ABOUT US & OUR FARM

Urban Gourmet was born out of a passion for food, healthy living and healing.  If you've seen a garden through, perhaps you know there are few things as personally rewarding.  Being of service...holding space and witnessing healing is yet another profound, personally rewarding gift to be a part of.  Growing food, herbs and flowers brings together my love for permaculture and connection with the land with Tasha's love for healing work. 

After a decade of the hustle & bustle of city living (you know, working the 9-5 and the trials and triumphs of small business ownership) we packed up our home to seek the quiet of country life.  We no sooner started our first flock of chickens and spent the rest of the year observing and working, learning about our new land.
In the spring of 2016, Jason ventured to Washington to learn the science and art of mushroom cultivation with one of the world's leading mycologists, Paul Stamets.

About the farm...we took over 35 acres (in 2016) that was sustainably farmed for 3 years prior and organically homesteaded for over 2 decades before being farmed.  This diverse property includes woods, wetland, pasture, orchard and gardens (vegetable, flowers and herbs) along with a couple greenhouses and most recently, a mushroom lab and grow house.  The sky is the limit!

We grow mushrooms, vegetables herbs, a small selection of fruit and flowers for our
CSA members, farmer's markets, and restaurants. 


How we got here...     

We established out roots in Madison, WI in 2004.  I studied horticulture at Madison College (formerly MATC) and worked part-time for JenEhr Farm and Irish Lane Greenhouse.  Having been exposed to organic gardening prior to my formal education, I began studying permaculture and immediately started applying those concepts to my home gardens.  During the winter months I focused on cheese and beer making, growing mushrooms and cooking.  In 10 years time, I transformed our small 1/4 acre (Madison) property into a living Permaculture; abundant with over a dozen fruit trees (peaches, apples, cherries and pear), raspberries, blueberries, a culinary & medicinal herb garden, 8 raised garden beds for veggies and perennial flower beds.

Tasha began her career as a Licensed Massage Therapist with Certification in Aromatherapy & Reiki.   She grew her business, Sacred Rhythms Wellness Center from the ground up.  Her commitment to run a heart-centered-business was no fail and at her peak, she staffed 17 Practitioners including Massage Therapists, Acupuncturists, Estheticians & Reiki Teachers.  Sacred Rhythms Wellness Center was one of Madison, WI's top rated businesses based on Google customer reviews.  After 10 years, she found herself away from family more than she liked and decided to turn a new leaf.  She downscaled to private practice (no staff) with a schedule that allows her to be home more with family and co-operating our family farm.  Forever a student of the many wonders of the human body and plant world, Tasha recently completed Certifications in Nutritional Counseling and Herbalism.