From Gardening to Farmer's Markets to the Future!

Grateful that since I was young my uncle instilled upon me the joy and lessons of gardening. Growing food on our property is something I’ve always known and a tradition carried on in our family to this day. The garden is a place of inspiration and sustenance. It’s an enjoyable form of physical therapy that I’m now happy to provide for my uncle and mother.

Great respect is garnered for our farming community. Knowing just how much work it takes to nurture our small patches to fruitful harvests has ingrained in me thorough appreciation for the grueling job of farming our food.

Above: Me with our 2023 garden at AAOTE's home base in Dublin, PA

This is a driving reason I still love taking AAOTE to showcase at farmer’s markets. In 2004 I started AAOTE by showing at Rice’s Market in New Hope and catapulted this business through the connections made at that humble market.

Here we are, twenty years later and I continue to seek to support farmer’s markets. With my background in marketing I work to promote every AAOTE outing. Knowing that my advertising efforts yield greater customer traffic for AAOTE as well as local growers and food producers makes my heart sing.

There’s generally a pattern in the types of venues I choose to support in my business efforts. Most all events AAOTE attends are run by 501 C-3’s or organizations supporting local farmers and small businesses. In my twenty years of investing in all types of shows including high-end art shows, I’ve found there are many show promoters who aren’t in the game for the greater good. Many promotors charge too high of fee for mediocre shows with sub-par marketing efforts resulting in poor sales for the exhibitors but stable, generous, and consistent income for the show promotor(s).

For instance, the vendor fees for the farmer’s market’s AAOTE has attended this year help fund community food security and education. For instance, The Doylestown Farmer’s Market (operated by the Bucks County Foodshed Alliance) and the Plumsteadville Grange Farmer’s Markets both help fund food security, and farming education in Bucks County. Inspiring the next generation of farmers is essential to our society’s long-term wellbeing.

At Horsham Farmer’s Market all vendor fees go directly to the public library which I find to be extremely gorgeous. The Saucon Valley Farmer’s Market works to educate community in Lehigh County of the importance of supporting our local farmers and producers. Big bonus for community and small business, all of these markets do a fabulous job promoting their vendors for the good of the whole, without additional fees. The authenticity of working for our greater good and community wellness is shining in these organizations and I’m honored to bring AAOTE to support them as we continue to grow and connect with communities.

This lifelong adoration I have for farming and locally sourced food leads me to the next phase of AAOTE’s vision, to transform at least one of our large metal buildings (of this former hosiery mill, an approx. space of 75’ x 100’) to indoor hydroponic tower-style farming. Indoor vertical farming has proven to be a highly productive and efficient method of produce output. Garnering the ability to sustain substantial produce harvests all twelve months out of the year. This is an extremely huge and costly task requiring renovation and equipment but as with all huge dreams, it comes to fruition one step at a time.

Above: Me starting seeds Feb 2023, and one of the two large buildings I'm working to convert, with my glass studio in the foreground. 

In addition to year-round, organic produce supply, I seek to ensure a percentage of our output will go directly to food pantries supplying those in-need with freshly picked produce, allowing them to have a few days to use it whereas much produce that’s currently donated to those in-need is wilted and on its way out. Those in-need work many long hours, with little time to prepare food. Having the extra time to meal-plan and prepare will allow them to better feed their family nutrient-dense food, increasing overall health and wellness in our community.

I also wish to see the indoor vertical farm set up to allow area retirement communities and schools to visit. Many in retirement communities greatly miss their gardens and the connection that they once had to their plants. It is my goal to build this place to allow for golf cart-style access to allow senior citizens to easily peruse and be inspired by the floor-to-ceiling plant life flourishing. This facility will also allow area schools to visit and inspire youth to consider this method of agriculture, educating them on the benefits of year-round food production and locally sourced produce.

Besides, how inspirational will it be to know that this art-based business pivoted to fund a transition that created increased food security and humanitarian uplift in and around Bucks County, PA? Have faith that when you are supporting AAOTE, you are doing more than inviting well-made, unique artistry into your life, you are funding a beautiful dream that will be able to provide fresh produce year-round.

Currently the best way to support this vision is to continue supporting the current work of AAOTE: Through our gifts which are sold at retailers nationwide, online, at our home base AAOTE Gallery in Dublin, and by partaking in our jewelry making activities, parties, and team builds, many of which are suitable for all ages.

Above: Sunset over the old hosiery mill which will serve as the home of our future indoor vertical gardens.