Designing Ecological & Effective Landscapes
Helping urban and rural homesteaders create water retentive edible and medicinal ecosystems
In consultation, I engage both the client and landscape to brainstorm design solutions to existing problems.
I begin with an interactive remote assessment to understand goals, opportunities and constraints then outline multiple pathways to abundance.
Experienced in many climates, I specialize in Homestead development, Drip irrigation, Edible and medicinal landscapes, Horticulture, Water harvesting, Erosion control, Topsoil generation, Weed management plans, Agroforesty planning and Crop diversification.
Using an evolving toolkit for Watershed Regeneration I strive to rehydrate landscapes and livelihoods. Specializing in:
Urban and Rural Homesteads
&
Watershed Restoration
My design approach begins with a conceptual pattern of land use for a site based on the integration of client goals and landscape potential. I then generate details and materials lists incrementally on a project by project basis. This allows the site and client to generate feedback based on the results of implementation. We use this feedback to guide the next steps in design and application.
I offer several online courses that run annually. These include:
Low Tech Erosion Control
&
Upon request, I also conduct
Hands-on Workshops, One-on One Coaching and Multimedia presentations to expand the application of Ecological Homesteading and Regenerative Land Stewardship.
I empower attendees with tools they can apply from home to watershed scale.
"Neil's consultation exceeded the (already high) expectations I had. Our few hours together, and his follow-up reports and maps, taught me permaculture lessons that will last a lifetime. Neil's expert input during the design phase of my permaculture property saved countless hours (month? years?) of work down the road. And gave me a plan that I am stoked (and confident) to be implementing."
-Garrett M., Reno, NV
For Farmers and Farm design, you're likely in need of economic modeling and detailed cost-benefit analyses. I can work with you on site layouts and system design and management, but I do not provide economic modeling, enterprise budget creation or cost-benefit analysis for production systems.
For these types of services, specific to Regenerative Agriculture, I recommend either
Regrarians® or Propagate Ag
Regrarians® offers 'The Most Affordable & Comprehensive Online Farm Planning Package' on the planet, The REX®. Led by Darren J. Doherty, this 'Guided DIY farm planning program runs twice per year and is included in a Planner membership to the 'Regrarians® Workplace' & Professionals. Becuase you get continual access to the program, Regrarians® consulting services, and the Regrarians® Workplace on an annual basis, this program facilitates incremental, stepwise, and well thought out farm design and management changes to improve your landscape and livelihood. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Full disclosure, I am a Regrarians® Affiliate and receive a commission for any referrals. Please mention me if you sign up for the REX® and Planner membership
Propagate Ag is a premier Regenerative Agroforesty Design and Implementation company. Their operations currently focus in the USA. If you are a farmer looking to integrate Profitable Agroforestry into your operation, I highly recommend Propagate Ag. Check out their website to learn more about their diverse offerings.
Steppe One Farm and Nursery operations are integrated into my family's 1.3 acre Permaculture homestead. All our practices work to cultivate a thriving living soil and biodiverse ecosystem on the site. The compost, fertilizers and soil mix components we use are OMRI certified. We do not use chemical pesticides or fertilizers.
In the Nursery, I grow primarily edible, medicinal and native perennials, including culinary and medicinal herbs, pollinator plants, berries, and fruit trees. My focus is on useful plants that do well in the high desert climate of Reno, Nevada. Most of the plants available in the nursery are also grown on-site in the ground to test and prove their hardiness here.
The plants I grow are available to local Consulting and Design clients and at Reno Food Systems Park Farm Stand. Please follow Reno Food Systems on social media and/or subscribe to my newsletter for updates on when plants will be available there.
