Rooted in the midwest, growing in the west.

A woman leaning on a window shelf, smiling, inside a wooden structure with pictures and shelves visible in the background.

my roots

I grew up in Ohio, where soil was rich, water was plentiful, and growing enough to fill the pantry was never a question. As a kid my backyard was a place of wonder. My Dad offered me space in our giant vegetable plot to start my very first garden. Although I helped him tend the veggies he was growing, I took ownership of my first little garden of cosmos, zinnias, and marigolds when I was 6. I have been growing a garden ever since. 

I spent a lot of time standing on a chair next to my Mom helping can tomatoes and apple sauce, assembling pies and watching how to make recipes. I remember reading a label on a jar of tomato sauce, wondering if I could make it from scratch when I was 8 years old. I am now the keeper of the family traditions, and I will always cherish making these recipes with her.

My early work in landscaping gave me an appreciation for hands-on, physical labor and the pride that comes with shaping green spaces. I carried that ethic with me when I moved to Colorado sixteen years ago. Much of this has been trial and error. Some years, some gardens grew but never fruited. Other years, the garden was completely overcome by disease or pests. Some bakes ended up right in the bin, embarrassingly inedible. I served some exceptionally detailed recipes that were plated completely overseasoned or even bland! Over the years, I've learned not to be afraid of salt and fat, and that robust heirloom and native seeds have thrived because they have adapted.

A woman and a young boy outdoors in a garden, both wearing straw hats. The woman is holding a cucumber, and the boy is holding two cucumbers. There is a fence in the background and the ground is covered with what appears to be grass or crops.
A young girl with red hair and a white shirt that says 'Cascadia School' is pouring chocolate syrup onto a piece of dough or bread on a tray, with a box of baking ingredients nearby, at a kitchen table.
Logo with the words "forage & fetch" in red font.

ethos

Colorful marigold flowers in a garden bed with mulch and concrete blocks, surrounded by green foliage.

waterwise gardening

Close-up of a pink flower with a bee collecting nectar, surrounded by green foliage and other purple and yellow flowers.

Gardens that Support pollinators

Person holding a handful of small, ripe cherry tomatoes in a garden with green plants and yellow flowers.

cultivate seasonal foods, herbs and flowers

A woman watering a garden in a backyard with a hose during late afternoon or early evening.

In Colorado, the landscape is different. Our water supply depends on snowpack. Our soil is lean. But the drive to grow remains. Through seasons of trial, research, and learning, I’ve come to understand the needs of the high desert garden. I have learned what it takes to grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers that thrive in full sun, low water, and unpredictable weather.

At forage & fetch, I bring together what I’ve learned over decades in the garden and out on these beautiful lands. I offer clients something that’s slow, thoughtful, and tailored.

“This work is slow gardening, it’s personal, seasonal, and an act of stewardship.”
— Leslie
  • A backyard vegetable garden with tall corn plants and shorter bean plants underneath, bordered by red bricks and enclosed by a wooden fence, with a house on the left and a cloudy sunset sky in the background.

  • Green plant with frilly leaves amidst orange marigold flowers.

  • A garden with yellow, orange, and red marigold flowers, green leafy plants, and tomato plants growing along a wooden fence.

  • Colorful ears of Indian corn with multicolored kernels and dried husks.

  • A garden filled with purple flowers under a bright blue sky with some clouds and a wooden fence in the background.

  • Person gardening, wearing jeans and flip-flops, using a small gardening fork in soil, surrounded by green plants.