AJ Nolan

Over the past couple of years I have come to realize that I feel my
best when I’m surrounded by a tight-knit community, fresh food, and
working with nature. Costa Rica was the first country I had ever been
to on my own and I fell in love with the culture, food, and wildlife.
After this experience I began studying Latin American history and I
knew that I wanted to be in this region of the world.

I have always been an advocate for the environment, which led me to
study Environmental Engineering. However, after many classes I
couldn’t help but look back and see that most of what I learned was
how to fight against nature, instead of working with it. I wanted more
answers so I turned to the land. I got involved in food forest design,
a CSA farm, and social justice activism in college. I travelled to
Southeast Asia and worked on various farms, cementing in my brain that
permaculture is the answer.

I’m currently working on an organic farm in Upstate New York where I
have been eating my weight in fresh apples, bathing in the river, and
studying herbalism. It is here at this place where I have come to
question most things about the current world that we live in and the
societal constructs that we have placed ourselves in. I believe that
the only way to continue to live on this planet is to begin living
more sustainably, regenerate nature through permaculture practices,
and eat good food with good people. I am stoked to have the
opportunity to learn these skills at the Ranch.

I love to cook. I love to dance. I love to play, hike, read, and do
handstands. I know that I will thrive at the Ranch and I cannot wait
to establish roots here…and maybe even some rhizomes :)

Chive on.

-AJ