Born in Boston, MA but I always wished to be living in a rural area. It was not until I moved to CA 26 years ago with my husband and raised my family that I started to garden. I now have 2 1/2 acres in the Sand Canyon area of Santa Clarita surrounded by our beautiful mountains where we love to hike. I have a fruit orchard and a horse. I hope to once again have chickens when they can be better protected from the coyotes.

I am new to permaculture and have almost completed by first hugelkultur bed behind my garage that will use the run off from the garage roof. It is a long narrow area that was previously an inferno strip. I plan to plant several goji berry and jujubee trees to stabilize the bed. I have a row of nopal prickly pear cactus and passionfruit growing like crazy on a fence. I will plant lots of comfrey and sweet potatoes and who know what else, providing lots of food in this previously barren area. It's exciting to see what can be done in such a small area. I am experimenting with this area first. I am happy to share some cactus for planting with locals, if you can pick them up. The prickly pears ripen in the winter and the pads are great all year long cooked with eggs etc.
I would love to connect with others in the area so we can learn together.