Today we’d like to introduce you to Carolina Alzate and Emiliano Camargo.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Carolina and Emiliano. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
Permaculture-based Edible Landscaping was an inevitable path that we were both to embark on to achieve our life missions here on Earth. With a background in Anthropology, I (Carolina) always understood how food was not only central to who were as a people, but how our relationship to nourishment and all the socio-economic and environmental aspects that manifest it defined each and every one of our cultures.
After having left Miami feeling that as a city it was lacking in that relationship, I returned a few years later to realize that I just needed to “tap into the abundance”. Those were the keywords in the permaculture philosophy that taught me how to see the true richness that existed in Miami as well as the potential of its land, climate, resources, and people to harmoniously grow healthy foods while enriching the environment.
As I developed into a professional Permaculture Designer, I began acquiring the tools needed to support others into finding solutions towards well-being and abundance. My husband and co-founder of Amerikua Permaculture, Emiliano, is a sociologist and Holistic Nutritionist, who eventually realized that if he was to get to the heart of Nutritional issues he needed to work with the source of where good food came from.
We both realized how interconnected our fields of work (permaculture and nutrition) were when would exchange stories on the foundational aspects for healthy lands and healthy human bodies. It was from this realization that we decided to work together and take farm to table to another level through edible landscaping and permaculture design within and around the city. We knew this was the way to empower ourselves into a food secure future where we all have accessibility to truly nourishing foods.
Has it been a smooth road?
As I look back, I would say it has, indeed, been a smooth road. Through out this journey within health and sustainability, we have always kept our hearts open, and our minds focused on where we know we need to be. We feel that has opened the doors for us to work with various wonderful organizations, businesses, and community members who have all added to the growth of our development.
If anything, I would say the growth of Amerikua Permaculture has been a bit slow since we chose to grow our family simultaneously with the growth of our business. But it is our children who deepen and further propel our mission to share what we do with other families. So only gratitude to them for helping us keep it slow, but strong and steady.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Amerikua Permaculture – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Permaculture is a science of design for regenerative living here on earth that meets the needs of the people while meeting the needs of the natural world around them. Emiliano and I are Permaculture Designers and Educators who specialize in Edible Landscaping.
We recognize that cities such as Miami have vast amounts of open spaces that all have the potential to grow food in life-promoting ways that foster beauty that parallels or surpasses any ornamental garden or lawn. Here in South Florida, we are privileged to have a climate that allows us to grow food all year long and be able to thrive with some of the most powerful and miraculous superfoods. Not to mention, to savor some of the yummiest, most delicious mouth-watering tropical fruits.
We work with private residences, schools, and agricultural, commercial, and community projects. I would say that we are known for the ability to bring permaculture design projects to life. Although we will do everything from garden permaculture design to implementation to maintenance, we are often subcontracted to bring other designers’ projects to fruition. Another thing that sets us apart is our commitment to natural pattern and form.
We acknowledge that there are no straight lines in nature and aim to increase the efficiency, productivity, and beauty of our gardens by setting them up within natural patterns. Overall, though, we are grateful that we can provide a service and education that can equip the members of our community with the skills, knowledge, and environment for them to be healthy and sustainable.
Any predictions for the industry over the next few years?
Permaculture is growing and spreading worldwide. The more people become conscious of the need to make positive changes in their lifestyles, the more we see a growing demand for the services that we provide. We see a lot of potentials for permaculture-based edible landscaping to grow as an industry and take over a relevant portion of the landscaping market as it provides esthetics, functionality, sustainability, and health.
As a collective, these are things that most landscape architects or landscapers are lacking. That said our goal is not to control this market. We would love to focus more on education and support conventional landscape architects, landscapers, and farmers to take their enterprises to another level by incorporating permaculture principles into their practices.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.amerikuapermaculture.com
- Phone: 786-454-0085 and 305-200-9531
- Email: calzate37@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amerikuapermaculture/
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