Hey there, I'm Shelby!
I'm a multigenerational homesteader, former high school and college agriculture teacher, business owner, Jesus-loving and busy mama of four precious kids.
I know what it's like to feel the call to homesteading- the simpler, more traditional life doesn't happen by accident. Usually it starts with something simple like the urge to bake your own bread because of the ever-growing ingredient list you see on a store-bought loaf or the precious, fluffy baby chicks that you see at your local farm supply store.
I'll warn you. Once you get into this lifestyle, it's addicting. You'll soon find yourself tumbling down the rabbit hole of canning food, baking sourdough, making meals from scratch and gathering your family around the dinner table each night to spend quality time with each other around a homegrown, made-from-scratch meal. I don't know about you, but there are much worse places to end up!
Think of me as your guide on your homesteading journey. With my homesteading experience and agriculture knowledge, we can make your homesteading journey one that is incredible and easy to start.
How Garden. Farm. Thrive. started...
I grew up a 'homesteader' even though we didn't call ourselves that. We just viewed it as the way that we lived. I grew up gardening, tending to fruit trees and raising chickens for eggs and pigs for meat, preserving food and making from-scratch meals with my mom.
After high school, I went to Mississippi State University where I got a B.S. in Animal and Dairy Science. I then moved back home and started teaching high school agriculture classes and running the local FFA chapter while I worked on my M.S. in Agriculture. I then started teaching various agriculture college classes as well.
Several years into teaching, I realized that I was suffering from severe stress and burnout like so many other people do these days. After a heart attack and a stroke at the age of 30, I decided that I needed to rekindle my love for homesteading, but in a way that didn't feel overwhelming. I simplified how I ran my homestead and focused on what really mattered- spending quality time with my husband and kids. I now share that same method of homesteading through my Garden. Farm. Thrive.
If you're looking for a simpler, more traditional lifestyle that will help you embrace a more sustainable life you love, then you're in the right place, friend.
