Resume

James McSweeney
PO Box 1124 Hardwick, VT 05843
E-MAIL: ourecology (AT) gmail.com
802-224-6888

Education

  • B.A. Prescott College – Prescott, Arizona • Environmental Studies: Emphasis in Agroecology and Sustainable Community Development
  • High School Diploma, Union-32 High School – East Montpelier, Vermont

Current Employer

2010 – Highfields Center for Composting – Hardwick, Vermont

  • Providing composting technical services to farmers, commercial operations, schools, and the general public
  • Operation of 1 acre composting demonstration and research site

Work Experience

2009 – Farm Development and Consultation – SOS Farms – Kilauea, Hawaii

  • Farm start up design and management plan with SOS Organic Farms
  • Design and installation of low pressure Japanese tubing irrigation system
  • Extensive consultation on amending, cover-cropping, chicken tractor rotation, sustainable nutrient cycling, and compost production

2007 –2009 – Agroecosystem Development – Sustainable Design LLC – Kilauea, Hawaii

  • Project management, resource sourcing, and crew leader
  • Development of field methods for soil microbiology based sustainable agriculture research program
  • Design, planting, and stewardship of 1 acre permaculture orchard and research plots
  • Cover cropping and amending for 2 acres of vegetable production and research plots
  • Design and planting of 2 acres of Nitrogen Fixing trees for compost production and soil remediation research
  • Compost System Development
  • Organic and biological pest control
  • Irrigation design and installation
  • Microsoft Office, Filemaker database management
  • General handyman, carpentry, machinery operation, landscape maintenance

Spring 2006 – Plant Propagation Instructor – Prescott College – Prescott, Arizona

  • Co-Instructor of advanced level college course
  • Grafting and greenhouse

2003-2006 – Landscape/Permaculture Installer – Millison Ecological, LLC / Merkin Vineyards– Prescott/Jerome, Arizona

  • Permaculture site evaluation and consultation
  • Ecological landscape installation: edible and xeriscape garden plantings, stone design and terracing, rainwater catchments, and drip irrigation

Summer 2002 – Farm Hand, Whipstone Farms – Paulden, Arizona

  • Vegetable production
  • Farmers market sales

Specialized Skills and Training

  • 72 Hr. Permaculture Design Course Certificate
Instructor Andrew Millison – Prescott, Arizona
  • 130 Hr. Advanced Permaculture Consultant’s Design Certificate
Instructors Drew Barber and Lisa Mekis – Petrolia, California
  • 3 month internship at Highfields Center for Composting in Hardwick, Vermont, focusing on providing technical services in the compost industry with an emphasis on small-medium scale systems.

Publications

“Permaculture Beyond Borders”, The Permaculture Activist. May, 2005 Issue #56
Article based on senior independent study travel to investigate sustainable agriculture in Central America, Co-Authored with Max Kamen. Edited By Dave Jacke!

References

Available Upon Request.