Susan Elane Berry, North Carolina Horticulturist and Strawberry Farmer
Name: Susan Elane Berry
Occupation: Horticulturist, Author, Homesteader
Place of Residence: North Carolina
Background: In 2003, Susan began her growing journey at the age of 44 via the encouragement of a friend who happened to be a farmer. After living most of her life in the suburbs south of Boston, Mass., Susan moved to North Carolina, where she and her husband purchased a house on 5 acres of land. With no prior thought to gardening, Susan and Don were encouraged by a friend to start a small garden. Within three years, a 10-foot-by-20-foot garden became a 2-acre farm of vegetable and berry crops.
In 2008, with the homestead and gardening bug firmly rooted in her, Susan applied to a local community college and obtained her degree in Horticulture. Since then, she has taught her passion of homegrown food to folks who, like herself, live in the suburbs and urban neighborhoods.
Susan raises strawberry plants on her farm and sells the plants to local gardeners. Her most treasured growing success over the years was back in 2005, when she discovered that she could germinate and raise asparagus crowns from seeds gathered from her own heirloom asparagus crop. She starts the seeds in her greenhouse, and after one year, moves them to their home in the garden until they are two or three and sells them to home gardeners.
Susan also raises a small flock of hens and encourages team participation between farmer and flock when it comes to gardening.
Susan recently became a published author and also blogs for Grit and Capper’s Farmer magazines.
Find Susan’s book, Inspired Gardening, on Amazon.
Current Projects: Susan is anticipating a move to a new home this year and with it will come a new greenhouse project, a new chicken coop, and new garden.
Connect with Susan:
