About Ben
Ben grew up predominantly in a rural part of Santa Cruz County and operated farm equipment from the age of fourteen; tending two acres of ecologically sensitive agricultural land in a riparian corridor. He later studied landscape design and architecture as well as engineering technology (drafting) for three years at Cabrillo College, and U.C. Berkeley Extension, and later refreshed his plan reading and drafting skills at Sierra College.
Ben managed McPherson’s Nursery in Grass Valley and a retail garden department in Hawaii. He won three Blue Ribbon awards and one Best of Show award for garden design at the Santa Cruz County Fair. He improved and maintained rural properties as a handyman and groundskeeper for over 15-years before opening Ben’s Zap Haul in 2016.
One side of his family operated a well-loved Grass Valley landscaping nursery for over thirty years, and the other operated a rural land development business–installing and maintaining roads, fire breaks, building pads, clearing brush and performing fire safety maintenance–in You Bet (Lawton Way, and Eowana Lane are namesakes) for three generations.
Ben holds a Bachelors degree from U.C. Santa Cruz and an Associates degree along with 2 drafting certificates from Cabrillo College in Aptos, and enjoys recreating with his loving partner Rachel and amazing “rescue” dog Marley in nature, and social dance.