Tillys Nest

By Melissa Caughey

Melissa was raised in rural New Jersey and transplanted to Southern California for 15 years.  She is a professional career woman whose life changed for the better when she added full time mother of two to her job description.  Now living on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, she has embarked on a journey of keeping a flock of backyard chickens with her husband and two children.  Melissa is an avid gardener and served as the Project Coordinator, designer and leader for a new large schoolyard organic garden. Since 2010, she has been teaching gardening at the school to over 400 students, fellow volunteers and community members.  She also serves on her town’s local Agricultural Commission.  Throughout the year, she can also be found encouraging new chicken keepers by teaching introductory classes on keeping chickens.  Melissa is also an antique collector, cook, decorator and beekeeper whose blog, Tilly’s Nest, was recently the recipient of Country Living Magazine’s Blue Ribbon Blogger Award and named Blogger’s Blog of Note this past January 2, 2012.  You can follow her adventures at www.tillysnest.com