About me...
Hello! I'm Jennifer, of Jennifer's Party Animals. I have been a naturalist educator for over 6 years and have been developing my gardening skills for just as long. I first discovered my love for nature as a child playing in the brook and the woods in my Grandma's one-acre backyard in Pennsylvania... I loved to explore, and was thrilled to spot deer, woodchucks, cardinals, rabbits, and other creatures through her window. Although I grew up during the advent of video games, I knew the value of a day spent outdoors, communing with nature. (Shouldn't all children be so lucky?!) I also clearly remember going to an elementary school program at Tackapausha Preserve on Long Island where a naturalist/animal expert showed us an owl, a bobcat, and a large turtle. The "wow" factor of this educator stuck with me obviously, because now I find myself working to share that profound awe and respect of animal life and nature with people of all ages and backgrounds.
I developed my passion for environmental education and gardening (of which I had no previous experience), as an AmeriCorps member in the Catskills, and shortly thereafter earned my degree in Animal Behavior from Bucknell University. Then, in 2006, I began working as a naturalist educator for the Greenburgh Nature Center, where I led live animal programs, apple cidering, maple sugaring, pond ecology programs and much more. I became their head gardener and installed a new sustainable vegetable/fruit/herb garden that is thriving today! I also honed my growing skills as a 2009 intern for Restoration Farm on Long Island. It was an amazingly rewarding and educational experience which hooked me for life on growing food.
Recently, I've decided to go freelance, and combine all my loves and skills into one business. Whether I'm "tapping" into my many years of dance training to provide private lessons, baking cupcakes that are whimsical and fun, digging new ground to get someone new hooked on gardening, or guiding someone through their first encounter with a python or lizard, I know I'll be doing something I love. I hope you will allow me to share these joys with you!
I developed my passion for environmental education and gardening (of which I had no previous experience), as an AmeriCorps member in the Catskills, and shortly thereafter earned my degree in Animal Behavior from Bucknell University. Then, in 2006, I began working as a naturalist educator for the Greenburgh Nature Center, where I led live animal programs, apple cidering, maple sugaring, pond ecology programs and much more. I became their head gardener and installed a new sustainable vegetable/fruit/herb garden that is thriving today! I also honed my growing skills as a 2009 intern for Restoration Farm on Long Island. It was an amazingly rewarding and educational experience which hooked me for life on growing food.
Recently, I've decided to go freelance, and combine all my loves and skills into one business. Whether I'm "tapping" into my many years of dance training to provide private lessons, baking cupcakes that are whimsical and fun, digging new ground to get someone new hooked on gardening, or guiding someone through their first encounter with a python or lizard, I know I'll be doing something I love. I hope you will allow me to share these joys with you!
