MARKEE

About Me

Born and raised in Tacoma, I have always felt a deep connection to this place and our natural environment. I came to ecological gardening through hiking and cooking. The middle of a forest and my kitchen are my happy places. For the first few years as a home gardener, I sought to replicate what I saw on my hikes at home, using native plants and causing as little disturbance as possible. 

This was a great start but my food was still coming from many miles away, carrying a huge carbon footprint. When I discovered edible landscaping, I realized I could merge my dedication to ecological restoration and my love of eating local. I finally found a way to live harmoniously as part of nature, not separate from it. I honor indigenous wisdom that has always known this. As a descendant of settler colonialists, I'm at the very beginning of shifting my mindset.

In late 2023, I transitioned from a career in public policy to full-time ecological gardening. I completed the Introduction to Permaculture Design Course from Oregon State University, the Regenerative Backyard Blueprint from Shades of Green Permaculture, Rainwise Green Stormwater Infrastructure training through the Duwamish Infrastructure Restoration Training (DIRT Corps), a Permaculture Design Certificate course from Whatcom Permaculture, and ongoing education through The Foodscaper.

I live in Tacoma with my wife, two wild young boys, and elderly lap dog. I volunteer regularly with the Tacoma Tree Foundation as a tree captain and at Rose Island Farm.

Take a look at the Services page to see what I offer.