Humble hive Consulting

11/03/2026

🌈💪PLANT YOUR FUTURE💪🌈 Regardless of what happens politically, we all have the power to change the course of our day-to-day existence with thoughtful actions. Our yards hold the key to lower food costs, to creating stability + resilience in the face of shortages and recalls, to creating desperately-needed food + habitat for wildlife, and yet, grass still populates the vast majority of yards across the country. We don't have to continue to accept grass as the only option and we don't have to wait for "the powers that be" to improve our lives. We can lower grocery costs, improve the health of our minds + bodies, and benefit our local ecosystems drastically and in just one season!

🥗 In late-winter/ early-spring of 2022, I transformed my 5000 SF front yard from grass to solo as a testament to the power 1 individual on 1 income (with 2 children and 2 businesses) has when armed with a thoughtful plan. Annual raised beds outfitted with hoop houses provide the bulk of our annual produce year-round and are surrounded by a perennial food forest edge that supplies apples, cherries, plums, hazelnuts, asparagus, berries, culinary herbs, and so much more for our family of 3. When I head to the grocery store or farmers' market, I'm generally only purchasing dairy and meat we don't raise ourselves, which means I'm only spending about $50/ week on "outside foods."

🌱 If you'd like to drastically alter the course of your life by using your yard for food + habitat, but feel overwhelmed with where to begin, that's what I'm here for! Reach out for a consultation today. I serve clients worldwide and my mission as a human and as a business is to empower as many people as possible to grow more of their own food; regardless of experience level.

📸 Thanks to the incredible Carolyn of Dayton Wellness Collective for these photos! 💕

11/01/2026

💰💲YARD "WASTE"= GOLD💲💰 Abundant, beautiful gardens don't have to cost a thing. We've been programmed to think that the sticks, limbs, leaves, grass clippings, and invasive species removed from our yards are "waste." And yet, these are the very things we can use to create abundance without spending a dime! Think about who benefits when we ignore what surrounds us and opt to spend money to meet our needs instead... 🤔

🌈 Would you like to be more thoughtful with how you use your yard? Maybe you want to grow more of your own food, herbs for your kitchen or for herbal tea, cut flowers, or perhaps you want to create vital habitat for our pollinators and other wildlife? No matter your goals, I specialize in designing truly sustainable, abundant gardens, landscapes and homesteads for clients worldwide and I'd love to help you on your gardening and /or homesteading journey! All of my designs (custom or "ready-to-go") come with the shopping list for materials + vegetation, as well as the step-by-step instructions to see it to fruition. Reach out to schedule a consult today!

10/29/2026

🐰 RABBIT COLONY 🐰 Whenever I raise an animal for consumption, it's of the utmost importance that I'm content with how they're housed and what they consume prior to harvesting any offspring. We got our first breeding pair of silver fox rabbits in fall of 2025 and have been working to build up the matriarchal colony that is housed within our earth-sheltered greenhouse since then. Meat rabbits are commonly kept in small cages or hutches, but I wanted ours to be raised as naturally as possible, so in winter 2025-2026, we moved our matriarch doe and her daughter out to the greenhouse after selling the rest of the offspring from her first litter. I buried 2 halves of a dog crate and covered them with straw, leaves, and branches from our property and the ladies quickly got to work digging underground tunnels connecting both burrows. Our matriarch, Speedy, has since had another daughter, Rocket, and so now we've 3 related females that we'll breed at the same time at the end of the winter, so that they all give birth around the same time (I'm adding a 3rd burrow as we speak). Once the kits begin venturing out of their familial burrows in late-winter/ early spring, their favorite foods will be widely available for me to harvest and bring to them each day. Then, we'll harvest all the offspring in late summer 2027.

♻️ I'm working toward using fewer offsite resources to sustain our homestead, so instead of straw, I'm using the ample goldenrod, aster, and mulberry vegetation found on our site to create the insulation to get them through the winter. Best of all, these are species rabbits LOVE to consume, so their housing structure also serves as a winter hay buffet. Our buck is housed in a paddock next to the ladies where they can look fondly at one another throughout the day 🥰.

🌈 Would you like to grow more of your own food, but don't know where to begin? That's my specialty! Reach out for a consult today. I serve clients worldwide and would love nothing more than to help you along on your gardening and/or homesteading journey.

