Thanksgiving Program with Mario Cambardella,
Nov 20, 2018 12:00 PM
Mary Blackmon, Founder, Farm Star Living
Thanksgiving Program with Mario Cambardella,

Mary Blackmon, founder of Farm Star Living, is a fourth-generation farm owner from the border of Arkansas and Louisiana. She left her hometown Monroe, Louisiana, to pursue a career in advertising sales and marketing in Los Angeles, Atlanta and New York City, working with notable publishing houses and internet companies, including Wired, Walt Disney Internet Group and Vivendi-Universal Internet.

In 2002, she founded Spa-Addicts.com, the first national discount site for the spa & wellness industry. The site quickly grew to become a multi-million-dollar business and leader in the industry, attracting hundreds of thousands of women, as well as numerous sponsors including Proctor & Gamble, Johnson

& Johnson, General Motors, and American Express. As the innovator behind the pre-“Groupon model” for the spa industry, Mary was featured in OPRAH Magazine, EXTRA, TV Guide, and more.

In a pivotal moment in 2008, Mary made the decision to take over her family farm because there was no one available to run it and thus it would need to be sold. Her brother gave his nod of agreement; and as a result, she moved back South, rediscovered her roots and developed a new love for farming and deep respect for farmers. Several years later, she was inspired to start Farm Star Living and launched it in 2013.

Today, Farm Star Living (accessible online as well as via its own app) offers a national directory of farms searchable by fun activities for all, a national guide of farm to table restaurants, plus monthly content on Farm Stars™ food health, seasonal recipes, educational and entertaining videos and more. Celebrating farms, farm-fresh foods and healthy living, Farm Star Living has been recognized as a trend-setter and leading content provider on the farm to table movement nationwide. Since launching her lifestyle   brand, Mary has received recognition from CBS, SHAPE, MNN, Best Self Magazine, ATLANTAN, Jezebel, among others, and was chosen as one of the most inspiring women in the US by Country Woman Magazine, naming her one of the most important farm voices in the country. She also hosts her own segments on iHeartRadio called the “Farm Star Living Minute.” She recently hosted a new television  pilot to educate audiences on where their food comes from and tackle food questions more in-depth.

INTRODUCTION: James Ottley
INVOCATION: Jeb Howell