Greetings,

My name is Joshua Smith and for a long time I have witnessed dark forces tearing at the web of life on this magical spinning orb we call Earth.  As a Buddhist seeking right livelihood, I’ve invested the last nearly four decades in agro-ecology, ecological landscaping, restoration forestry, ecological rehabilitation and permaculture.  Now I’m moving into a new phase of this work, writing books, and I need a special kind of associate/assistant to work with me, ideally long term.

You see, I’m techno-phobic, this is to say typing and computer illiterate.  In addition, I have some other limitations such as difficulties with networking, self-promotion, and raising capital.  Currently, I have three books well underway, one on permaculture with about 500 pages typed, plus three or four more for which I’ve done much of the research (see them all listed below).

While I’m transitioning to writing, I may still be designing and planning projects (my bread and butter).  With projects I deem extra important, I sometimes also manage their installation.  This is another reason a reliable associate could contribute to increasing function, productivity, and achievement for realizing these goals.

Technically, what I need is someone who will type, do online research and some networking.  While these are essential, there are other abilities that would be welcome, such as editing or publishing experience, grant writing or business savvy, a background of economic botany, herbalism, ecology, landscape architecture, organic farming, horticulture…  In other words, a nature-loving plant person.

Shared values are very important to me.  As I understand my mission, it is to help others realize that heaven and earth are one, that this union is now, always was, and always will be.  The earth and all creation are sacred to me and we can create a desirable lifestyle and economy that reflects that.  These are my values and I hope for an associate that shares them. Synergy is also important, as collaborative cooperation, teamwork, and mutual respect produce the best results.  So if you feel you could be this person, please call me, and if I’m not here, leave a call-back number.  Sorry, no e-mail or text messaging.

Joshua Smith

541-344-4378

BOOKS IN THE WORKS (with working titles)

THE PERMACULTURE HANDBOOK: currently a 500-page (approximate) manuscript that elaborates on existing permaculture knowledge and adds to it.  Almost all new material.

THE PERMACULTURE PLANT ENCYCLOPEDIA: Have written many in-dept profiles and have done the initial research for several hundred more temperate zone plants.  These are plants that provide any of the following: food, medicine, fiber, dye, adhesives, stuffing/padding (substitute for goose down), insulation, coppice, waterproofing, hydrocarbons, floral rubber, cork, various ecological services, and so on.  Most of these plants provide at least two of these values and many yield several.

The encyclopedia provides a plant’s description, its uses (often in great detail), cultural and propagation information, its natural range and habitat, etc.  To date, although many plant encyclopedias exist, none to my knowledge feature useful temperate-zone economic plants in these numbers or detail.

I also have four other books that I’ve done most of the initial research and have gathered a host of files and reference books on.  In addition, I have taught or lectured many times on these subjects and those noted above, and I have amassed a nearly 800-book reference library plus numerous files of reports and articles.

THE BIRTH OF AN EVOLUTIONARY PARADIGM FOR AN ECOCENTRIC BENEVOLENT SOCIETY:  This book is about the transformation of human consciousness in a time of global crisis.  It is a synthesis of aboriginal wisdom and the teachings of great spiritual masters past and present, combined with knowledge from various sciences such as ecology and theoretical physics and others.  The book’s focus is to empower, inspire and provide the tools to manifest a functional utopian society.  Functional in the sense of generating an economy, a diversified culture and social structure in harmony with nature and in service to the common good.  Unity and cooperation underscore the whole.

THE RESTORATION FORESTRY AND WILDFIRE MITIGATION HANDBOOK provides a set of guidelines to restore our forest ecosystems and their services, such as increasing carbon sequestration, moderating climate extremes and yielding fresh air and clean water.   While the current mainstream forestry paradigm sees only lumber when addressing our forests, this book recognizes the wealth of diverse resources a healthy ecosystem can provide, and develops a variety of viable economic opportunities that can also support forest restoration and ecological stewardship.  It does this in conjunction with wildfire mitigation methods to reduce catastrophic crown fires significantly.  It also provides a large number of ways forest residents can protect themselves and their homes against wildfire.

Although I am primarily a permaculture designer, since the early 1980s I have managed and/or planned restoration forestry and wildfire mitigation projects in five U.S. states.  In this way I learned how to wed restoration forestry, wildfire mitigation and an ecologically based economy.  Thousands of forest-based communities could develop permanent local economies through restoring the damage inflicted on nature by people. That at least is the book’s intention.

“WEED WISDOM” – CONTROLLING WEEDS NATURALLY AND THE MANY LITTLE-KNOWN RESOURCES THEY CAN PROVIDE.  There are numerous methods of nontoxic, environmentally sound weed control discussed.  In addition, numerous weeds are profiled for their virtues.  For example, some are edible and even tasty, some are medicinal (often very medicinal), some promote soil fertility primarily through mineral accumulation and nitrogen fixation, others may provide other resources such as hydrocarbons, rubber, down substitutes, fiber and so on.

Weeds are very well known to me.  For almost forty years I’ve been dealing with them in residential gardens and landscapes, homesteads, commercial businesses, organic farms.  Having never used herbicides in all that time, I’ve had to learn a diverse number of ways, due to various situations and a variety of weeds, to deal with them naturally.  That’s what this book is about.

WINDBREAKS FOR PERMACULTURE.  Although not widely understood, windbreaks in wind-prone areas can yield incredible benefits in a variety of ways and for diverse purposes.  For agricultural crops, an effective windbreak can increase yields, provide protection against mechanical damage for marketability, offer some additional frost resistance (thus extend growing season), reduce irrigation requirements and reduce soil erosion.

Windbreaks protect livestock by reducing stress. The livestock gain more weight or yield more milk with less feed, thus reducing input costs.  Veterinary bills are also considerably lower.  In cold winter zones, the loss of newborns and young animals is less, and in severe storms stock mortality in general decreases.

People also benefit from wind protection.  Wind chill increases human stress when working or playing outdoors.  Research demonstrates that people perform outdoor work more efficiently and accidents are reduced under the protection of a windbreak.  In addition, a windbreak can reduce noise levels, increase property values, and offer welcome shade on a hot summer day for a picnic.

Buildings too are rewarded by wind protection by significant energy savings, reduced wear and even extending the life of exterior paint by several years.  Windbreaks provide a microclimate that can moderate climate extremes.

Windbreaks can provide a variety of benefits for wildlife too!

Unfortunately, many windbreaks are poorly designed, so the effectiveness is minimized and in time they can create greater problems than if the windbreak didn’t exist at all.  This book provides a detailed analysis of the aforementioned benefits a well planned windbreak can furnish.

The next section of the book supplies the design specification for a functional multi-purpose windbreak blueprint.  It also includes siting the windbreak properly, preparing the ground before planting, installation and maintenance.

Lastly, the book gives profiles of appropriate wind-resistant trees and shrubs for all temperate-zone climates.  The majority of these recommended plants have additional economic or ecological benefits that are described along with their cultural information.