Originally from Montreal, Patsy moved to Invermere BC in a quest for health. After being introduced to the idea of permaculture, she was inspired to follow up with a full PDC with Verge along with a permaculture design apprenticeship. Equipped with this knowledge and a background in hospitality management, Patsy now applies her unique skillset to life and in support of various support systems.

“I am a farmer, a soil builder, a permaculture designer, a youth basketball coach, a back country hut ambassador, a community member, an adventurer, a partner, a gentle leader, a sister, a daughter, a friend, a woman, and also a very layered, passionate ME!” 

– Patsy’s bio on Consciously Woman: A Visionary Collaboration of Women

Patsy believes in meaningful work and a holistic approach to life. While she enjoys working in the ski industry that affords her a great valley life balance, Patsy’s passion lies in permaculture; she is able to leverage both worlds into connecting with a larger audience. In the last several years she has been hired on to spearhead and collaborate on a wide range of projects, including composting programs, vermiculture systems sales, greenhouse operations, harvest management, and backyard food production space design.

Patsy is still fine-tuning her niche, but in the interim she is eager to seek out new experiences and engage with them to bring about positive change. She believes that working towards such changes in the place she lives, through her community and partner organizations, is not only achievable but necessary: It’s also what she does best.

Patsy’s interest in food systems began on an organic market garden farm where she discovered a true passion for growing food. Ever since she has embraced the many projects that have come her way, including attending last year’s slow food event, We Feed the Planet, in Milan, doing education and design work as greenhouse coordinator at the Groundswell Greenhouse in Invermere, managing and selling vermiculture systems and supplies, and working on turning the Columbia Valley Hut Society’s many outhouses into compostable toilets.

The project Patsy is most proud of and is still working on is developing a regional composting pilot program in partnership with the East Kootenay Regional District and Groundswell Network Society. Last summer, she set up an operation structure for pickup and processing and was able to turn over 37 tonnes of organic waste into nutrient-rich compost. The project also included a big education component for the public, business owners, and policy makers; Patsy helped create a waste-not station and attended local festivals to promote waste diversion, reduction and recycling.

Patsy is always eager to share her work process with any interested parties – she is working on a portfolio on consciouslywoman.com. She believes there is so much we can learn from each other, and that sharing can create collective momentum and excitement.