I moved to Queenstown from London in 2014, to pursue a more natural lifestyle and follow my passions (rather than a pay packet).

After visiting the Sherwood Hotel many times due to a our mutual respect for sustainability and community, I found myself managing the bar. Here I struck up a close relationship with the then horticulturalist, my predecessor and somewhat mentor, nerding out over soil biodiversity and its role in plant and human health.

Working closely with him, I decided to invest in my future and new-found passion, by studying horticulture with SIT (Southern Institute of Technology), all the while maintaining my home and community plots. This helped pave the way to bring my passion and career in line. After further work learning about microgreens and natives, I managed to secure myself the role of Sherwood in-house horticulturist, growing organic produce and creating edible landscapes.

Many conversations with locals and guests alike led me to understand how valuable knowledge of growing produce is. It seemed everybody who came through really valued where their food was coming from and many had their own stories of successes and failures. Seeing a flourishing bountiful garden seemed to spark inspiration amongst children and adults alike. So it became my mission to help share this knowledge and passion with people who were keen to learn.

Crop is the next step in my horticulture journey, and I look forward to helping you on yours.