At thirteen years old, I dreamed of a backyard vegetable garden. That spring in 2012 I planted my garden and failed to grow anything substantial, but I didn't give up on with my dreams, instead I sought an apprenticeship at Madrona Organic Farm under David Chambers where I worked the fields and developed my understanding of growing vegetables.

That same summer I planted my garden again and before the seasons end it was in abundance, producing more vegetables than my parents and grandparents could handle. In the photo pictured above I'm holding a leaf of kale picked on the morning of September 21st, 2012. I continued my apprenticeship with David Chambers for three summers, but before long, my inspiration became Mediterranean and West Coast ornamental gardens, so much so that I went on to study tree and plant care (arboriculture and horticulture) and after graduating I gained employment with a large company in Victoria. I had learned so much on my journey only to end up working at a company that did not practice the high standards I had learned, they did mediocre work and to me, that was not right. I was on a mission to do incredible work and spend everyday at a company that believes in quality, a company that can create incredible gardens.

In the name of my mission I gave my employer my notice and left my job behind on February 2nd, 2017. That was the day Ascent Yard Care was born. My first handful of clients loved my work and told their friends, we grew and I recruited my most qualified peers, they believed in my mission as much as me. As of writing we have been solving our customers problems with a purpose for over seven years. We continue to strive toward our mission everyday.

-Jake Innes