Meet Nicolette Maio

We recently connected with Nicolette Maio and have shared our conversation below.

Nicolette, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

Finding purpose in the work I do is a feeling that I have been following. Each year it seems to get more refined. I take moments to ponder and imagine what could I be doing that would make the work I do feel more aligned? What could I stop doing to allow space for new experiences? It always hits me that a majority of life is about “what do you do for work?” so make it something meaningful, find a way to make it feel aligned with your purpose.

When I was in college I decided that marketing was not the career route for me so I left and embarked on a journey of self-discovery. I travelled to different countries, learned permaculture skills, became a yoga teacher and then completed a vegan culinary course in Spain. All of these experiences helped me to find my purpose, which is always evolving, but it seems to be rooted in building community through food, honoring old ways, communing with plants for medicine and ultimately appreciation of God’s creation.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am from New Jersey and landed in Nashville, TN in 2019. I was touring with the band Moon Hooch for 2 years as their Merchandise Manager and Sustainability Coordinator and I decided I wanted to get grounded in one place and work on a farm. I found Old School Farm in 2020 and have been working there ever since. It is a non-profit farm that employs vulnerable populations with therapeutic farming opportunities. We also donate all of the food we grow to food pantries! I am spear heading our new program called Preservation Education where I’ve put together monthly classes focused on how to preserve the abundance on the farm throughout the year. July 28th is our next workshop in the series called Farm to Fabric: Natural Dyeing with Plants! We will utilize indigo and flowers to make really cool bandanas.

Working on the farm has inspired a deep connection to the seasons. Being in Tennessee learning about different plants to forage and what you can do with them has really inspired me to create unique foods and learn about old ways of working with plants for food and medicine making. Being a farmer and forager has naturally led to me being a chef. I cater small events, create private dinner experiences, provide meal prep services and love to share my knowledge with others who feel inspired through workshops.

Every Saturday I am at the Ashland City Farmer’s Market at Riverbluff Park (9am-12pm) where I share my vegan cheese, herbal offerings like teas, tinctures, syrups, spice blends, topical salves & homemade soap. I love meeting new people in the community who share similar interests or educating people who are just starting to open up to herbalism, foraging and preservation practices.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Be resilient. There are so many things that happen in life that we cannot control. How we adapt and change with what is happening makes a big impact on the ripple effect of things. Practicing yoga, meditation, or anything that reminds you to be present can assist you in finding peace with what is happening and create space in your mind to see how to pivot as needed.

Connect with others. Being open to learning from other people who are doing similar things as you want to do or are doing can help expand your knowledge tremendously. There are so many people who want to help other people along their journey and see you succeed. Find those people! The wisdom they share can save you a lot of time or become a golden nugget in the back of your mind for the rest of your life.

Permaculture as a way of life! Learning about Permaculture, a concept developed by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, puts into perspective systems thinking. Being aware of the parts of the whole. This does not just relate to plants and creating gardens. It relates to communities. It can help you put into perspective how the problem is actually the solution. Dive into permaculture and you’ll see what I mean.

What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?

It is great to try new things and see if it is something you feel inspired to do, but if you do not feel inspired by it, don’t pursue it.
For example, I did not grow up farming or growing plants, but when I stepped into the world of farming and growing I loved it, even though it was not my strength I kept learning and now I feel confident in my growing skills.

I also did not grow up building or woodworking, but I recognize that it is a valuable skill. I tried it, I can kind of do it, but I do not spend my time cultivating that to be my strength. My partner happens to be great with building and woodworking so I leave that to him and can offer a hand to him if needed.

I surround myself with people who have different strengths than me and together we have it all! I truly believe that is such an important part about community sharing our strengths, the gifts we were given.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nicoswildkitchen.com
• Instagram: @nicos.wild.kitchen
• Other: For catering, vegan cheese orders or other inquiries contact: [email protected] Old School Farm workshop: Natural Dyeing with Plants, July 28th 2-3:30pm: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/farm-to-fabric-natural-dyeing-with-plants-tickets-919677418917?aff=oddtdtcreator