I have been a certified horticulturist for over 6 yrs and worked in the garden center industry for most of that time. Much of my plant knowledge is of the cool temperate climate, as I was born and raised on the West Coast (of Canada). However, I relocated to Oaxaca, Mexico in May of 2012 and have come to know this climate (semi arid subtropical) and many of it's particularities.

I have always been interested in the holistic way of doing things, which just seems to make more sense. For many years I had wanted to study permaculture but it just wasn't convenient. However, when I found out about Geoff Lawton's online PDC in 2013 the timing and format were perfect, so I went for it. Despite it being online, it was a very rich learning experience. I believe that my horticulture background also helped me to absorb the info easily without the hands-on experience of an in-person PDC.

I am currently doing a degree in agriculture in Spanish here in Oaxaca, Mexico. My permaculture activities have been somewhat limited due to focusing on the degree. However, I am growing what vegetables I can in my small urban situation.