The GoGrow family is from rural Appalachia - the main author found himself early on in life enchanted by two seemingly distinct worlds: the boundless realm of nature and the exciting frontier of technology. Growing up for him was a mix of things like catching crawdads down by his creek, playing a LOT of video games, and nurturing an innate interest in plants and fungi on his family farm.
His love for unique ecosystems flourished through trips to local parks, forests, and awe-inspiring natural formations like Dolly Sods and Cranberry Glades. These experiences inspired him to delve deeper into the extraordinary world of plants, kindling a special affection for a particular type of plant interest early on that would stick with him: carnivorous plants.
To quench his thirst for knowledge and his curiosity about these fascinating plants, he embarked on an ambitious project when he turned 12. With his parents' blessing and a shovel in hand, he turned a section of his backyard into a mini-nature reserve bog. After toiling away to dig a pit several feet deep in the rocky clay soil and installing a rigid pond liner, his homemade bog garden was born.
The first residents of this backyard bog were carnivorous varieties such as pitcher plants (Sarracenia purpurea, and Sarracenia leucophylla specficially), and a collection of Venus Flytraps (Dionaea muscipula). With these plants, his backyard became a kind of science lab that he would learn from and care for every day, and lovingly cover in the winter with pine straw to give them as much a chance of success as he could.
Fast forward a number of years, and although carnivorous plants (and video games!) are still near and dear to his heart, his focus has shifted - growing fruits and vegetables, rare fruits and conservation, and implementing true self-sustainable practices on his small farm are just some of the top pursuits, along with trying to be the best Dad he can be.
From these modest beginnings, GoGrow has taken root. Through his blog and app, he now shares his dual love for plants and technology with others in a way that he hopes is easy for everyone to understand and enjoy. His hope is that through GoGrow, others too can uncover the simple joy and wonder that comes with exploring the world of plants and related fields, and that we can all share in the enjoyment and show appreciation to nature by learning from it and each other's experiences.
Let's Go Grow together!