I was born in Portland, Oregon in 1972 and raised in Cascadia. I studied ecology, biology, and anthropology at Oregon State University and Western Washington University, and then spent three years at San Francisco Zen Center.

I grew up with some gardening experience through my grandparents, and took a horticultural class early in school. I first started studying and practicing permaculture through an organic gardening class in college, but really got immersed in it at Lost Valley Educational Center, after leaving Green Gulch Farm Zen Center. I started teaching permaculture in 1999, when I also took my PDC. In 2002, I started a permaculture design business in Santa Cruz, mostly doing edible landscaping and food forestry, and also organized a Permaculture Teacher Training with Jude Hobbs and Tom Ward. I was one of the main organizers of the Santa Cruz Permaculture Guild. I finished the first version of West Coast Food Forestry: A Permaculture Guide in 2003.

In 2005 I moved onto a collectively-owned property near Ukiah and started developing my permaculture homestead demonstration site, which is now one of the most complete in the US with a carbon footprint that is only 10% of the US average. I am growing about 80% of my food and teaching permaculture design and related classes through the Mendo Free Skool. I intend to create some kind of apprenticeship/education program working with other local permaculturists.