Jon was born and grew up in Sanford, NC, a small city in the Piedmont region and self-proclaimed “Brick Capital of the USA.” During its heyday in the 1950s and ‘60s Sanford’s brick industry produced about 10% of bricks made in the U.S. from its clay- and shale-rich soils. Jon earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from UNC-Chapel Hill. Before moving to Norfolk in the summer of 1994, Jon and his wife, Elizabeth, lived in Manteo, NC, where he worked as a general assignment reporter in the Nags Head bureau of The Virginian-Pilot. They left the Outer Banks for Hampton Roads after the Pilot offered Jon a reporting job in Norfolk. For the last 15 years of his career, Jon worked in the corporate communications department at Norfolk Southern, retiring from the railroad in the fall of 2022. Approaching retirement, he was looking for meaningful ways to volunteer and give back to the community while continuing to learn and grow as a person. The Master Gardening Program seemed a good fit because its mission contributes to the well-being of our city’s neighborhoods and is based on science-based research. In addition, growing up, he helped his parents (not always voluntarily) plant, weed, and harvest their summer vegetable garden. As an adult, Jon never planted gardens of his own, so becoming a Master Gardener is a way to get back to his roots. Jon thoroughly enjoyed attending the Master Gardening classes. He was particularly impressed with the strong lineup of guest speakers. Other highlights included field trips to the Hermitage, where the class received hands-on pruning training, and to ODU, where they learned about the importance of urban tree canopy. To attain his initial fifty hours, Jon participated in several shoreline resiliency projects, including at the Hermitage. He also volunteered for multiple gardening sessions at the Weyanoke Bird and Wildflower Sanctuary, P.B. Young Elementary, and the Elizabeth River Trail. As a certified Master Gardener, Jon is interested in projects that advance shoreline resiliency and promote biodiversity, such as pollinator and native plant gardens. He hopes to expand into the realm of square-foot gardening, especially as a way to address food insecurity in the community. As a member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Jon plays guitar in the Gospel Lights band, performing old-time gospel favorites and contemporary Christian music. He also enjoys reading and keeping up with the news, walking for exercise and pleasure, grilling on his back deck, and taking trips back to the Outer Banks. Jon and his wife, who runs a PR and marketing business, have two adult daughters. The empty nesters now share their home with a sweet old cat they call Mr. Whiskers, who adopted them after showing up in their neighborhood about 12 years ago. Jon is proud to be a part of the Norfolk Master Gardener program and is looking forward to many productive and rewarding years “playing in the dirt” to help make Norfolk a better place to live, work and play. When you see Jon, be sure to introduce yourself and welcome him to the Norfolk Extension Master Gardeners.