MEET FARMER ERIN

Erin Hostetler is the Owner / Farmer of The Patio Farmer. She got her bread and butter farm education while working on a 20-acre Certified Organic production farm in northwestern Pennsylvania. Erin has worked on an urban farm in central London, an organic farm in eastern Iceland and several local farms in Charlotte and Concord. For 2 seasons, Erin was the Farm Manager at the Urban Farm at Garinger High School (then managed by Friendship Trays, Charlotte's Meals on Wheels program) in east Charlotte.

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Erin did NOT grow up on a farm, nor did she study agriculture in school. She grew up in the suburbs of South Charlotte and ironically hated yard work chores as a child. Erin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Global Studies from Appalachian State University and a Master of Arts in Global Ethics and Human Values from King’s College London. Her desire is that more people understand where food comes from so they may be better global citizens, more connected with the Earth and their communities.

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Since 2017, Erin has owned and operated The Patio Farmer where she gets to apply her knowledge and passion for growing food in a creative and supportive way, helping individuals and businesses across the Charlotte area! 

Erin and her partner, Marshall, operate a 1-acre homestead in northwest Charlotte with chickens, composting systems, 10 raised beds, about 90 container crops, a hobby greenhouse for overwintering all the tropical fruits, and in-ground edible landscaping beds. 

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Outside of food production, you can find Erin snooping through an antique mall, dabbling in home projects, researching the next addition to the homestead, collecting rocks, practicing yoga, hiking to waterfalls, staring at rainbows, traveling the US or internationally, cooking up something tasty, or cuddling her sweet pup Juniper!