I grew up in Clarksville, Tennessee and after graduating high school joined the Army Reserves. After serving there and working in the civilian world for a few years, I decided to go back to school to pursue a degree in Landscape Architecture and Geodesign, but while in school fell in love with farming. I have been growing food crops for non-profits and the like while in school and since finishing, roughly the past 7 years. Growing food is very important to me and at the moment, I grow food crops for a hospital in my area, and the food goes directly to patients of the hospital who have been screened as being food insecure.

While this is very fulfilling work, I am interested in starting my own cut flower business, using resources I have at my disposal at work right now and expanding as the business grows over time. I have the growing knowledge and have access to a greenhouse and seeds/supplies for germination through work and funds I can put into it, but I know nothing of the marketing and sales aspect and don’t have access to space that would yield profitable (I would not be able to grow much where I work given the requirements to grow food crops). I am currently working on a budget schedule and business and marketing plan and think a mentor would be ideal at this point.