Brendon & Nina
Nina and Brendon Shirley are raising their family in South Florida - rooted in faith, curiosity, hard work, and respect for nature. Nina, a mother of two and garden educator, holds a degree in Agroecology and learned farming hands-on across Tennessee and Indiana. She founded The Dirt Academy in 2017 to build custom garden living spaces and teach families how to grow food, inspiring many through the Design Network show Farm to Table. Brendon comes from generations of gardeners, once wooing Nina with packages of homegrown veggies and love notes in the mail. He spent 10 years playing piano for the band Tenth Avenue North. Now a Realtor and investor, he balances business and family by playing music at church on the weekends and gardening at home with a toddler riding along in the hiking backpack.
Luke & Liss
Liss and Luke Hammond live the life they teach. Liss, a lifelong homeschooler, grew up alongside plants and animals and later earned both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in psychology. After years working in counseling and child welfare, she returned to raising her own four children through homeschooling and managing daily farm work alongside Luke.
Luke began farming ten years ago after recognizing the need for future generations to know how to grow food. Starting with his first organic farm, he has since built and managed multiple farms while continually learning through hands-on experience. He now works as Director of Brand Advancement for Seedtime.us and hosts the How I Grow This podcast, helping others grow with confidence.
Together with Nina and Brendon, Liss and Luke helped create Dirt Academy Kids to give children practical skills, hands-on learning, and a meaningful connection to food, the earth, and the Lord.