Below are short stories about a few of our students over the years.  They come from different backgrounds, walks of life and all give permaculture their own interpretation....

Alan Rosenblith came from a DJ background. To reconcile his digital design skills with interest in farming, he turned to film-making. His second film will be featured at the upcoming 8th Int. Permaculture Conference in Sao Paolo, Brazil. The Moneyshot explores the subject of money, natural capital and the creation of wealth in human and non-human communities.

Mary Zemach raised a family and then became a legend of permaculture gardening. Her Los Alamos spread is among the most amazing examples of applied permaculture. Mary’s garden is featured on the cover of Toby Hemenway’s Gaia’s Garden book.

Toby Hemenway, a renowned permaculture teacher and writer, came to a course from an academic background. Toby is an associate editor of Permaculture Activist, North America’s leading journal of permaculture.

Brigid Meier, board chair of Sustain Taos is painter, poet, conference director, a real estate muse and developer with a passion for permaculture and feng shui.  She is always learning more about all aspects of earth-based living, including keeping goats and poultry.

Nora Haskins, board chair of Permaculture Credit Union says that the course had a major impact on how she now chooses to live her life and why she is still committed to the mission of this credit union.  Since completing the course she worked as a Permaculture intern, have attended various organic growing confrences and have aided in the establishment of a market gardening system for Apache Creek Ranch.

Reese Baker a reputable permaculture teacher, owner of Raincatcher, Inc with the focus in rainwater harversting and soil restoration. His classes are loved by the students, who leave inspired and empowered, to bring moisture to their backyards and garden soils.

Sarah Montgomery, left for Guatemala few months after taking her class. She interned with Arina Pittman for a few weeks, learning “to hold a shovel” and some other skills. Sarah since has succeeded in establishing a reputable women’s permaculture project in Rabinal, with focus in nutrition, soil fertility, local enterprise and seed and biodiversity preservation.

Brook Le Van is the founder and fearless leader of the Sustainable Settings in Carbondale, CO. Brook came from the arts background and now is embracing all aspects of earth-based living, from raw milk dairy, to running a sustainability school, to bringing beauty and healing in everyday lives of people.

Diana Petrochelli brings rare-in-permaculture skills of a business strategist and consultant. After taking the class she begun using her talents to bring permaculture to so-called “corporate responsibility” projects. She has facilitated a village development project in Ecuatorial Africa, directed to create more stable environment for health, education and some degree of prosperity for local people.

Sarah Teofanov is an artist, organizer and activist. She started Farmington Sustainability Group, and works on bringing practical information to her various communities, ranging from gardeners to “mixed bag Buddhist meditation group”. Sarah’s amazing art is featured on Goddesses Art

Maggie Seeley is an international business consultant who helps catalyze visions.  She is a global citizen working with people and businesses worldwide using The Triple Bottom Line (great people, good profit and sustainable business practices).  She is a Buddhist, outdoor adventurer, Director of the Sustain Ability Trust and a business partner in Green It! in Albuquerque NM.

Ibrahim Loeks took a class at 22. Now he teaches traditional bread baking, horno building, wilderness skills, animal husbandry and firewalking to others.

Chase Rogers is focusing on healing of people and communities, in the hope of “planting the seeds of a more peaceful world community”. She teaches yoga and art and is currently working with children in Weligama, Sri Lanka, who were affected by the tsunami.

Cristina Maggiora is a designer, cook and avid gardener - she is currently working to transform neglected urban lots and lack luster lawns in to beautiful and productive community market gardens, and on creating a self reliant urban homestead in partnership with her brother. She also designs and publishes www.eco-local.org a green directory website that promotes local food systems and sustainability.