Jean-Martin Fortier
As an educator, JM places a strong emphasis on intelligent farm design, appropriate technologies and harnessing the power of soil biology as key components of successful farming. A storyteller who can weave the technical aspects of farming with anecdotes from his farm, JM has facilitated hundreds of workshops, seminars and conferences in Canada, Europe, Australia and the United States. He has written for farming magazines such as Canadian Organic Grower, La Terre de Chez Nous, Growing for Market and Mother Earth News and also serves as a tool advisor for companies such as Johnny’s Selected Seeds and Dubois Agrinovation. JM has been widely featured in the mainstream media, as well as in countless specialized publications, radio shows and podcasts. Along his travels, he was dubbed "The Rockstar Farmer". He hopes such recognition of food producers will advocate more support for the emerging new generation of small-scale farmers.
When he is not on the farm or traveling the world to teach and exchange with other farmers, JM can be found selling his veggies at the world-famous Montreal Jean-Talon Market on Saturdays from April to December.
JM and Richard keynoted an event in Kiel, Germany, in 2018.
When he is not on the farm or traveling the world to teach and exchange with other farmers, JM can be found selling his veggies at the world-famous Montreal Jean-Talon Market on Saturdays from April to December.
JM and Richard keynoted an event in Kiel, Germany, in 2018.
Curtis Stone
Curtis Stone is a farmer, author, speaker and consultant. His area of expertise is in quick growing, high value annual vegetables for direct consumer market streams. His book, The Urban Farmer demonstrates organic intensive techniques with a focus on business and systems to streamline labour and production. He offers a new way to think about farming. One where quality of life and profitability coexist.
Curtis’ farm, Green City Acres is located in Kelowna, BC, Canada and was established in 2010. In an eight month growing season, the farm generates over $75,000 per year on only one third of an acre. This is done by specializing in a select group of high value, quick growing crops that allow for multiple plantings in the same beds as well as calculated intercropping strategies. The farm has been recognized internationally, as flag ship example of how profitable and productive urban agriculture can be.
Curtis and Richard ran a 4 day training intensive at Ridgedale July 2018, and a 1 day event in Stockholm
Curtis’ farm, Green City Acres is located in Kelowna, BC, Canada and was established in 2010. In an eight month growing season, the farm generates over $75,000 per year on only one third of an acre. This is done by specializing in a select group of high value, quick growing crops that allow for multiple plantings in the same beds as well as calculated intercropping strategies. The farm has been recognized internationally, as flag ship example of how profitable and productive urban agriculture can be.
Curtis and Richard ran a 4 day training intensive at Ridgedale July 2018, and a 1 day event in Stockholm
darren j. doherty
Darren J. Doherty has had extensive experience across the planet in project design, development and management, with a focus on retrofitting broad-acre agricultural systems, and has been acclaimed as a pioneer in this important and often overlooked field. With an alumni of over 5000 people, Darren has conducted trainings across 44 countries and originated the Keyline Farming Course, Carbon Farming Course, Carbon Economy Course & RegenAG. He is a qualified Whole Farm Planner (University of Melbourne) & Approved Keyline Designer, and has designed and developed over 1500 properties. Darren and his wife Lisa Heenan and their 3 children, Isaebella, Pearl and Zane operate Regrarians, a training, media and design consulting firm out of their farm ‘Dehesa Felix’ near Bendigo in central Victoria, Australia. Darren's websites: http://www.regrarians.org/
Darren co-taught on a PDC course organized by Open World Foundation led by Integralpermanence in Mallorca 2011
Darren co-taught on a PDC course organized by Open World Foundation led by Integralpermanence in Mallorca 2011
Eric Toensmeier
Eric Toensmeier is the award-winning author of Paradise Lot and Perennial Vegetables, and the co-author of Edible Forest Gardens. Eric is an appointed lecturer at Yale University, and an international trainer, presenting in English and Spanish in the US, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, and the Caribbean. He is currently writing Carbon Farming: a Global Toolkit for Stabilizing the Climate with Tree Crops and Regenerative Agriculture Practices. Eric has studied permaculture and useful plants of the world for over two decades. Eric's website; http://www.perennialsolutions.org/
Dr. Elaine Ingham
Dr. Elaine Ingham is known world-wide for her work with the soil food web, helping people in many countries to understand that the way to sustainable farming is to return life to the soil. The science-based reasons for why soil life grows healthy plants, animals and humans are presented by Dr. Ingham and people she has trained. The soil food web is a dynamic and exciting area of knowledge to learn about, and the way Dr. Ingham gives the information is vibrant, exciting and easily understood by the general public as well as the academic. Elaine's website; http://www.soilfoodweb.com/
Elaine was a guest speaker at our inaugural Ridgedale PDC in May 2014
Elaine was a guest speaker at our inaugural Ridgedale PDC in May 2014
albert bates
Albert Bates (born January 1, 1947) is an influential figure in the intentional community and ecovillage movements. A lawyer , author and teacher , he has been director of the Institute for Appropriate Technology since 1984 and of the Ecovillage Training Center at The Farm in Summertown, Tennessee since 1994.
