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Hi, I’m Anna! I am a proud ginger (with lovely red hair) and resident of Beaver Falls
I grew up in Ypsilanti, MI where I learned from my parents how to love and care for the place that we lived, and how to connect with folks that are different from me
I’m Dutch- My dad’s parents (Oma & Opa Kluitenberg) immigrated from the Netherlands after WWII, and my mom’s parents (Grandma and Grandpa Vander Weide) are Dutch as well, but had been in Western Michigan for a few more generations
My Grandpa (who I get my red hair from) grew up on a farm & worked with my Grandma to farm a massive garden and feed their family over the years. He founded Kentwood Plumbing and Heating, and created a beloved family business. My Opa was a soil scientist in the Netherlands, and I’m so proud of my Dutch heritage and family roots in farming!
My family moved to Ben Avon, PA when I was a senior in high school, and I went to Geneva College the next year. I fell in love with Beaver Falls on my long runs through town with my cross country team, and often running with my now-husband Glenn. I graduated in January of 2016 with my middle school education degree & worked for the next 5 years teaching & coaching track/XC.
After teaching through COVID and having my second son, it became clear that my job was not working for our family, so I stopped teaching and promptly lost my mind! I had rough postpartum depression after my second was born, and the past three years of working through that has been incredibly challenging. I am highly efficient and capable, and I needed to create a job that I could fit into Glenn’s afternoon/evening work hours and get me outside and using my creativity.
Ginger Gardens was born January 18, 2023
and she really is my third child. I had learned a lot about growing cut flowers from a friend and had gardened for years, but that winter I took a deep dive into learning about growing cut flowers. I sold in 2023 at the Beaver Falls Farmers Market and at Falls Center Market, a local grocery store at the time. I became a member of the Beaver County Chamber of Commerce, and began making connections and learning what my customers wanted.
In 2024, I learned a ton more about regenerative agriculture and no-till methods, and that winter I started prepping beds to grow in the yard of my generous neighbor across the street. In May, Glenn and I bought ⅓ an acre that’s three lots down the alley from us, which allows for the close-to-home work that I need. I started with my current community partners to sell at their stores and had an incredible season of growing new things, doing weddings, funerals, tons of centerpieces, and attending the Falls Friday Market every Friday night.