10/28/2026

🌈 HOMESTEAD DESIGN 🌈 This series of 3 designs was commissioned by a thoughtful couple who purchased their home and acreage in Yellow Springs in 2025, and who desired to work toward greater self-sufficiency. They wanted to completely transition their front and back yards from grass-to-garden to reduce what they had to mow, to grow much of what they'll eat, and to create much-needed habitat for wildlife. Their backyard has been selected for a kitchen garden, berry surround, compost setup and chickens, while their front yard has been designated the native, medicinal + wildlife habitat oasis. Additionally, they had an "alley" of space between established trees that they hoped to turn into an abundant orchard, so I created a design meant to be replicated with each passing year, so that they could fill in as much of the space as they'd like with time.

✅ I specialize in working with clients who plan to install my designs themselves, so to make it achievable for everyone- regardless of prior gardening experience- each one of my creations comes with a shopping list for vegetation + bulk materials AND step-by-step installation instructions! Every design is unique to my client's site + lifestyle and includes the food they enjoy eating most AND that will fare best in their particular climate. I work to take the guesswork out of gardening + homesteading so my clients can enjoy the process from installation to harvest!

🍓 If you'd like something thoughtful, sustainable, and abundant designed for you, I'm not booking design work with January 2027 delivery dates. Reach out for a consultation today, so we can begin planning for all the edible bounty you'll grow in the years to come! I serve clients worldwide and so look forward to guiding you toward greater self-reliance.

10/26/2026

🙏🌈 It was an honor and joy to share my front yard food forest with Brandon Berry from the Dayton Daily News this past week. We discussed how I transitioned my front yard from grass to grocery store with "free" materials, and how I help others work toward greater self-sufficiency via Humble hive Consulting. If you'd like to grow more of your own food, but don't know where to start, reach out for a consult today. I serve clients worldwide and am presently booking design work with early 2027 delivery dates.

Strawberries and grape vines creep onto a stone driveway, with mushrooms growing on either side. Beyond it lies Lauren Craig’s food forest, where perennial plants grow alongside annual crops to supply much of what she and her two children eat.

10/24/2026

🏘️ HOMESTEAD LAYOUT 🏘️ This homestead layout design was commissioned by a family of clients residing in Beavercreek, Ohio who desired to turn their nearly ½ acre backyard into an abundant, sustainable that would provide for their growing family. They had already established an annual garden and a flock of backyard chickens, but were at a loss for how to make best use of the rest of the space they had at their disposal. Having young children and dogs, they wanted to ensure there was still loads of room to run + play, so we concentrated the food production elements on the edges of the space to ensure they had a giant, grassy "zone" in the middle fit for cartwheels + a game of fetch.

🌳 I've situated native, fruit-producing trees on the north end of their yard to make use of the grassy "alley" of space outside of their privacy fence. Wrapping around the east end of their lot, I've placed native, shade-tolerant shrubs + bushes that will produce bountifully despite nearby mature vegetation. Native grasses will provide a sustainable source of food + bedding for their flock of chickens, and rainwater harvesting systems off their shed and residence will reduce water bills and provide a sustainable means of irrigating their food crops + livestock. Speaking of livestock, a 3-bin compost setup was placed within their chicken yard that will passively feed their flock, while the chickens "turn" the compost for my clients. Meat rabbits are situated near the residence where they will enjoy 2 paddocks underneath the shade of an existing gigantic maple that will provide protection from overhead predators and keep them cool in the height of the summer sun. Dwarf fruit trees + rows of berries will be housed at the south end of their lot and will be surrounded by plant guilds that will regeneratively and sustainably support the lives of the food-producers.

🌈 If you'd like to play a greater role in the food you eat, but feel overwhelmed with where to start, reach out for a consult today. I serve clients worldwide. 

10/22/2026

🌈 RESOURCE CORNUCOPIA 🌈 I'm elated to have my Herb Spiral "ready-to-go" garden design included in "The Ultimate Yardsteading Collection" thoughtfully curated by ! It just went "live" today, and will only be available until November 1st, so snag your copy of the WHOLE resource library (50+ resources from 47 creators) while you can (✨LINK BELOW✨)! If you have interest in all things homesteading, this collection is for you. It's been so fun looking through the wide array of plans, guides, and tutorials written and designed by experienced farmers, educators, and homesteaders included!

