Trusted Prairians

Angela’s mission at Drinkwater Flowers has been to create a serene haven for women amidst exquisite blooms, fostering connections through the language and magic of flowers. Her unwavering belief in nature's vitality and the curative essence of flowers led her to get her certification as a flower essence practitioner, an alchemist "flower therapist." As a flower shop proprietor for 20+ years, she finds joy in contributing to moments, community, and family affairs via flowers. She eagerly looks toward sharing insights, tricks, inspirations, and floral wisdoms.

Create Stunning Arrangements

Carolyn Parks is a fibre artist making art and teaching out of her beautiful studio in St. Jacobs Village, Ontario, Canada. She lives with her sculptor husband, two teenage children, one dog, one bird and two cats.  Carolyn uses the processes of both wet and needle felting to turn vibrant wool fibres into art. Carolyn is excited to engage with the amazing women who are sharing their stories and interests in Modern Prairie. Of course, she’d like to turn everyone into a felter. But shhhhh, don’t tell the other Trusted Prairians!

Let's Get Felt-y with it!

Cheryl began her culinary career in New York in the late 80’s and in 1999 opened Dish, a contemporary American restaurant with a focus on local-seasonal ingredients. Dish was awarded the James Beard Green Table Award in 2007.  In 2011, she opened Pie Corps an artisanal pie company and went on to publish a cookbook, For The Love of Pie based on her bakery.

She has since worked as a restaurant consultant, curriculum and recipe developer and culinary instructor.

Cheryl joined the Modern Prairie team as a chef and Trusted Prairian in 2022 and is thrilled to bring her culinary insights, recipes and all around love of all things foodie to the community.

It's All About the Dough

Christine Semple is a certified life coach, nutritionist, and personal trainer helping clients live happier and healthier lives from the inside out. After 30 years of working in corporate environments she realized she was stuck in an unhealthy and unhappy life created by bad habits and poor choices that were no longer serving her, so she made the decision to take control of her health and life. Today she works with clients helping them choose healthy and sustainable habits and behaviors that integrate and elevate every aspect of life - emotionally, nutritionally and physically.

How I Found Myself at 50

Danielle Spinola is the owner of Abeille Voyante Tea Co also known as AV Tea Co in Pittsburgh, PA. AVTC is a loose leaf, organic tea company that tells stories through its blends. Danielle fell in love with "good" tea on a trip to China. Upon returning home she decided to morph her knowledge of the healing properties of herbs with tea and the business was born. The mission of AVTC is to educate people on how to use tea to aid in healing your mind, body and spirit. The brick and mortar store supports local artists and the surrounding community as part of the mission of the business. Danielle believes that in lifting another up, you lift up all of society.

Sleepy Time Sips

Kendra is the Founder of The Herbal Scoop, an herbal farm and botanical tea shop located in the Catskills region of New York. Kendra seeks to build a regenerative food forest and use the herbs that she grows to make products for her shop. When she’s not on the farm you can find her tubing down the river, playing with her dog Taj, or playing around in the kitchen. Kendra’s on a mission to get everyone to Eat More Plants & Drink More Leaves.

The Power of Peppermint

Laura Bray is a freelance writer living in the Pacific Northwest. She’s currently working on her first fiction book and believes the best heroines are over 50. If you like to read, garden, and bake, sign-up for her Cozy Library newsletter here.

Lillian, a spirited semi-retiree from Connecticut, is passionately reshaping her life's narrative and inspiring women to unite, empower, and uplift each other through the journey of aging. Starting in her early 50s, her captivating storytelling and content prowess struck a chord with women on her Facebook page, demonstrating that chasing passions knows no age bounds. With adept social media finesse, Lillian curates memes and blogs, nurturing a vibrant Facebook community of nearly 60k followers, radiating inspiration and positivity.

Lisa Steele is a 5th generation chicken keeper behind Fresh Eggs Daily, a renowned backyard chicken keeping brand. With nearly a million followers worldwide, this “Queen of the Coop” imparts her decade’s worth of wisdom on raising backyard flocks. She has written several top-selling books on raising backyard poultry, including her 2022 debut cookbook: The Fresh Eggs Daily Cookbook. Nestled in Maine, she resides on a charming farm with her husband, corgi, and a thriving menagerie of chickens, ducks, and geese. Lisa's acclaim extends the award-winning TV show on CreateTV, Welcome to My Farm, that she produces and hosts.

Connect with Lisa on social media @fresheggsdaily and at www.fresheggsdaily.com

Lessons I've Learned From Chickens & Ducks

Meet Lisa, a captivating blend of Southern charm and adventurous spirit. A proud mother of three, her life is a dynamic tapestry woven with curiosity and adventure. Her inquisitiveness led her to exploring urban landscapes and engaging strangers, which inspired a book about her 30-day Manhattan walking adventures. Lisa's personal evolution is as intriguing as her stories. She's emerged as a strong advocate of embracing the beauty of diversity, promising vibrant chapters ahead in her storytelling journey.

Let's Go!

Sandy Peckinpah writes and speaks to spark creativity, encourage resilience, and offer hope as people navigate life’s ever-changing challenges. She’s the author of 5 books, including the award winning, “How to Survive the Worst that Can Happen.” Sandy’s articles are featured in Huffington Post, Thrive Global, and Medium... And the best part, she has Melissa Gilbert’s best friend for more than 3 decades!

Grief, Loss, and Healing

Susie embarks on unexpected journeys that unfold into thrilling adventures. Anchored by her life coaching certification, she thrives as an author, content creator, and self-development tarot advisor. Her passion lies in the sharing of knowledge, ideas, and emotions. Through these creative avenues, Susie is dedicated to guiding others as they navigate their unique paths to self-discovery.

Listen to the Knitty Gritty Podcast

Chef Suzan’s journey began at Johnson and Wales Culinary Academy in Rhode Island. Since then, her culinary adventure has led her through restaurant kitchens, entrepreneurship with a catering and biscotti business, authoring two cookbooks, and instructing at culinary establishments like Sur La Table and the Seasoned Chef in Denver, Co. She eagerly shares her recipes, particularly those passed down within her family, alongside stories of growing up in an Italian household where her NaNa and mother nurtured her love for cooking. Her culinary motto is: "there are no mistakes in the kitchen." Adjustments are simply part of the journey. Buon Appetito!

Let's Make Pasta!