Favorite Fruit, Vegetable or Herb:
Any berries found surrounded by poison oak, while hiking with my husband.
Favorite Time of Day at WDD:
Just before dawn, a still morning with me, my pup, a cup of coffee and the sounds of the 805 traffic, I pretend are crashing waves.
My Role:
Dreamer and fixer of sh!t. Hands on manager of W.D.Dickinson day to day operations.
Dirty hands: chip paint, sand floors, design, develop, weed, harvest, pack and package.
Clean hands: manager of the paper tiger that is small business, the slow life visionary & compliance nut.
And Some Blah Blah Blah...
Food & Farming Experience:
With no formal agricultural experience or education my fondest memories set the groundwork for W.D.Dickinson Farm.
Born and raised in Southern California with summers and high school in semi-rural Southern Illinois. I learned about wild edible plants during sixth grade camp in the San Bernardino Mountains and afternoons stomping through the fields and forest of Southern Illinois with my aunts, uncles, cousins and cohorts.
Stinging nettle, sassafras, cane berries, persimmons, paw paws, mushrooms... mmm mushrooms.
I recall being both amazed and frightened by what was growing naturally all around me; this was a far cry from the orange groves of SoCal that had long since been paved over.
That sense of awe wove into my adult life, as a entrepreneur, regulatory compliance and military professional, I spent the last almost 20 years working all over the world, navigating the landscape of the rolling hills, urban gardens, fresh markets and back alleyways during my off-time.
From Biarritz to Guantanamo bay, small gardens are nestled into the available space, you just have to be willing to see them.
Business Experience:
A retired Chief Petty Officer and decorated military Veteran, with almost 20 years of hands-on entrepreneurial experience, I have started and ran multiple successful business before breaking ground on Dickinson Farm.
I have significant experience within the international government sector - local, state and federal regulatory compliance, as well as technology experience in research and development labs, the legal sector, and manufacturing.
My previous experience and expertise with startup and growth strategies for emerging markets, leadership in transitioning and operational environments, administrative and program development, as well as research and data management has help make W.D. Dickinson - Farm, House, Mercantile a success.