Jane is an experienced feature writer and columnist who specializes in outdoor-related issues, including gardening, local agriculture, and outdoor recreation. She is a Master Gardener who enjoys sharing her own experiences and advice from experts on gardening in a column that she writes for a local newspaper. As an experienced journalist, she is in frequent contact with professionals from research universities, and she is also skilled at online research related to gardening, agriculture, wildlife, and other environmental issues.
Jane, who has earned a PhD in Communication, is also very interested in local history and culture and has written about the importance of local food systems. She has written columns and news stories about local history, and she has also featured local recipes and cooking advice in her writings. Readers have responded enthusiastically to all of Jane's columns, and they seem particularly interested in topics related to food and local culture.
Outdoor recreation is another passion of Jane's, and she has written about hiking, bicycling, kayaking, and wildlife observation. She has gone hiking with biologists who specialize in wild plants or wildlife, and she has written extensively about native flora and fauna.
Jane is passionate about promoting locally grown food and, as a food enthusiast, she also enjoys sampling and sharing recipes. She is also an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys activities such as bicycling and hiking, and she enjoys writing about parks and wildlife refuges.
A Master Gardener, Jane is particularly interested in growing flowers and vegetables, and she is increasing her knowledge of native plants and environmentally friendly landscaping. She gardens to attract pollinators, and one of her delights is the hummingbirds who visit and raise their young at her house each summer.
Jane is also delighted by her cat, "Butterfly," and by all animals. She volunteers at the SPCA and sometimes writes touching, heartwarming copy about animals.
In addition to her outdoor and animal-related activities, Jane is also a fitness enthusiast. She is a competitive walker and follows online fitness experts, including Denise Austin.
In addition, Jane also enjoys reading, both fiction and non-fiction. She is a fan of Jane Austin and Shakespeare, and she enjoys the theater, films, and ballet.
Jane covers agricultural issues for local publications, and she often interviews local farmers or extension agents on topics ranging from crop availability to growing and economic conditions.
Jane is a VCE Master Gardner, and she blogs and writes features and columns on gardening topics. She provides how-to tips and information about plant selection, and her emphasis is often on pollinator gardens, native plants, or herbs and flowers.
Jane is keenly interested in fitness, and she is an enthusiastic walker and bicyclist. She sometimes write blogs or columns that provide tips on where to find local hiking and biking trails as well as general information about fitness.
Jane enjoys outdoor recreation and spends much of her leisure time walking, hiking, and bicycling. She also occasionally goes kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding, and she loves to combine these recreational experiences with wildlife or plant observation and write about her experiences.
Jane has an adorable rescue cat, "Butterfly," who unfortunately suffers from kidney disease. She's written blogs about her struggles and triumphs, and she sometimes posts on a Facebook page created by a support group for owners of cats who suffer from feline kidney disease. She is also an SPCA volunteer, and she's written articles promoting local animal rescue operations.
Jane has written about environmental education and educational gardening projects for pre-schools, K-12, and adults.
Jane has written columns that included recipes and cooking tips. Her emphasis is locally grown vegetables and fruits or traditional recipes.
Jane's worked as a freelance writer since 1995, and she's written for The Virignia Beach Beacon, the Princess Anne Independent News, Tidewater Family Plus, and Coastal Living Magazine. She's written on a variety of news and feature topics, but she specializes in writing columns that focus on her own observations and experiences with gardening, outdoor activities, cooking, and animals.
As an independent contractor, Jane writes feature articles and hard news for newspapers and magazines. She is particularly skilled at covering community news events as well as in writing features and columns related to outdoor recreation, agriculture, and gardening.
She works independently and is a self-starter.
Jane writes a blog, "Princess Anne Locavore," which she shares on her Facebook and Twitter accounts. The blog includes information on gardening, outdoor activities, local food, and local culture.
As a graduate student and scholar, Jane has conducted several case studies of individuals or situations.
Jane has written Facebook posts for non-profits and other organizations, including some Facebook pages that she created to promote local farms and other small businesses.