About Michael Cooley

Michael obtained his Permaculture Design Certification via Geoff Lawton, PRI, in 2013, and had been a student of Sustainable Agriculture independently for many years prior to obtaining the PDC. He is formally trained in teaching Permaculture and has a Master's candidate in Natural Resources/Agroforestry from the University of Missouri. He received a Graduate Certificate in Agroforestry from Mizzou in 2018. His interest in Agroforestry and Permaculture came through an interest in sustainable food production and a desire for nutrient-rich foods. He is particularly interested in Tropical Agricultural Development, perennial food production, and medicinal plants and herbs. Michael's experience as a licensed Financial Advisor and a prior career in hospital administration and Human Resources management has given him unique perspectives on the economics of Agricultural Design and the management of inputs. Michael is presently creating a demonstration site on acreage in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia (temperate climate). He presently also consults for agricultural development worldwide. His ultimate goal is to teach and consult Permaculture and Agroforestry domestically as well as abroad in developing countries where quality nutrition is not readily available. He is available as an agroforestry and permaculture design consultant and lecturer. Find his LinkedIn Bio here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-cooley-b6855437/ Find his Permaculture Global Bio here: http://permacultureglobal.org/users/8798-michael-cooley
https://www.instagram.com/narrowpassagepermaculture/

Ramps..jewel of the woods.

Ramps ready for the kitchen Three men on Dual Sport Motorcycles pull to the side of the remote WV dirt road. They dismount and extract small spades and zip-lock bags from the side cases of the bikes. After removing their helmets, they begin to look to the ground and are soon on their [...]

By |2015-05-16T12:33:48-05:00May 15th, 2015|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Ramps..jewel of the woods.

Dandelion..the “No respect” food plant

  Remember…in Permaculture, “The Problem is the solution”. Taraxacum, is a numerous species of flowering plant known generally as Dandelion….taken from the french word dent de lion or  “lion’s tooth” .  It is a pioneer plant that sends down a long taproot to break up and improve fallow soil. Dandelion grows naturally in Temperate climates, and is generally [...]

By |2018-01-07T14:20:10-05:00January 29th, 2015|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Dandelion..the “No respect” food plant

Persimmons – Interesting, tasty, and native

Persimmons!   When I was growing up we had a big Persimmon tree. It is, in fact, still with us today, although on it's last legs as far as producing fruit because of its age. The Persimmions here in Virginia (Latin name - "Diospyros Virginiana") are one of several types of Persimmons. Like [...]

By |2015-01-21T01:46:39-05:00January 21st, 2015|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Persimmons – Interesting, tasty, and native

Experimenting with Yacón

In looking for plants to add to our Permaculture site, I had considered Yacón. I was not sure it would grow in this area until I discussed Yacón with a fellow PDC and friend in Northern Virginia. He has successfully grown yacón and provided me with an excellent specimen to try along with a full [...]

By |2018-01-07T14:22:14-05:00December 31st, 2014|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Experimenting with Yacón

Hooray for Pee! The “How” and “Why” of Urine as fertilizer…

I never really thought I'd be resorting to "potty" talk for a Permaculture Blog. But...here goes... The more I have considered and evaluated the value of Urine in Permaculture design of late, the more I felt that it was under discussed and planned for. Urine is thought of as a waste product generally. But...in Permaculture..."the [...]

By |2016-01-25T15:01:47-05:00November 19th, 2014|Uncategorized|0 Comments

DC URBAN RESILIENCY WEEKEND Workshop on Five Permaculture plants for Food Security

    On November 9th I was asked to present a workshop to the attendees of the DC Urban Resiliency Weekend, Which was part of The Permaculture Action Tour, a national effort to educate, promote, and network Permaculture. I spoke on 5 Permaculture Plants for Food Security. It ended up being a discussion of more than [...]

By |2018-01-07T14:26:17-05:00November 14th, 2014|Uncategorized|Comments Off on DC URBAN RESILIENCY WEEKEND Workshop on Five Permaculture plants for Food Security

Hosta for dinner?!

  Hosta,  that ornamental planted in the shaded area of the yard by your spouse, mother, grandmother, aunt, neighbor, etc.etc. is a regular source of food in Asia. Known as Plantain Lillies in Britain and Giboshi and Urui in Japan, Hostas are hardy, easy to grow, and already planted as ornamentals everywhere.   […]

By |2018-01-07T14:28:56-05:00November 14th, 2014|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Hosta for dinner?!

Permaculture Plant Favorites : Chestnut

Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire Any plant that can be planted and then , once established , is productive, especially as food, and requires little or no inputs, qualifies as a Permaculture favorite. Today, I'd like to talk about the Chestnut Tree. Ha! I beat the squirrels to this one! [...]

By |2014-12-08T14:42:57-05:00October 17th, 2014|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Permaculture Plant Favorites : Chestnut

Permaculture Plant Favorites: Sunchokes

Sunchokes   Sunchokes (Helianthus tuberosus) are an amazing Permaculture favorite that, once established, produces an abundance of food perennially and can produce hundreds of pounds of food with little or no effort. Sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem Artichokes grow well in the temperate climate of North American, so well, that some consider them an [...]

By |2014-11-07T12:20:32-05:00October 5th, 2014|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Permaculture Plant Favorites: Sunchokes
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