I live in Texas. I was half raised in south Texas on a cattle ranch. The latter half I grew up in the Panhandle. I went to University and studied Computer Science. I worked at the University's Teaching Horticultural Garden & Greenhouse for 4 years where I learned everything I could absorb about gardening, propagation, etc. I also worked in a research laboratory doing molecular genetics, doing both lab work and field work. More recently I've worked at an organic CSA doing all the kinds of things you'd do on a farm, and currently work with wildflowers at TTU. Aside from my work I've kept an organic garden for years, and as my semi-arid region becomes more desertified I've focused on drought proofing my garden as well. I've given seminars at the city Arboretum and Garden and Arts Center on dryland organic gardening, as well as worked with kids during spring and fall camps at the Arboretum.

My path to permaculture began during college. I started learning to cook and loved it, but as I got more adventurous I found I couldn't find quality ingredients. So I decided to grow my own. It was only after killing numerous plants that I came to the conclusion I had a black thumb. So I went the the university library and read everything I could find on gardening. My garden flourished. I read every day after class, until one day I happened by Bill Mollison's Design Manual. I checked it out, read every bit, and have been consumed with permaculture ever since. The more I learned, the more I saw my region blowing away in the hot dry Texas wind. After a year or so of gardening, teaching, and learning, I decided I wanted to get certified. September 2012, I took my PDC with Geoff Lawton at his farm in New South Wales.

I've worked on farms, I've worked in gardens, and I've worked with people. I see my state turning into desert. I've worked with people who exploit the land and know better, but don't because they don't see money in doing anything else. I'd like to see some change and where better to start then by doing it yourself. I'd like to start designing, consulting, and implementing on permaculture projects. I'd like to show people there are better ways to live without exploiting or destroying our natural resources. I also have the more distant and lofty goal of trying to get a West Texas Permaculture Institute started. That is probably a good ways away, but we have to start somewhere.