OUR ROOTS
We’re Aaron and Justine, a husband-wife team of plant nerds. We started Tupelo Farm & Garden officially in 2019, but we always knew that we were meant to have some sort of farm of our own. You see, we’re not desk job folks. We need to get out and move or we get a tad grumpy, just like our unofficial mascot, farm dog Odin. We really got into farming when we were living in Vermont, because digging in the mountains was a spectacular introduction to living by the seasons. But here in rural, coastal Virginia, we are astounded by the variety we can grow, and are beyond excited to have our own slice of countryside.
Why flowers and garden installations? Well, we believe there is power in having your own outdoor space that is as beautiful as it is functional. Flowers, and plants in general, have this amazing ability to make us feel great. Being able to bring a vase full of flowers into your home adds instant cheer. Our goal is to increase interaction with nature because that is what brings so much richness to life.
KNOW YOUR FARMERS
JUSTINE
I first became interested in farming while living in Baltimore, having discovered that I did not enjoy an urban environment as much as I thought I would. I missed daily interactions with vast expanses of the natural world, and honed my skills as a photographer and graphic designer by studying how humans interact with their environment and how farmers can market themselves to reach wider audiences. I graduated at the beginning of the Slow Flowers movement in 2008. Having written my thesis on the effects of imported flowers on our environment, I created a guide for local florists to educate their audiences on how a shift to local, sustainable agricultural practices would change the floral industry for the better.
Shortly after graduation, Aaron and I moved to Vermont and began working for a widely successful certified organic farm. I immediately fell in love with the act of farming, and felt more at home working with my hands creating change in the moment, than designing campaigns on a screen. After 5 years in Vermont, our jobs moved us down to Virginia, where we purchased our humble 7-acre postage stamp, and dove into slowly cultivating our farm.
An artist by heart and trade, I love that I can not only grow my palette, but design with all the colors, textures, and scents that come from the land beneath my feet. I find that art and farming are not so different from each other, and the skills I have as a grower are much the same as being a designer.
When I’m not in the fields, you can find me weaving and dyeing fibers for my sister business Tupelo Fiber & Design. When I actually do take some time off (ha!), you’ll find me hiking/camping, enjoying a fire with some rye whisky and friends, or tearing up the kitchen cooking some elaborate recipes.
AARON
Having grown up around plants, the importance and essence of plants, specifically trees, is in my veins. Starting with my family’s small scale wholesale nursery and my father’s passion for unusual specimen trees and shrubs, and my mother’s love for her perennial gardens, I went on to study Horticulture from Penn State’s Penn College of Technology, specializing in plant propagation and retail management.
My professional work has given me a wide range of experiences, from retail, to crop production, to running my own nursery in Richmond, VA, which I still currently do. Overall, my passion is in the planting and maintaining of trees and shrubs, from large scale habitat restoration projects, to backyard gardens that bring joy to homeowners. I emphasize and prioritize education, both for myself and our various audiences, and am constantly seeking out continuing education courses and interacting with other horticultural professionals. As an ISA Certified Arborist, my specialty is tree health. Justine jokes that my bedtime reading is dense horticultural textbooks and scientific papers, but it’s true.
It’s impossible for me to pick a favorite plant, but I do really love rare and unusual conifers. On our farm, I am working on a large conifer display garden, and generally once the workday is through, you can find me there, talking to my trees. When I take time off (again, ha!), I’m also camping, hiking and enjoying friends and family around a fire, but I really love music and discovering new artists. From heavy metal, to bluegrass, to the anthems of the 60s and 70s that I grew up listening to, I love plugging in my headphones and jamming.
Odin, The Farm Dog
Always by our sides, Odin is the unofficial mascot of Tupelo Farm. You’ll likely never meet him, as he has high standards for the humans he allows in his space (i.e. you probably won't make the cut, no offense), but he’s a key part in keeping our morale high. As the Lead Senior Executive Inspector General Core Branch Manager he oversees all digging, planting, pest control, and specializes in picking the ripest blueberries himself. A cricket and grub hunter extraordinaire, we’d truly be lost without his direction and insight. He understands the importance of a good bake in the sun, and a nap under the dining room table.