I am a proud farmer’s daughter from Madison, Indiana, a river town between Cincinnati and Louisville. My father has been growing corn, soybeans, and wheat, and raising a small cow-calf herd since the 1970s. I loved growing up on the farm and tending our large garden. I rode countless hours in the buddy seat, seeded test plots, fed cattle, moved equipment, and set tobacco.
While earning my degree in Agricultural Economics at the University of Kentucky, I discovered the world of local foods and farming. I saw the value of a farming system that not only provides healthy food, but also allows farmers some price control–a contrast to the fluctuating commodity markets of my upbringing. I went to work for a leading regional organic farm out of college, which provided me a foundation in local foods. From there, I spent 4 years with the Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development, where I helped farmers access wholesale markets while learning more about state and national systems that impact agriculture.
In 2022, I became a mother and transitioned to consulting work. I live in Central Kentucky on Marble Creek with my husband, Phil, and our daughter, Jane–my greatest gifts.
