ABOUT US
The AgraLiving Institute is a social enterprise acting locally in Bermuda to improve food security and provide sustainable farming education opportunities.
It’s no surprise to anyone that food prices in Bermuda are just RIDICULOUS! Families struggle to afford these high prices and many having fallen into the habit of eating cheap, processed food which is high in calories but low in important vitamins and minerals needed to live healthy active lives.
In addition to this our dangerous dependency on imported food, along with a more sedentary lifestyle, is causing the health epidemic we are experiencing today. The fact of the matter is that 75% of our adult population are overweight or obese and 35% suffer from non-communicable chronic diseases, including diabetes.
Our mission is to improve food security in Bermuda by increasing the amount of local sustainably-grown food allowing families to be able to put more whole, fresh, healthy food on their tables.
This sounds ambitious, right?
Well, we will achieve this mission by inspiring using GROW BIOINTENSIVE Sustainable Agriculture (GBSA) with which we have had great success. GBSA is a sustainable farming method which enables you to grow all the food you need in the smallest space possible while building soil fertility…Wow!
The AgraLiving Institute has been using this method successfully in Bermuda for over 15 years and
truly believe that it’s the perfect method for growing food independence on an island with a limited
amount of land.
OUR MISSION
Our plan is two-fold.
First, connecting the already booming community of home growers with our workshops in GBSA and our one-on-one garden support consultations empowering them to grow more with less.
While many already have experience growing vegetables with GBSA they will learn about vital crops needed to meet their daily calorie requirements including grains, pulses and high-calorie crops. Many of these crops serve the dual purpose of feeding the farmer and improving the fertility of the soil meaning using less fertilizer and water year after year.
Second, Did you know while we struggle to pay the high price of imported food there’s 375 acres of unused farmland in Bermuda?
Over the last 100 years we have disconnected from our agricultural identity. As a result, we have lost both the knowledge of how to feed ourselves as well as over 2,000 acres of precious farmland.
We still have an opportunity to protect what’s left of this vulnerable land by partnering landowners with our certified GBSA farmers bringing food abundance and financial independence to our
community!
OUR TEAM
Chris Faria
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
Chris obtained his teacher Certification in GROW BIOINTENSIVE™ in 2018 and is the co-organizer of the Plant & Seed Exchange on island. An advocate for sustainable cultivation, Chris was deeply involved in community outreach prior to launching AgraLiving.
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Skye Kermode
TEACHER
Skye is a local artist and creative teacher who extends her childcare experience in many different environments. She loves guiding children through an alternative teaching style with movement workshops, flow arts, hands on art camps and she continues to build experience with different age groups through nannying and babysitting. Skye lives a plant-based lifestyle and has leant many years to learning and building self sustainable skills; including nurturing the earth through a garden and growing her own foods for consumption. She considers this should be the staple in all our lives and communities, to have gratitude for the opportunity to learn through having our hands in the soil and observe the symbiosis and exchange ever-present in nature.
Shanna -Lee Kerr
TEACHER
Shanna-Lee has over 30 years of teaching experience. She loves sharing the joy of learning with students. At the AgraLiving Institute, she encourages children to discover an appreciation for nature through gardening and protecting our environment.
Lilyanna Simmons
TEACHER
More details coming soon!
Claire Peverelli
HEAD OF PEDAGOGY
Claire is a Montessori-trained outdoor educator with over 15 years of experience working with children who moved to Bermuda in 2021. She loves being a part of the AgraLiving Institute community where she can learn alongside others, share her passion for the outdoors and empower others to connect with nature and care for our planet.
Lee -Anne Cox
TEACHER &
FOREST SCHOOL LEADER
Lee-Anne is a Montessori teacher with over 17 years experience, a Forest School Leader,
Permaculturalist, and Soil Consultant in training. She joined Agraliving in 2022 working as a
teacher in their Children’s Gardening Club Afterschool Programme. Lee-Anne is passionate
about creating opportunities for children and young adults to experience the wonders of the
natural world as well as being an advocate for cultivating sustainable environments.
Sarrah Hamza
TEACHER
Since the age of 12 Sarrah has enjoyed working with children in many capacities. Including working as a nanny locally and in Europe, creche worker whilst at University, Camp Facilitator and Assistant, "Learning Through Landscapes Coordinator" with B.Z.S., Early Years Educator with B.Z.S(11 yrs), Early Years Art Educator and Sarrah is currently training to be the local Eco-Schools Coordinator. Sarrah has 2 Diplomas in Early Years Education and Child Care , having trained at the Norland College (U.K.) Sarrah is a fully qualified Norland Nurse. (Norland Diploma & NVQ level 3).
Sarrah's passion for working with children and Nature brings her so much joy. She embraces this opportunity to engage others in their environment as they contribute towards their own well being and that of others
Janine Dyer
TEACHER
A Mother invested in our children’s futures.
Mikaela Joy
EDUCATION. MARKETING & ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR
Mikaela is currently getting their Masters in Educational Psychology from UBC. They are passionate about how land-based education across all ages contributes to a more sustainable future for Bermuda.
Kayuntae Ming
TEACHER
Kayuntae is an experimental artist that is passionate about teaching and enhancing the lives of children. Kayuntae used to garden often with her nana and is happy to get back into the habit. Kayuntae has been working with children for over 15 years.
Kristamaria Looby
TEACHER
Krista has spent a lot of her young adult life caring for children---starting with her own nieces & nephew over 17years ago. She then had 3+ years experience in her late teens, teaching Sunday School with the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, which aided with learning to demonstrate curriculum to kids of different ages.
From there, the combination of nanny/sitting, and her experiences with hydroponics and good old fashioned home gardening, has sparked the desire to teach our children about sustainable cultivation and the wonders of nature!
OUR PARTNERS
