Jessica Gigot, PhD, MFA, is a poet, farmer, and writing coach. She lives on a little sheep farm in the Skagit Valley. Her second book of poems, Feeding Hour (Wandering Aengus Press, 2020) was a finalist for the 2021 Washington State Book Award. Jessica’s writing and reviews appear in several publications, such as the New York Times, Seattle Times, Orion, Ecotone, Terrain.org, and Poetry Northwest. Her award-winning memoir, A Little Bit of Land, was published by Oregon State University Press in September 2022. The audiobook was recorded and released by Julia Whelan’s Audiobrary in 2025.
A little bit more about me…
I believe that poetry and memoir are powerful tools for creating presence, transformation, and growth.
I spent a lot of my young adult life on the move, feeling detached, going from experience to experience without reflecting on my feelings or fully understanding what I really wanted. Deep inside, I now realize that I was yearning for contentment and belonging. After finally putting down roots and learning the seasonal rhythms of a farm, I discovered my voice and artist self.
My educational background is in biology and horticulture (PhD, 2011) and I spent years studying nature, from a distance, through the lens of Western science. My classes and research took me into Vermont wildflower meadows teeming with bumble bees, digging in muddy potato fields in Washington, and counting hundreds upon hundreds of nematodes under the microscope. I loved what I was learning, but also needed a better way to connect with myself and care for the land around me. After several sessions of morning pages and a chance encounter with my favorite nature poet, I knew I was meant to be an writer. I returned to school to pursue my passion for poetry and creative nonfiction (MFA, 2014). In more recent years, I have fallen in love with tennis. If I am not mothering, writing or milking sheep, you can find me chasing a little yellow ball.
Interview With New Day Northwest
KING 5’s New Day Northwest is Western Washington’s only local daytime talk show. Jessica joined Amity to discuss farming and…
Coaching
Engage your body, heart, and mind in a meaningful and grounded way. Jessica offers personalized coaching sessions, writing workshops, and literacy support.
Harmony Fields
Harmony Fields – situated in the Skagit Valley of Washington State, between Seattle, WA and Vancouver B.C. – makes artisan, farmstead sheep cheese. We also offer local yarn, wool, and lamb. Our mission is to produce nutritious, high-quality food using regenerative farming practices.