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    • Organizational Management + Evaluation
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Wit Meets Grit - Rolling up our sleeves and having fun.
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Ratatouille.

Thursday night was one of those evenings where it seems that everything is going comically wrong and you have absolutely no choice but to embrace it. Dan went out of town for two days, which was just long enough for insanity to ensue. I returned home exhausted from my holiday shopping only to find a little gift on the rug from one of the dogs, which was my first clue that something had gone wrong. After letting the dogs back in from their walk, foxy denied my treat, which was the next red flag. Then I noticed that her stomach was HUGE. I am talking pregnant-with-ten-puppies-and-due-tomorrow huge.

(This is the aerial view of the pear shaped fox)

I immediately investigated the dog food and discovered that the lid had come off the Sadie’s food container. Ut-oh. Inside I found a large crater where foxy had helped herself to at least 10 cups of food. With-in minutes of this discovery, she threw up about 2 cups of food that looked like it never even made it down, which meant she still had about 8 cups in her belly. After consulting with my dog expert (Jenn Scales), I confirmed that she would survive the event but that it would result in on very upset tummy.

I decided to stay up late watching a movie so I could keep an eye on her, which was a good thing because she needed lots of walks. By the time we got to the second movie, it was already 2am. As I was loading a new movie, I heard something moving around in our utility closet area. Having been silently at war with a small furry home intruder for weeks, I knew that my time had come to spot the suspect. I grabbed both dogs by the collar and slowly led them towards the sound. When I turned the corner, I was face to face with a large rat! He had brazenly come out, thinking that the coast was clear but to his disappointment, I was ready for action. I immediately yelled for the dogs to get him and the chase began! The rat ran so fast it didn’t seem like it even had feet and before we knew it, it had found a temporarily safe haven. I soon realized that this was going to be a hands-on endeavor, so I put on my rain boots (I didn’t want him touching my toes!) and grabbed a broom. Before I knew it I was moving furniture, screaming in a giddy voice for the dogs to “GET IT!!” while pointing to his new escape route, throwing pillows, lifting up couches/beds, and running from room to room like a lunatic (I can only imagine what my upstairs neighbors thought). At one point, the rat panicked at with no other choice but the dog’s mouths, he threw himself onto the top of my boot which resulting in me screaming like a kid on a roller coaster and running for my life. In my panic, I hit foxy in the face with the broom and she immediately hid from me. In the commotion, he made a v-line for the kitchen and to our great disappointment, he disappeared into a hole in the wall behind the oven. I stuffed the hole with tin foil (its all I could find in a pinch) and decided to call it a night.

I put foxy’s collar and leash on and attached her to me so I could get some sleep without worrying about her having an accident. I awoke an hour later to the sound of her whining, so I threw my legs over the bed, took a step and whoooooops, I slipped in her mess, almost went down but thankfully managed to land back on the bed. Ick. So much for not going in the house. I washed myself, her, and the floor. I felt that I had earned another cup of tea, so I walked into the kitchen but when I turned on the light, a kamikaze rat flew threw the air and dove under the table. Cue boxing ring bell.

ROUND 2! My boots went back on, I shook Sadie out of her slumber, coaxed Foxy to trust me with the broom and we were off again. This time the dogs went bananas! Sadie’s jaw was shaking with excitement as I pointed at the Rat’s every move and she dove for him. He tried the chimney, the filing cabinet, laundry piles, and dressers but the dogs were on his tail. I thought for sure we had him but he pulled a Houdini in the closet and was no where to be found (trust me, I took everything out.) My best guess is the slight gap between the flooring, the wall, and the baseboard in the back corner, but I will never know.

By the time we finished it was well after 4 am and I took the dogs out for a last walk. We were all high on rat-chase adrenaline and the air was crisp, so it was a nice outing. When we got home, we piled back into warm cozy bed and all fell asleep immediately. The next morning I awoke to find no more accidents in the house and two very tired dogs. While I went around the house fortifying all of the rat escape/entrance routes with wood, the dogs slept without stirring.

