Seattle Permaculture Guild | Main / WhoWeAre browse

Our guild is 350+ people strong :)

The folks on this page are open to networking. Click 'edit' to add yourself in.

Ben Berkman-Pride Design Consulting.-- Twice certified Permaculture Designer, Tropical Systems via GREEENPIECE, Malanda Australia and Temperate Systems, TIERRA LEARNING CENTER, Leavenworth WA. From a degree in Art and Anthropology / Human Ecology, I got involved with the CENTER FOR REGENRATIVE STUDIES Masters Program at Cal Poly Pomona studying Regenerative Systems and Sustainable Design, GIS and CAD. Since leaving academia my travels and interests have led me to work with such Natural Building schools as CALEARTH, ESCUELA DE BARRO, Coro Venezuela., TERRA FIRMA RAMMED EARTH HOMES, New Zealand and the EOS INSTITUTE/ PERMACULTURE GUILD OF SOUTHERN CAL. I have been allotted the opportunity to investigate alternative currency systems like L.E.T.S. in Australia and New Zealand and similar systems in AUROVILLE INTL ECO-VILLAGE in India. More recently working as Land Manager for Tierra Learning Center in Leavenworth Wa, I orchestrated the development TLC ORGANIC FARM and CSA, worked on WASTE VEGIE OIL conversions /BIODIESEL and coordinated a whole systems facilities management plan and Permaculture Design for the 350 acre retreat center. I have had the honor of working with long time P/C teachers MICHAEL PILARSKI , BRUCE HILL, PENNY LIVINGSTON, DR. BILL ROLEY, and other P/C teachers from around the globe. I currently reside in the Center of the Universe, Seattle where I do Landscape Design and Landscape Construction Management. I am inspired by the challenges of applying Permaculture principles to the means and methodologies of conventional development in the built environment; The Science, the engineering and the technical challenges of Permaculture for the People. Check out http://green.colonies.com/PRIDE_DESIGN_CONSULTING/
Amy Kramer Hawks, Seattle Massage therapist by trade, work party junkie, writer, musician and all around nice gal. I have a degree from Western Washington University in Vocal Performance, and numerous allied healthcare certificates. I live in West Seattle, raise chickens, have a pond,vegetable garden, and the makings of a food forest. My wildest permaculture fantasy involves sipping pawpaw punch with friends, underneath my Kiwi Arbor, eating pizza fresh from the cob oven, while listen to native chorus frogs as the sun goes down. I believe in moving towards Sustainablity, not with guilt and fear, but with curiosity and hope for the future; One choice at a time, one day at a time, one question at a time.
Andrew Rosenthal- I apply Permaculture to humans first: until we can use holistic thinking to unburden ourselves of unhealthy mental and emotional patterns, we will not be truly able to tap into the natural cycles going on around us. The teachings of Permaculture also broaden our approach to the Earth, going far beyond the strictly 'conservation' ethic by changing the quality of how we interact with ourselves, each other, and the planet. Specifically, I am studying to be a yoga instructor and am interested in learning more about biodiesel, and as I live at Snoqualmie Pass, would also love to learn more about the specifics of this site: weather, soils, etc. by someone who has familiarity with it. Also, check out Nexus Magazine.
Caitlin Pensak - I have a batchelor's from the UW in plant ecology, volunteered for many years with Seattle Tilth, and am an active Master Gardener. I'm particularly interested in perennial vegetables and I have a NE Seattle lot that I am just starting to turn into an edible paradise incorporating vegetables, herbs, fruits, medicinal plants, dye plants, and animals. I want to get chickens and goats. Also I'd like to learn about and dabble in cob and biodiesel. Always interested in plant and material trades. | earthnut ty@yah oo.com | (remove spaces before sending)
Erika - I just moved to seattle from colorado and would like to be involved in a sustainabilty project of some sort. I have a masters in forest science and am a stay at home mother of two. where should i start?
Jaya lives in Wallingford, co-founded Perennial Environmental Design (.com) at the end of 2005 to do landscape design centered on Naturescaping (native plant landscaping) and inspired by permaculture design. I beleive the most ecological landscape design will be the most economical one in a relatively short about of time. Took my design cource with Starhawk (earthactivisttraining.org), worked with cob there and for a short time at Lama Foundation (.org). ISO someone to do cob workshop with in Seattle.
