A vision of earth and community tended well.

A collaboration that sprouted a dream.

The farm was brought to fruition through joint collaboration among friends sharing a dream of community nourished by local food, nature-connected education, and therapeutic experiences on the land. Central to our mission is the creation of opportunities for remembering our inherent relationship with, and responsibility to, the broader earth community. The farm is a sanctuary of healing- for people, as well as plants and animals. Through the relationships that unfold between people and this special place, we hope to feed the local movement that is returning us to our roots, as stewards of our shared planet Home.

About Us

  • Shae Keane, M.A.

    Co-Director, Nature-Connection Programming

    Educator, Wilderness First Responder

    Shae (she/her) has a passion for facilitating transformative nature-connected experiences through relationship with plants, animals, wild landscape, and authentic community. She is particularly inspired by the meaningful impact animals have on people and loves partnering with them in the educational and therapeutic process.

    From 2016-2018, Taylor and Shae developed and co-directed Sowing Seeds, a program aimed at bringing nature-based education and food literacy skills to local at-risk youth. In 2019, Micky Morton and Shae partnered to create and co-direct Seedkeepers Forest School, serving children 3-9, where Shae worked as an educator and co-director for three years. Prior to this, Shae worked as a senior field guide in the field of wilderness therapy with children and adolescents, and supported the launch of Emerald Arrow, a wilderness therapy program for young adults. She continues to serve as the Program Developer and Lead Trainer for this program.

    Shae holds a Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and specializes in facilitating nature-connection therapeutic experiences. During her graduate program, she was given the opportunity to co-create a Nature-Based Therapy graduate certificate at ETSU, along with colleague Dr. Bethany Novotny. When it comes to individuals' healing journey, she understands the earth to be the first healer. She continues to pursue a vision of making nature-based therapy and nature-based education accessible to all in East Tennessee.

  • Taylor Malone

    Farm Manager

    Co-Director, Nature Connection Programming

    Taylor (he/him) is a farmer, educator, researcher, builder, and philosopher. He received is bachelors in Philosophy at ETSU in 2014, and has been doing community farm and food work since. Although he grows a good sized veggie garden every year, his particular focus has been on growing regionally-adapted perennial crops such as fruit, nut, and fodder trees. He has managed chickens, pigs, and goats (right now there are just chickens on the farm), and hopes to get some cows on the farm soon. He and Shae started an after-school program for inner city youth at an edible park in Johnson City (it is for the public and located at 500 Wilson Ave if you want to visit). Activities for the children included plant identification, planting, pruning, rooting, grafting, building, foraging, harvesting, processing, cooking, and of course, eating! He brings a diversity of skills to the farm with his background as a wilderness therapy field guide, timber framer, agricultural consultant, and program coordinator at a farm-focused non-profit. He looks forward to cultivating a farm landscape rich with food for the mind, body, and soul.

  • Jennifer Dafcik & Natalie Smith

    Passionate about improving the lives and earth of our community, Jennifer & Natalie have partnered with Shae & Taylor to create this forest farm. Jennifer is a wellness instructor at East TN State University, and Natalie teaches in Sport & Recreation Management program. They both have a diverse set of expertise and interests, and are excited about what this land will reveal over time. Avid travelers, when they aren’t wandering east Tennessee, you can find them exploring the world.