A Purdue Master Gardener, National Geographic certified educator, artist and photographer Plymouth native, Amanda Jo Boener, has come a long way since Luna Hill Farms started nine years ago.
Amanda was just a twenty years old photographer running her own business that specialized in weddings when she met her husband John playing hacky sack at a party. Love moved in fast for the couple, who within a year decided to start a family and look for a permanent home together. A change of lifestyle moved in even quicker. When she found out she was expecting she knew in that moment that she wanted to focus on a new chapter, being a stay at home mother.
After the birth of her first born, Amanda Jo’s curiosity with nature began after moving to the country in a house with a piece of land and a historic red round barn. As her daughter played in the grass and grabbed at any leaves or dirt, the new mother questioned what in nature was harmless, harmful, or helpful. Every situation turned into a learning experience for the new mother, that’s how Luna Hill Farm was born.
A passion of learning from others and sharing that knowledge was sparked. She began seeking out mentors as well as doing independent research to learn more about plants and living naturally off of wildlife. Every year there are more plants brought through animals and nature, leaving endless discoveries for the family who use natural medicines growing from their own backyard to treat ailments like mint for a tummy ache etc.
The family, who has now grown into a family of six, started the Luna Hill Wild School in 2019, with weekly classes that opened up their lifestyle to the public and had class sizes for up to fifteen kids at a time. Amanda was recognized for all the work she did with the Wild School, soon becoming a National Geographic Certified Educator.
Luna Hill Farms also offered a yoga series called Yoga on the Lawn and held an annual Spring Celebration, where the family gave a free demonstration on how to tap trees with a tasting, a free Harvest Gathering, live music and a sharing of forged food gathered. Their goal was to cultivate and celebrate community and nurture wonder with nature, for all and anyone interested.
A key trait of Amanda Jo is observation, important in not only her teachings, but also her photography. Her keen eye for lifestyle photography has transformed over the years from receptions to recreation as she now focuses on documenting the moments of her family, nature and life through a fresh vision and perspective.
The Fall of 2020 brought big changes to the Wild Family who craved more community support and expansion, opening new chapters to their future and closing chapters to the past.
Running a secular nature-based school in her hometown of Plymouth was one seed she had planted, tended to and is moving on from by next year and hopes she inspired anyone in the community that needed inspiration along the way.
The Boener’s have made the decision to sell the farm, buy a school bus and make it a home on wheels for the family of six, travelling the country and documenting their lifestyle as they forage and fish around America.
Amanda is planning on writing a book with photographic storytelling. The book will capture travel experiences while on their bus, the families focus on living a present life in sync with nature, interspersed with stories of the people they may meet along the way. With no regrets or doubts in mind, Amanda knows the possibilities are endless.
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