For this month's garden spotlight, I'm thrilled to be interviewing Natalie Freeman from Natalie Creates of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Natalie started blogging over a decade ago when she was in college and away from her family. Fast forward to today, she lives on a beautiful farm with her husband, Luke, you'll find out more about that in the interview. On top of living on a farm, Natalie is a master gardener, has a podcast, and owns the cutest general store.
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into gardening?
Hi, my name is Natalie! I am co-owner of Freckled Hen, a brand that inspires thoughtful living through beautiful home goods & gifts. When I am not running our business, you will find my husband & me in our vegetable & flower garden!
Farming has always been in my family. My grandfather was a farmer, my uncle still operates the farming legacy he left behind & I grew up on a small piece of land. My dad loved growing watermelons!
When I went to college, I met my now husband & together our love for urban agriculture grew. He studied sustainable agriculture & eventually earned his masters in Horticulture. Once I graduated with my bachelors, I became a school garden educator. Gardening has always been a huge part of our family culture & we now live on a small farm, Freckled Hen Farm, in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
2. What is your biggest piece of advice for someone who is just starting out with gardening? What is one thing to avoid?
My best piece of advice - Just go for it! Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Gardening never turns out the way you think it will & there are always opportunities to learn from. That's what keeps us gardeners coming back season after season! And whatever you do, always make sure your garden is next to a reliable water source. I cannot tell you how many gardeners in the South fizzle out halfway through the summer because they planted their garden too far away from the water spout.
3. What are your must have tools and where do you buy them? Where are your favorite places to buy seeds from?
We love buying tools & seeds from Johnny's Seeds! Our favorite tools are always DeWit & I cannot live without my Felco Pruners. We've been growing flowers for quite some time & Floret always has the most beautiful varieties!
