Almost seven years ago, I made a big pitch to my wife: what if I left teaching at the end of the school year and became a stay at home parent after our first baby was born? Six years and two kids later, we haven’t looked back. Being at home with the kids has given me the opportunity to soak up this precious time with them. It’s also given me a rare opportunity in adult life: a chance to delve more deeply into my passions, albeit in short chunks during naps.
Broadly, these hobbies fall into three categories: gardening, baking, and “urban homesteading” – anything from brewing beer to making soap to keeping chickens. I’ve come to believe that anyone can succeed in most hobbies with just a little bit of background and some hands-on practice, and this is exactly what I seek to offer in my classes. I’ve loved the opportunities BA&CE has given me to develop new courses, meet new students, and reconnect with returning ones. It’s hard not to have a good time in a kitchen full of happy pizza-makers!
Now that my kids are a little older and easing into full school days, I fully expected I’d be back in the classroom teaching again. Instead, I’ve been digging in… starting a garden design and caretaking business, and teaching these classes. My goal of stitching together my passions into my own dream job is coming into focus. I’m grateful to BA&CE and to you folks for helping make that happen.