Page 55 - Designing Ways 257

“You should have seen the vegetables
– they were enormous. There were
wonderful gardens, dams full of frogs. I
was really amazed. It was brilliant.”
Back in South African his life took a
few twists and turns. He ventured into
the world of digital design and IT, and
had big plans to become a musician.
“For a while that was all I wanted to
do. Things only came full circle when I
started my own house garden based on
permaculture principles. I had a piece
of land with a house that I renovated,
and I wanted to tackle everything in a
sustainable way.”
He frantically began researching how
to reduce his family’s carbon footprint so
that they could eventually live in an eco-
friendly oasis, growing their own food.
“First I completed a design course
in permaculture and that was when
everything fell into place for me. Initially
I did not want to do the course, but that
was pure arrogance – I thought I had all
the answers. My wife convinced me that it says Andy. “In George I had incredible playing there. I had an ideal, privileged
was necessary and that I would learn a lot. exposure to the natural areas around me. childhood.’’
It profoundly changed my whole vision There was a lot of freedom. They were Andy’s childhood turned him into
and now I am hooked.” carefree days where we rode around on a true nature lover and that is why he
Growing up in George in the southern our bicycles and climbed trees. There was wanted his home garden to reflect the
Cape till he was 13 years old was idyllic, a big river near our house, and we enjoyed wild, overabundant wildlife he remembers

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