About Us

Matthew and Katie Ellenburg are the owners and  artisans at The Rooted Rooster Farm in        Spartanburg, SC. They seek to encourage others to make room for more slow moments, filled with beauty and connection. Katie and Matthew are high school sweethearts who married while Katie was working towards a bachelors degree in studio art. There, she concentrated in oil painting and learned the mechanics of design along with the importance of creating art with purpose. She also took several pottery classes where she learned to throw on a pottery wheel and hand build. She has taught Matthew many of these skills so that he can work alongside her today.

My name is Katie Ellenburg, and my husband Matthew and I are the owners and artisans at The Rooted Rooster Farm in Spartanburg, SC. The proverb that inspired our name has been translated in various ways over the years, but the meaning remains: wise parents gives their children both roots and wings. Since we started off with chickens, we decided the “rooted rooster” would be a fitting descriptor of our farm and our life mission: to raise a family that is deeply rooted in faith and love and that has the courage to fly.

We are two creative souls who love to work with our hands, and we have a passion to serve the community we are a part of. We are in the process of learning to grow produce in a sustainable, chemical-free manner so that we can provide better nutrition to those around us. We are also currently working to create quality, handmade products available from a local source. We believe that shopping close-by is good for both our environment and our economy.

Our pottery products are uniquely built using clay slabs. We do not work with a pottery wheel. Instead, we roll out flat slabs of clay, cut the shapes we need, and form them into mugs and dishes. This allows us flexibility with adding texture and design while the pieces are flat. I especially enjoy employing my painting background by adding images and designs to the ware while Matthew enjoys experimenting with glaze combinations.

At The Rooted Rooster Farm, the thing we value most is relationship. We encourage front porch sittin’ and coffee sippin’. When you sit down with our mugs and platters, we are honored to be a part of your slow-down moment, and we believe every bit of beauty adds to the pleasure of it. We carefully shape each piece to provide you with functional artwork to hold in your hands, to feel & to use, and to make memories with — because the unhurried, beautiful moments are the ones to be treasured.