So now foxy is back to her original size, the dogs think I am a golden god for providing them a live chase, and hopefully the rat has given up living with a crazy person with rat obsessed dogs that will stop at nothing to catch him in the middle of the night.

December 20, 2010by Nikki
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Sustainable Agriculture Conference

This is a picture college from the Sustainable Agriculture Conference I attended in Winston Salem, NC courtesty of Lowcountry Local First’s Growing New Farmers program. It was fantastic! I went on two tours, took several classes, ate tons of fresh local veggies, met great people, played in the snow, hung out with my grandma, and helped plant a tree!

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December 13, 2010by Nikki
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Perspective. The last two years have provided it i Perspective. The last two years have provided it in spades. I've always known the people in our lives matter but in the past it always felt "safer" to be independent and keep a bit of a wall around myself. This approach also made it easier to put my career ahead of everything else. At the end of the day, society has long rewarded the "busy" workaholic, the overachiever, and the self sacrificer. I've been lucky enough to have a career I love, working alongside people I can call friends, and be able to make a difference. Yet it is even easier to overextend yourself professionally when you love what you do and the people that you serve. Pregnancy, motherhood, and this pandemic (especially the family getting COVID) all came together to give me one hell of a reality check. There have been oodles of good times, giggles, and pleasant surprises but also A LOT of work and abrupt change. I've always believed that change is good but it sure is hard when you are living through it. Despite the challenges and heartache (and because of them), I've grown to deeply appreciate the people in my life, including myself, but especially those closest to me. The amount of love, consideration, and support I've been shown has deepened my commitment to nurturing those aspects life not found on a resume. Big love to the people in my life.
A little nature therapy and floral pallette cleans A little nature therapy and floral pallette cleanser to bring some positivity back to social media.
The sweetest harbinger of winter. This year our sa The sweetest harbinger of winter. This year our satsuma overflowed with enough fruit that we were able to harvest 15 pounds to send to our friends at @growfoodcarolina (even after Wren bit into about 6 oranges before I could catch her). It was fun being back on the farmer side of things, if only for one sale.
Feeling gratitude for another turn around the sun, Feeling gratitude for another turn around the sun, although admittedly the last two years have probably aged me at least ten. Pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and parenthood have all broken and reshaped me in ways I am still coming to terms with.  To say the experience has been humbling and life changing is an understatement. It has been an incredible dichotomy of being pushed outside of myself while forced to look deep within simultaneously. I've spent the majority of my life focused on growing professionally and often ran out of time to nurture my spirit. My daughter has been a gift in so many ways, the most surprising one....her influence in helping me to take care of myself so I can better take care of others. Cheers to personal growth and self discovery no matter how uncomfortable and disorienting in can be...and to the family and friends who have helped support me while I figure it all out. Most of all, thank you to my amazing mother who brought me into this world 38 years ago and taught me what unconditional love looks like.
🌞 Happy Spring 🌞 🌞 Happy Spring 🌞
Happy Floral Friday! Thankful for farmer friends l Happy Floral Friday! Thankful for farmer friends like @feastandflora for bringing flowers into my life while my garden takes a little baby break.
Hurrication vibes. Grateful for a safe sanctuary i Hurrication vibes. Grateful for a safe sanctuary in the storm, especially now that we have our little bird. Road tripping with a 3 month old, two dogs, and a cat is not easy but somehow we made it to Greenville and back. Our nest in Charleston made it through the storm just fine (minus a few plants). My heart goes out to those who didn't fare as well, especially all of those on the islands 💓.
When a flower captures your mood perfectly. These When a flower captures your mood perfectly. These first few months of motherhood are channeling the wild and chaotic energy of the Passiflora. There is nothing like having a tiny human to put things into perspective and force you to use every minute wisely. Currently sleep is top of the list (something passion flower can help with).
Orange you glad it's almost the weekend? Orange you glad it's almost the weekend?
May Day...Beltane...Floralia. Today marks the half May Day...Beltane...Floralia. Today marks the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. While I may not dancing around a bonfire, I quietly celebrated the seasonal change today listening to the birds and tree frogs, admiring the flowers in the garden and feeling my darling little baby kick.
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At 35 weeks along, we've been trying hard to prepare the nest for our little bird. Work has kept me incredibly busy, so the time is slipping away too quickly and I'm almost surprised to find myself so pregnant. .
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Soon I will be celebrating a new season in  my life and one of the greatest adventures yet. Thankful to have @danfield42 by my side and incredible group of family and friends supporting us.
Yes, I'm growing more than a garden and no there i Yes, I'm growing more than a garden and no there is not a watermelon under there 😉. We are expecting a baby girl the first week in June and I'm getting excited-terrified-overwhelmed for this next grand adventure. .
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The last several months have been challenging both physically and mentally, making me so thankful for the support of family and friends.
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This is only the beginning of the journey with my darling @danfield42 and our little bird. Shout out to everyone who has showered us with love and positivity!
Spring is in the air! With a little one on the way Spring is in the air! With a little one on the way, my ability to handle the pollen or dig in the garden has been limited but it won't stop me from a good nature stroll and flower forage.
Farm Feature Friday. While my work centers around Farm Feature Friday. While my work centers around food systems, I often find myself further from the field and more on the organizational development and operations side of things. When I have the opportunity to visit farmer friends, yes even in winter, I jump on the chance to get outside and revisit farm life.

