Hello
Thank you for stopping by The Mindful Plantstead. My name is Cheryl!
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I am sure this is the same for so many people, but writing a quick bio about myself is one of the hardest things to do. I never feel like I can never truly introduce myself in a quick way. Everyone has such an in-depth story to who they are and how they got there. So here is my attempt to do a quick hello and this is me!
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I grew up in a smaller town in Missouri. I knew I wanted to be a photographer since I started high school. I knew I wanted to travel, get out of the small town and do major things with my life. After I graduated college with my BS in Professional Photography, I moved to Saint Louis and began freelancing in the photo industry. I worked my way up and then continued on to follow my next biggest goal, move to Seattle, WA and work full time at a photography studio. In 2017, I packed up my bags and moved to Seattle, alone, with no job. I then got a full time job with a promising future within 2 months of moving!
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And then, I moved back. My mindset changed and my eyes were opened. I wanted to focus more attention on my happiness and not monetary success. I wanted to settle down, buy a house with land, start a family, and grow my own food. I wanted to learn how to live more sustainably, and become even more educated on a whole food plant-based diet and lowering my waste and consumption. Now that Justin and I bought our house in the tiny town of Swedeborg, MO just 15 miles north of the military base where Justin is a helicopter pilot, I am excited to start growing our own food on our plantstead.
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What is a plantstead? It's basically like a homestead, but we are choosing not to raise animals for food. I am 100% plant-based and have been for many years. Justin is not, and I am not going to push someone into something. Instead I have helped educate him on the industry and the ways we can support those small farmers who are raising livestock in sustainable ways that are also helping us heal the land. Through regenerative farming, it is possible to actual heal the land, raise very healthy livestock in a very caring and sustainable way, and it actually helps the environment, if done in the right way. I do plan on eventually raising chickens to help fertilize the soil of the garden, and possibly rescue a small herd of goats that will live a very happy life helping us heal the soil around us.
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By starting this blog, I now have the opportunity to share all the things I love with you. Environmental awareness, plant-based recipes, holistic nutrition, herbalism, gardening, and reducing our overall waste.