I am an organic farmer, photographer, philosopher, (ex-) mountain climber, general contractor, woodworker, and avid human. My intellectual specialty is process philosophy and physics. My physical specialty is hard work. My emotional speciality is connection. My spiritual speciality is Taoism-Buddhism-Judaism.

Social justice issues are close to my heart. I try to live close to the land, as a reminder of how close we all are to each other. My small (10-ac) organic farm is in the foothills of the Oregon Cascades, about an hour south of Portland, on the edge of the intensely agricultural Willamette Valley. My partner and I have an intensive organic garden, orchard, berry patch, and raise fish in four ponds, and are long-time members of Oregon Tilth. I have designed and built an energy efficient home & office, utilizing a ground-source heat pump, passive-active(ready) solar, and other leading-edge energy-saving design features.

I have served on numerous non-profit boards over the years, and presently represent Oregon utility ratepayers on the Citizen's Utility Board (www.OregonCUB.org). Wendell Berry (of well-known stock) and Fred Kirschenmann (Iowa State University, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture) are two of my main earth mentors. Alfred North Whitehead (British mathematician & American philosopher) is my main intellectual mentor, and the indigenous wisdom of the Tao Te Ching (actual lyrical-poetry, sung long before it was recorded, and not the work of a single author as most Western interpreters assert....poor Lao Tzu, if ever he lived....) is my primary spiritual-political inspiration. But I'm a cross-believer, too! I share with a local Jewish Renewal congregation, P'nai Or, and feel that the vision of Reb Zalman and Reb. Michael Lerner are crucial resources for our continued survival.

Google Earth at 44*59'18.63"N  122*38'00.44"W....you can see the outline of our circular garden, three of the large ponds, and the berry patch (if you look closely!!). Here is where the heart meets the soil meets the mind.......

Please pass along comments, and I'll add musings occasionally....as inspiration directs.