I’m Kristin—born and raised in East Tennessee, shaped by the mountains, and now living on my dad’s family estate where my work and my life have finally aligned.

I didn’t always know I’d end up here. For years, I lived in the Catskills of New York, where I learned to grow food, raise chickens, preserve the harvest, and build a life around handmade work and seasonal rhythms. It’s also where my aesthetic took shape—simple, honest, rooted in nature, with a love for the small details that make a home feel warm, lived-in, and grounded.

Those years taught me how much I value connection, food shared at long tables, and the slow, patient work of creating something with my hands.

Eventually, the pull to come home grew too strong to ignore. Returning to East Tennessee—and to the land my family has been connected to for generations—led me to build The Farmstead by Chicken Librarian. Here, on my dad’s family property, I get to live the kind of life that raised me: close to the land, grounded in community, and guided by the seasons.

Today, my work brings together everything I’ve learned along the way.

I host slow-living retreats, design farm-to-table gatherings, and share the skills that shaped my own journey—from farmstead basics to meaningful, intentional ways of gathering. My hope is to help people reconnect with what steadies them: good food, simple living, and a sense of belonging.

If you’re drawn to Appalachian traditions, handmade work, and a slower, more thoughtful way of living, I think you’ll feel at home here.