Chris & Jen
How We Met
California girl decides to swim for and attend University of Iowa. While girl is there, she meets an Iowa boy, who is friends with one of her teammates. Boy and girl watch “Monty Python’s Holy Grail” one night and are smitten. Then girl decides University of Iowa is not for her and leaves after two years. The two decide a long distance relationship is not for them. Fast forward to 1996, and a teammate’s wedding in Iowa. Girl goes back for wedding and sees her Iowa boy again. The two fall in love, and the rest is history.
Our Story
Chris and Jen were married in a garden on September 11, 1999, in Iowa City, Iowa. They moved to York, Pennsylvania in 2005, shortly before the birth of their third child.
While living in a traditional, suburban neighborhood, where everyone’s house looked the same, and had the same square piece of land, Chris and Jen desired something more for their family. They were being pulled to find land, or a farm, where they could raise their family, and give back to the community.
They found a farm a mile down the road from their existing house. It needed work, but nothing Chris and Jen couldn’t handle. After a couple of attempts to purchase, the farm became theirs in June, 2014. Spring Valley Farm was established and is now home to Chris, Jen, their three children and around 40 animals.
About Jen
A long time ago, a little girl would watch her parents garden. Every spring there would be new flowers and a fresh coat of peat moss spread as ground cover, to keep the weeds at bay. Soon enough this young girl would marry and have her own house with gardens, first in Iowa and now, in Pennsylvania.Â
Jen has worked with children for more than 20 + years in the field of mental health, substance abuse and education. She is currently a junior high school counselor, where she twirls ribbons sticks on a daily basis. Her respite in the summer months are her flowers.
About Chris
Born and raised in Iowa, Chris never thought he would one day have his own farm. He is the magician behind Spring Valley Farm, the one who fixes, rebuilds, plows, and helps Jen to think logically about whatever idea pops into her head.
Chris began his career in mechanical engineering, working with companies such as Boeing, Disney Imagineers, U.S. Army, CADSI, Dreamworks, etc. He has his own business now, Equitable Property Group, giving new life to lifeless homes.
