Life so far…
Zimbo has a wonderful wife, Lisa, who he met at University in Ft. Collins, CO. Lisa has a lactation consulting business. He has 2 fabulous children born 1999 and 2001. Both kids have university education and varied interests having often performed at State (TN) level and occasionally at national level.
Zimbo was born and raised in central/southern Africa. His father built roads across wild, undeveloped land so Zimbo grew up living in the bush in temporary camps that moved with the road progress. Often the camps were hundreds of km from the nearest small town. Meals were cooked on an open fire and came from caned foods, hunting, foraging and a veggie garden below the outdoor shower. This necessitated attending boarding school in a different country to which the border was closed due to war. Much of his education was in Catholic christian mission schools.
So far Zimbo has been to almost 80 countries, been in wars both high and low intensity, adventured in every kind of environment, climbed, swum, dived, jumped, and run across almost every type of terrain feature, snuck in and out of countries, been chased, arrested and escaped from foreign authorities and had many other adventures. Only a few times did he find an ancient artifact!
What does a man do after growing up in wild and war torn Africa, then fighting for the US Army and traveling the world troubleshooting refineries in the oil industry? Naturally, he buys land and builds a diversified, organic homestead/farm designed to provide all the food and energy his family requires. The farm is not so much a business but a ‘Generational Food Security Project’. Zimbo designs, builds, and establishes a food or energy system for a period and then allows it to ‘fall’ to low production while he focuses his time and energy on the next project. The idea being to have established and rehearsed the ability to provide everything the extended family needs so should it become necessary all these different skills and systems can be ‘turned on’ to high production. The generational part is the ability to pass this operation onto his children and grandchildren.
Zimbo spent about 20 years in the US Army. His experiences include formal training and experience in: Quartermaster, Infantry, Special Forces (Army Green Beret), Intelligence, Airborne, Air Assault, SCUBA, war, unconventional war, jungle warfare, survival, languages, traveling, land navigation, escape and evasion, counter-terrorism, economic development, weapons and explosives, hand to hand combat, combat life saving & first aid, animal husbandry and much more. Besides being able to shoot, move and communicate, as a US Army Officer, Zimbo has had extensive training and experience in planning and leadership.
With a BS in Chemical Engineering he has worked in the oil industry, commissioning new units and troubleshooting established petroleum refining units all over the world.
Zimbo has owned and run 7 nested and synergistic companies in his own ‘C’ corporation.
Zimbo has tried MLMs, been a DJ and even had a personal fitness training and weight loss business.
While farming Zimbo produced and sold locally grown, chemical free, freshly harvested produce including vegetables, fruit and herbs, poultry, dairy and meats.
Zimbo teaches yoga. His preferred style is ‘Power’ and his preferred class is advanced and strong enough for inversions and arm-balances but he’ll teach anything and always adapts the class to the students who show up.
Activities and Interests
Zimbo’s favorite physical activities are: whitewater kayaking, mountain biking, rock climbing, yoga, snow skiing, and backpacking. Other physical activities he does because he feels he should are: running, swimming and gym workouts.
Zimbo’s interests include: Leatherwork, woodwork, gardening, homesteading, Magic the Gathering, bonfire gatherings at the farm, various crafting styles, craft beer, RV camping, travel and teaching yoga.
Volunteering
Zimbo makes time for volunteering. His volunteering activity rises and falls with other activity in his life. In the past he was a Boy Scout Master, active volunteer at church, a Chamber of Commerce Diplomat, served on the board of the Monroe Area Council for the Arts and a Diplomat and SWOT for a business networking organization called REO. The Stewards Gathering which brought church leaders together to exchange ideas, Knights of Columbus, a community garden for low income families and Wounded Warrior Project. Most recently Zimbo has been active in the following:
Catalyst Adaptive Sports
This organization helps disabled people engage in physical activities such as rock climbing, kayaking, hiking and mountain biking.
VetsClimb
Zimbo is a founding member of VetsClimb which is an organization which helps disabled veterans rock climb. Visit www.VetsClimb.org for more info.
