Stacey Givens
The Side Yard Farm & Kitchen
Portland, OR USA
"Start building your village now. Keep people close."
Career Roadmap
Stacey's work combines: Food, Environment & Nature, and Accomplishing Goals
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
You don't necessarily have to go to culinary school. I'd recommend getting hands on experience in the food industry early and intern at several farms and restaurant kitchens.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I started working in my brother’s restaurant at age 14 and immediately fell in love with the chaos and family energy of the kitchen.
2.
After moving up the West Coast cooking in different cities, I landed in Portland, Oregon, working at a restaurant with a rooftop garden, which got me hooked.
3.
When that restaurant closed, I knocked on doors asking strangers if I could farm their side yards and one person said yes!
4.
I built Side Yard Farm from a quarter-acre lot with $2,000, eggs from our chickens, and a passion for cooking what I grow.
5.
I worked 80 hours a week for years, balancing restaurant shifts with building the farm until I could do it full-time.
6.
Today, I run events, feed 70 families weekly, donate food, and host grief groups, all from an urban acre filled with life and love.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
Maybe I should have gone to college and earned my degree.
How I responded:
Early on, I doubted myself for not having a degree, especially when facing financial uncertainty. But I worked hard, leaned on my community, and stayed open to learning. I was never too proud to ask for help when I didn't know how to do something. Over time, I realized passion, drive, and humility could take me further than a degree could.