FARMER BIOGRAPHY…
Fresh food and family have been instrumental in my life. The youngest of twelve, I was born and raised in New Mexico in a semi-rural setting. My parents practiced sustainable farming methods to ensure a fresh, affordable food source. Besides growing fruits and vegetables, we raised rabbits, poultry, and pigs as sources of protein and organic fertilizer. Though it was a lot of hard work growing fresh fruits and vegetables, I have been shaped by those early years in the fields. So much so, I have the desire to teach others about the benefits of sustainable agriculture.
In 2001, after many years as a land care professional in Portland, OR, I went to graduate school to obtain a master of arts in teaching. After teaching children about the wonders of nature in the classroom and beyond, I began to realize children and society had severed their ties to the land. I have been inspired to integrate my background as a horticulturalist and teacher to promote sustainable agriculture in my community. I am also accredited through the Northeast Organic Farmer’s Association (NOFA).
My model of urban farming is based on the SPIN (Small Plot Intensive) growing practices created by Wally Satzewich in Canada that focuses on growing high-value, multiple crops intensively on residential backyard plots. Through sustainable agriculture, families will be able to reconnect with the land, and each other, while providing a secure source of food.