About Us
Nurturing in Nature. Our team offers almost entirely outside care for infants through 3 years old. Nurturer By Nature facilitates activities and fosters child-led curiosities which helps children retain information, encourages independence, and promotes social-emotional development. By guiding children and teaching through play, exploration, and supported risk-taking; children develop confidence, resilience, and self-esteem through learner-inspired hands-on experiences in their natural settings.
Sarah E. MacLean
Founder & Caregiver
(She/Hers)
Sarah is passionate about all things birth and babies. Sarah is a DONA-trained birth Doula and believes every birthing person deserves the support they need to feel educated and empowered during their pregnancy, labor, and after. She has been nurturing children most of her life. At the young age of not quite 4, she welcomed her baby brother home as her own, worked as a babysitter through her teenage years, and worked in daycares and as a nanny in her young adult years. After a 13 yr career in the credit union industry, Sarah returned to her true love of caring for children. She went back to being a nanny and for 7 years worked with Kazoo school in their after-school program and summer program. Sarah worked as a substitute teacher and in 2018 she received her CDA (Child Development Accreditation) serving as Co-Lead Teacher with Kazoo School's Natural Learners preschool. In the Fall of 2020, Sarah answered a friend in need and began an almost entirely outside traveling childcare pod. Spring of 2022 she manifested her lifelong dream of owning her own childcare/preschool on her very own Half Acre Homestead. And with so much Grace and Gratitude, here we are today.
Sarah's personal and professional life is richly rooted in nature and a connection to all living things. When she is not supporting a birth or caring for children she is nurturing her flock of chickens, 6 cats, and 2 dogs. Sarah can also be found directing and acting in local theater and film. In her free time, and with the kids in her care, Sarah loves hiking, camping, foraging, and cooking. She enjoys gardening and loves to support all of our local farmers as well. You can find some of her Michigan love by following Eatdrinkandbemichigan which she shares with her love and Life Partner Angie.
Violet Humphreys
Caregiver
(She/Hers)
Violet is a lifelong learner and mother of two. She believes that the natural world and outdoors can create opportunities for kids to feel safe, peaceful, and confident. She spent over 10 years teaching at Kazoo School, where she was a substitute and assistant teacher, in addition to working in the after-school and summer programs. In 2014, after receiving her BA in Spanish from Western Michigan University, she began teaching Spanish Language at Kazoo School (Pre-K - 8th grade). In 2020, Violet left teaching to stay home with her daughter, Isa. The break allowed her to explore other interests and opportunities. Violet occasionally substitute teaches at The Farmhouse Early Learning Center and Bread & Roses Preschool. She also gets to work and play at Earthly Delights at Amy Zane and The Clover Room. She spends most of her days caring for her new son, Xavier.
Angie Jackson
NBN Support
(She/Hers/Ms.)
Angie supports her love and life partner Sarah's dream by building all the magic for Nurturer by Nature. This includes tending to the gardens, grounds maintenance, homestead upkeep, creating this website and blog, social media and marketing, and the Help Us Grow Campaign.
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Angie is a Master Culinary Mixologist known as The Traveling Elixir Fixer. She is the co-author of "Drink The Wild: Recipes From a Kitchen Witch for the Spirited and Sober Souls."
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