My love for gardening doesn’t stop at the edges of my own soil. Over the years, my journey as a homesteader and master gardener has taken me far beyond my 4-acre farm, leading me to some of the most inspiring gardens, farmers, and growers across the country - and around the world.

One of the most impactful experiences has been attending events like the Homestead Festival, where I had the opportunity to learn alongside and from fellow homesteaders, master gardeners, and regenerative farmers like Joel Salatin from Polyface Farm and Kaylee from The Honeystead. These gatherings are more than just educational - they’re deeply energizizing, connecting people who belive in living close to the land, growing real food, and teaching the next generation to do the same.

Internationally, one of the most memorable and inspiring stops in my journey was my visit to Babylonstoren in Cape Town, South Africa. This historic Cape Dutch farm is a true masterpiece - a working farm and garden that blends beauty, structure, and sustainability in a way that stirred my imagination and deepened my commitment to thoughtful garden design. Walking through its orchards, medicinal gardens, and vegetable rows, I felt a sense of clarity and purpose about how I wanted to shape the spaces I help to create.

Each trip - whether across the state or across the globe - has added a layer of richness to how I design, plant, and teach. My approach blends the soul of a homesteader with the perspective of a traveler: honoring traditional growing methods, while always staying open to fresh inspiration and new techniques that honor the land and the people it feeds.

Whether I’m standing in a backyard garden in Indiana or a centuries-old vineyard in South Africa, one thing remains true - gardens are universal spaces of hope, healing, and abundance. And I bring those lessons back with me, planting them into every consultation, every seed sown, and every story I share.