Hello! My name is Jodi, I’m the owner and chief consultant of Raised Up Gardening. My dream and passion is to help my neighbors grow their own healthy food, build successful and bountiful gardens, promote native ecosystems for plants, insects, and wildlife, and inspire new generations to do the same! I’ve been practicing various forms of urban farming here in Chicago for over 15 years, and I’m excited to help share my experiences and unique ideas with others. Before starting Raised Up Gardening, I was a veterinary technician for almost 20 years. I truly loved working with animals in veterinary medicine, but in May of 2024 I decided to pursue my passion in urban farming and regenerative planting by starting Raised Up Gardening.

I truly believe that there are no “green thumbs” - only well-planned gardens. I offer creative solutions to help make sure your garden succeeds. From window sills to entire community gardens, each space offers its own unique challenges and opportunities.

I’m also an experienced carpenter and can custom build your raised beds, chicken coops, window grow shelves, insect hotels, butterfly houses, feral cat houses, and more!

My interests include food gardens, permaculture, native planting, restorative gardening, composting, water conservation, indoor growing solutions, organic pest control, using reclaimed and up-cycled materials, low-investment farming, pet-friendly planting, projects for children, sensory gardening, accessible gardening, and more.

For the last 5 years I have managed my local community garden in the Albany Park neighborhood, where I welcome my community to work and learn with me, and host weekly free harvests to share all the produce grown with my community.

In my spare time I love to spend time with my family - my wife of 17 years, our two sons, our dog, three cats, and four backyard chickens. We love to garden together, camp, hike, and explore new things. I also love to cook and make my own fermented foods and hot sauces from the produce that I grow!