Amanda Streets is a mother, life-long gardener, and former teacher. She grew up on a working farm where her family raised livestock and tended large gardens and orchards. Her family has been farmers as far as we can look back, so you could say that growing food is in her genes. Helping preserve natural spaces has always ...
Bob’s focus is on growing kenaf, a plant similar to hemp in versatility, use and value, but without the legal restrictions. In some ways it is not as well known as hemp, so his challenge is to educate people on the benefits as well as get this super useful plant into broader use.
Grow Permaculture co-created a project at Pine Ridge reservation with the Oglala-Lakota Cultural and Economic Revitalization Initiative (OLCERI) in 2006, and we have made ongoing projects there available as an apprentice opportunity for graduates of our PDCs ever since.
Stephanie Koeser created Pineapple Acres – a non-profit which encourages mindfulness in nature. Her vision flourished through her passion for the outdoors, gardening and mindfully living in her daily life. For Stephanie, gardening is not simply about growing plants.
We are joining together in energetic support of creating a community/ Ashram/ Food Forest at "Nectar of Devotion." Even if you are not in Miami or South Florida you can empower this project by joining if just in thought! Open for all bringing good vibes, love and harmony.
Alan Scheurmann, talking about the organization he and fellow Pine Ridge graduate Ryan Hertz run in the area: The word EcoZoic was coined by author Thomas Berry who tells the story of the universe and the earth through the lens of the major eras of history.
Graduates of the 2010 Urban Permaculture Design Course in Miami jumped into action applying what they learned. Marcus Thomson got his first permaculture design job before the course ended – installing a food forest in a suburban yard. Together with three other designers they took on this project.
Marcus Thompson, Nancy Arraiz, Linda McGlathery & Ben Thacker
Andrew Wolfe got right to work using the techniques he learned about in the permaculture course held at the Florida Earthship in March of 2009. His goal is to get completely off the grid and make a living from what he produces in his yard.
From Florida Earthship PDC grad Diann Dirks: It was so sweet to be reminded of our Permaculture course in Florida March 2009. Since then I have been using so much of what I learned and integrated there. Right after completing the course I taught 3 series of classes in organic gardening
PDC student Maggy Pons is working on six gardens in Overtown which will provide fresh, organic food and economic stimulus to the neighborhood. Food stamp purchases are doubled at the market, encouraging consumption of healthy, organic food and the support of locally grown food.
Shannon Freed, graduate of our Pine Ridge PDC, did not waste any time applying her permaculture knowledge. Two years ago, she held a 10 week apprenticeship at Pine Ridge which resulted in a beautiful cob home being built for a Lakota on the reservation.
Jayne and Ellen got their permaculture garden going strong after the course that was taught in Sarasota, and have been adding things ever since. Their small yard is packed full of perennials like papaya, edible hibiscus, cranberry hibiscus, purple okinawan spinach, sweet potato, moringa, galangal, as well as a full serving of annuals.
As a veteran native plant landscaper and now a permaculture designer, Bill was the ideal person to help establish a permaculture project at the Faith House, a transitional housing organization with 1/2 acre of land now devoted to growing food for program participants. Along with Emmanuel Roux, another energetic pioneer, and many volunteers who lent their hands and backs to the project.
Graduates Mario Yanez and Elena Naranjo created a wonderful project in Homestead, near Miami. Through a County program for the homeless, they acquired a 22 acre permaculture farm connected to a LEED housing program all created to help the homeless get back on their feet. At the center of the operations was a new LEED building that houses a commercial kitchen...
Rae Shirsat was inspired after completing her PDC course in early 2012 to travel to Africa and change careers. She is now working as LEED AP HCC Sustainability Specialist for Hillsborough Community College and is using permaculture principles in that program. She has gotten the go ahead to create a large food forest on this campus of 50,000 students!
Nessie Johnson and Cathy De Felice decided to take me up on my offer to any PDC graduate to help me transform my small backyard nursery into a larger cooperative nursery focused on plants that are useful to permaculture designers. They have taken the operation to a new level with over 1000 plants in the nursery and others on their way. One of their first clients was a major local health food store, Nature’s Food Patch.
