Penn and Cord Parmenter
Hi!  We're Penn and Cord Parmenter,  we garden together in the mountains.   We grow Bio-Intensively which is how we grow more food in less space with less water.  Altogether we are gardening less than 1/5th of an acre while reaping the equivalent of about 4/5ths.  We have about 75 raised beds total which we rotate every year.

We employ a combination of techniques to grow what we want.  The higher you go in elevation - the more techniques you may need to combine.  We have gardens full of growing examples of every kind.  Different kinds of beds, cold frames, covers, hoops and warm start beds are all options to see and consider.  

We have built two totally sustainable greenhouses which provide food 365 days a year without supplemental heating, cooling or even plugging in a fan.  We grow food year round and plans are in the works for a third greenhouse. Cord has designed three greenhouses for clients and built one.  He is in the process of building the second.

We are raising three growing boys - Maximilian, Beauregard and Wulfgar.   We have 4 horses, one garden cat, and we hunt, fish, forage, dry, can, freeze and grow.

Cord grew up in the wilderness and has a lifetime of experience in survival skills, wood skills, and horses.  Cord is a Master Blacksmith and the owner of The IronMan - he creates beautiful custom iron for fine homes and gardens. See his work at: 
http://www.theironmancord.com

Penn writes about high altitude gardening whenever she can and is currently working on a book about growing food in the mountains.  Penn has a degree in theatre, and has studied and explored horticulture and the wilderness most of her life.

We are co-instructors at Denver Botanic Gardens and around the state and region.  We also give talks and lectures.  
719-783-2917
Read about us in these outstanding publications:
Zone 4 Magazine - Article - 'Put This Where The Sun Shines' by Jodi Torpey
Acres USA -  Article - Sustainable Greenhouses 
The Denver Post  'High-Achieving Vegetable Harvest' by Jodi Torpey
Read Penn's Articles for The Colorado Gardener

It's A Family Affair...
(We couldn't do it without those boys...)

Cord and the Boys

Moving Rocks for Mom

Box Bed in Penn's Garden

Relay Planting of Chinese Cabbage and Broccoli

In Penn's Greenhouse

Bok Choy and Penn

Cord prepping a Bio-Intensive bed for Squash

Working Together

Round Bio-Intensive Beds

Love Grows The Garden