Daniel Mobley and Sarah Jackson are the husband and wife team behind Abundance Landscapes + Gardens. They are intentional about caring for their own health, helping others, and protecting the environment. Sarah and Daniel began their careers with degrees in community work, centered around eating well and feeding others while protecting and nurturing our ecosystem.
Today, they design and build native landscapes and edible gardens to nourish themselves, others, and their families and they encourage everyone to feed their communities as well. They do this work with keen awareness and focus on protecting our local ecosystems.
Don't miss our video featuring Abundance's raised bed gardens.
Before they met, both were personally and professionally involved in the local food movement - growing and connecting people with food and spending a lot of time outdoors. Daniel was working in local food systems, and Sarah was doing anti-hunger work when they met in Atlanta. They were both passionate about getting outside, and growing and sharing food so their relationship naturally blossomed.
It wasn’t easy in Atlanta, nicknamed the “City in a Forest” but the couple searched and found a home on a sunny, flat property. When they moved in, the backyard was nothing but grass - a blank slate. They got to work building garden beds and continued to develop the property. Today, Daniel, Sarah, and their dog Lucy enjoy life on their homestead while teaching and inspiring others to grow food, live healthier lives, and care for our ecosystem.
New Beginnings During the Pandemic
Like many gardening enthusiasts, during the pandemic, Daniel and Sarah put a lot of energy into developing their homestead. They expanded the garden and added fruit trees and bees, chickens, a greenhouse, and a plant nursery to support their landscaping business. They began sharing their progress on Instagram @abundance.landscapes, to connect and share with friends, family, and the world. Sarah described the experience saying, “It was such a chaotic time in our world, and I think people were looking for something that would ground them and comfort them.”
Their Instagram following grew and people began reaching out, asking about gardening and what types of fruit trees they should plant. People in their community began asking if Sarah and Daniel would create gardens for them and Abundance Landscapes + Gardens was launched.
The couple loves what they do and their enthusiasm is contagious. They find joy in helping people who have always wanted to grow food but lacked the basics to be successful. They love seeing customers and their families grow, eat more nutritious food, and share within their communities as well.
Turning Backyards into Snackyards
Daniel and Sarah say that they turn backyards into “Snackyards”. They plant garden beds for their clients and also add fruit trees and berry bushes that are specifically chosen to grow well in Atlanta and smaller urban environments. Sarah and Daniel also plant meadows and pollinator gardens for customers as they teach them about the importance of pollinators in our food system.
Daniel reminds us that, “People aren't the only ones snacking in the garden”. In each of their installations, the team at Abundance Landscapes + Gardens creates ecosystems where birds, bees, and butterflies also have snacks available.
The name “Snackyard” was derived from their own experience. Like many gardeners, they enjoy waking up in the morning and walking out into their garden, picking blueberries and raspberries and snacking for breakfast. After a long day of work, they love sipping on a beverage while walking around in their garden, browsing and snacking on cherry tomatoes or snap peas. This is the lifestyle they lead and they love working with others to help them learn to enjoy this healthier way of life.
Healthy Lives Start with Healthy Soil
Daniel studied soil science in college. He learned the connection between high-quality produce and how that translates into good human health. Abundance Landscapes + Gardens is focused on health for individuals and our environment. It wasn’t easy to find good organic soil and Daniel and Sarah were thrilled when they discovered Soil³.
Good for Clients' Gardens & Their Own Homestead
From a business standpoint, Daniel is reassured knowing that the soil they use in their own gardens and also install in client’s gardens will translate to better results. When they plant in Soil³, he is confident that their customers will have beautiful, healthy produce. Daniel tells them that the produce they harvest will be the highest quality food that they could possibly find. He and Sarah love knowing that in addition to the gardening experience, this food will nurture them and their family.
Sarah also mentioned the convenience factor with Soil³. They can order and have BigYellowBags delivered to their homestead and to client locations. Because the soil is contained, clean-up time is minimal. The Abundance team can focus and finish the work, then leave the site looking clean and more professional.
Soil Farmers
Daniel likes to tell people to be “soil farmers.” Growers may change out vegetables every year but the soil is the foundation - the medium that keeps everything growing. He tells customers to put more effort into improving their soil for the best results such as reliability and healthier plants with more nutritional value.
Daniel and Sarah had been using original Soil³ compost and last year started using the new Veggie Mix. They’ve tried it and have seen some amazing results in their own garden. Daniel noted that Veggie Mix is great for soil structure and the texture is wonderful for growing food. The microorganisms and added ingredients including aged bark fines and refined wood fibers improve drainage while the activated charcoal helps protect against persistent herbicides.
Many clients hire Abundances Landscapes + Gardens after they've tried to garden without positive results. They have become overwhelmed and discouraged from trying over and over again. The Abundance team works to take the guesswork out and make gardening more accessible for their clients. Soil³ has been fundamental to their work because they know they are working with a fantastic soil foundation that will produce a wonderful product - food at its nutritional peak.
Video and photography by Laurie and Simon Wakefield.
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