Seasonally Grounded: At Home with Leah Finn

Tucked away at the end of a long dirt road in Dripping Springs, Texas, you’ll find a stunning English country-inspired farmhouse. Perhaps you’ll see 14 chickens clucking around an expansive vegetable garden while a dog snoozes in the sun, waiting to start a morning on the farm. The property, which is about 30 minutes from the vibrant atmosphere of Austin, is the home of the Finn family. Aspiring homesteader Leah Finn and her husband Michael, along with their two boys—Ford, 10 and Indiana, 6— are committed to sustainable living, and the thoughtful care and quality that comes with human connection to nature. 

“We were living in Los Angeles, and both of our families were back in Texas, so it was time to go home. We moved in October of 2016 and never looked back,” she said.  

Leah and her father built the farmhouse the family now calls home with one aesthetic goal in mind: she didn’t want people to know when it was built. While the exterior of the farmhouse is an idyllic echo of the past, the inner workings are a lot more modern. The Finn’s home runs solely on rain collection and their landscaping is based on a food to forest concept. 

“We became more self-sufficient and started growing our own food over the last four years. It feeds us or feeds the pollinators,” she said. “I’m notorious for coming to the table and saying this is from the garden, and I didn’t grow up with a garden, so I’m teaching myself from scratch. It’s fascinating to me that in one seed is encoded all this information and it’s like watching magic unfold.”   We sat down with Leah to find out more about life on the farm and why she's committed to cultivating the very best for her family.  HD: How is the kitchen the hub of your home? 
LF: We eat dinner together every night at the table and talk about our day and connect. That’s a lost art. So, passing down family traditions, values, nostalgia—all of which comes with the Harry & David brand—aligns with what we’re trying to do here. 
From how she stocks her kitchen to what she’s gifting to friends and neighbors, Leah shares her top picks for giving and receiving.

HD: What is an average day like on the farm? 
LF: We wake up, feed the dog and chickens, take our coffee and walk through the garden and see what’s going on out there. Fortunately, we have a really long growing season in central Texas so it’s like an exercise in eating seasonally. Whatever is growing in the garden we try to use in the house and plan around meals. 

HD: What is your favorite thing to grow? 
LF: Tomatoes! I’m really into canning tomatoes for over the winter to make soup and pasta sauces. To just grab a jar of our tomatoes is such a simple pleasure. You grew this, boiled the skins off, did the whole canning process, and it’s shelf stable for months. Though, I have to say that the most fun thing to grow and harvest if potatoes, it’s like digging for buried treasure!  

HD: What is your favorite fruit? 
LF: Your pears, now! 

HD: What pantry staples do you always have on hand? 
LF: Whole peeled tomatoes for soup and pasta sauces, garbanzo beans, quinoa, and snacks! My kids are snackaholics so I am definitely well-stocked on granola bars and popcorn. 

HD: What does good food mean to you? 
LF: Fresh food that is locally sourced and made with love and intention. I really resonate with Harry & David’s motto of “Iconically American,” because to me that means food grown well with hardworking hands. Sometimes I get lost in how much of an effort it is, keeping up the garden and fertilizing all the fruit trees…it’s such a labor of love but we do it together as a family.  

HD: Company’s coming over, what are you making? 
LF: In the fall and winter I enlist my husband to make this incredible pappardelle. He makes the sauce from scratch and slow cooks the meat for hours during the day. The kids love it and it’s such a hit with everyone. It’s an elevated comfort dish to serve for that cozy season. I’m also big into potlucks. When everyone brings a dish, it makes a big difference and takes the pressure off you. 

HD: What are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions? 
LF: I make homemade cinnamon rolls with the boys in the morning, and we watch the parade together. Then we set the table and decorate with garland, or dried magnolia leaves and candles down the middle—I love a candlelit dinner. My husband does the turkey, but I wait for Bourbon pecan pie and my sister’s mac ‘n cheese. It’s not Thanksgiving unless the mac ‘n cheese is on the table. We go around and say what we’re thankful for every night, but it’s really fun to do it with a big group of people—everyone says the most beautiful things. 

HD: What does heritage mean to you? 
LF: For us, I want to pass down the ability to grow food, that’s really important. But it’s also so special to have things in your home that evoke memories for your family. During the shoot, we needed silverware so I opened my great-great-grandfather’s flatware box (his name was Harry!) and saw a handwritten note from my grandmother. It was a special moment to reconnect with her since her passing.  

Leah Finn’s Harry & David Picks
From how she stocks her kitchen to what she’s gifting to friends and neighbors, Leah shares her top picks for giving and receiving. 

Favorites for Her House 

Olive Oil: We put olive oil on everything. Can one family ever have enough olive oil? The answer is NO.   

Pancake Mix: We have a tradition of having pancakes most Saturday mornings and these pancakes are so light and fluffy!   

Wine: It's always great to have a few extra bottles of great wine on hand for last minute gatherings.   

Cheesecake Party Wheel: Because is there anything better than an assortment of cheesecake!?   

Relish: The perfect thing to serve over cream cheese and with crackers! 

Her Favorites for Yours  
Cheeses & gourmet chocolate covered strawberries: What a fun treat to receive. I would also send this with a bottle of wine. 

Choose your own relish 8 pack: My dad LOVES a condiment! This would be the perfect gift for him. 

Signature truffles: I love receiving these special chocolates around the holidays!   

Rogue Valley Gift Box: This is a fabulous gift to either give OR receive!  

Premium Artisan Medley Gift Box: This is the perfect gift for someone who wants to try a little of everything.