I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
Hello!!
I'm a permaculture teacher, consultant and designer in Eastern Europe. I was born in Bulgaria; and grew up in Canada and the United States. I developed a love and passion for horticulture (particularly food plants) at an
early age, and luckily, it has followed me into adulthood. I have a Bachelor’s from New York University as well as a Permaculutre Design Certificate and Professional Certification in Horticulture. I offer aesthetically beautiful and productive arrangements of edible plants in your garden combined with an educational experience to implement them. An investment in an educational permaculture garden provides my clients with a profound learning experience that is in many ways invaluable to the human experience.
Since 2003, I've specialized in experiential education and community development in the US and Europe.
I'm a permaculture teacher, consultant and designer in Eastern Europe. I was born in Bulgaria; and grew up in Canada and the United States. I developed a love and passion for horticulture (particularly food plants) at an
early age, and luckily, it has followed me into adulthood. I have a Bachelor’s from New York University as well as a Permaculutre Design Certificate and Professional Certification in Horticulture. I offer aesthetically beautiful and productive arrangements of edible plants in your garden combined with an educational experience to implement them. An investment in an educational permaculture garden provides my clients with a profound learning experience that is in many ways invaluable to the human experience.
Since 2003, I've specialized in experiential education and community development in the US and Europe.
In 2007, I taught 5th grade Earth Sciences in Brooklyn. We recorded numerous educational videos (view right) for our science class. This process sparked interest in the material among the kids, other teachers and within the family. They improved their testing scores by using alternative, activity-based methods rather than being sat down and lectured out of a textbook. Observation lead me to follow methods found in alternative education models such as Waldorf, Montessouri and Free-Schooling.
Along with the the development of my teaching techniques, I have always garnered a deep admiration for plants. Taking an internship at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens (and later on, a job as an Educator there), I blended gardening principles into my lessons. This is how I discovered Permaculture. |
I immediately began implementing Permaculture principles in the classroom and in gardens all around. In 2008, I took on freelance jobs designing and installing "edible landscapes" in and around Brooklyn, NY (see left). I successfully managed to set up regenerative food systems in small landscapes throughout a concrete jungle.
I experiement with many methods of soil-building, irrigation, succession planting, creating productive polycultures as well treating all these gardens like an educational experience for the client, rather than simply a landscaping project. The business recieved a good response, though I had an interest to leave the city and focus more on the horticultural aspects of permaculture design... |
Not long after starting to design gardens in Brooklyn, I founded a CSA-based organic vegetable farm in Upstate New York where I expanded permaculture practices in a more natural, and large-scale setting. I focused on annual vegetables from which one can easily harvest seed. I tapped into my talents as a teacher and organized gardening workshops at various community centers, conferences and educational institutions as a way to sell my home-grown heirloom vegetable seeds.
I also used that time to observe the endless benefits biodiversity brings to a space. Using organic compost and sheet-mulching methods, the soil was rich and alive. It also held water longer during periods of drought. Due to the diversity in plants and animals in the garden, there were very few pests and diseases. I made a video about this experience, you can view it on youtube... |
In 2010, I returned to Bulgaria as an answer to a spiritual calling to focus on implementing these whole systems design in the place where I was born. Since then, I have been fairly busy organizing permaculture workshops in collaboration with different organizations throughout the region.
I have undertaken a large number of jobs consulting, designing, teaching and implementing on both continents (North America and Europe). Clients have included private individuals, groups, communities, non-governmental organizations and businesses (large and small).
I have undertaken a large number of jobs consulting, designing, teaching and implementing on both continents (North America and Europe). Clients have included private individuals, groups, communities, non-governmental organizations and businesses (large and small).
My insight into the diverse ways of teaching is integrated in my permaculture workshops.
For contact, please click here.
For contact, please click here.
