After graduating with a BA in Asian History at UBC and UC Berkeley, Russell studied organic farming with pioneer organic farmer and teacher, John Harrison. Subsequently he co-founded the Naam vegetarian restaurant in Vancouver (still running after 35 years); an organic fruit stand & wholesale fruit operation; Quadra Foods Market on Quadra Island and Capers natural foods stores in Vancouver. In 1993 he was finalist for both the regional Entrepreneur of the Year and Van Citys Ethics in Action� awards. In 1999 he was one of three first recipients of the B.C. Organic Pioneers Award. Concurrently he was involved in several intentional communities, co-founded the Quadra Island Waldorf School and was a director of Hollyhock Retreat Center. He has been a student of green architecture studying with students of Christopher Alexander and has been involved in the design and construction of a dozen projects. In 2000 he was a founding partner of Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy in Boulder, Co. where he oversaw design and branding. In April of 2006 he returned to his farm in Nelson, British Columbia - waiting for the next egg to hatch.