Meet the Staff

Kristine Berg - Publisher, Editor, and Founder of A Primitive Place Magazine

Kristine is the founder of A Primitive Place. Today, she continues to guide the direction of the business alongside her children, Robert, Amy, Ashlyn, and Damon. Since founding the magazine in 2010, she has remained at the center of its growth, helping build it into a nationally recognized name focused on early homes, antiques, and American history. 

As publisher and editor, Kristine leads the magazine's creative direction, oversees its design and layout, and serves as one of the main photographers. Her vision has defined the look and feel of A Primitive Place from the beginning.

Kristine is also the driving force behind the A Primitive Place Vintage, Antiques, Primitives & Handmade Goods Show, having started and organized the event into what it is today. Through her efforts, the show has become a destination experience, bringing together antiques, handmade goods, and a shared appreciation for early American living.

Our business's goal is to bring history to life through authentic homes and antiques, educating and inspiring others, especially the younger generation, to value and preserve these pieces for years to come.

In her free time, Kristine enjoys gardening, searching for antiques and thrifted treasures, wintering in Arizona, and spending time with her chocolate lab, Natty.

 

Robert Bladow - President / CEO
Shipping & Receiving Manager


Robert is the owner of A Primitive Place (APP LLC), where he has served as President and CEO since 2018. At 30 years old, he has been involved in the business for the past 14 years, working alongside his mother, Kristine Berg, publisher, editor, and founder of A Primitive Place.

Robert plays a key role in the daily operations of the magazine and in the execution of A Primitive Place events, helping ensure everything runs smoothly from start to finish. In addition to his leadership role, he also serves as the company’s shipping and receiving manager. He is also the owner of North Dakota Modding & Mapping (NDMM), a business specializing in digital mapping and simulation services for the agricultural industry, including designing content for the Farming Simulator video game through GIANTS Software. He also owns NDMM 3D Printing, where he creates a wide range of miniature pieces, including jugs, crocks, firkins, and other items sold through the magazine and website. They are consistently among the top-selling products. In addition, he designs and builds remote-controlled snowmobiles through NDMM.

Outside of work, Robert enjoys snowmobiling in the mountains of Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho.

Amy Bladow - Co-Editor and Chief of Social Media Marketing

After working as a Cardiac Registered Nurse for five years, I have now transitioned to a full-time editorial role alongside my mother, Kristine Berg. Together, we publish A Primitive Place Magazine, with my focus on our Special Edition issues.

I also write articles, manage social media marketing, interview homeowners during photoshoots, source and style antiques, restock our booth at 701 Boutique & Antiques, and attend antique shows.

Outside of my busy work schedule, I am often traveling back and forth between Wahpeton, North Dakota, and Arizona, soaking up the sun, working out, reading, experimenting with sourdough, hiking, attending country concerts, and cooking.

I have worked for the magazine for as long as I can remember. Even at 12 years old, my mom had me helping with simple tasks like sorting orders. Now at 27, I will never forget the day I bought my first two primitives in 2023 — an 1800s two-drawer blue chest that I use as my dresser and an oriental prayer rug. I purchased both from Faye Kleman of Early Country Antiques. My mom had been waiting for that moment for years, and she was ecstatic that I was finally growing an interest in primitives. After growing tired of the poor quality of modern-day furniture, I finally made the switch, and let's just say the collection is just getting started!

 

Ashlyn Peterson - Editorial Assistant, Photographer, and Upcoming Co-Editor

Ashlyn is best known as A Primitive Place's "recipe girl", a role she has held since she was just 10 years old. She is also a photographer for A Primitive Place, bringing each home to life through her lens. She is the youngest daughter of Kristine Berg, publisher, editor, and founder of A Primitive Place.

At 25 years old, she has been part of the family business for the past 15 years, working alongside her, and will step into the role of co-editor in Fall 2026. She is currently working full-time at Bobcat, where she has been employed for the past 6 years.

Ashlyn is married to her husband, Tyler, and they are expecting their first child this year. They share their home with their dogs, Ripley and Winnie, and she also enjoys time with her horses, Charger and Eeyore, who have been a part of her life since she was 10 years old.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time at the lake with family, thrift shopping, going on walks with her dogs, golfing, and renovating and decorating their new house, especially the nursery.

            

 

     Karen Gerhart - Photographer

 I’m from the beautiful, historic Hudson Valley of New             York State. I’ve had the honor of photographing for A           Primitive Place magazine since 2010. Meeting so many         wonderful people and stepping inside remarkable                 homes and collections has been one of the most                   rewarding parts, especially since it aligns so closely             with what I love.

I decorate with primitive, country antiques and am also an antique dealer. I have a booth at Dater House & Friends Antiques in West Sand Lake, NY, and you can often find my husband, Michael, and I set up at antique shows throughout the year. You can also follow along on Facebook at Catskill Mountain Antiques and Primitives.

I enjoy the thrill of the hunt—finding pieces that suit my home or become part of my inventory. I’m a mother of three and a grandmother of four. I love nature and spend time hiking and photographing the beauty I’m blessed to be surrounded by here in the Catskills.

