Our Team

Our diverse and passionate team brings a wealth of expertise to the farm.

Sara Blades was born and raised in Baltimore County, Maryland, as part of a large family where determination and resilience became second nature. Never one for traditional schooling, Sara embarked on an apprenticeship in cosmetology, only to realize her true strengths lay elsewhere. With a deep desire to carve her own path, she launched a residential cleaning company, turning a single idea into a thriving business with 200 monthly clients and four crews cleaning multiple homes daily.

As a single mom of two, Sara balanced the demands of motherhood with her entrepreneurial drive, finding both challenges and rewards in her journey to success. In her mid-30s, a new chapter unfolded when she partnered with a tattoo artist, sparking the creation of several tattoo shops and a venture into selling tattoo supplies. Tragedy struck in 2008 when Sara's partner passed away, leaving her to manage both the tattoo businesses and her cleaning company. While mourning her loss and juggling these responsibilities, another opportunity arose in 2012, leading Sara to New York. There, she embraced a leadership role with a major tattoo supply and ink company, marking the start of a new adventure. Today, Sara’s legacy lives on through her children: her daughter now runs the cleaning business, and her son oversees the tattoo company. Sara’s journey is a testament to her adaptability, entrepreneurial spirit, and unwavering commitment to her family and goals.

There, she thrived, eventually relocating to South Carolina in 2017 to oversee the supply division as manager and then the Proteam Events Coordinator. Over the next several years, her role allowed her to travel extensively across the U.S., working alongside some of the world's most talented tattoo artists and fueling her love for connecting with creative communities.

In late 2023, Sara was approached to become the CEO of another tattoo company. Although the opportunity was thrilling, she ultimately decided to step away due to differing visions. True to her philosophy that every closed door leads to a new beginning, Sara embraced a fresh challenge as General Manager of Valley Bear Farms in Western North Carolina.

While managing a glamping resort was a departure from her previous experiences, Sara’s extensive travel—spending 30 weeks a year in hotels and Airbnbs—gave her a unique perspective on hospitality. She now channels her passion for creating memorable experiences into building Valley Bear Farms into a majestic retreat.

Valley Bear Farms is more than just a glamping resort; it's a sanctuary for learning inner peace, embracing self-care, and reconnecting with nature. Sara is thrilled to be part of bringing this vision to life, ensuring that every guest can escape, relax, and indulge in the breathtaking beauty of Western North Carolina.

Yogesh brings a unique and multifaceted skillset to Valley Bear Farms, where he currently serves as Farm Manager. With 15 years of experience in permaculture, he is dedicated to implementing sustainable land management and regenerative practices, directly benefiting the farm's ecosystem. His commitment to holistic well-being is further demonstrated by his certifications as a Movnat Physical Trainer and a Classical Hatha Yoga instructor, with over 1,750 hours of training from Sadhguru Gurukulam in India, and 12 years of personal yoga and meditation practice.

Yogesh's expertise extends beyond physical fitness and land stewardship, enriching the Valley Bear Farms experience. He holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has successfully applied his movement training skills in diverse contexts. During his time at Sadhguru School in Uganda, he and his wife Tanamayi offered yoga instruction to students, teachers, and parents. Recognizing the students' potential, he established a Jiu-Jitsu team, leading them to a remarkable victory at the 2019 Ugandan National Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship, where they secured the top three prizes. [Link to tournament video].

Yogesh's passion for art and yogic culture led him to study Tibetan Buddhist Thangka painting under esteemed Master Locho and Master Sarika in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, India. He enjoys sharing his knowledge and fostering growth in others. He served as a Park Ranger for South Carolina State Parks for 2 years, where he also offered wellness sessions to his colleagues, further showcasing his dedication to well-being.

"Initially, yoga and art were pursuits driven by ego. However, they have evolved into a profound celebration of Divinity. I am deeply grateful for the grace that guides my life."

Tanamayi brings a unique blend of creative and holistic expertise to Valley Bear Farms, being a graphic designer, editor and a certified Classical Hatha Yoga instructor with over 1,750 hours of training from Sadhguru Gurukulam in India, with 28 years of experience.​

Grounded in yogic living and a pranic diet, Tanamayi shares her culinary expertise through workshops, informed by her upbringing and innovative recipes. Her work has been featured in the Transylvania Times. As her husband, Yogesh Cutler is American, she has evolved recipes using alternatives to foods that negatively affect the system, satisfying diverse palates.

Coming from a homestead family, Tanamayi is passionate about environmental stewardship. She actively participates in conservation initiatives, fostering appreciation for nature in others as a nature mentor. Tanamayi's diverse skills extend to teaching various subjects, honed at Isha Home School and through volunteer work in rural Uganda.

Her love for dance, particularly traditional Indian forms, has led her to teach globally and create a unique online dance course during the pandemic partnering with CALA, Middle Tennessee State University. She has witnessed its transformative power of moving people into joy.

"Whether dancing, cooking, hiking, or simply being, I experience a profound joy I wish to share. This foundation is rooted in Classical Yoga and the nurturing embrace of nature. I'm deeply grateful to my parents to introduce me to Sadhguru and yoga at an early age."

We are delighted to host our first ever Artist in Residence! An enthusiastic and creative Art practitioner Lily Bull will be joining us from the UK this summer as our resident Artist. With over 20 years’ experience creating, leading and promoting Art education in centres across the globe, she will make a guest appearance leading workshops and sharing her skills and expertise.

Curiosity – allowing space to question & wonder

A qualified educator with a First Class Honors Degree in Textile Design, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Art Education and TESOL qualification to her name. She takes her professional development seriously, embracing personal study and attendance of lectures at institutions including the Royal Academy of Art and Harvard University. Lily has spent the last 20 years sharing her passions teaching art and English to students of all ages, from a wide demographic, in schools in the UK, France, Spain, Costa Rica, Egypt and Uganda where she worked alongside Tanamayi & Yogesh.

Nurture – providing safe & inspiring environments

A former Educational Coordinator and Head of Art, Lead Practitioner and Teaching Mentor,Lily’s roles which have enabled her to model best practice to colleagues and support early career teachers. Sharing her passions with students, she has provided individualised tuition and scholarship guidance leading to successful art scholarship awards at several of the UK’s top secondary schools including Hampton and Marlborough. On the other end of the spectrum, she has motivated disadvantaged pupils predicted to achieve 30% A-C grades, to accomplish 100% A-C, with over half achieving grades A*- A, results she has upheld throughout her career. Though these achievements are impressive, Lily reminds us not to focus on the statistics:

Exploration – recording & sharing new discoveries

Lily is confident working in a range of media from delicate watercolour and fine acrylics to largescale willow sculpture and ceramics, and is always looking for opportunities to expand her practical skillset. She has completed several private commissions, notably a mixed media portrait for Isha Yoga Centre UK. More recently she has been expressing her creativity, writing and illustrating children's literature.

“I see myself primarily as a learner, who facilitates learning in others. Discovering new and exciting ways of seeing, thinking and being are inherent within us all. If we want the next generation to discover, enquire, evolve, and step into new environments with confidence, then we must lead by example. It’s not about grades, it’s what the experience represents: providing a nurturing environment, inspiring a joy in learning and the confidence that with awareness and focus. we can be the best versions of ourselves. Sharing in the joy of creative discovery is why I do what I do. Art is much more than simply a subject to be studied: Art is a visual language, rich in cross-curricular links, which succeeds in crossing language barriers and provides a window to a host of otherworlds. In the dawn of AI, visual literacy has never been so fundamental to enable us to navigate our ever-evolving world as we each embark upon our own daily voyages of discovery."