Now that spring has sprung and Earth Day approaches, people have been thinking about nature. For Lancaster County native Jen Frey, however, it has been on her mind her entire life.
Frey grew up visiting her grandparents in East Petersburg. Her grandfather served as a Methodist minister and was passionate about organic gardening. He grew most of their food and maintained a greenhouse on their property.
"My grandparents taught me that the best medicine comes from the garden, especially parsley!" said Frey. "My pop-pop, however, encouraged me to look closely and explore nature."
At a young age, Frey began studying natural healing, which expanded to flower essences and homeopathy when she was in junior high. The more Frey continued on this path, the more she began to believe that humans need to heal their relationship with nature.
"Our health is intricately connected with the health of the planet," explained Frey. "We cannot remain healthy if we poison our Earth."
As plants return and flowers bloom, Frey watches them emerge and is astounded by the different species.
"When I take the time to observe nature, I can't help but feel grateful to be able to experience this incredible world," said Frey.
Over the course of her life, Frey has resided in Mount Joy, East Petersburg, and Washington Boro. Along the way, she has survived quicksand and hypothermia in the Amazon rainforest, has kayaked with glowing bioluminescent plankton, and was nearly blown out to sea in Iceland.
Frey is the founder and owner of Brigid's Way, an organization in East Petersburg that offers opportunities for people to connect with nature. According to Frey, her goal in life is to support others in living the lives that their hearts desire. After moving to Washington Boro three years ago, she created Heart Springs Sanctuary, a 4.5-acre property with three ponds where Frey learns and conducts research for Brigid's Way.
"My experience creating Heart Springs Sanctuary in Penn Manor has been incredible," added Frey. "The land was mostly mown lawn when we moved here."
Within a couple years, Frey and her partner, Marcus Sheffer, have increased the biodiversity of plants by creating gardens and allowing areas to go wild. This shift has led to a greater animal diversity, especially a large increase in the bird population.
"My partner and I love to watch the birds," said Frey. "Last year we had baby wrens who hatched in between a window and the screen. I watched them learn to fly. What a gift!"
For more information about Brigid's Way and Heart Springs Sanctuary, visit http://www.brigidsway.com.
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