Life is a journey and here are a few of my highlights so far:

I was born and raised in Chicago, where I developed an interest in good food, real people, and a desire to move to the mountains. After taking the traditional path to a Women's and Gender Studies degree, I hightailed to Lake Tahoe for 2 years, working in various roles on and off the mountain. While I loved my life in Tahoe, I decided to take the plunge of solo traveling in South America for a year. It wasn't a hard decision because traveling and exploring runs deep in my family's blood. While in South America, I WWOOFed ( http://www.wwoof.net/ ) as a means to supplement travel and to learn about farming practices abroad. Perhaps there was a deeper calling behind this decision, as after working on a few different farms I felt a draw and passion towards the lifestyle and work ethic that went into growing food. Upon returning to the states I applied for a variety of apprenticeships on organic farms in the US, landing on a fantastic farm in Pennsylvania. Licking Creek Bend Farm (http://www.lickingcreekbendfarm.com) immersed me into the practice of sustainable farming first hand. Mike Tabor, the owner and founder, strives to keep his prices affordable and accessible to those in Washington DC. The population that might not usually buy local and organic. After working a season on the farm I began to understand that farming isn't only a job, it's a lifestyle.

Now I am four months off of the farm and living in Michigan. The quest for what I want to do with my life surrounding food and sustainability is endless! At this point I am searching to understand what the different outlets are and how I can make a difference in the world of agriculture.

I am using my time in Michigan to seek out people who have created businesses in this space, and to learn from their story in the food business. I feel that making these connections will be fundamental in figuring out where I can fit in this diverse industry.

If I contact you in Michigan (or somewhere else in the world!) and ask to chat I'm hoping to get a sense for how you came to be in this business and what suggestions you might have for me. I'm in total sponge-mode, and I need your experiences to saturate my decision making process!

Feel free to email me with any questions or suggestions if you happen along my story. The journey is just beginning, and I'm excited to see what it leads to!