Portraits: Michael Judd, Author & Permaculturist

The idea of permaculture is to work alongside the natural flows of the environment. For permaculturist and author Michael Judd, there’s a lot less work in the gardening he does.

“People think you have to be working hard in your garden to be doing it right. If you’re not working hard, you’re not gardening right. And it’s, like, no it doesn’t have to be that way.”

Michael points out that gardening is an extension of what nature is already doing. Planting according to the natural flow allows for less investment of physical work.  

Growing pawpaws in his landscape is what Michael is most passionate about. He identifies that he’d rather use the space he has in his yard to grow something he can’t typically find in a store. 

Through the ideals of permaculture, the individual landscape can have form, function, and productivity. The process of getting things started takes the most hard work, but after that the plantings tend to take care of themselves. 

“It’s really…a little bit of insight, design, and common sense…observing natural patterns and imitating them on our landscape.”

For more information about Micheal, visit his website and follow him on Instagram.

This episode was filmed by Leon Guanzon. Art is by Matthew Gillin.