Karee Upendo is the visionary behind Upendo Estates, a sanctuary of sustainability, creativity, and education nestled in the heart of Georgia. After moving 900 miles from Wisconsin, she embarked on a journey to cultivate a self-sustaining lifestyle, healing through the land while teaching her children and community the power of self-reliance.
A former educator and fashion designer turned creator, Karee seamlessly merges artistry, entrepreneurship, and environmental stewardship. As the Head Inn Keeper and treehouse designer of The Upendo Lodge Estates, she curates immersive experiences—from pine needle basketry and beekeeping workshops to monarch butterfly observation tours and hand-prepared picnic baskets.
With a background in art therapy, authorship, and at-risk youth education, Karee has dedicated her career to fostering knowledge, empowerment, and innovation. She has led research initiatives, organized workshops and professional development programs, and contributed to major entrepreneurial studies. Her work has earned her prestigious awards in entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and community engagement.
In addition to her work at Upendo Estates, Karee co-founded Build-A-Bow, a social retail-based business, and established The Upendo Library, a publishing hub dedicated to African American literature. Her passion for sustainable living, artistic expression, and community enrichment is the foundation of Upendo Estates—a place where nature, culture, and education intertwine to inspire the next generation.
Aven is our insect inthusiast, he loves to explore, play and admire nature. He is also a published Author of the book titled " Poke Shake Tilt" . Aven custom makes insect taxidermy cubes, where he preserves nature and insects within resin. These cubes can be purchased in our gift shop. ( no insects are harmed, all bugs used are found deceased)
Asher loves to play with the chickens, cook in the kitchen and play outside all day. He loves nature hikes, looking for rocks & exploring and meeting people. Some of the beautiful crystals and rose quartz he has found can be found near the pond.
Alex is ourJr. Grounds maintenance, as well as our amphibian expert. He has extensive knowledge in frogs. He created the estates very own frog pond, that ecologically cultivates flora and houses 4 different species of frogs and toads. Our natural pond is a favorite feature as you're sure to see baby frogs jump out of the water when getting near it. Alex is no stranger to business, at the age of 9 he created a national brand named " Build-A-Bow". He is a published Author, Emmy award winner, Guinness world record title holder amongst several other prestigious awards. Alex is a advocate for mental health awareness and humanitarian. To learn more about him, you can check out his website here www.buildabowbyalex.com or search him on Google!
Solea is the Farms Princess, she packs each bag of magic beans with a trinket & helps collect eggs. She's the " Roughest Toughest Egg Collector" .