I was interested in farms, ranches and the natural world since childhood, although no one in our family farmed. It only took me 50 yrs to get my own farm!  In college I studied biology, ecology, botany, zoology and a couple languages. My studies took me to Central and South America where I studied tropical ecology, leaf-cutter ants and observed various types of farming systems. At University of California in Santa Cruz I worked as the coordinator of the Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture for 8 years before coming to State College, PA.  I began working for the Integrated Pest Management Program at Penn State University (see paipm.org) and also got involved with the newly formed Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA - see pasafarming.org). At PASA, I served as secretary for as long as they would have me.  I also trained as an Independent Organic Inspector and conducted farm inspections for PA Certified Organic. During this time I realized that if I wanted to farm, NOW was the time. My joke was that the median age of farmers was 50 yrs anyway, so that was perfect! I rented some farmland for a couple years and then took the plunge to buy my own place. I have been farming at this site since 1998 while continuing to work at Penn State as part of the IPM Program.

I came to the farm in 2003 looking for a place to live. I fell in love with the farm and the animals. The location is very reminiscent of where I grew up in The Big Valley (Belleville, PA). At the time I moved here I was working as a Research Technician at Penn State and had recently graduated in Horticulture/Landscape Design. I began to learn the ways of the critters and that everything that is not in a flower bed is not necessarily a weed! I changed jobs and began working at Pennsylvania Certified Organic. I worked there for four years as a Certification Specialist and Organic Transition Specialist. Through the farmers and others I met during that time I learned a great deal about farming and the value of local food. I now work mainly on the farm tending to the animals and the land. In the winter months I have been working at PASA for the past three seasons as the Registration Associate for their annual Farming for the Future Conference.