One thing I have learned about life in my 36 years on Earth is that having family
that cares about you and will do whatever they can to help you is one of God's
greatest blessings. If you are lucky enough to have caring family in your life you
are doing well. And if you are lucky enough to have two loving parents and two
incredible sisters like I am — you have won the lottery of life. Nothing I do would
be possible or have any meaning if not for family to share it with.
My dad and I have long been discussing the state of the world. Trying to understand
why it feels like we're all working harder and harder just to keep falling behind.
When the topic of his retirement came up a few years ago it was obvious we needed to
start thinking about what that was going to look like. For years I had dreamed of
buying a piece of land to grow my own food and get to living a life more in rhythm
with nature. I proposed a plan: we buy some land, build a big barn with a house
inside, get some animals, start a farm. I knew I couldn't do it without his help and
he knew this was a chance for him to retire to a slower way of life.
In September of 2024 we took a road trip through VA, NC and SC — we saw over 20
properties. Raw land, old farmhouses. Finally in Lake City, SC we found this tract.
The owner was willing to cut a 25-acre parcel out to give us what we wanted. We
closed just before Christmas and the Orenda Pastures dream was born.
I've spent my career in sales and sales leadership. My passion, however, is growing
things. What started as a few containers of tomatoes in the yard turned into
experimental food forests. In a world where less makes sense each day, the idea that
you can grow food in a way that is both more nutrient-dense and beneficial for the
ecology just makes my soul sing. There is something about observing and interacting
with nature in this way that makes life feel more real.
My dad made a living and supported our family with his hands. He owned and operated
auto body shops, spent time as a commercial welder, and then spent the bulk of his
career as a union carpenter in Boston. There is nothing this man cannot build or fix.
A relentless problem solver with an uncanny ability to make it work with what he has.
His experience and expertise have been invaluable at every step of the way. Not a day
goes by where I don't grow to appreciate him more.
Together we don't have any formal farming experience. But what we do have is a desire
to direct our energy towards building regenerative food systems that produce more
high-quality food with fewer inputs over time while improving the condition and
resiliency of the land in the process. We want to create value for our community and
store that excess value in a money that cannot be stolen from us through debasement.
We want to create something that provides for others long after we are gone. That's
the mission.