Jenn resides in seattle, lives and works as a barista, screen printer, designer, and citizen scientist. i've been working on using permaculture principles to prepare our cities for some seemingly inevitable event (economic collapse, oil gone, etc), and using events as inspiration to get moving on ideas!! i wonder what permaculture has to say about the importance of destruction to counter/compliment creation in natural systems? i like planting trees and food and flowers in lovely and unexpected places.
Jokhanah Earthloving woman creating a spiritual community on a wonderous triple lot in the midst of development in Columbia City. Seeking women with a passion for permaculture to nurture the earth and our spirits an see She Farm thrive and be secured as a Land Trust. openings now. contact Shefarm @ earthlink.net
Jonathan Betz-Zall: Took a PC design course in 2001 at Antioch Univ. Seattle and have been applying PC design principles in various aspects of my life since then. Primarily involved with the Community Coalition for Environmental Justice and the University Friends Meeting but recently started "ecolibrarian.org", to network environmental/ecological libraries in the Puget Sound area. I'll be applying PC principles there, too, of course.
Kelda Miller, after helping set up Seattle Permaculture Guild, moved back to her native Pierce County. She spends her time biking around and working on cool projects. She hopes to be caretaking land in Edgewood soon, and in the meantime has started her own sustainable design business, Divine Earth Gardening Project' and is collaborating to create The Puyallup Sustainability Project. She occasionally teaches in the community, and is on the board for The Wise Earth Ecological Landtrust. Kelda has worked on several organic farms in the Puget Sound and Europe, and moved to Seattle after spending almost two years at the Bullock Permaculture Homestead on Orcas Island.
LightBear I'm a WWOOFer and student of Permaculture. I'm interested in taking part in permaculture projects within the greater puget sound region. I am especially interested in edible landscaping and the conversion and restoration of the suburban landscape in preparation for the coming energy crisis. Food Not Lawns!!! Let me know if you need help with anything. lightbear @ gmail.com
Maria: Howdy! My son Noah and I live in the Duwamish Co-Housing Community of W. Seattle until we find our home in a more rural location... We previously lived in Portland for 18 years and helped with a few cob/natural building projects. I am very interested in creating community for learning, teaching & healing the Earth. I am soon beginning my third and final year at at RavenCroft Garden where I will become a Community Centered Herbalist. In February/March 2005 I took the Permaculture Design course taught by Michael Pilarski and Marisha Auerbach and am making small permie steps in the moon garden here and weaving webs of connection everywhere.
Marilene Richardson has worked extensively on building intentional community and has organized or taught classes on topics ranging from biodiesel production to gardening and food preservation. Her six years as a volunteer at The Root Connection Farm grounded her belief in the importance of local, healthy food. Her desire to make organic meals more readily available, while supporting local CSA farms, led her to found and direct an organic catering business. Marilene enjoys raising chickens and keeping bees as well growing and preserving much of her family's food. She founded the Foundation for Sustainable Community Foundation for Sustainable Community with the intent of bringing community members together to work on issues surrounding sustainability. She also serves as Chairperson for the Polishing Stone Foundation The Polishing Stone publishers of the educational magazine The Polishing Stone. She has enjoyed being part of the Seattle Permaculture Guild so much that she has started the Snohomish Permaculture Guild. She finds the work parties addicting nad the friendships precious. She is half-side to her sweet love Brian and homeschooling mother of two energetic children.
Morgan: I am the assistant logistical director for the Oracle Gatherings a non-profit arts organization. I fire dance with the Cirque de Flambe. Have run my own business, managed people, and worked as a teacher for preschool children. I also have 4 years experience living in the Peacweavers community on the East Coast. Permaculture has ignited an excitement within me that has been lacking for sometime.
Nina von Feldmann: Urban permaculture is fascinating to me, It is the future of our cities. When we unite and treat our earth kindly, the joy in this human experience can be limitless. I am a wholistic aethetician and owner of Amma Skincare in West Seattle. My focus is on providing organic, sustainable alternatives to personal care.
