Arborist business, building numerous natural buildings, teaching permaculture and natural building and helping people design their sites have been but a few of the many things that I have done over the last 12 years.
I currently live in Tennessee and am the co-owner of Spiral Ridge Permaculture, a family ran Permaculture Design/Build company and Forest Garden Nursery. I have applied and taught permaculture in tropical, subtropical, desert, and temperate climates. I have also created an Advanced Permaculture Skills apprenticeship for the The Farm's Ecovillage Training Center where I share the skills needed to start permaculture projects around the world. My passions and skills include design, bamboo, forest gardens, natural building, water harvesting, eco forestry, ecological restoration, earthworks, Tai Chi/Taoism, and creating a permaculture homestead with my young family.