Background:

In the early 1990s, I served as a member, vice chairman, and chairman of my township planning commission and did so for more than a decade. My focus was on preserving open space and eliminating the acceptance of fenced deep retention basins as " open space" in favor of larger, shallower, useable areas for community gardens and recreation areas.

I became a permaculture practitioner in the 1970s. My love of nature, biology, ecology, and farming began as the young son of a dedicated volunteer scout master / carpenter/ home farmer.

Later in life, I served as a District Commissioner of the Boy Scouts but have never given back enough to thank the organization for all it had taught to me.

When I had my own home, my first task was to grow my own food in my garden with my beautiful loving wife.

As a real estate broker, I served on the Board's legislative committee and worked to support candidates and legislation that favored the intelligent preservation of our open spaces.

In my 30s my life love switched to science. Aquaponics, Vermiculture, Aquaculture, and that thing I always loved but didn't have a name for "permaculture".

Why Permaculture?

I have been drawn to permaculture because it so closely mimics my beliefs of the interconnectivity of life systems. As a life long student of both nature and science the attraction of this synergy is irresistible to me.

Current projects:

1) Aquaponics System Design. Research and Development.

I have had the great fortune to learn from Dr. James Rakocy and Dr. Wilson Lennard. The teachers and researchers that created the modern aquaponics movement.

The water from Aquaponics and Aquaculture grows fish, fruit trees, perennial and annual crops, and can be used as a method to repair and recharge the land.

Aquaponics produces biomass and protein.

2) Perennial Plant Propagation

Through the use of cloning, grafting, and seed starting we have been creating a diverse group of Pennsylvania tolerant perennial plants to use in designs seeking proven edible herbs, vegetables, trees, and shrubs as well as their pollinators to stack functions which replicate nature while providing nutrition and food security.

3) Teaching and Writing

Having passed the other side of 50, I have begun organizing the notes of my life to share with others as a teacher. Together with others, local in person classes in Aquaculture, Aquaponics, Vermaponics (a system I designed using the "worm tea" from worm bins in our closed loop system), Vermaculture, and Permaculture will be held and locations which shall be announced in advance.

Congratulations to all of our Permaculture Design Certificate graduates. We are very proud of the great work you are doing.

USDA ORGANIC VICTORY for U.S.A. Aquaponics Systems

Permaculture Resources

Useful Permaculture Links

Duckweed – Shelter for the Tilapia fry, water cleaner, and free fish food.

Duckweed – An aquatic plant every permaculture practitioner should consider incorporating into their system. Permscape Permaculture Project in Phoenixville PA

Mushrooms - Creating food, filtration, and fertility

Mushroom growing in the permscape.com aquaponics system: Oyster mushrooms Trametes versicolor - Turkey Tail Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum s.l. - Reishi (Also known as Ling Chi) Maitake - Grifola frondosa Shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes)

Pure Strain Blue Tilapia - Oreochromis Aureus and others in Aquaponics systems.

Fish are a great source of healthy protein. Aquaculture and aquaponics systems can convert dirt into soil. Successful perennial food forest production is possible anywhere you incorporate fish into your system.

Red Claw Freshwater Lobster (Cherax Quadricarinatus)

Red Claw freshwater lobster closed loop ecosystem introduction and breeding project.