While I gardened occasionally with my dad as a kid, I fell back into gardening as an adult by accident. On a whim, I bought and killed a few tomato plants, and within a month I built my first raised bed. That was quickly followed by several more garden beds, rain barrels, a compost system, the addition of honeybees, and plans for a chicken coop. I blame too many hours of playing the farming sim game Stardew Valley.
Gardening taps into so many things that I find interesting, ranging from biology and the environment to history and folklore. I enjoy growing my own food and trying to recreate the feeling of a small farm within my suburban neighborhood. My goal with gardening is to do everything as naturally and as sustainably as possible.
Outside of gardening, I enjoy hiking, writing, reading, and photography.
Q: What’s your favorite plant?
A: My favorite plants to grow are snow peas. They were my first major success with gardening and their fast growth in early spring always brings me hope that warmer weather is near.
Q: What is your “spirit vegetable”?
A: My spirit vegetable is a pumpkin (yeah yeah, I know it’s technically a fruit). I love autumn, squash soups, and Halloween, so I think it fits me pretty well.
Q: What’s the most unusual plant you’ve grown?
A: I have a small collection of tropical bromeliads that I’ve grown for use in poison dart frog and crested gecko vivariums. It’s a really fun challenge to keep plants alive when other animals are relying on them as a hiding spot!
