Natalie Stephens of Guthrie Center has had a lifelong love of baking and gardening.

 

By Rich Wicks | Guthrie Center Times, March 2026

Natalie and Dave Stephens of Guthrie Center are relatively new to town, but the area has grown on them. 

“We moved here in 2018. Before that, we were in Yale,” Natalie said. “I actually came from Michigan. Dave came from Oklahoma. It’s been nice to be back in that small-town feel. I love it.”

Stephens explained that after moving to Guthrie Center, she found herself needing a hobby.

“He worked 50 or 60 hours a week, and I was home taking care of the dog, the cats, the grandkids, always staying busy, and I was interested in the farmers market,” she said. “I knew that I would love to teach people how to grow their own food. I would love to answer questions. One of my sayings is ‘gardeners unite.’ So, I named my Facebook page for this ‘Thyme to Grow’ because it’s always time to grow.”

Stephens recalls that in 2018, the backyard was just that: a basic backyard. With a lifelong love of baking and gardening, Stephens knew what she needed to do.

“When we bought this place, it was just a grass backyard, maybe a small garden spot. So, we bought a rototiller and tilled up the rest of the grass,” she said.

Stephens began growing a garden and baking items to sell at the farmers markets in the area. Early last season, Stephens was offering more baked goods than plants.

“Last year, I went to Panora markets and Guthrie, so every Saturday, we did them, and it was too much. I made some killer monster cookies, with eyeballs and bats. I was selling out of them every week. And I made pecan poppers. They are five-ingredient cookies, and those were selling out, too,” she said. “But I got burned-out on all the baking.”

Over the past eight seasons, more and more of the Stephens’ yard has gradually been turned into production of some sort, whether it be berries, tomatoes, herbs or flowers. Although that creates more work, there is a side benefit.

“We’re trying to eliminate as much grass mowing and weed whipping as possible,” she said.

With that in mind, Stephens is focusing more on the garden produce. Although she doesn’t follow all of the strict guidelines to label her items as organic, she knows her produce is close. 

“I don’t put any artificial sprays on my stuff. If I do spray, it’s dish soap and water, and maybe some essential oils, or diatomaceous earth. Nothing that you can’t ingest,” she said. “I’ve got perennial fruits; I’ve got asparagus back there. I have rose bushes. I have lots of stuff that pollinators love. Last year, I grew flower bouquets. I grew zinnias and sunflowers. I’ve got all these different things.”

Another benefit to the couple’s large garden is that it attracts many animals. 

“I’ve had butterflies and hummingbirds all over the place,” Stephens said.

Because Stephens has developed a green thumb, she often ends up with more fresh produce than she could use. But, that is easily solved, as she gives produce away to friends and neighbors and/or donates extra to New Opportunities. 

Besides being a vendor approximately once a month at either the Guthrie Center or Panora farmers markets, Stephens plans to have a small seasonal produce stand on the porch at the couple’s house at 803 Prairie St., allowing customers to shop on the honor system. She explained that the setup works especially well during mid- to late-summer when so much fresh produce is ripening every day.

This year, Stephens aims to participate in the Guthrie Center farmers market, but she does not plan to participate in others, at least not on a regular basis. Stephens explained that her baking and gardening is a hobby rather than a business. 

“It’s seeing people enjoy what you’ve created. That really makes a difference; I enjoy that. I’ve been a baker since I was 3 years old. My mom sold wedding cakes, and I was her helper. As soon as I could reach the table, I was making snickerdoodles,” Stephens said. “I don’t want to do just the baked goods, even though they sell really well. I want to do the produce and flowers and herbs and things like that. I like to grow yellow tomatoes because they’re easier on your stomach. And I like to grow lots of varieties of things that you can’t find at the store.”

For more information, Stephens can be reached at 641-757-2513 or emailed at buzzyrules3000@yahoo.com.