Meet Drew Westberg and Teale Burford, the passionate educators behind Lola’s Nursery. Drew, with a PhD in Economics, and Teale, holding an M.S. in Choral Conducting, are not your typical nursery owners. Based in Muscatine, Iowa, they balance their teaching careers - Drew in economics at Coe College and Teale in music at a local high school - with their commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable living.

Their journey began post-marriage in 2013. As their family grew, so did their desire to make a tangible, positive impact on the world. This led them to explore agroforestry, culminating in an eye-opening internship for Drew at Red Fern Farms. There, Drew gained invaluable knowledge about chestnut trees - from cultivation to grafting - under the mentorship of the experienced owners, Kathy and Tom.

Determined to create a lasting legacy for their children and community, Drew and Teale embarked on establishing their own chestnut grove. Their first major step was setting up a nursery to nurture chestnut seedlings, a project that coincided with the joyous news of expecting twin girls.

Lola’s Nursery, named in honor of Teale's mother Robin, known affectionately as Lola, embodies her legacy of gardening and love for nature. Lola's passion for watching things grow is at the heart of our nursery, inspired by her years of dedication to her garden. Tragically, we lost Lola to COVID-19 in October 2021, but her spirit and love for gardening continue to guide us.

Join us at Lola’s Nursery, where we're not just planting trees, but sowing the seeds for a greener future.