About Butterfly Woods
Butterfly Woods owner, Jennifer Rackley and her dog.The Beginning
I was born and raised in Oregon, Wisconsin, a small diary farming community that has since grown into a suburb of Madison. When I turned nine I joined 4H and began my love of growing plants. My dad would help me plant zinnias and snapdragons, my two favorite flowers at that age. My mom introduced me to Birgit, a wise older women who also had a passion for growing plants, indoors and out. Birgit showed me how to really listen to plants needs, and how to nurture them, keep educating myself on their needs, and how good plants can return the good feelings back to us. My first paid job at 16 was at a garden center. It was then I knew I wanted to grow things for the rest of my life.
Out West
I moved to Montana at 19, and began my Bachelors of Science in Resource Conservation Management, at the University of Montana in Missoula. I soon met my husband Tarn at Forestry Camp. We later married in that same forest in 2004. I chose to keep going as I really enjoyed college and earned a Masters of Science in Forest Engineering. All while really enjoying learning about soil, plant biology, silviculture, and all the other good stuff about growing plants. I remember my first trip to the state nursery on the Montana and Idaho border, I wanted that, they grew ALL the plants, even grasses for conservation and restoration. I knew then that I secretly wanted a greenhouse that grew plants for a purpose. I worked at another nursery in Missoula, enjoying the scenery while asking millions of questions. At this point I had planted a garden in every single college house I lived in.
More Change
We had our first child, my daughter Jo, in Missoula and soon after moved to Colorado. Colorado was a quick blur as living in the city wasn’t really our cup of tea, but I was able to enjoy two full years of growing an awesome garden in the high sierra.
Back Home
We then headed to my home turf in Wisconsin where I soon after had my son Sylas in Madison. While there I was able to plant my original garden at my parents house, then my largest garden yet at ¼ acre, while renting an old farmhouse. I was also blessed with the opportunity to work at my favorite garden center of all time, Kopke’s, owned by the loveliest family. I eagerly filled the position of planting seeds for the WHOLE place. I learned how to mix soil with an awesome machine, and use seed planting machines which I had no idea even existed. I asked a million questions and learned from the best.
The Cold North
From here we made a HUGE jump of adventure and moved to a remote island in the Gulf of Alaska. Afognak Island was incredible, and here I had to literally make my own soil as there was not much on this island that wasn’t already being used by the trees, and was super acidic. It was not justifiable to fly bags of soil on the float planes so I had to create soil by gathering all I could from under alder trees, collecting massive amounts of kelp and seaweeds, shells and what not that would wash up after storms. My husband built me a large greenhouse and constructed several raised beds. I had no idea how to grow plants in Alaska, let alone a coastal, rainy, and remote Alaska. After so much research and help from the other lovely growers in Alaska I was able to raise all the veggies and flowers I wanted to.
Today
Moving to Oregon was a growers dream. I spent the first two years in the Willamette Valley, which is by far the easiest place to grow anything! So now I am on the westside of the coastal range, still enjoying the mild Oregon climate, but with a few more challenges to growing things. I am beyond excited to be living in Logsden. Our forever home, our first purchase, and my first chance in my adult life to plant things and watch them grow. A dream come true. My husband is a forester in the coastal range, and I stay home and homeschool our two amazing children. They have helped me build, plant, weed, water, label and smile through this whole process and they have done nothing but support me knowing that this is what I have been waiting for. Growing plants makes me feel good, growing plants with a purpose makes me feel so wonderful, and making a bit of an income to help support my family with using my talent makes me feel blessed.