Bates has been a resident of The Farm since 1972. A former attorney, he argued the environmental and civil rights cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and Drafted a number of legislative Acts During a 26-year legal career. The holder of a number of design patents, Bates invented the Concentrating photovoltaic arrays and solar-powered automobile displayed at the 1982 World's Fair . He served on the steering committee of Plenty International for 18 years, focussing on relief and development work with indigenous peoples , human rights and the environment . An emergency medical technician (EMT), he was a founding member of The Farm Ambulance Service. He was overpriced a licensed Amateur Radio operator.
Bates has played a major role in the ecovillage movement as one of the organizers of the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN), and served as GEN's chairman of the board (from 2002 to 2003) and president (from 2003 to 2004). He was overpriced the principal organizer of the Ecovillage Network of the Americas and served as its president (from 1996 to 2003). In 1994 he founded the Ecovillage Training Center, a "whole systems immersion experience of ecovillage living." [1] He has taught courses in sustainable design, natural building , permaculture and technologies of the future to students from more than 50 nations.
In 1980, Bates shared in the first Right Livelihood Award (also known as the Alternative Nobel Prize) as part of the executive board of Plenty International. Albert was a guest speaker on a PDC course organized by the Open World Foundation led by Richard in Mallorca 2011 and again at the Summer of Soil PDC led by Richard in Sweden 2013
Bates has been a resident of The Farm since 1972. A former attorney, he argued the environmental and civil rights cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and Drafted a number of legislative Acts During a 26-year legal career. The holder of a number of design patents, Bates invented the Concentrating photovoltaic arrays and solar-powered automobile displayed at the 1982 World's Fair . He served on the steering committee of Plenty International for 18 years, focussing on relief and development work with indigenous peoples , human rights and the environment . An emergency medical technician (EMT), he was a founding member of The Farm Ambulance Service. He was overpriced a licensed Amateur Radio operator.
Bates has played a major role in the ecovillage movement as one of the organizers of the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN), and served as GEN's chairman of the board (from 2002 to 2003) and president (from 2003 to 2004). He was overpriced the principal organizer of the Ecovillage Network of the Americas and served as its president (from 1996 to 2003). In 1994 he founded the Ecovillage Training Center, a "whole systems immersion experience of ecovillage living." [1] He has taught courses in sustainable design, natural building , permaculture and technologies of the future to students from more than 50 nations.
In 1980, Bates shared in the first Right Livelihood Award (also known as the Alternative Nobel Prize) as part of the executive board of Plenty International. Albert was a guest speaker on a PDC course organized by the Open World Foundation led by Richard in Mallorca 2011 and again at the Summer of Soil PDC led by Richard in Sweden 2013
Ben Falk
Ben Falk developed Whole Systems Design, LLC as a land-based response to biological and cultural extinction and the increasing separation between people and elemental things. Life as a designer, builder, ecologist, tree-tender, and backcountry traveler continually informs Ben’s integrative approach to developing landscapes and buildings. His home landscape and the WSD studio site in Vermont's Mad River Valley serve as a proving ground for the regenerative land developments featured in the projects of Whole Systems Design. Ben has studied architecture and landscape architecture at the graduate level and holds a master’s degree in land-use planning and design. He has conducted nearly 200 site development consultations across New England and facilitated dozens of courses on permaculture design, property selection, microclimate design, and design for climate change.
For more, see Ben Falk's recent TEDx talk.
For more, see Ben Falk's recent TEDx talk.
mark boyle
Mark Boyle aka The Money Less Man (born 8 May 1979) is a writer and activist best known for founding the online freeconomy Community, and for living without money since November 2008. Boyle writes Regularly for the freeconomy Blog and British newspaper The Guardian . His first book, The Money Less Man: A Year of Living Freeconomic was published in the 2010th http://www.justfortheloveofit.org/
Mark was a guest teacher on a PDC with Richard Perkins in near Bristol, UK, 2012
Mark was a guest teacher on a PDC with Richard Perkins in near Bristol, UK, 2012
christian shearer
Christian Shearer is the founder and current Managing Director of the Panya Project (www.panyaproject.org), a permaculture, natural building and sustainable living education center in Northern Thailand. He is lead designer and educator for the Terra Genesis International (www.terra-genesis.com), an international Permaculture Consulting Firm. Christian sits on the advisory board for WeForest (www.weforest.org), and is working to help them with their goal to plant 20 million square kilometers of forest.
