Oh boy, does this Thursday look SO much different than last. It is cold and snowy (AGAIN) and I am feeling all sorts of cozy and relaxed. There is so much to be done outside, but for now, I am trying to enjoy what could be some of our last days spent with a fire roaring in the wood burning stove all day long.

With so much time spent inside the last couple of days, watching the snow fall and hearing the wind whistle through our log home, we have had the opportunity to work on our plans for expanding the farm. We are ordering fruit trees and shrubs to start work on a permaculture inspired food forest, scheduling a pick up time for our lambs next week, searching for livestock guardian puppies to raise with our sheep, and finalizing any other supplies we need for the sheep and pigs we are welcoming onto the farm.

With the pandemic, many things in our world have slowed down, but here on the farm, the exact opposite has happened. Having an extra pair of hands around all day has really sped things up around here and we are doing our best to plan and grow as much food as we can not only for ourselves, but also for our community. It is difficult for so many people right now and we want to be able to offer something to those around us. And as we make plans to grow, it becomes even more apparent to me that we are definitely here, on this farm, for a reason. We have land, vegetables growing, and animals to not only provide for ourselves, but to take care of those around us. In all honesty, I think that connection between the land and people is more important than ever, and it is that connection that drew me to farming in the first place. And that connection takes me back to where this journey of farming all started for me.  

At the first farm I ever worked at, the sense of community and pride I felt helping to grow food for so many people awakened a connection I never realized was there. The people we sold to were so happy to have access to local food, and I was taken aback by how deeply connected I felt to them and how happy it made me to be one of the people creating that connection. It seems simple to grow food and share it with those around us. But, with so many of us growing up in suburbs (as I was), often disconnected from the food chain, it becomes easy to accept that food comes from the grocery store and the only real special thing about it is that it turns into meals for the family. But, there is just something fundamentally different and special about getting food directly from the source. There IS that connection. There IS a face behind that head of lettuce and bunch of carrots. Because when you receive food directly from a farmer, the vegetables and meat become more than just food on a plate. The experience connects the food to the family and the family to the farmer, and the farmer to the seed and the seed to the soil, water, and sun that grew the food in the first place. It is a beautiful cycle that has become vitally important during these difficult times. And, it has motivated me even more to be part of that cycle.  

I don’t exactly know what the future holds or how exactly we will make our impact, but I do know that we are making moves towards a better tomorrow. To be a part of that cycle and to better our lives and those around us with delicious, healthy, sustainably raised, and responsibly grown food. Where that journey will take us, who is to know for sure, but all I can say is I am committed and already strapped in for the ride. I hope you are too.

Stay safe, warm, and healthy, farm friends!

Farmer Kinzie