Today I had the pleasure of squeezing in a very quick visit to @wildhopefarm while in Chester, SC. Wow, what a slice of farm paradise!! Caught up with my friend Shawn Jadrnicek and met Katherine "Peanut" Belk, who together shared the plans for their new wash pack line and loading dock. This beautiful diversified fruit & veggie operation focuses on a CSA farm share (including Charlotte, NC) and one farmers market but they also host dinners, wellness retreats, and birding walks. Definitely a place to revisit when there is more time! 
Last month I caught up with Laura Mewbourn at her farm @feastandflora in Meggett, SC while interviewing her for an article. Her flowers have been featured in all kinds of amazing bridal floral images and her efforts with @lowcountryflowergrowers have really paid off. It is incredible to see how much she has in production and awesome to see her employing other new young women in farming.

Check out their great IG feeds and give them some love 🌱💓
Building community in the food system...one confer Building community in the food system...one conference, one meeting, one meal, one person at a time. @southernsawg #ssawg2019 bringing together so many inspirational people.
SC --> GA --> AL --> MS --> TN --> AR road trip to SC --> GA --> AL --> MS --> TN --> AR road trip to the @southernsawg #ssawg2019 conference with a pit stop in Birmingham to check out @jonesvalleyteachingfarm
Bald Head Island was hands down the coldest beachc Bald Head Island was hands down the coldest beachcombing of my life but well worth it to see dolphins putting on a show while we explored the odd variety of flotsam and jetsam. Throughout our  treasure hunt we reminisced about the years living on a sailboat when so many of the islands were still wild and everything was an adventure.
The government (and most of Washington DC) may be The government (and most of Washington DC) may be shut down but thankfully the @usbotanicgarden is still open. Their conservatory is home to awesome plants like this cleistocactus winteri and its noodley appendages.
A new year unfolds full of hope and potential. A new year unfolds full of hope and potential.
Baby Kelley...coming to Charleston in June! The do Baby Kelley...coming to Charleston in June! The doggos have mixed feelings about a new sister...the cat refused to get in the picture. @danfield42 and I are so excited to grow our little family 😊
This one goes out to all the plants I accidentally This one goes out to all the plants I accidentally forgot to bring inside or didn't cover in time.
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