His Most Recent endeavor is the launch of the permaculture communities first crowd funding portal WeTheTrees.com.
Originally from the Pacific Northwest of the United States, Christian spends about half his time in SE Asia and half in the United States. After hosting Geoff Lawton at the Panya Project, and building the Panya Project into a thriving example of Permaculture in Thailand, Christian began teaching. He is a natural builder, a food forest enthusiast, a musician, a certified educator and has extensive knowledge of tropical permaculture systems. He has taught permaculture in Thailand, Malaysia, India, Taiwan and the United States.
www.panyaproject.org www.wethetrees.org www.highere.org
Richard co taught several PDCs with Christian 2009 - 2010
His Most Recent endeavor is the launch of the permaculture communities first crowd funding portal WeTheTrees.com.
Originally from the Pacific Northwest of the United States, Christian spends about half his time in SE Asia and half in the United States. After hosting Geoff Lawton at the Panya Project, and building the Panya Project into a thriving example of Permaculture in Thailand, Christian began teaching. He is a natural builder, a food forest enthusiast, a musician, a certified educator and has extensive knowledge of tropical permaculture systems. He has taught permaculture in Thailand, Malaysia, India, Taiwan and the United States.
www.panyaproject.org www.wethetrees.org www.highere.org
Richard co taught several PDCs with Christian 2009 - 2010
ethan roland
Ethan is a permaculture designer, teacher, and researcher based in the Hudson river valley. He studies and practices regenerative design in all corners of the world, from the wild apple forests of Kazakhstan to the tropical monsoon ecosystems of Thailand. He holds an MS in Eco-Social Design from Gaia University. Keep up to date with Ethan's research on carbon farming and ecosystem investing over at the Appleseed Permaculture Blog .
Permaculture The Daily; http://paper.li/ethanappleseed/1310142150
Richard acted as a guest teacher on a PDC with Ethan 2009
Permaculture The Daily; http://paper.li/ethanappleseed/1310142150
Richard acted as a guest teacher on a PDC with Ethan 2009
jon jandai
Jon Jandai (Pee Jo) is foremost a farmer, secondly a widely known earthen builder in Thailand. He is from Yasothorn Province Thailand and has been farming all of his life. He began building earthen homes on his family farm in 1997 and began doing workshops on earthen building in 2002, initially traveling the country and voluntarily teaching farmers' / villager groups, NGOs, etc, creating what is now a widespread earthen building movement in Thailand. He co-founded Pun Pun in July 2003 and is most interested in preserving our heritage into seeds. www.punpunthailand.org
Jon was a guest speaker on IP_PDC courses and Natural Building Workshops 2009-2010
Jon was a guest speaker on IP_PDC courses and Natural Building Workshops 2009-2010
Elisabet Sahtouris, Ph.D
Internationally known as a dynamic speaker, Dr.. Sahtouris is an evolution biologist, futurist, professor, author and consultant on Living Systems Design. She shows the relevance of biological systems to organizational design in business, government and globalization. She is a Fellow of the World Business Academy, an advisor to EthicalMarkets.com and the Masters in Business program at Schumacher College, overpriced affiliated with the Bainbridge Graduate Institute's MBA program for sustainable business.
Dr.Sahtouris has convened two International Symposia on the Foundations of Science and written about the integral cosmologies. Her books include A Walk Through TIme: from Stardust to Us, Biology Revisioned, co-authored with Willis Harman, and Earthdance: Living Systems in Evolution.
http://www.sahtouris.com/
Elisabeth was a guest speaker on a PDC course organized by the Open World Foundation led by Richard Perkins in Mallorca 2011
Dr.Sahtouris has convened two International Symposia on the Foundations of Science and written about the integral cosmologies. Her books include A Walk Through TIme: from Stardust to Us, Biology Revisioned, co-authored with Willis Harman, and Earthdance: Living Systems in Evolution.
