One of the lead organizers of the first Tilth Conference in Ellensburg in 1974, Michael has extensive experience in organic farming, seed collecting, wildcrafting medicinal herbs, plant propagation, horticulture, teaching, and international networking. He founded Friends of the Trees Society in 1978 and has authored several books on forestry, agriculture, agroforestry, and ethnobotany. Michael has been involved in the permaculture movement since 1981 as a writer, teacher and networker. He has taught more than 20 full Permaculture Design Courses in the USA and abroad. He currently grows over 100 medicinal herb crops in the Methow Valley and on the Olympic Peninsula.