✅🏘️ The link to get your copy of the collection can be found below 👇 and I'm delighted knowing you'll soon have the plans in your hands for my "Herb Spiral" design along with SO many other resources that will help bring your gardening and/or homesteading dreams to light! As always, if you'd like a bit more custom guidance, I'm always available for consultation and serve clients worldwide.

https://thehillsidemarket.com/pages/ultimate-yardsteading-collection?sca_ref=12501113.JbauqJOoaQ

10/21/2026

🌈 UPCOMING EVENTS 🌈 I'm honored to be taking part in 2 exciting events taking place in November and I'd LOVE to see you at one or both! Here's a bit more about each upcoming event:

📍 HUSTLE & HEART NON-TRADITIONAL CAREER EXPO, Friday, November 6, 2026 from 3:00-5:30 PM @ the Southeast Branch of the Dayton Metro Library: Dayton Neighborhood Leadership Institute is hosting a career expo for our youth to explore ways to build a non-traditional career. This event is for anyone (teens + adults) 13+ years old and will feature successful entrepreneurs and professional across a variety of industries.

📍 2026 SOIL HEALTH SYMPOSIUM, Friday, November 13th, 2026 from 8:30 AM- 4:00 PM @ the Arts & Sciences Building at Antioch College in Yellow Springs: Hosted by the Antioch College Farm, this symposium is free and open to all — students, faculty, gardeners, farmers, environmental professionals, nonprofits, community organizations, and neighbors from Yellow Springs and the region. It’s about sharing knowledge and building community and capacity around soil health. Breakfast and lunch are provided; a $25 per person donation is appreciated but not required. I'll be specifically taking part in the panel discussion as well as one of the breakout sessions later on in the afternoon. I'll also be set up with my line of "ready-to-go" garden designs as well as my portfolios for anyone interested in learning more about my work.

💚 More information, including registration information for each event, can be found via the "classes + tours" tab of my website and I so hope to see you at one or both!

10/20/2026

✨ OFFICE MAGIC ✨ Here’s a peek at what surrounds me as I create abundant, thoughtful designs for my clients. The corner next to my drafting table serves as a source of inspiration and love; with every object having been created by beloved friends or family or which serve as reminders of someone or something deeply meaningful to me. Both my book and seed libraries sit on the same wall and all are organized into sections to make finding the information or seed easy to find when I need it. This room always boasts the most beautiful light and makes “heading to work” that much sweeter.

🌈 I’m unbelievably grateful to all my clients for allowing me to spend my days designing for you. If you’d like to be a future client, I’d love to design something sustainable and bountiful for you! I serve clients worldwide and specialize in working with clients who plan to install themselves. As such, every design comes with the shopping list for materials + vegetation, as well as the step-by-step installation instructions to guide you from dream garden to “real life” garden-of-your-dreams.

10/17/2026

💥 FREE PLANTS 💥 This is a beautiful time of year to collect the seeds from your favorite native species to start more future plants than your bank account would ever allow! Whether from your yard or favorite local hiking spot, start collecting ripe seed heads and combine them to make seed mixes that you can sow into a sheet mulched surface (2-3 layers of uncoated, tape-free carboard on top of grass or whatever presently resides and topped with 4-6" untreated + undyed wood mulch) to cold-stratify (be exposed to prolong cold via over-wintering) and sprout forth next year. I'll be sowing this mix of river oats, hyssop, mountain mint, New England aster, and cut leaf coneflower into several areas I sheet mulched this year; using these spaces a "nurseries" of sorts to stock the rest of my site.

🌈 Planting the garden of your dreams doesn't have to cost much/ any money at all! Simply pay attention to how nature disperses her beloved plants for insight.

✅ If you'd like a bit more focused direction, that's my specialty! I provide in-person and virtual consultations as well as custom and "ready-to-go" garden designs that come with the shopping list for materials + vegetation as well as the step-by-step installation instructions to see your dreams to fruition. I'd love nothing more than to help you along on your gardening and/or homesteading journey. Reach out for a consultation today. I serve clients worldwide.