 

Al Grella - Contributing Writer, Copy Editor

Al Grella joined the team in 2018 and serves as both a contributing writer and the copy editor. In his role as copy editor, he has the lucky privilege of being among the first to see each issue. 

Outside of the magazine, he is also a retired reading and language arts specialist, having completed 35 years of teaching with Naugatuck Public Schools in Naugatuck, Connecticut. After his retirement in 2010, he continued to work in Naugatuck as a part-time reading interventionist and ELL instructor at Cross Street Intermediate School for an additional 12 years. He holds a B.S., M.S., and Sixth-Year Professional Certificate from Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Connecticut. His passions include writing, photography, building and restoring homes, collecting antiques, decorating in the period style, and composing and recording original music. He has built two reproduction saltboxes and one two-story colonial and restored two elderly homes, all decorated in the primitive and colonial styles. Al is also the creator and co-administrator of the “Colonial and Early American Homes” decorating and refurbishing group on Facebook. His home is one of the five featured in the Christmas 2018 issue of A Primitive Place Magazine.

 

  Alex Pifer - Contributing Writer
Alex is an interior designer, furniture manufacturer, and retailer. For more than fifty years, she has be
en at the forefront of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century design. She defines her ta
ste as “High Country” opposed to formal, traditional, or primitive. Her designs and products have been featured in countless articles, and she has been involved in many historic restorations throughout the country. Her company is also a Historic New England licensee. Being able 
to provide her customers and clients with all these marvelous items and to create beautiful interiors for over three decades has been her joy. Designers and architects most welcome.

Alex has been a contributing writer for A Primitive Place magazine since the very beginning, sharing her knowledge and passion for early American design with readers across the country.

She is also the owner of The Seraph, a business that specializes in historically inspired interiors and furnishings that reflect early American influence through a more refined, country-focused lens. Her furniture is benchmade, meaning each piece is constructed by a single craftsman at the workbench. Using a combination of hand and power tools, the maker selects the wood, shapes each component, and assembles the piece with careful attention to detail. From there, it is either finished by the same craftsman or passed to a finisher, ensuring a high level of quality throughout the process. This approach represents one of the highest standards of craftsmanship available today.
These furnishings are built on solid wood foundations, feature rich textiles, and are finished with finishes that reflect the character of early interiors.

    

David T. Smith - Contributing Writer

David T. Smith is an early American craftsman based in Warren County, where he and his wife, Lora—married for nearly six decades—have built a nationally recognized business. It all started with land purchased in 1929, where David began constructing their 1720s Connecticut-style saltbox home. It was here that he also built the very first kitchen he ever made in 1971. 
His training began under his father, Ray, and was refined through years of restoring antique furniture, giving him a thorough knowledge of early construction techniques. In 1980, he left his career as a mechanic to establish David T. Smith – Cabinetmakers and Grainers, specializing in reproduction furniture, painted finishes, and architectural elements influenced by New England, Shaker, and Pennsylvania German traditions.
In 1984, he and Lora founded Turtlecreek Potters, where, through extensive time spent in museums and archival research of early American redware, he developed an original lead glaze and built an outdoor wood-fired kiln to produce historically accurate slip-decorated pottery. His work expanded to handcrafted kitchens in 1986, with a strong emphasis on fully custom kitchens built for homes across the country, along with beds and other case pieces.
Today, they continue to operate The Workshops of David T. Smith from their original homestead, where they actively produce custom kitchens, redware pottery, and beds, while also offering New/Old beds through their website, https://www.neatpieces.us, and at The Heart of Ohio Antique Center.

                          

Gary Chapman - Contributing Writer

I’m Gary Chapman, owner of the Pine Cone Gift Shoppe in North Canton, Ohio. We pride ourselves on being a family-operated business offering American-made merchandise. Our focus is on primitive, colonial, folk art, and antiques. Each fall, we host a show in our parking lot, A Gathering of Colonial Wares, with our next event taking place on Saturday, September 12th.

I grew up in a country primitive style home with my mother, Sharon James, who was a huge inspiration and influence on my decorating style. The best part of my job is working with many talented artists.

I recently purchased a 1846 home with my husband, Chris, and after seven long months of renovations, we’ve finally moved in. I worked to keep as much of the original character as possible, preserving the floors and fireplaces while choosing historic paint colors that felt true to the era. I added period lighting and Amish-made kitchen cabinets. We have made the house our own with antiques, Bennington pottery, tiger maple, redware, and pieces made by artisans I truly admire. It’s been a long but rewarding process watching everything come together. You can view our full home video tour on our business page, Pine Cone Gift Shoppe & Home Decor, posted on March 29th.

Gary has been a contributing writer in the magazine for two years, focusing on sharing talented artisans in the community.

 

 

Kim Waln - Contributing Writer                      

I was born and raised in Ohio, and I grew up surrounded by antiques. My parents and grandmother were collectors, and from an early age I developed both an appreciation and respect for the objects that filled our home. I still remember a conversation with my mother when I was in grade school about how our furniture was made of real wood, while many of my friends had pieces that only looked like wood. That moment sparked what I jokingly call my lifelong love of an early dry surface.

