Welcome to Hearthwilde. My name’s Kristina and I write about cultivating and caring for nature whether its on the farm, in the garden, indoors, or in the gut!
About Me
Over the past decade or so, I’ve cultivated better nature connections for myself, and continue to do so.
My life has changed dramatically from one where I wasn’t really at home with myself, to one where I am at home not just with nature but also with my nature.
I spent 14 years living a busy, city life in Paris, France, where I never got to sink my fingers into the soil, would be drawn like a magnet to any dogs I encountered on the street, and where I constantly longed for time among plants and trees.
My life has changed a lot since then, and I’ve honed many skills to help me with my new life.
Now I live on a small farm in Northeastern Utah with my husband, Chad, a passel of pets, three donkeys, and two sheep.
Take a glimpse of our farm throughout the seasons here.
Living a life adapted to the seasons is important to me – it’s one of the most essential ways to connect to the natural world.
Together, we grow and preserve hundreds of pounds of food for ourselves every year, go hiking in the nearby mountains or desert for fun, grow native plants for our local wildlife (and our own pleasure), and enjoy simple but extravagantly rewarding entertainment, such as the visits of birds to our bird feeders, glorious sunsets, or watching our cats and dogs at play.
While all of this sounds delightful, I also have a damaged gut microbiome which has given me multiple food chemical intolerances, so my interest in the human microbiome has become part of my struggle to regain my health.
You can read about my health journey here, a page I will update regularly.
As someone whose identity was braided with culinary creativity, growing as much and as many foods as possible, and foraging, adjusting to eating a vastly reduced diet has been immensely challenging. While there are moments when I just want to give up, overall, this just makes me all the more determined to heal myself.
My Credentials
I have a BA in Liberal Studies from UNCG, a certificate in Permaculture Design from the Permaculture Education Center, a Landscape for Life certificate offered through the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the United States Botanic Garden, as well as a Certificate in Native Plant Studies from the UNCC Botanical Gardens.
I’m also certified as a Building Biology Environmental Consultant, and worked for several years offering environmental home inspections and guidance, so living a low EMF lifestyle and avoiding toxins in my environment is a high priority.
And in 2015, I took a week long class on fermentation and wild foods led by the inimitable fermentation guru, Sandor Katz.
I’m a lifelong learner, so am constantly seeking to expand my knowledge on sustainable gardening and farming strategies, as well as issues of gut health.
Thanks for joining me here, and with all sincerity, I wish you happiness and healing as you make yourself at home with nature.
– Kristina
Updated January 5, 2023