Even though the CSA program is over for 2016, come meet Melanie and the rest of the staff at Nash’s Farm Store and check out the beautiful and unique produce department where you can continue your local, organic culinary
experiences!
Melanie Meyer was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, but when her father’s work took him to Texas, Melanie attended a San Antonio high school where she graduated.
She then went to Bard College in upstate New York where she studied art history. Her love of art led her to Bologna, Italy, for further studies.
“People in Italy are far more connected to their cuisine,” observes Melanie. “I really appreciate that.”
When she returned, she finished up at Bard, but decided to continue her study of the Italian language, because she hoped to return there someday.
“I found the website, mylanguageexchange.com, where you can meet and talk to native speakers on Skype,” she recalls. “My practice partner, Elio, was an incredible match. We had so much in common and so enjoyed our conversations. Eventually, I returned to Italy to meet him, and he came to the States to visit me. We got married in 2015!”
Melanie and Elio are having to wade through the immigration bureaucracy so he can come to the US and reunite with his wife. They hope to have all that behind them by next year.
Meanwhile, Elio comes as often as he can for a few months at a time on tourist visas. And Melanie got her job as a produce clerk at Nash’s Farm Store last August.
“Elio loves all this fresh produce when he is here, because he is a great cook,” she says.
Outside of her work, Melanie loves to hike and garden, and she is very interested in herbal therapy. “I’m super curious about so many things,” she laughs. “That’s good, because there’s always something more to learn in the produce department.”