A.J. Paddyfoote

Ex-farmer A.J. Paddyfoote is an avid gardener and the author of California Gardening.

His work focuses on sustainable, organic gardening, aiming to make domestic food production accessible to people of all experience levels.

Paddyfoote grew up in Jamaica, where he became the co-owner of his family’s spice farm. During his time on the farm, he learned the techniques that enabled him to produce more bountiful harvests each year, developing his soil and practicing organic methods in order to create a sustainable farm.

Despite his passion for farming, Paddyfoote’s journey brought him to California, where he began his studies and started life as a licensed architect. His love for gardening followed him, and he was astounded by the lack of edible plants in the abundant gardens he came across. As he established roots in the region, he started his own vegetable garden, slowly inching his way toward self-sufficiency. When his neighbors began to express an interest in learning to do the same, he set about teaching them the fundamentals of gardening and thus was born his passion for helping others on their gardening journeys. Now, concerned by the use of chemicals in commercial farming, he’s eager to spread his knowledge of sustainable gardening to a broader audience.

Paddyfoote continues to live in California, where he tends a thriving vegetable garden and belongs to a community of gardeners who exchange produce and skills. He loves being outdoors and welcomes any excuse to get his hands in the soil.