Making Connections

This week on the farm, I had the privilege of reconnecting with old friends, and connecting with new ones. Lately, I have begun to realize, that as much as farming is about taking care of the land and connecting with it, it is just as much (if not more) about taking care of people and connecting with them. And, that these human relationships are just as important to the success of a farm, as growing and raising good food is.  

In the midst of the pandemic, Jack and I have in many ways enjoyed the solitude that has resulted from spending more time at home, but as life has found a new normal with social distancing and mask wearing, we have been able to reconnect with old friends and even make some new ones. In reconnecting with people, I have begun to realize just how important these friendships and relationships are, not only to me, and my well-being as a human, but also, how important they are to the well-being of the farm. After all, what is a farm without these friendships and relationships? Sure, Jack and I could do the things we are doing all by ourselves, but it would be a lot harder. And lonelier. Without our friends and family, we would never be able to leave the farm to go on a quick vacation, just to get away for a couple of days. We wouldn’t have anyone to share the little moments that we experience daily on the farm with; nor it’s intrinsic beauty. Or to share a peaceful moment with in a field of sheep, with a livestock guardian gently panting in a lap. `

My friend, Mers, sitting in the field of sheep, with sweet Willa.

It’s the moments shared with my friends, as we sit in a field and discuss life, our dreams, what the farm could be, and what projects we could work on together to build a better future, that ignite me to my core. It is in the sharing of the failures, the successes, and the dreams that the farm feels most alive. It is in these peaceful field talks that everything we are doing comes to life- when all of the different animals we raise, and vegetables we grow have an even greater purpose. Not just to feed us and our community, but to inspire. To ignite other people to follow their passions, to connect deeply with their fellow humans, the animals that walk at their knees, and the plants that grow under their feet.

This week as Jack and I learned how to properly butcher a pig from a friend and amazing local butcher, and then shared that knowledge with my other incredible friends to help them butcher their own pig, I was so happy that not only can we raise animals to share with our community; but, in this case, we were also able to teach, share, and practice skills that are invaluable. And then, later in the week, as we traveled to Hotchkiss to pick-up a couple of Kunekune piglets for winter, we were able to connect with our new friends at Deer Tree Farm, who we hope to continue to build a relationship with for our pig operation.

Without these friendships and new relationships, we wouldn’t have been nearly as productive as we were on the farm this week. We just would not be successful without the people that support us, that share our mission, that believe in us, and lift us up on a daily basis. We are so grateful for the people in our lives for all they do for us. Our lives would not be the same without any single one of you!

Thank you for being here, supporting the farm, and for reading these journals every week! You all make the farm go round.

Farmer Kinzie