The merry band of players at Big Town Farmer are here to show you the way to simplified living! Renegade "City Farmers," unabashed tree huggers, health fiends, creative-dreamy types, and more are at the core of the "rural-urban" (rurban?) philosophy. If you'd like to join our team, and think you can offer your expertise, click HERE. We'd love to hear from you!

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Zan Asha is a dream peddler, and an organizational fool. Her early childhood was spent hearing the stories of her immigrant parents, and learning basic handiwork from her mother. These early encounters fueled her imagination and led to her artistic appreciation.
After receiving her degree from NYU in Film and Theater, she promptly began an ethnic dance career which culminated in her leading New York City's experimental ethnic dance troupe, ChoveXani. As Artistic director, much of her responsibilities moved beyond choreography, and into promoting and organizing. While these tasks honed her writing, negotiating, and people skills, she often found herself daydreaming of simple crafts to do in her down-time...if there ever was a downtime.
In the meantime, Zan's day job of working with animals eventually led to minor hallucinations (which persist to this day!) of owning a farm. In this way, the roundabout connection was made with farm life, and farm crafting. In her research, she began listening to her mother's childhood stories of country life and found that it much of th information might make a fascinating guide for the new generation of crafters and fans of the self sustaining lifestyle. She also found that she, like many in the city, were displaced "country dwellers"--those who either came from, or dreamed of living, the farm life, but were "stuck" in the city by various circumstances. As a way to promote her own love of all things rural, and to reconnect with her mother's country philosophy, she began big town farmer. She hopes you enjoy it and aren't scared off by her big city hair.


Wess Murray is a Certified Master Trainer in New York City. Certified through NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), his althletic experience includes track and field, cycling, and bodybuilding. He has helped hundreds acheive their health goals, but perhaps the most dramatic weight loss was his own 100 lb weight reduction. He believes good health is the key to happiness, and is interested in helping others acheive balance and peace in their lives.

"Aunt Elizabeth"-- as she is known by those who love her-- is our Rural Expert. And we have a confession to make. She is, in fact, Zan's mom. But before you cry "nepotism," she really IS an "old-fashioned" expert. Born in 1942, she lived through World War II, in a tiny village in Hungary. There, her father farmed a few acres with vegetables, cherry trees, and 40 honey hives. Harvesting and preparing food for winter, cooking, embroidery, knitting, and similar skills were crucial for survival. This skill are now part of Big Town Farmers repertoire. Stay tuned, you'll see more of this lovely lady in her element!

Rhian Ellis - She's our newest staff member, and our longest running contributors to Big Town Farmer. A mother and writer in Upstate New York, Rhian has graced us with various articles based on her own experience. She dyes and spins her own wool, makes yogurt and lives a modern "farmwoman" life. She is also a novelist and writer. You can find her wool for sale at: Phiberia Handspun Yarns. For information on her writing, please see her blog at: www.wardsix.blogspot.com