Occupation: I’m the Jill of all trades! I went to the Culinary Institute of America and was in the food profession for many years, mostly at private clubs. Then I went back to school and got my teaching certification. I ran an in-home nursery school. That was when I lived in Trumbull, where I raise my two kids. I wrote a newsletter for my parents, and it ended up others were using it for a resource, so it was published in 2004 by Scholastic as a book. It is called The Preschool Almanac. My kids were getting older, and I closed the school in 1996. Then a brush with cancer when I was in my late 40s made me more aware of the whole mind/body thing and precipitated a life change. I was back in the food business, working at Billy’s Bakery in Fairfield, and decided to return to school — the Institute for Integrated Nutrition, in New York City. I met Tim Currier, and we hit it off. Now we’re partners at Sticks and Stones Moss Farm. I started the whole retreat end of it, with cabin rentals. I’m a holistic health coach and I do private counseling and facilitate health-oriented workshops, and run the WWOOF organic farm internships here at the farm.

Family: Zack is 26 years old now, and he just opened Waikiki Gold & Silver, on Oahu. He buys and sells Hawaiian artifacts, and gold and silver. Zoe is 23. She’s an associate editor for a real estate company, and writes a blog called SexyTofu.com. An my magical significant other is Tim Currier.

Pets: We are petless now. My dog of 16 years died two years ago. So, it’s just the wild critters now: the deer, the frogs, the birds, the turkeys — and when we are in Hawaii, the wild boars.

How long have you lived in Newtown? Tim has been here over 35 years, but I’ve been here just six years. We have two farms. We are here for six months, and on the island of Hawaii for six months of the year.

What do you like to do in your free time? Anybody who runs their own business out of their home knows that there is not much free time for us. Especially in Hawaii, we like to go to bed early and get up early. We work very hard, but we love what we’re doing. We’re both Vipassana meditators, and we both play ukuleles. I do write and do photography, and I love to read. We love movies, and we both love stones! We pretty much live outdoors all year around. We grow most of our own food and it has really come home to me, that this is how we should live. We do hike and bike, and I’ve done some century rides (100 miles).

Do you have a favorite author? Barbara Kingsolver and Anna Quinlan. I love their books, but I’ll read just about anything. I do read a lot of gardening books while we are here in Newtown, and more fiction when we are in Hawaii.

Do you have a favorite travel destination? I have to say Hawaii. Although, I went to Taiwan this year and that was a great experience. I have a friend who moved to Australia, so that may be on my horizon, as well.

What is the best thing about Newtown? Sticks and Stones Farm! We have people every week who stumble upon us. Besides the library, I don’t know Newtown that well yet. When I moved here, I was impressed with the rural country feeling of Newtown, compared to the rest of Fairfield County.

What environmental practice would you most like people to embrace? Eating local. People don’t realize the health benefits of eating locally grown food, or the whole economic and environmental impact of shipping food from all over the world.

Do you have a personal philosophy? Live a life you love. When I work with my health clients, that’s a big part of what I teach them. I tell them to start tweaking to reach that dream. Have a plan to make your dreams real.

What makes you happiest? Good food, good friends, family, and a ukulele.