Alison Parker

Alison is an organic farmer, community herbalist, writer, and farm educator, who is thrilled to be a part of the Homestead school team. After graduating from Evergreen State College, where she studied Environmental Literature and Spanish, Alison went on to complete herbal medicine certification programs at three schools: the Chicago College of Healing Arts, the Wildflower School of Botanical Medicine, and Herb Pharm’s Work-Study Program. After working on several organic farms as interns, she and her husband started their own organic CSA and market farm, Radical Root Farm, in the Midwest, where they grew vegetables, fruits, medicinal herbs, and livestock using permaculture and regenerative methods, while also homeschooling their two sons.

After running their business for eleven years on rented property, they had to leave the land they were on after it got sold. Trying to make the best out of a difficult situation, they bought an old RV bus that they converted to an off-grid tiny house, and hit the road to work and learn on other farms across the country. Along the way, Alison completed a nutrition certification program through the Academy of Culinary Nutrition, where she became a Certified Instructor, as well as completing a Permaculture Design Certificate program through the Permaculture Women’s Guild.

They finally settled in New York State in Sullivan County when her husband was invited to be farm director for the Center for Discovery, and were able to have their two sons be a part of the wonderful and welcoming Homestead community. Alison is elated to be able to join the incredible Homestead school, where she looks forward to using her skills to inspire, nurture, and teach farm-based and outdoor education.