About me
Farming and gardening has been in my family for years. Carrying on our tradition in my own way helps me to feel connected to my family, even when I'm far away.
Grandma and Grandpa Watkins, Taralee, Sister Miranda and cousins Ramsey, Josey, Parker, Andy and Tres
Maternal
My mom's family is rather small, so we were pretty close growing up. With only five cousins, my grandparents were able to get to know all of us well. While my Grandma Watkins was often chasing bunnies and squirrels out of her flower garden, my Grandpa Watkins was busy down in his salvage yard planting vegetables for her to cook later on. Grandpa's corn and potatoes were always my favorite. He believed in working for what you have, and he would put you to work if you inquired about his crops. Each year, we helped to bag hundreds of freezer bags of sweet corn to use throughout the year, and it was almost impossible not to eat an ear or two in the process.
Taralee and Grandpa Morgan
Paternal
My dad grew up on a farm on the border of Minnesota and Iowa. He recounts stories of waking early in the morning to care for the farm animals before heading off to school. While they focused more on raising farm animals than farm crops, key lessons were instilled at a young age that would be passed on to me and my sister early in life. As Grandpa Morgan would often say, "If you open a door, you must close it when you are done." I always smile at how happy he was to learn that I work with John Deere Dealers. As an engineer, my dad is great at solving problems mathematically. His guidance in building and reasoning has been integral to the success of my gardens.