In an effort to share the story of my path to starting Beeting Hunger Wellness Farms, I felt obliged to share where I come from in a (hopefully) short read.
Growing up in a small (really small... high school graduating class of 99 students small) town and coming from a family of good people who value hard work, hard work is in my blood.
At the age of 10, my family moved to a small town in Indiana, purchased a little country store and some land behind it, and I got to learn what it meant to run a family business.
Before and after school, my sister and I helped mom with the chores that came with running a small grocery store. Anything from inside tasks like running the cash register, stocking shelves, sweeping floors, slicing deli meats, and taking out trash to outside tasks of helping maintain the gardens; (I remember hating pulling weeds when I was little - now, it is therapeutic to me) and a couple years into the business, helping in the greenhouses as we would fill pots and trays with planting mix to grow veggies and flowers for customers to buy.
I couldn't have predicted that this experience as a youth would become my passion as an adult. I LOVE to get my hands dirty. I LOVE to start a seed and see it sprout into something that is edible and beautiful. I LOVE sharing what I grow with hard work and love to provide something of value to others. It just feels good.
My career has taken me on a winding path to get here. Over the years, I have worked in tech and marketing roles, mostly with small and startup companies or in entrepreneurial capacities myself. What I continued to learn is that the tech and marketing career path wasn't what my heart and brain needed. I stayed on a continuous roller coaster of trying to find a fit, but what I have been so blessed to discover is that my roots would be where I am happiest.
COVID changed so much for the entire world. It did something incredible for me also. As a result of isolation-induced depression, I started looking deeper inside myself and trying to become more "me", whatever that would be. I learned that wellness through physical, spiritual, and emotional health would be what helped me find my path toward purpose and peace.
Spending time in prayer and getting closer to God, I learned more about me. Reading more, listening more, not only to myself, but also empathizing and listening to others, has also had a role in shaping where I am today; fulfilling a purpose in Hawai'i.
In 2025, I spent the year volunteering, hosting Plant Swap events, encouraging the community to learn more about plants and the wellness benefits of having houseplants in their homes. Not only that, but also encouraging community togetherness in a place where community didn't really seem to come together except for sporting events or an annual festival.
It was during that time that I met the co-founder of a local food security non-profit organization where he and I would discover that we shared mutual interest in providing healthy, locally grown food for our small town. In the short window of March through October, he and I hosted a festival that highlighted local farmers, artisans, and musicians. We started a community garden. We provided organically grown produce to the local food pantry as well as neighbors and volunteers.
Winter came though, and I didn't want to experience the cold temperatures. So Hawai'i is where I decided to go. I didn't anticipate that I would be here past March, but it turns out that I have year round work that I can do to serve people who need the work that I am passionate about doing.
Calling on not only my youth experiences in the garden and greenhouses, but also the past few years in landscaping and personal gardening, I know that getting my hands dirty and growing organic produce to help feed Hawai'i is where I am meant to be.
With that, I look forward to intentionally building something that serves a bigger purpose. This isn't just a career for me. This mission is a personal desire to help with providing healthy food that is grown organically, with love. It is a desire to share also how the food we eat can help our bodies become healthier and more resilient. It is also a desire to help Hawai'i have more local food that doesn't require the overhead costs of shipping or flying in from the mainland. And finally, I hope to also teach how families can grow their own food in very limited spaces with very limited resources.
I don't always understand the how and why of life's occurrences, but then I recall Proverbs 3:5-6. I lean into what God calls me to do. He hasn't steered me wrong yet. I will continue to keep this Faith and let Him lead me where He needs me!