Ben is a husband and father of two boys and two girls living in the Jerusalem Foothills. He attended the University of Montana where he received a BA in American Literature and a Minor in Wilderness Studies. He received his Master’s Degree in Social Work from Barry University in Miami, Florida. Ben learned how to farm by reading lots of books, watching and listening to lots of videos and podcasts, speaking to farmers, and then jumped in headfirst to start a one thousand container EarthBox farm. Now, he manages a small urban farm at a community center that uses raised beds, containers, and no-till gardening techniques using thick layers of straw mulch and a broadfork. Ben advocates for himself and encourages and consults other small-scale farmers, gardeners, and would-be farmers to carve out niches for themselves as municipal and educational farmers within their municipalities and education school boards.