What’s your role at Fossil Creek Tree Farm? Co-Owner with my hubby, Josh’s wife, Chief Vision Officer…dreamer…
How long have you been growing with Fossil Creek Tree Farm? I agreed to chase Josh’s dream with him over 11 years ago, I fell in love with gardening and God’s vision for Fossil Creek around 2016.
Where did you grow up? Fort Worth area. I am a proud Texas native.
What is your favorite plant and why? The Chitalpa Tree. It is a gorgeous flowering tree that thrives in the Texas sun and is drought tolerant. After it drops its leaves and flowers in the winter you are left with the most interesting shape and texture because they are unique in how they branch out. I like to think of Fossil Creek in that way. Even in the winter months, we continue to dream up ways to inspire and serve our community in out of the ordinary ways!
Favorites: Book: • Bible – it’s what anchors me every day; brings me back to center • High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard • The One Thing by Gary Keller • Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert • Daring Greatly by Brene Brown • I LOVE to read (listen to Audiobooks) so I could go on an on but these are top on my list.
Quote: This isn’t your practice life.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understandings, in all ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Prov 3:5-6
Fossil Creek t-shirt pun: The only thing shady about us is our trees.
On Sunday mornings you can usually find me…. Running, drinking coffee with Josh on the back porch, writing, worshiping at church.
If you could pick a super power what would it be? To live more fearlessly like my Dad did.
What’s your role at Fossil Creek Tree Farm? Whatever Terra asks me to do
How long have you been growing with Fossil Creek Tree Farm? 11 years this April
Where did you grow up? Fort Worth is my home town. Our kids are 4th generation in this area.
What is your favorite plant and why? Oh man….that’s hard. I love trees and I would say the Red Oak is my favorite.
Favorites: Book: Wow….another hard one. I recently read “A Man Named Ove” and “The Midnight Library” and really enjoyed them. “Atlas Shrugged” is also one of my favs.
Quote: “This is not your practice life”
Thing about working at Fossil Creek: The team. They are also so friendly and funny.
Fossil Creek T-shirt pun: We are so excited we wet our plants.
On Sunday mornings you can usually find me…. Church and then nap
If you could pick a superpower what would it be? Flying….no, invisibility…..no, flying. (Definitely NOT reading mind…I don’t even want to know what some people are thinking.)
What’s your role at Fossil Creek Tree Farm? Bookkeeper
How long have you been growing with Fossil Creek Tree Farm? November 2017
Where did you grow up? I was born in a small town in Illinois just east of St. Louis. My parents worked for the railroad and we moved every 2 years for my first 10 years, Springfield Missouri, St. Paul Minnesota, Leawood Kansas, Billings Montana, and Denver Co. When I was 11, we moved back to Kansas. We moved to Fort Worth when I was 17.
What is your favorite plant and why? My favorites change with the season. Right now it is an Amaryllis Ed bought me for Christmas. It is so cool. The foliage is about 2-3 feet tall and it blooms these huge red flowers. Every week there is a new bloom. It will go dormant soon and I’ll return it to Ed to put in his greenhouse. He’ll cut it back to a bulb and it will start all over again next year. My favorite flowers for planting in pots are pansies for the fall and winter and vinca for the spring and summer. Mainly because they are colorful, prolific bloomers, and really hard to kill, even when I forget to water them.
Favorites:
Book: Jane Austin Pride and Prejudice
Quote: I’m not a robot, I’m not a monkey, I will not dance even if the beat’s funky
Thing about working at Fossil Creek: Laughter, Comradery, and Food!
Fossil Creek T-shirt pun: There are a lot of good ones, but Tree Hugger is still my favorite
On Sunday mornings you can usually find me…. With a cup of coffee watching HGTV or the Food Network, most likely switching back and forth between them.
If you could pick a superpower what would it be? To be able to stretch like Mr. Fantastic! Can you imagine, never having to get a step stool or even a ladder? I could just sit at my desk and reach my arm down the hall to the printer. I’d never get my steps in again.
What’s your role at Fossil Creek Tree Farm? Office Administrator
How long have you been growing with Fossil Creek Tree Farm? 8 years
Where did you grow up? Kansas City, Missouri
What is your favorite plant and why? Peonies. When I was growing up my grandma (dad’s mom) have a long row of them growing on the side of her house and I always thought they smelled amazing. I also love the ruffled look of the petals
Favorites:
Book: The Gold Finch
Quote: Never hope for it , work for it
Thing about working at Fossil Creek: the sense of family and everyone’s humor
Fossil Creek T-shirt pun: You grow girl
On Sunday mornings you can usually find me…. Getting ready to head to church
If you could pick a superpower what would it be? That’s a tough one, I would pick 2 things. The first to heal, I hate seeing people or animals in pain. The second is to jump back in time and meet family members I miss so much and meet a few that passed away before I was born.
