Hi, I'm Baxter Tidwell. In my previous life, I was a computer nerd, writing programs, solving client problems, and writing books. About five years ago I bought a 45-acre spread in New England and for the past three years I've been learning about agricultural principles, permaculture in particular. I don't have any background in growing things and jumping into the deep end of a pool before fully learning how to swim always seemed like a good idea to me. So I went straight into the concepts that seemed to make sense. After successfully finding out that I didn't have enough background knowledge of how things grow, I then stepped back and am now learning the basics of gardening. So that's where I am now, working both ends of the permaculture continuum; soils tests and planting seeds on one end and getting large machines to clear land and move boulders around on the other. Somewhere during this mission, I hope that the two will converge and I'll get nature to help me feed my family and community.