Welcome to Rural Sprout!
We’re a couple of real gardeners dedicated to sharing our hands-on experience growing things and creating a simpler life for ourselves.
Here at Rural Sprout, we’re committed to sharing our knowledge and expertise because we believe everyone can garden.
Whether you’re looking to grow and preserve your own food, tend to a lush indoor jungle, grow a few veggies in your apartment, or create an outdoor space filled with beautiful plants, we’ve got you covered.
Between the two of us, we’ve got some pretty impressive gardening and self-sufficiency skills that we’re more than happy to pass on to you, too.
We’re happy to have you as part of the Rural Sprout family.
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Meet the Rural Sprout Family of Gardeners
Editor in Chief
Tracey Besemer
Hey there, my name is Tracey. I’m the editor in chief and lead writer here at Rural Sprout.
Many of our readers already know me as the “voice” of Rural Sprout from our popular Sunday newsletters. (You are signed up for our newsletters, right?) Every Wednesday and Friday I send out informational newsletters, and on Sunday, I send a friendly missive from my neck of the woods in Pennsylvania. It’s a bit like sitting on the front porch with a friend, discussing our gardens over a cup of tea.
Originally from upstate NY, I’m now an honorary Pennsylvanian, having lived here for the past 20 years with my family.
I grew up spending weekends on my dad’s off-the-grid homestead. I spent much of my childhood roaming the woods and getting my hands dirty in the garden.
As an adult, I continue to draw on the skills I learned as a kid. But these days, I tend to be almost a homesteader. I love my Wi-Fi and knowing pizza is only a phone call away. And I’m okay with never revisiting the adventure that is using an outhouse in the middle of January.
I’m a firm believer in self-sufficiency, no matter where you live, and the power and pride that come from doing something for yourself.
I’ve always had a garden, even when the only space available was the roof of my apartment building or a windowsill. I’ve been knitting since age seven, and I spin and dye my own wool as well. If you can ferment it, it’s probably in my pantry. And I can’t go more than a week without a trip into the woods looking for mushrooms, edible plants, or the sound of the wind in the trees.
You can follow my crazy homesteading adventures at Almost a Homesteader and on Instagram as @aahomesteader.
View Tracey’s articles here >>>
Author
Mickey Gast
I like to think of myself as a writer who gardens and a gardener who writes. I’ve been writing about houseplants for years on GreenWithPurpose.com. It was a humble peace lily that gave me the houseplant bug, so I have her to thank for over a decade of plant obsession. I get a kick out of saving and reviving houseplants that others write off, although my greatest sin is still overwatering.
Over the course of the same decade, I set up three gardens from scratch in three different climates. Nowadays, when I’m not writing, you’ll probably find me pottering around my suburban backyard where I’m creating a pollinator paradise, complete with herbs, veggies and flowers. If you’re nosy like me, you can follow my plant experiments on Instagram @greenwithpurpose.
View Mickey’s articles here >>>
Past Contributors
Cheryl Magyar
Lydia Noyes
Lindsay Sheehan
Fawn Neun
Meredith Skyer
Elizabeth Weddington
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