Our Story
Stacey and Alex met as students and apprentices at the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine in 2011. Their instant attraction quickly became a deep union. After Alex completed his studies in 2012, he joined Stacey on her family’s land in the foothills of the Southern Appalachians to support her efforts to transition her grandparent's conventional farm into a homestead sanctuary.
The great blue heron (Ardea herodias) is an aquatic bird that they find strength in together, and so the couple now refers to the land and their mission as Ardea Homestead Sanctuary. You can find the story of the naming of the land here. Alex and Stacey's journey has been full of transformation, however, none has been so great as the arrival of their daughter Meissa in 2018! |