With over two decades of experience working in land stewardship, agriculture and design, Sara has developed a highly integrated understanding of regenerative systems and sustainable development at any scale. More than 50 of her whole system designs have been implemented and continue to be successfully managed. She has worked internationally for the greater part of her career, building and fine-tuning the ability to think, create and act in a truly holistic and innovative way. She even utilized the whole systems design approach to grow a design and installation business twofold in less than 5 years in the highly competitive California Bay Area. While there, she was able to not only design but direct the implementation process of the designs to ensure accuracy and effective monitoring for long-term success. Her innovative designs have out performed conventional approaches and act as models for the validity and value of Whole Systems Design by combining Permaculture and Holistic Management.
To gain this design acuity, she spent many years studying and working internationally with the leading practitioners in the field as well as farmers and growers, while teaching and supporting more than 2 dozen Permaculture Design Certification courses as well as Advanced Permaculture Design Certification courses and related trainings worldwide. As a consultant and designer, she has collaborated on numerous international development projects in Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America. She has also lived as part of numerous intentional communities and education centers throughout the world. She is most inspired when people savor the nutritious, delicious, and beautiful food that can come only from healthy ecosystems. In all of these endeavors, her unique sense of style and aesthetic as an artist is ever-present.
ECOSYSTEMS DESIGNER & PERMACULTURE EDUCATOR
Sara designed and guided the implementation of more than 50 permaculture systems of various scales and contexts, which are now thriving.
Here a few of the highlights:
FARMS, DEMONSTRATION SITES & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Willow Creek Restoration (began 2017)
Freestone Farm (began 2016)
Nature Retreat Ranch & Farm (began 2016)
Cider Orchard Biological Restoration (began 2016)
Flood Mitigation Orchard (began 2015)
Biodiversity Orchard & Pond (began 2015)
Integrated Community and School Garden with Park (began 2014)
SMALL FARMS & HOMESTEADS
Mixed Livestock Farm (began 2017)
Wildlife Refuge (2016)
Homestead with Market Flower Garden (2015)
Suburban Food Resiliency (2015)
Cozy Homestead (2015)
Parkside Food Forest (2015)
SMALL SPACES
Barefoot Backyard & Garden (2014)
Recreation Garden (2015)
Cat-friendly Backyard (2015)
Edible Front Yard with Native Buffer (2016)
Dog-friendly Backyard (2016)
Backyard Food Forest (2017)
2014-2019 | Lead Permaculture Designer at Community Soil in San Francisco Bay Area, California
2010-2014 | Teaching PDC Trainings & Workshops worldwide
2010-2014 | Energy Efficient Timber-frame House Design & Construction
2012 | Food Sovereignty Project, Burkina Faso
2012 | Workshop series for farmers and growers, Burkina Faso
2009-2010 | Occidental Arts & Ecology Center in Occidental, California
2009 | Toluma Farms in Tomales, California
2007 & 2009 | Earthstead Construction in New Zealand
2008-2009 | Permaculture Research Institute Farm Staff in NSW, Australia
2007-2008 | Regenerative Design Institute in Bolinas, California (Hosting, Logistics, Catering, Goat-herding, Cheese-making & Natural Building)
2007 | Natural Building Apprenticeship in Wainui Bay, New Zealand
2006 | Wwoofing in Ireland
Fine Arts
Pre-Medicine
Forestry
2011 | Soil Microbiology at the Loft in New York City in collaboration with Elaine Ingham and Gail Swithenbank
2010 | Starting & Sustaining Intentional Communities with Dave Henson and Adam Wolpert at Occidental Arts & Ecology Center, California
2009 | Holistic Management, Keyline Design & Broad-acre Permaculture with Kirk Gadzia and Darren Doherty at Orella Ranch, California
2009 | Soil Building & Water Management Systems with Darren Doherty & Penny Livingston in Salinas Valley, California
2009 | School Garden Teacher Training with Lisa Preschel at Occidental Arts & Ecology Center in California
2009 | Healing Through Food, Gardening, Herbs, & Ceremony with Michelle Vesser at Occidental Arts & Ecology Center, California
2008 | Permaculture Aid Worker Training with Rosemary Morrow at Zaytuna Farm, Australia
2008 | Rainwater Harvesting with Brad Lancaster at Regenerative Design Institute in California
2007 | Permaculture Design Certification with Geoff Lawton, Robyn Francis and Trish Allen at Rainbow Valley Farm, New Zealand
Elaine Ingham 2011
Kendall Dunningan, Brock Dolman, Lisa Preschel, Dave Henson, Adam Wolpert & Michelle Vesser 2009-2010
Darren Doherty 2009
Kirk Gadzia 2009
Rosemary Morrow 2008
Brad Lancaster 2008
Penny Livingston & James Stark 2007-2008
Geoff Lawton 2007 & 2008-2009
Robyn Francis 2007
Trish Allen 2007
Robina McCurdy 2007
Developed and facilitated a series of farmer workshops in partnership with Fondazione Prosolidar Onulus, Slow Food International and Yelmani
Balkan Ecology Project in Shipka, Bulgaria (Lead Instructor with Paul Alfrey & Mihail Kossev)
Estancia Ranquilco in Patagonia, Argentina
Kostilkov, Bulgaria North Meets South project in collaboration with the Green School Village
Escola da Terra in Almoçageme, Portugal with Gautier Gras & Doug Crouch
Occidental Arts & Ecology Center in Occidental, CA, USA
at Quail Springs near Ojai, CA, USA
Permaculture Research Institute of Australia in The Channon, NSW, Australia with Rosemary Morrow & Geoff Lawton
Regenerative Design Institute in Bolinas, CA, USA
LANSCAPE ARCHITECT & PERMACULTURE DESIGNER
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