hello
hola
nǐ hǎo
namaste
I’m Tess!
I spent my childhood immersed in the breathtaking beauty of central Pennsylvania’s hemlock forests, where towering deciduous trees nurtured my deep reverence for nature. My childhood was filled with many magical moments running through open fields, building dams in creeks, and listening to bird songs.
These early experiences deeply instilled in me a deep respect for the natural environment and showed me the importance of connecting to the land and all whom inhabit it.
When I moved away for the first time as a young adult, the connection I had with nature led me to study within the fields of biology and ecotourism. But it was my thirst for diverse social experiences that truly shaped my path. From a young age, I had yearned for exploration and cultural immersion beyond my small-town upbringing.
Over the last eight years, my passion for exploring different cultures and environments has driven me to travel and study alternative lifestyles worldwide, with a strong emphasis on farming practices. This journey has been a constant source of learning and discovery and perspective shifts for me. My main focus while traveling was within more unconventional topics like natural medicine, farming, yoga, and spirituality.
Two events significantly impacted the creation of my business, ‘just Bloom.’ The first was a Permaculture Design Couse in Thailand in 2017, and the second was my first Yoga Teacher Training which took place in Southern India a year later. After these shape shifting courses, I returned home with very ambitious plans for the years that would follow. At that point, I started my business as a place for teaching yoga and meditation but it has gradually expanded into the organization of community farmers markets and advocating for health-conscious food in my hometown.
My connection to the natural world strengthened as I immersed myself fully in the soil, as a full-time farmer for many years now. Our family's blueberry farm, affectionately known as "Jerry's Berries," was initially developed by my father. We've innovated methods to collaborate with locals and volunteers in harvesting, maintaining, and managing our blueberry operation. When I'm not traveling or studying, I find solace in nurturing plants and harvesting blueberries on our farm.
Last year, I started school full time to study Traditional Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture. This has been an extremely rewarding journey for me as I learn important modalities that I will incorporate into my own life and the healing journey of others that I love in the future.
After many years of dreaming, I’m excited to share this platform. I hope it can be a place to foster connection, creativity and expression. I hope I can share with you photographs, insights, and tales from my many travels and experiences. I hope to share many artisanal products made by my friends and fellow farmers worldwide. And lastly, I hope to share educational content and resources related to alternative modalities, especially those within the realm of Oriental Medicine.
My life has been enriched by diverse encounters that have shaped my perspective. I've witnessed the struggles of food insecurity and felt the pain of loved ones battling anxiety and depression. These experiences have deepened my resolve to understand life's complexities and to contribute positively to our world.
With a burning desire to make a meaningful impact, I continue to explore ways to effect change, driven by a profound connection to the earth and its inhabitants.