Growing our Liferoot Roots
This. is. us.
Our journey together.
Our love for plants and all things natural.
Our story begins with Brad and I, and the small house we bought in the Hill Country of Texas almost two decades ago. We couldn’t afford to live in the city because it was too expensive. Being just married, we took what we could afford. And that was rural rural, only a small market, pie shop (which is still to this day amazing), and the late nite Dairy Queen.
Our house was bare with one tree in the front yard. Grass that was dead from the heat, and a rusty metal swing set in the backyard. We wanted some plants, so like many newly married couples, we went to Home Depot. We strolled around the garden section somewhat dazed (and I believing in my soul I wasnt going to be able to keep any of these plants alive). We walked through countless trees, veggie plants, shrubs, soils and fertilizers…and left with a fig tree. Little did we know at the time this fig tree would become our muse for the 135 fruit trees we have on the three-quarter acre property today.
That fig tree that grew and grew. It grew to the point it blocked the front window and the front door. It was a happy tree. It produced figs (we couldn’t beleive it). We added more. Got some more fig trees (cause hey…we hadn’t killed that one). Expanded bit by bit, season by season. We eventually added gardens, dogs, cats, then kids, then chickens. We studied, watched the seasons, Brad took courses, and planted more.
We love our little garden stead, and have learned so much over the years. But we still have a long way to go. Life is a learning journey. We have screwed up big time, having pests wipe out whole gardens and plants, have a fox come and kill all our chickens one in a night. Have trees die because the soil chemistry was off. On the flip side, we have produced hundreds of pounds of apples from three trees. We have maximized our small space to explode with garden life, feeding us, family, friends, clients, and wildlife all around. We have made it our own, our imperfect perfection, a permaculture heaven.
When you step foot on the property (June is our favorite time), it might look like a jumbled mess. But when you stay and linger, look closer, observe and become aware…. you realize its teaming with life. Even in the winter. From the microbes in the soil, to the worms being pecked by the chickens scratching around, to the mexican eagles and owls perching on the roofs edge, to the dragon fly clusters dancing in the sunset. They all work together to create a balance, a biome, that works together.
We also have taken this to other gardens. Close to us, far away. We work together to create your special biome, permaculture garden that sustains for you. Your balance. Garden consulting others is one of our favorite things, because lets face it, we love to talk about gardening as much as we love to do it.
And while Brad was taking permaculture courses, I was studying nurition and herbs. I started to see the synergy outside in the permaculture garden, we can take it inside to our artisan lab and apothecary. I started to create products that worked with the body balance, the biome. I craft products specifically with all the garden synergy, good vibes, and healing properties you can expect from such an amazing nature pharmacy. We used these products on our family, helping us and our children and children’s friends. Then, at a mom’s group one day, someone asked if they could buy some balm. Five years later we still make and sell organic, pure products for your family too.
Now our children love to garden and tend to the animals. Our daughter, Lily is called the chicken whisperer. She truly can wrangle the hens when no one else can. Our son, Oliver, has an amazing attention to detail and can notice something off whenever we couldn’t see it. And he can always spot a catepillar eating the plants. :)
Maybe you know our story, maybe your just joining us.
In either case, WELCOME! We love that you have decided to travel along side our passion, dreams, and imperfections. Learn and grow with us, lets create a lifestyle that is non-toxic, better for our Earth and all the things in it. Join us as we create a.life.rooted all together.
Photo Credit: Mel Cole @colecollective