Mark and Makia first met on a small family farm & vineyard in Northern California, where they worked and lived off the grid together for 3 years. Following this, they pursued work on small farms & projects across the world, studying agriculture and design on a wide variety of sites and operations. They received their Permaculture Design Certification in the Himalayan Mountains of Nepal in 2017. Their first project back in the US was reviving a small farm and motel property in upstate New York, which they owned and operated for two years. After selling the business, they returned to Makia's hometown in Northwest Montana, where Flathead Permaculture was born. They broke ground in 2020 on their small farm and homestead located on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Hot Springs, Montana. Tatopani Farm & Homestead is a diverse small acreage operation with focuses on dairy goats, laying flocks, homestead garden, orchards & food forests, tree & plant nursery, plant breeding & seed saving, cultivar research & testing. ​Off the farm Mark works as Flathead Permaculture- consulting, managing and helping develop regenerative sites across the Inland Northwest, as well as teaching and offering workshops.  His work has brought him experience developing land in the many different microclimates this Northwest region has to offer.