The Verge Permaculture Grad Series – 10/11 – Luke Kimmel from light & soul on Vimeo.
Luke Kimmel is a young social entepreneur and permaculture designer
who shows that both the entrepreneurial spirit and the desire to heal
the planet can be satisfied through permaculture and urban farming.
His vision and approach are based on the notion that humans can live
in a way that makes us a positive force on planet earth, and that
through following our hearts and dedicating ourselves, entrepreneurs
and good-willed people have all the opportunity in the world to create
small sustainable businesses / projects that can help them follow
their dreams while making the world a better place.
Prior to starting work in permaculture, Luke helped found and run a
clothing company / artist collective / events company called Light &
Soul, and had also undertaken ventures in product distribution,
business development, and music management. Thus, Luke’s approach to
permaculture came through the lense of entrepreneurship,
and all began when he first discovered yurts, and was extremely
intrigued by the concept of building his own home for less than $15
000. This led him to examine the concept of self sufficiency, and
eventually move to a farm to in Winlaw, BC to take his first Permaculture Design
Certificate course . After taking this course and
spending a couple months living on a farm, Luke knew that he had found
his true calling – to live out his vision of paradise through
cultivating sustainable human habitats and creating opportunitites for
meaningful work and community development.
Now, with the help of 3 other long time friends and
business partners, Luke helps run their company Leaf Ninjas which does
urban farming and permaculture design / edible landscaping in Calgary,
AB. The Leaf Ninjas now cultivate a half acre of urban farmland spread
between 10 back yards in the inner city neighborhoods of Inglewood and
Ramsay, and will be selling produce to local restaurants and at the
Inglewood & Ramsay Farmers Market which they helped found in
2012. Over the past 3 years Luke has consulted on a wide variety of
permaculture projects ranging from urban yards to community gardens to
small and medium sized homesteads and acreages. The Leaf Ninjas have
now designed and installed 8 permaculture gardens in Calgary and they
plan to increase that number significantly in 2013, while also
offering consulting and design services geared towards DIY gardeners
and land owners who want to foster a more meaningful connection with
their landscape.
Luke was also instrumental in shifting the focus of the company Light
& Soul from clothing to video production, and helped produce the Verge
Graduate Interview Series which you are watching now… So thank you
for watching with us, and we hope you enjoy the videos 
