About Us
Fifteen years ago, on our homestead in Pescadero, ejiditarians were farming the native crop
of maize, here, where the desert meets the sea. Applying the ethics and principles of permaculture, and working with Mother Gaia, we have regenerated these monocropped fields into a thriving perennial ecosystem full of plant and animal life, replete with interesting exotic species
and abundant resource plants. Today, we offer our Permaculture Education Center to all
to share the bounty of creation.
Permaculture Education Center
Our beautiful homestead “Descanso de la Luna” is in the Trampuchete area of Pescadero, Baja California Sur. This center was farmland 15 years ago when we started building a regenerative ecosystem to guard water, improve soil, create habitat for plants and animals and allow a lush experience for the human stewards tending this land.
We have abundant edible and medicinal plants. We have a vibrant nursery here on the property. We raise chickens and rabbits and worms. We actively and passively create soil through many different techniques: vermicomposting, kitchen composting, mulching, hugelkulture, animal husbandry all contribute to our rich soil.
We guard and harvest water through our canopy, our greywater and swales. Building the canopy to protect against evaporation and to condense the sea breeze (we catch dew most mornings), we have strategically planted an overstory with over a dozen varieties of palms and many large fruit bearing trees: cashew, sapote, mango. The Baobab, Fuegos, Fortunas, Neems and Washingtonians act as guardians to our soil in this desert environment.
We have cultivated dozens of resource plants for food, medicine, resins, spices, dye, fiber and more.
We open our doors to you and we offer many delightful classes and events highlighting our beautiful ecosystem: including soil awareness, plant propagation, permaculture and many more...
Liam Mc Dermott
After receiving my Master's degree in Integrative EcoSocial Design at Gaia University, I have been passionately exploring how humans can create regenerative communities while honoring the ecosystems in which they exist. My concentration while receiving my MSc. in IESD was "Applied Permaculture Design" and my thesis was on Relocaliaztion: including relocalizing energy, economies, land stewardship, farming, and medicines.
I am passionate about many techniques to live in greater harmony with all people and the earth: Herbalism (growing herbs and making herbal medicines), Seeds (seed saving and harvesting edible), Soil management (including myco-remediation, compost, mulching), Energy (solar), Water (particularly drylands water techniques), communication and facilitation (NonViolentCommunication, Gestalt, ReevaluationCounselling), Zone 0 (yoga, chi gong, meditation, nutrition), animal husbandry (goats, rabbits, worms, chickens and bees).
I am a certified yoga teacher who occasionally teaches private classes and workshops. Additionally, I offer chi gong classes. I practice many modalities in my hands on healing sessions: reiki, cranio-sacral, chakra balancing, feldenkrais, process acupressure, zero balancing, thai, abhyanga (ayurvedic massage), trigger point and lomi lomi. As a healer, I am also trained in herbalism and flower essences. As a chef, I cater delicious flavorful healthful cuisine utilizing seasonal local and organic and wild foods as much as possible.
Nourishing and nurturing people has been my life's work for over 20 years as a permaculture teacher, farm to table chef and a massage therapist/hands on healer. Permaculture allowed me to nourish and nurture mother Gaia as my primary Seva. Thus including more 'Care of the Earth' with my predominantly ‘Care of the People’ service work through my 20s and early 30s. Prior to embarking on my journey of Permaculture and buliding this center 15 years ago, most of my professional work had been as a massage therapist and a farm to table caterer. I have over 1000 hours of training for my massage certification. And I received my A.O.S degree from California Culinary Academy in 2001 after receiving my Bachelor of Arts in Literature at Stanford University in the 90’s.