We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nancy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nancy below.

Hi Nancy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

When I first started growing on the tower garden, I never planned to sell to others—it was simply something I enjoyed. But after sharing what I was doing with a friend, he encouraged me to attend his networking meeting. The members were fascinated by the towers and eager to learn more. As I continued to grow and learn, I naturally began sharing tips, nutrition facts, and the benefits of growing more nutritious produce at home. Before I knew it, I was selling towers regularly and helping others discover the importance of healthy eating.

One turning point came when my husband and I visited a friend’s tower farm. As we walked out, he looked at me and said, “We need a farm.” He saw the same thing I did—that there was a real need to educate people, connect with tower owners one-on-one, and create a space to share both successes and struggles.

When we started searching for a location, I realized we needed to create multiple income streams to support the farm’s growth. That’s when we decided to add an event and class space—not only for our own workshops, but also as a venue for other business owners to teach, for people to host birthdays, showers, and special gatherings. We call it “The Angel Oak Room” and my husband painted a picture of the angel oak on John’s Island in South Carolina. The history of the angel oak is the longevity and size. The same as building a business and wanting it to be around a long time and build it to the size you would like.

And because creativity is such a big part of who I am, I incorporated another passion of mine: jewelry design. I transformed a small area of the farm into a boutique to showcase my gemstone jewelry and invited other local vendors to share their products as well. Once again, a great way to help others grow their business.

We have created a warm and inviting place where you come in and it feels like home. We are offering teachers, senior centers and any group field trips through the farm. We want everyone to know about our farm and enjoy it as much as we do. This is the future of gardening and we want to tell everyone about tower gardens.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have worn many hats in my life. Raising four children and always looking for extra ways to help earn an income from home. I tried various jobs. I enjoyed everything I did and the experiences I learned along the way is why I am where I am today. I have done cake decorating and candy making always wanting to own a bakery/candy store, which we did. I join a direct sales company doing home parties and did very well including earning yearly trips. I worked in retail and ended up in fine jewelry where I became certified in gemstones and diamonds and now enjoy making gemstone jewelry for others.

One day I purchased a Tower Garden and was amazed at what it could grow. Being a plant lover, we ended up with six towers growing at our home. Sharing with anyone that would listen, I began selling towers. Then one day…

Never in my retirement did I think I would open a business and take such a risk. When my husband suggested this endeavor, I felt he was looking for something to do in his retirement. When I started putting together our business plan, it became an adventure we both got excited about. There is such a need for helping others, we decided to help others grow their business by offering a space to share what they love to do, “The Angel Oak Studio”

We educate on towers, gut health, healthy living, and we love working with other tower owners. We provide knowledge and education on tower growing. But most of all, our love for sharing. Everyone can grow their own food. We grow indoors and outdoors, year round.

We are very proud of our farm and love when someone walks in and is amazed at what they see. Our farm is an indoor aeroponic farm. Have your ever seen one?
We are currently growing on 15 towers. Maybe in the future more, but the important part is having a healthy life style.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When I was working on our plans for the farm I was suffering from acute asthma I developed after having covid. I had two previous back surgeries two years prior and developed asthma after the first surgery. I was put on long term steroids to help me breath. I started having a strange feeling in my foot and one day the tendon on top of foot just snapped. Requiring a very rare intense surgery, I was five months in a boot 24 hours a day and three months non weight bearing.

As we began the construction on our brick and mortar, my back was not happy. After we opened in January, I had another back surgery in June. This is now three back surgeries and one foot surgery in 4 1/2 years. I never stopped promoting my business, continued with weekly networking and now I feel great. I decided there was a lesson to learn in each surgery and continued on my path.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I was not raised in an era of computers and so I am self taught. I have a friend who convinced me to do a cooking show about what I grow on the towers. We started a weekly cooking show. I also saw a need to be on instagram and tiktok so I hire a networking friend and she puts together reels for me and post the regularly. This has been a huge success for me.

We mix it up, using content from various of our lives, not just the business. People get to know you on a more personal level and can relate to you better.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nancysurbantowerfarm.com
• Instagram: nancys_urban_tower_farm
• Facebook: Nancy’s Urban Tower Farm by Inspirations By Nancy
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-ortinau-92a34214
• Youtube: Nancy’s Urban Tower Farm
• Other: tiktok: nancysurbantowerfarm