​For the past decade, we have envisioned a life more deeply connected to the earth—caring for a piece of land with lush organic gardens that provide most, if not all, of our food. We imagined having a few animals, a cozy restaurant or food truck, a local community space that included a market with produce, handmade goods, prepared meals and a welcoming space for community gatherings. To create a safe place where creativity and learning thrive every day, continuously giving back and nourishing our communities and the planet.

 

Over time, this vision has transformed from a distant dream into a necessary reality. We believe the time has come

for a significant shift—one that will give back to our planet, our communities, and our food systems -

driving change toward a more sustainable future.

​

We are both from the state of Georgia in the US, and when we met 10 years ago, we quickly discovered our shared passion for travel and immersing ourselves in diverse cultures, cuisines, and ways of life. Over the last decade,

we have backpacked internationally which was an experience that inspired us to embrace a more conscious and intentional way of living. When we came back to the states, we journeyed across the US, exploring over half of the
50 states in vintage campers with our dogs, Fibonacci and Emma which ultimately led us to our ultimate truth.

​

To better understand why we feel the sense of urgency and so passionately about this mission, we want

to share our satya with you, our truth. 

 

We have not always been into holistic, alternative living. In fact, we were quite the opposites.

The periods earlier in our lives, or past lives as we call them, our health was the least of our priority. We stayed

up late, consumed alcohol regularly- sometimes daily, smoked cigarettes, etc. - You get the picture.  Needless to

say, we spent our early 20’s feeling invincible….maybe you can relate either personally or from someone you know. 

​

Over the years, we have grown, shifted our priorities to be more conscious and appreciative of our bodies and

this incredible life experience that we are fortunate enough to live. 

​

We became more aware of what we were putting inside of our bodies, supporting only organic and sustainably sourced food because our bodies should be treated as the sacred temples they are. 

 

We have spent intentional time diving into more spiritual practices, yoga, meditation, breathwork exercises,

and leaning deeper towards more holistic ways of living because the mind, body and spiritual connection

are key ingredients to a nourished and healthy life.

 

We have both experienced individual health scares that had us quickly questioning everything.

Are we living our truth, our satya right now? 

Asking, “If I end up lucky enough that this is just a scary wake up call, what am I going to do

with this ONE beautiful life?”

 

It had us in deep reflection about what our purpose is that lights us up and brings authentic joy. Assessing ways that we can better provide the most optimal care for our bodies, minds and souls and figuring out ways that we can

share that quality of life and care with our communities. 

 

Some of these health scares came out with no explanation from Western Medicine yet were explained through holistic alternative healers which is why we are such advocates of ancient, holistic alternative routes and passionate

about sharing our experiences with others. 

 

Working in various industries throughout our lives, we are continuously seeing the amount of unnecessary waste

that society is leaving behind. 

 

Shae worked in the restaurant industry for over half her life and would see hundreds of pounds of perfectly

edible food being disposed of  because there were regulations against donating food. 

 

With over 12% of the state's population categorized as food insecure, it was heartbreaking to witness the amount

of food waste firsthand and the only thing being documented was the dollar amount lost each day. This unnecessary waste could be valuable nutrition to help communities thrive, while simultaneously supporting the planet because food loss and waste accounts for 10% of our global emissions.

 

Ryans background has been in construction and he has also seen the destructive impact that the building industry has on our planet. Due to the mass production of cement, steel and aluminum used primarily, the construction industry is responsible for a staggering 37% of global emissions! 

 

We are surrounded by a high speed development problem around the globe that is continuously demolishing and rebuilding perfectly usable structures. These new builds are using low quality materials that will need to be replaced every few years, instead of supporting natural and/or sustainable materials that are non toxic for people to build

with, better for overall health of those utilizing these structures, in addition to being better for the planet by

helping to reduce our carbon footprint. 

 

Not only is it devastating to work for these businesses and industries that are contributing so much harm to our planet and communities, it is also honestly sucking the life out of us to live in this never-ending grind lifestyle

to be forever dependent on these broken systems making things worse.

For most of our lives, we have been working 5-6 days a week, sometimes juggling school within that schedule. 

 

As one example, Shae worked for $2.13 an hour serving tables, working 12+ hour shifts, 40-60 hours a week, without being offered health insurance, nor being offered any paid time off - that’s considered normal to make a living

in the restaurant industry and foodservice industry in the state of Georgia. 

 

To offer some perspective, that's 1 in 10 residents in the state we grew up in that are living that way. When these people do get time off, what does it look like when you’re burnt out from this draining cycle? 

 

We didn’t fully understand what a HEALTHY quality of life looked like until we traveled internationally. Seeing people truly embrace living their lives with presence and intention was the most life changing experience. 

 

We would see a business owner closing up their shops to go meet friends for lunch or go take a siesta instead of sacrificing their wellbeing for potential sales. That experience opened us up in so many ways that in our late 20’s

we finally made it a non-negotiable for us to have healthy work/life balances. We really spent intentional time working on ourselves, nurturing our health, and holding space to figure out what lit our souls on fire! 

 

These problems we have experienced in our everyday lives have shifted us into alternative ways of living. We are artists, creators, builders, foodies and spiritual people looking for authentic and genuine connection. We

are here to collaborate and learn from one another, learn from nature and learn from ancient cultures that have embodied that interconnected way of life for centuries. As caretakers of this beautiful planet, we’re dedicated to treating Mother Earth with the utmost love and respect. 

 

We recognize that this journey will be a profound learning experience for us and everyone involved,

but that’s what makes it exciting!

​

We can’t wait to open the doors of Satya Gardens, and we’re looking forward to creating and

sharing unforgettable experiences with you!