Ken Benway has a rich background in electro-mechanical and architectural design. His journey into permaculture began in 2000 when he completed a one-week Natural Capital course taught by Bill Mollison, widely regarded as the father of permaculture. This experience was immediately followed by an intensive two-week Permaculture Design Course (PDC) with Geoff Lawton, a world-renowned permaculture consultant, designer, and teacher.
Inspired by these early experiences, Ken played a key role in facilitating one of the first PDCs in Florida. His consulting work extended beyond Florida to Alabama, where he spent a year in Birmingham (2009-2010) as an on-site consultant for Grow Alabama, an organic produce distributorship supporting a network of 84 farmers. Ken has also initiated various permaculture workshops across Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee, contributing significantly to the growth of permaculture education in the southeastern United States.
Ken’s upbringing in the Connecticut River Basin of Western Massachusetts deeply influenced his understanding of natural landscapes and patterns. Observing the impact of water on the region’s dark, rich soils and smooth rocks sparked his lifelong fascination with bio-regional (watershed) regeneration.
In his recent work, Ken emphasizes the theme of healing, both of the land and what he refers to as the “inner landscape.” He believes that restoring our natural environments requires a foundational healing of the human spirit, guided by the natural law of ‘as above, so below.’ This philosophy underscores Ken’s vision of individual human sovereignty as the cornerstone of effective stewardship and co-creation with the earth.