Paul Wheaton: I currently host the SPG web site. A few years ago I set up some forum software for SPG folks to visit and it has grown to be really huge: Permaculture Forums. I have written articles about hugelkultur, organic lawn care, diatomaceous earth, cast iron, rocket mass heaters and flea control.
Richard Lotz - I'm really excited to see what can be done with permaculture locally in small urban spaces. I'm interested in sustainable living on all levels, especially sustainable housing and food production.
Ming and Shaina. - I, Ming, have been a registered nurse for over ten years. During the last two and a half years I have been living at Lost Valley Educational Center in Dexter, Oregon. While I was there I was the community's nurse, helping take care of the chickens, bees, and assisted often with the Heart of Now. Shaina was a summer garden intern, having returned after taking a Permaculture Design Course in 1999. My Permaculture Design Course was in 2006. Most recently we have been down to Las Vegas, Nevada, where I am a board member of Nevada Desert Experience, a nuclear abolition inter-faith group where, my girlfriend, Shaina and I were assisting with logistics for a Pacific Life Community gathering, a Sacred Peacewalk and event and a Mothers Day Gathering at the Nevada Test Site for Corbin Harney. Shaina and I are both now here in the Seattle area as she is currently a Crew Supervisor for a trail and restoration crew and I am hoping to do stuff with the Seattle Permaculture Guild, assist in building a house with Ground Zero, do food scooping with Food Not Bombs, and assist the Seattle/Tacoma Catholic Worker. I am grateful to the Duwamish CoHousing and Seattle Permaculture Guild networking in helping obtain our housing. In my spare time I like to connect with people, do internet stuff like Wikipedia, bicycle, garden, and connect with more people. Please feel free to contact me. (updated 6/7/07)
Gaia's Paradise is located on Vashon Island, where Linda and John Crutcher are creating their self-sustainable lifestyle dream. Together with Adam Rawson of Eden Cultivation and Aaron - onsite permaculture intern, this dream is coming to fruition. Linda subscribes to Mother Earth and Communities magazines and tends to create community wherever she goes. She's a sponge for learning new things and studies permaculture topics extensively. Both John and Linda come from the city and are seeking to create the 'good life' in rural Vashon, as they look forward to retirement in about 10 years!The project: With the help of fellow permies, sheet mulch was applied in the first year of this project, fall 2005. The following spring, deer fencing was installed and a lush garden was created on contour, with a yin/yang circle veggie garden in the front yard. Food...not lawn! Nursury beds of fruit bushes and fruit trees were installed. Two years later, the raspberries produced well. The asparagus is a little thin but growing. About 20 pounds of lemon cukes arrived last year, lots of garlic and 30 prolific tomato plants exploded. This year there are lots of Ground Cherries, fewer tomatoes and cukes, and lots of flowers. Much learning about insects and pests this year...and soil fertility needs! This summer: A 1600 gallon water tank was installed up the slope, fed by a spring, and gravity fed down hill to the flower and veggie gardens. It worked well! The 500 gallon 'house water' tank didn't run out of water once this summer, like last summer...and the water-loving plants got plenty of water! Also, blackberries were constantly cleared all summer, by their roots, in preparation for the future orchard. Upcoming: In October or November 2007, the Vashon Forest Stewards will be thinning the Paradise Ridge Park forest, abutting the property line. So, they will be also thinning Gaia's Paradise forest! With the cash results of selling these trees, the upper forest will be replanted with conifers. The lower area will be planted with an extensive fruit/nut tree orchard. Those babies are coming out of the nursery, creating more veggie growing space! More deer fencing will be installed. Creative design for a possible sun bowl planting (for a sun-loving microclimate)and cover cropping are in the plans. Also, a possible small living structure for one or more interns, made from felled trees, could be in the works. The land is supporting itself. View a photo journal at http://s87.photobucket.com/albums/k155/GaiasParadise The folders you want to see begin with a month and year. Time is precious and weekends are usually devoted to the land and it's needs. Would love to make time to learn from others' in similar projects. (10/5/07)