Historic homes and sites were frequent destinations throughout my childhood, and antiquing quickly became a favorite pastime that has stayed with me ever since. Today, my husband, TC, and I still share that same passion. We’ve been married for 43 years and enjoy exploring antique shops, shows, and historic places together.

Over the years, I’ve also worked as an antique dealer, participating in various shows and shops before eventually transitioning to selling from home. My knowledge of antiques has been shaped not only by years of buying and selling but also by living with these objects and understanding how they once functioned within a home.

TC and I previously restored an early 1800s home in Ohio before moving to Texas. I took a hands-on approach, working closely with our contractor throughout the project, and found great satisfaction in watching the home return to life. Together, we approach our home and collections with a shared philosophy: rather than simply collecting antiques, we acquire pieces that help outfit a home as it might have once been.

TC Waln - Contributing Writer                           



 Jean Scilipote Horn - Photography Assistant

I live on a small lake nestled within the beautiful Helderberg mountains in New York. In 2015, my husband Mark and I moved into a camp that had been in my family since 1950. We completely renovated it, adding a second floor and giving it a country-primitive appearance. Our home was featured in the 2021 Christmas edition of A Primitive Place magazine.

I’ve been working for A Primitive Place magazine as Karen Haas Gerhart's assistant since 2024. It is a genuine pleasure to meet and interview the amazing homeowners and be welcomed into their beautiful homes.

I have been an antique dealer and avid collector for several decades, and my love for antiques was inspired by my sister. My taste has evolved from Victorian to Early American Country/Primitive. I currently maintain a booth at Dater House & Friends Antiques in West Sand Lake, New York, and regularly participate in many shows in various states throughout the year. 

Most of my vacations are centered on historic tourism and antique shopping. I so appreciate the history associated with each treasure I find. Mark shares my passion for antiques and provides invaluable support. Additionally, I enjoy gardening, decorating my home, spending time with family and friends, and lakeside fires.

I am blessed to have six wonderful children, four precious grandchildren, and so very many wonderful friends.


Jan Busby - Prim Projects Contributor

Jan has been the Prim Projects Contributor since the summer of 2017. Following in her father’s footsteps, Jan’s career has evolved from educator, artist, and crafter to small-business owner, selling primitives and handcrafted items at local shops.
Being asked to work with APP was a dream come true and, according to her father, the “height of success” for a crafter!
When Jan’s first grandchild was born 2 1/2 months early last August, Jan decided to retire from everything except APP to help with the baby.

Baby Caden is now almost 9 months old and is the light of Jan’s life! Jan’s dad recently turned 90 and eagerly awaits every issue of APP! And yes- he’s her biggest supporter and critic! This picture of Jan, Caden & Dad is from his 90th birthday party!

 

 Keisha Pierce - Editorial Assistant

I’m a wife, mother, and proud cat mom who brings care and compassion into everything I do. My daughter is my greatest blessing and biggest accomplishment, and she inspires me every day. I work as a Registered Nurse in the operating room, where I’m passionate about helping others and thrive in a fast-paced environment.

In addition to my work in healthcare, I serve as an editorial assistant for the magazine, helping keep things running smoothly behind the scenes. My role includes assisting with editorial tasks, occasionally responding to emails, updating and creating mailing lists, managing renewals, and preparing magazine labels for distribution.

In my free time, I love shopping and thrifting, as well as getting outdoors for boating, hiking, and soaking up the sun. I also enjoy playing card games and listening to murder documentaries.

A few fun facts about me: I can do a spot-on Daffy Duck impression, I was named after a Power Ranger, and I got married in beautiful Glacier National Park.

                   

 Elazea Fraase - Editorial Assistant

Hi, I’m Elazea Fraase! I help manage the social media accounts.

I live with my husband, three dogs, 14 chickens, a duck, two horses, a donkey, and a llama on a farm in rural North Dakota. When I’m not working as an occupational therapy assistant, I enjoy barrel racing, gardening, and giving riding lessons. 

Fun fact: My husband and I are expecting our first baby and are excited for his arrival in August! 

 

 

Sydni Schroeder - Editorial Assistant 

I joined the magazine team in February 2026. Before stepping into this role, I worked as a legal assistant for the county attorney in Warren, Minnesota, where I gained valuable experience in organization, communication, and supporting a fast-past office.

In my current role, I assist the editors with a variety of tasks, from helping at photo shoots to supporting customers and jumping in wherever needed. This position has given me the opportunity to travel more, meet incredible people, and continue learning something new every day.

Outside of work, I spend most of my time doing what I love—riding horses, being outdoors, and making memories with friends. I also enjoy traveling, discovering new coffee shops, and reading. Animals are a big part of my life, and I currently have five horses, two dogs, and two cats.

Barrel racing has been a lifelong passion of mine, and I compete in rodeos and jackpots nearly every weekend. That love for horses carries over into my work here, where I’ve found a special interest in horse-related antiques and primitives.