Permaculture Pros

From our newest guest writer: Melissa is a recovered San Francisco corporate advertising executive, reclaiming her Pioneer roots while living abroad. After years of rising to the top in Corporate America she and her husband ditched it all and started over again with a simpler life. Here she talks about what has been lost from her heritage and the steps she is taking to gain it all back.

 From the Christian Science Monitor we read of one family's struggle and expense in setting up a kitchen garden in Los Angeles. It makes me think of the Dervaes family in Pasadena, and the Urban Homestead they have set up there. So much work goes into their homestead, but oh! the rewards.

Introducing our newest contributing writer, Melissa. She is a recovered corporate advertising executive who quit her job and moved abroad so she and her husband could live a simpler life. Two years later and they’ve gained a foreign language, adopted a street mutt named Pancho, and have learned to do without the conveniences of the developed world. She recently decided to join The Compact, vowing to go two months (during the holidays, no less) without buying anything new.

Growing up, I was always embarrassed by my mother. Don’t get me wrong, she was a great mom, but she was  F r u g a l. The shameful, cheap, F-word. There was no end to it. Being the second girl in the family, I only wore hand me downs from my sister. Forget the fact she’s five years older than me, so the clothes either didn’t fit or were out of fashion by the time they did.

Introducing our newest guest writer: Melissa is a recovered corporate advertising executive. She used to make a living finding newer and shinier ways to convince people they needed stuff. Now she and her husband, along with their adopted street mutt Pancho, are living the simple life abroad.  Follow her as she learns to live a richer life with less.

Introducing our newest guest writer: Melissa is a recovered corporate advertising executive, recently moved abroad so her family could live a simpler and more sustainable life. Together with their adopted street dog, Pancho, Melissa and her husband make small daily decisions for living a life more off the grid. She loves to bake, can put together a mean plate of Mexican food just about anywhere in the world, and hates waste. Here she is with her first article for Permaculture Pros.