Meet Lisa Munniksma
principal and lead collaborator, Ink & Soil
With decades in communications and food systems, Lisa Munniksma has worked as a magazine and book editor, writer and author, grant reviewer, podcast host, community connector, farmers market go-to, farmer, and post-harvest manager. Collaborating with her, you’ll find a communicator and strategist who can advance your mission in community-based food systems. Lisa has traveled extensively throughout the US and internationally, including as a US Fellow for the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative in Thailand. She’s currently location-independent, splitting her time between Kentucky and Alaska.
I started Ink & Soil after 22 years as a solo freelancer. Truly, I’ve been collaborating with others for years and am now making it official by giving it a name, Ink & Soil. In my work with mission-driven businesses and organizations inside and outside food systems, I saw a need for more comprehensive communications services. While I can help design and plan their initiatives, I can’t always do as much hands-on work as they often need—but I have people who can. Now Ink & Soil supports these businesses and organizations while also supporting fellow creatives, communications professionals, strategic thinkers and food-systems practitioners.
A few high points from my work:
I have written for dozens of publications with hundreds of articles published online and in print. I have also ghostwritten five books.
I was the editor of Hobby Farms and Urban Farm magazines and a contributing editor for two books, “Epic Homesteading” (Cool Springs Press, 2024) and “All New Square Foot Gardening, 4th Edition” (Cool Springs Press, 2025).
I enjoy creative nonfiction writing and received two grants from the Kentucky Foundation for Women to explore food, farming and the outdoors from a feminist perspective. My personal writing has been published by About Place Journal and Orion.
Feeding my unending curiosity and interest in learning from others, I hosted the “Hobby Farms Presents: Growing Good” podcast about farming and food systems for 3 1/2 years. We published 88 episodes!
After returning from the YSEALI reciprocal fellowship in Thailand, I knew I wanted to more formalize my organizational facilitation work, and I completed the North American Food Systems Network’s ACRE Facilitator training program and became an ACRE Certified Trainer.
In the process of my writing, podcasting and facilitation work, I have interviewed hundreds of people—possibly thousands of people—doing inspiring things. I like to think I quickly develop rapport and have been told my careful listening and thoughtful questioning helps people open up to me.
Editors regularly remark on my ability to translate complex information into audience-friendly content.
See a portfolio of my writing, audio and video projects, searchable by project format and skills used.
Ink & Soil Collaborators
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Rodney Wilson
WRITING, EDITING
Rodney is a writer and editor with decades of experience in publishing, institutional communications and multimedia storytelling. A former small business owner, he brings an entrepreneurial perspective to his work. -
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Emily Reno
AUDIO COMMUNICATIONS, FACILITATION
Through her business, Mezclada, Emily creates spaces for connection, education, and shared learning through podcasting, gatherings, workshops, and community conversations. She co-facilitates Common Connections from Mexico. -
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Kim Kobersmith
WRITING
Kim and Lisa were first connected on LinkedIn and have shared their interests in Kentucky, Alaska and the outdoors ever since. An author and prolific features writer, Kim has contributed to several Ink & Soil projects. -
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Karen Lanier
WRITING, PHOTOGRAPHY, TEACHING
Karen has 25 years experience facilitating nature connection through outdoor exploration, gardening, visual arts and writing. Her passion is to promote understanding, appreciation and compassion for misunderstood wildlife.