What's your role at Fossil Creek Tree Farm? Nursery Buyer
How long have you worked at Fossil Creek? since 2012
Where'd you grow up? The west side of Fort Worth with really big trees
What is your favorite plant and why? Plumeria. I started with a 5 inch cutting that I got on vacation in Hawaii. It is now 12 feet tall. After it blooms all summer, it puts out seed pods that mature in early spring. I’ve been able to germinate the seeds and grow my own plants. The cool part about that is you never know what colors the baby plants will bloom.
Favorites:
Book: Memorial Day by Vince Flynn
Quote: I have two. The one that makes me laugh is, “You are the trailer park, and I am the tornado.” – Beth Dutton, Yellowstone. The one that I rely on more frequently is, “They are just trees and plants.” – Josh Richards, Fossil Creek
Thing about working at Fossil Creek: When customers come back in months or even a year later and say, “Hey! You are that guy who helped me last year! Those plants you told me about were awesome!.”
Fossil Creek t-shirt pun: You Say Aloe, And I Say Goodbye
On Sunday mornings you can usually find me…. Watching the 10 day weather forecast and running reorder reports
If you could pick a super power what would it be? Teleport! How cool would that be to click a button on my iwatch and instantly get to work and home instead of red lights, traffic, school zones and trains!
What’s your role at Fossil Creek Tree Farm? Landscape Manager
How long have you been growing with Fossil Creek Tree Farm? since 2017
Where did you grow up? Born in Plano, TX. DFW entire life
What is your favorite plant and why? Magnolia. Amazing evergreen tree with multiple colors and textures on each leaf. Gorgeous, fragnant floral display. True Southern tree
Favorites:
Book: Ender’s Game
Quote: “Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.” -Yoda
Thing about working at Fossil Creek: Nature and Wildlife. Walking the back property near the creek.
Fossil Creek T-shirt pun: “Tree hugger”
On Sunday mornings you can usually find me… Attempting to “sleep in” and then relaxing with a cup of coffee while contemplating that Honey-Do List.
If you could pick a superpower what would it be? Invisibility
What’s your role at Fossil Creek Tree Farm? Landscape Designer and self-proclaimed “Native Plant Expert”
How long have you been growing with Fossil Creek Tree Farm? since 2021
Where did you grow up? Lubbock Texas
What is your favorite plant and why? Backfooted Daisey-Put this plant in full sun, no water, don’t mess with it, and it will be happy! It will produce proficient flowers all summer that have an amazing smell.
Favorites:
Book: Bible
Quote: Genesis 1:8 “Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.”
“God was the first Gardner. I am happy being in the oldest profession in the world!”
Thing about working at Fossil Creek: Working with the people of Fossil Creek. I can find no better people to work with than those I call my co-workers at Fossil Creek.
Fossil Creek T-shirt pun: We are in the oldest profession in the world. See Genesis 1:8
On Sunday mornings you can usually find me… Drinking my coffee and talking to my family.
If you could pick a superpower, what would it be? The ability to love people the way God does.
What's your role at Fossil Creek Tree Farm? Administrative Assistant
How long have you worked at Fossil Creek? Since October 2022
Where'd you grow up? Funky Town
What is your favorite plant and why? Staghorn fern because it’s the first plant I bought that actually thrived.
Favorites:
Book: Currently my favorite is Mosquito Supper Club: Cajun Recipes from a Disappearing Bayou by Melissa Martin.
Quote: “Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy. Both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me.” - Michael Scott
Thing about working at Fossil Creek: I get to work with wonderfully talented, knowledgeable, and inspirational people. It doesn’t get much better than that. The plants are a bonus.
Fossil Creek t-shirt pun: You can’t grow any flowers if you haven’t botany.
On Sunday mornings you can usually find me…. Drinking hot tea and working on a crossword, on the back porch if the weather is nice. A lot of Sundays, my Dad comes over and we do crosswords together.
If you could pick a superpower, what would it be? Omnilingualism
What’s your role at Fossil Creek Tree Farm? Outdoor Merchandiser
How long have you been growing with Fossil Creek Tree Farm? since 2021
Where did you grow up? Fort Worth, TX
What is your favorite plant and why? All ferns, specifically the staghorn fern. I love that it grows from trees and doesn’t need soil. Ferns are the coolest because they don’t have flowers or seeds, but reproduce with spores!
Favorites:
Book: The Little Prince
Quote: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” -Ferris Buller
Thing about working at Fossil Creek: Everything. The atmosphere, the people, the plants.
Fossil Creek T-shirt pun: We love plants so much, we never want to leaf.
On Sunday mornings you can usually find me… Hiking with my dog, Princess Leia.
If you could pick a superpower what would it be? To read a book in seconds like Johnny5 from Short Circuit.
