Melissa Wheelock Betrone grew up in Vermont where she developed a life-long love of nature, and learned to appreciate the connection between land, work, and people. After attending the Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture at the University of California Santa Cruz in 1992-3, Melissa spent seventeen years working in organic horticulture in California, Vermont, southern Baja, and Colorado. Her favorite crops to grow include potatoes, garlic, apples, and flowers. She currently resides with her husband and daughter in Santa Cruz, CA, where she provides administrative support to the Apprenticeship Program.