Sam Arthurs

• Sam followed her entrepreneurial spirit for local farming and science communication to launch Lamplight Herbs and an educational platform called Grow What You Know.
• She created a class that she affectionately named "Bucket to Table," where she taught 14 eager adults how to grow oyster mushrooms in a bucket and how to cook the harvest.
• She is passionate about saving seeds, so she organized and moderated a seed swap and discussion about food sovereignty in Columbus, Ohio.

Experience

Sam began her horticulture career in 2018 and has touched on nearly every part of the industry since. During her three years at a local garden center, she spent every day immersed in plant care and basic design. Part of her job was to diagnose plant diseases and pests, then recommend solutions to customers. As a land steward for 15 acres of curated gardens at a wedding venue called Jorgensen Farms, Sam elevated her knowledge of groundskeeping, multi-season garden maintenance, and eco-friendly design. Then, she worked for Sunny Meadows Flower Farm, where she had a hand in all aspects of the process, from starting seeds to planting and harvesting to creating beautiful bouquets and wreaths to sell. Now, she is the Head Gardener for Local Matters, a nonprofit working to end food insecurity. She plans, builds, and maintains learning gardens for schools and other nonprofits and teaches gardening workshops. Looking to spread her extensive knowledge of gardening, Sam joined Static Media to curate content for Hunker and GardenGuide.

Education

Sam has a bachelor's degree in linguistics from The Ohio State University and an associate's of applied science in environmental science from Columbus State Community College. She also graduated from Growing to Green's Urban Garden Leadership Academy, a 12-week course on running a community garden.