http://www.sahtouris.com/
Elisabeth was a guest speaker on a PDC course organized by the Open World Foundation led by Richard Perkins in Mallorca 2011
dr eric danell
Eric has a PhD in plant physiology from Uppsala University in Sweden. He is also Associate Professor in Forest Microbiology. As a biological specialist he studies plants, birds, mushrooms, butterflies and all other organisms. Then he shares his knowledge with everyone else. Eric is in charge of research, strategic planning and is the main author of our blog Dokmai Dogma.
www.dokmaigarden.co.th
Eric was a guest speaker on a PDC course Richard Perkins taught in 2010- 11
www.dokmaigarden.co.th
Eric was a guest speaker on a PDC course Richard Perkins taught in 2010- 11
Johan and Peter Van Lengen
Johan is the founder and professor of Bio-Architecture and Intuitive Technology. He wrote and illustrated "The Barefoot Architect" which is a vital handbook for natural builders. Peter is a Bio-Architect, agro- ecologist and coordinator of TIBA.http://www.tibarose.com/ing/equipe.php
Johan and Peter ran the Bioconstruction element of our month long "Permaculture in Drylands" internship organized by Adriana and Pablo at Tierra del Sol, Oaxaca, Mexico April 2013
Johan and Peter ran the Bioconstruction element of our month long "Permaculture in Drylands" internship organized by Adriana and Pablo at Tierra del Sol, Oaxaca, Mexico April 2013
Anders Lerberg Kopstad
Anders Lerberg Kopstad runs a farm holistically in Norway with his wife and children. Having decided it did not fit their holistic context to take on the main family farm they made a decision to start on another farm within the family and have been managing holistically for several years running primarily sheep and chickens. A certified Holistic Management trainer with the Savory Institute, Anders is passionate & committed to ensuring other's receive this vital understanding of how to move forward with their lives and enterprises in a way that accounts for complexities and minimizes unexpected consequences. We are excited to have Anders join us with his local experience that is relevant not just within our context here at Ridgedale, but for all people wishing to empower their decision making.
pee eck
Pee Eck has possibly the most beautiful Chinampas system in Thailand, integrating rice, fish and medicinal and perennial crops. Abundant and highly efficient, Eck also runs a community rice mill, E.M. plant and healing centre. In an agricultural model as old as rice farming itself, utilizing "wastes" of one form of production as a resource for another smacks of classic Permaculture Design. A visit to Pee Ecks site is highly recommended to Thai speaking visitors to this most beautiful Kingdom.
Pee Eck was a guest speaker on a PDC with Richard Perkins in 2009- 10
Pee Eck was a guest speaker on a PDC with Richard Perkins in 2009- 10
Eduard Schmid
Eduard is the man behind the Natural Agriculture Co.. Ltd. (NAC), registered in Chiang Mai since August 26th 2009 with a fully paid-in equity of 5mio THB. NAC is Primarily active in the manufacturing of organic compost and organic fertilizer and hydrothermal with SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Principles. NAC Established its manufacturing facilities in T. Mae Ho Phra to work competetive with the Forest Industry Organization (FIO) to reuse forest by-products coming from the teak logging process. As such NAC & Q the prevention of forest fire in winter, a major environmental disaster in Northern Thailand. Agriculture Natural Specialize in the manufacture of compost and fertilizers adapted to all kind of soils and crops. www.thai-organic-compost.com Eduard was a guest speaker on a PDC with Richard Perkins in 2010-11
Oloph Fritzen
Oloph is a Holistic Management grazier, running beef and chicken at Shasta Farm, Sweden, for the last 4 years. Utilizing HM principles and Salad Bar principles championed by Polyface Farms (US), Oloph works to create a healthy farm system that has a regenerative effect on the landscape. The cows feed themselves because they operate outside most of the year. The cows are moved continuously are integrated with pastured chickens that spread out the cow pats and fertilise the pasture while producing another income/ food stream. https://www.dromgarden.com/
Oloph was a guest speaker on a PDC with Richard Perkins in 2012
Oloph was a guest speaker on a PDC with Richard Perkins in 2012
Mikhael Karlsson
Mikhael is pioneering the Lübeck model of natural forestry in Sweden. The Lubreck is based on the forest's natural ability to grow and rejuvenate themselves. A layered mixed forest, natural vegetation and "minimum interference" are key words that provide robust population and economy. Mikhael and his colleagues work with planning, stamping and advice under the Lübeck model over Sweden.
Mikhael was a co-teacher on the Summer Of Soil Regenerative Forestry & Agroforestry course, Aug 2013
Mikhael was a co-teacher on the Summer Of Soil Regenerative Forestry & Agroforestry course, Aug 2013