The Pitch
An all-female team building and maintaining organic, sustainable Edible Gardens to provide New Orleanians with the health benefits and self-sufficiency of growing food in their own backyards.
Erika Nolan, Maggie Kaiser
The Entrepreneur
Erika Nolan
Erika Nolan was born and raised in New Orleans. After graduating from Arizona State University with a BA in Psychology, her world travels led her to Ecuadoran Amazon, where she had her first intimate encounter with nature. There, she volunteered at a biological research station, Jatun Sacha, working in the organic gardens and learning about sustainability practices in the rainforest. Later, Erika received her CTS in Horticulture as well as her Landscape Horticulture License.
Maggie Kaiser
Along with working for Instar Farm, Maggie travels around the U.S. as a Food Safety Trainer for the National Young Farmers Coalition. Her husband and her have recently started Too Tall City Farms, growing vegetables & herbs, which will be planted in the Rooftop Garden of the New Orleans Convention Center.
Jen Zabalaoui
Jen has recently become the CFO for Instar Farm. She is finishing up her studies in Accounting at the University of New Orleans.