ironwood blossoms and ripening saguaro fruit in the food forest

I have lived and worked within a 20 acre permaculture community in the northern Tucson Mountains since 1985. Bean Tree Farm, located within the community, is a Sonoran Desert food forest, farm and learning center.

I found the Permaculture Designers’ Manual by accident at the library while studying for a Pima Community College solar energy class, and was soon introduced to Tim Murphy of Permaculture Drylands Institute, who helped organize a class held in our family living room in 1994.

Since then I have been learning and sharing permaculture ethics and principles in a hands-on way with our teaching team, co-designing and co-building our small community of solar earthen homes, co-healing the watershed via rainwater harvesting earthworks and cisterns with neighbors, and promoting a place-based approach to earth and people care in this place that I love.

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