ABOUT GABRIELE MAREWSKI
FARMER, COACH, ENTREPENUER
ORGANIC FARMER
Starting with an abandoned avacado grove, Gabriele Marewski developed and nurtured a certified organic boutique farm for 18 years. Paradise Farms, located in the Miami area, specialized in micro greens, baby greens, 52 varieties of edible flowers, tropical fruits and oyster mushrooms. These premium quality agricultural products were sold to the best chefs at high-end restaurants in the Miami region.
Gabriele pioneered the local Farm-to-Table movement in Southern Florida. Starting in 2005, she hosted popular monthly events, known as Dinner in Paradise, which raised funds for local non-profits that provide food for the under-privileged. Paradise Farms also hosted Brunch in Paradise and educational group tours. Gabriele opened the first B&B Farmstay in the area - offering cute bungalows tucked in among the fruit trees to visiting farm volunteers and paying guests.
During her time as a farmer, Gabriele received the Miami Dade County Commission for Women’s “Outstanding Woman in Business & Economics” award. She also received the ”Innovative Farmer Award” from the Florida Small Farms & Alternative Enterprises Conference in 2012.
“Along the way I decided to live a creative life with gratitude, humility and grace in such a way that feeds my soul and supports the planet.”
- Gabriele Marewski
BUSINESS COACH
Gabriele decided on a life change in 2017 and sold Paradise Farms. Part of the sale involved a commitment to pass on her knowledge of agricultural methods and farm economics to the new owners. This sharing of her passion for agriculture and her farming experience, combined with her desire to give back, and lead to her work as a dynamic business coach.
Gabriele moved to Asheville, NC and now coaches start-up agricultural entrepreneurs. She offers private coaching sessions and also coaches for Mountain BizWorks, a non-profit that helps businesses start, grow and thrive in Western North Carolina.
Farm4Business is Gabriele’s curated platform of everything the agri-entrepreneur needs to start and manage their business. The Online Manual has 9 sections covering start-up, funding, financials, operations, employees, marketing and sales, certifications, diversification and resources.
ENTREPENUER
Gabriele’s first act as a farmer, in 1990, was to make farm skirts that she could comfortably wear every day. Agricultural work in Florida requires lots of labor in hot weather and the coolness of a skirt was wonderfully practical. Gabriele happily farmed in skirts for nearly 20 years!
You can often find Gabriele taking photos with her phone camera. Her love of nature and experiences as a farmer draw her to countryside scenes. In 2010 She started dreaming about printing photos on her farm skirts and telling visual stories about nature, flowers and magical places.
After selling her farm and moving to Asheville in 2017, she began taking the dream of photo covered skirts and turning it into an actual creative arts business. Gabriele developed Story Skyrts as an environmentally conscious operation. She uses 100% post consumer recycled polyester blended with 8% spandex and her skirts are produced as they are ordered to reduce garment waste. Gabriele is now pioneering a no-inventory business model in the fashion industry!
AND… ON THE GO!
As a farmer, Gabriele hosted volunteers who brought the larger world to her doorstep and she heard about the joy of long distance hiking. In 2010 she started adventure travelling by walking across countries and then she took up long-distance biking. A couple of trips were an adventure sans bike or hike. Most trips are solo and since 2019 always in her comfortable, fun-to-wear Story Skyrts.
Gabriele loves the spontaneity of travel, especially when adventuring solo. She is always curious about who she’s going to meet, what she’s going to eat and where she’s going to sleep. Gabriele loves the thrill of not knowing how the journey will unfold!