I am a gardener, writer & Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, living and digging in Northeast Georgia. I graduated, after a 15 year break, in 2014 from the University of Georgia, with my degree in English Literature. I love gardening, and have worked in the garden industry for the last seven years as a garden blogger, plant nursery & shade house associate, children’s garden assistant, at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, at The University of Georgia. Most recently from 2021-2023 I worked for the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension as an ANR Educator.
This is where I work, The State Botanical Garden of Georgia. We donated 2,200 pounds of organic produce from those beds in 2020!
I’m attempting to meld my environmental writing, literary skills, and my love of nature & gardening into a career. Raised mostly in the mountains of Western North Carolina, my family is full of farmers. Living off the land there for hundreds of years, they preserve most of their edible garden bounty in tremendously delicious ways.
My husband Hal & I hiking at Cloudland Canyon State Park, August 2020.
This is me and my Dad on his 90th birthday a few years ago. I hope to use my pictures and descriptions to document his knowledge for the future, to the best of my ability. I have forgotten a lot about the growing and canning, since I haven’t helped in many years. I hope Dad can teach me about his gardens. Yes gardens, plural.
Update Nov. 2018-Dad passed away this November 3rd, 2018. He made it to 92, and I talked to him on the phone the day before. He was canning his sauerkraut, and loving life. I will have more to say about him later, but for now just that he was a true American hero, in so many ways. A great number of people will miss him in a profound and indescribable way. I am truly blessed that he, and Mom were my parents.
Update Dec 2016-still working on documenting Dad’s gardens. The focus on the blog has been, and still is, my own gardening, but maybe I can detail the canning and all next year. I write about the canning community in NC in my essay Folk Literacy & Me.
I am very interested in other gardener’s opinions, ideas, and interests on all things related to plants and gardening, or nature and literature. Please comment on anything, or just say hello. I would love to visit your gardening website if you have one, so please leave your site link on your comment.
Thanks for visiting!
Cari, You are amazing with all these beautiful plants and flowers and your wonderful descriptions in your writing. When I can learn the way to your home, I want to come see in person your beautiful endeavors.
(By the time I learn, it may be poinsettia time!! Ha) Again, you have an amazing, beautiful website. Hope to see you soon. Love, Shirley
Hi Shirley! Thank you so much for visiting and your sweet comments. Call me anytime, and I will give you directions. I look forward to talking about quilting and other stuff with you. I will see you soon at the wedding! Thanks again for your thoughts.
Loved the Panther Creek pictures. Lovely!