The Hartman People
Dave and Susie Hartman are certified permaculture designers (through Quail Springs Permaculture) and Master Gardeners (through Montana State University, level 2).
We built our homestead in the mountains of southwest Montana and have been living off the grid since 1999. We have experience with raising goats, pigs, rabbits, chickens, ducks and bees. Our sight at 6300′ is home to a food forest with swale systems. This is an actual working model of permaculture on a rugged landscape. We are experimenting with many different permaculture techniques and testing out many different varieties of plants at this elevation.
Dave is working as a permaculturalist at the Boulder Hot Springs where he tends a small scale geothermal greenhouse and a forest garden.
Susie is currently coordinator for The Boulder Forest Garden, a 1.5 acre forest garden on a city park in Boulder, Montana, as part of the grassroots community program Growing Community Naturally.
As part of our efforts to teach permaculture ethics and sustainable living, every summer we annually host people of all ages on our homestead through the WWOOF program (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms). This program has been a wonderful opportunity for exchanging ideas; our whole family has enjoyed sharing and learning while living with others through this program.