The Verge Permaculture Grad Series - 10/11 - Luke Kimmel

Luke Kimmel is a young social entepreneur and permaculture designer

who shows that both the entrepreneurial spirit and the desire to heal

the planet can be satisfied through permaculture and urban farming.

His vision and approach are based on the notion that humans can live

in a way that makes us a positive force on planet earth, and that

through following our hearts and dedicating ourselves, entrepreneurs

and good-willed people have all the opportunity in the world to create

small sustainable businesses / projects that can help them follow

their dreams while making the world a better place.

Prior to starting work in permaculture, Luke helped found and run a

clothing company / artist collective / events company called Light &

Soul, and had also undertaken ventures in product distribution,

business development, and music management. Thus, Luke's approach to

permaculture came through the lense of entrepreneurship,

and all began when he first discovered yurts, and was extremely

intrigued by the concept of building his own home for less than $15

000. This led him to examine the concept of self sufficiency, and

eventually move to a farm to in Winlaw, BC to take his first Permaculture Design

Certificate course . After taking this course and

spending a couple months living on a farm, Luke knew that he had found

his true calling - to live out his vision of paradise through

cultivating sustainable human habitats and creating opportunitites for

meaningful work and community development.

Now, with the help of 3 other long time friends and

business partners, Luke helps run their company Leaf Ninjas which does

urban farming and permaculture design / edible landscaping in Calgary,

AB. The Leaf Ninjas now cultivate a half acre of urban farmland spread

between 10 back yards in the inner city neighborhoods of Inglewood and

Ramsay, and will be selling produce to local restaurants and at the

Inglewood & Ramsay Farmers Market which they helped found in

2012. Over the past 3 years Luke has consulted on a wide variety of

permaculture projects ranging from urban yards to community gardens to

small and medium sized homesteads and acreages. The Leaf Ninjas have

now designed and installed 8 permaculture gardens in Calgary and they

plan to increase that number significantly in 2013, while also

offering consulting and design services geared towards DIY gardeners

and land owners who want to foster a more meaningful connection with

their landscape.

Luke was also instrumental in shifting the focus of the company Light

& Soul from clothing to video production, and helped produce the Verge

Graduate Interview Series which you are watching now... So thank you

for watching with us, and we hope you enjoy the videos :)

vergepermaculture.ca

leafninjas.ca