Rick Hartlieb and his wife Jen are natives of Berks County, Pennsylvania, where their home farm is located. First-generation farmers, their story begins 25 years ago when they were both in the FFA program through the Conrad Weiser Area School District. Rick pursued a forestry program through Penn State University, where he attained an Associate of Science degree in Forest Technology at Penn State’s Mont Alto Campus. He then went on to receive his Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry at Penn State’s main campus.

Rick’s work started with chestnuts as a volunteer with the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation in 2005. In 2008, Rick started his forestry career as a Service Forester with the Department of DCNR (Conservation and Natural Resources) Bureau of Forestry covering Berks, Lancaster, Chester Counties.

For ten years from 2014-2024, Rick was the assistant manager for resource stewardship in the William Penn District. In 2024, Rick moved into the district manager role.

Rick and Jen’s farm story began in 2017, when they were looking for a farm setting to raise their family. They purchased a farm with a collection of 100-year-old chestnut trees, now called Castanea Farms. Chestnuts are their main crop.

Natalie Carmolli manages Public Relations for Spring Meadow Nursery and Proven Winners® ColorChoice® shrubs. She grew up in the floral industry and holds a bachelor’s degree in theatrical arts, along with a Certificate of Mastery in tree and shrub identification from Longwood Gardens.

An avid gardener and dynamic communicator, Natalie is passionate about sharing her love of gardening with shrubs, whether online, traveling across the country, or in her own backyard.

Mary Tipping has held the position of Curator and Plant Recorder at the Scott Arboretum & Gardens at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania since 2015 after working as the Horticulturist at the Henry Schmieder Arboretum of Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.  In her current position, she is responsible for curating, recording, mapping, and labeling a vast array of plant collections, which encompass over 11,500 woody plants and thousands of herbaceous plants. 

She is an ISA Certified Arborist® and the Philadelphia Flower Show Nomenclature Chairman.  Her plant passions include oaks, beeches, Stewartia, conifers, witch-hazels, deciduous azaleas, and ferns, just to name a few.