Growing our own food has never been more important. With the global COVID-19 pandemic, never has growing and raising our own vegetables and meat meant so much or been so crucial during these strange and very difficult times. I don’t think any of us thought something like this would happen in our lifetime. Although we have been moving towards growing as much of our own produce and raising as much of our own meat as possible on the farm, the pandemic has put it in the forefront of our minds. I remember sitting at my computer when the stay-at-home orders had just been given and seeing a post from a local person in our community of empty store shelves and no produce or meat in sight. I was scared. It was early March at the time and at our elevation in the mountains we still had 3 ft of snow on the ground. My mind was racing. How were we going to feed ourselves and our son? Were we going to be okay? Was our small mountain community going to be okay?

My first response to dealing with the anxiety and anxious thoughts running through my mind was fear and the “what ifs” that many of us deal with, and are dealing with, even more so now. Change and uncertainty is difficult for anyone, but especially now. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by these feelings, and I think many people have taken control over these fears and uncertainties through hoarding food and pantry staples.

I understand why. My second response to hearing about the first case of COVID-19 in our town was ordering more farm seeds to grow, taking stock of everything we had available in our pantry and freezers, and first thing the next morning, I seeded cold hardy greens and root crops. In my fear of the unknown, I was called to take action, just like everyone else. How much food do we have? How long will it last? I felt grateful for what we did have and knew we would be okay if the stores in our small mountain town were low on stock for a while. But then, I began to feel fearful for my friends and family and my community. What were people going to do if they did not have full pantries? Most people don’t live with an excess amount of food or pantry staples because, unlike my family, they live 5-10 minutes from the nearest grocery store. It became quickly apparent that in recent times we have always had control over our lives, especially in the United States, and the only way we know how to combat feelings of fear and uncertainty are by taking control of our basic needs to protect ourselves and our families.

So what now? I can’t say I know for certain. After all, no one knows how long we will be required to stay at home to keep our families and communities safe. What I do know is that although I can’t control what is going on in the world, I can control how I react to these challenging times. For me that means I can grow my own food. I can stay home and when I do go to the grocery store, I can make the conscious effort to not take more than I need. My family and I are blessed to have the means to support ourselves by having the space and know-how to grow much of our own food. I can pay it forward and share my harvests with my friends and family members. I can teach others how to grow their own gardens, I can research how to help members in my community who are struggling, and I can support local businesses and local farms and producers. In Steamboat Springs we have a local online farmers’ market (www.caamarket.org) where members can shop for local eggs, meat, microgreens, mushrooms and more. Where you live there is a great chance local food producers are looking to grow food for you. Seek them out and make a difference by supporting their efforts.

As we navigate these strange times we must know that this too shall pass. We must take care of one another. Stay at home. Plant a garden. Buy local. Support our first responders, nurses, doctors, grocery store clerks, and all those who are fighting to save lives and are keeping our lives going every single day. Try to take solace in the gentle reminder that we are called human BEings, not human DOings. Now is that time to BE. Be brave, be sad, be happy. Be whatever you are feeling. We may never have another opportunity to practice the art of being like we do now. Let’s not waste it.

If you are interested in growing your own food, have farming questions, or just want to talk, please reach out to me. I plan to continue posting more blogs on farm how to’s, but would be happy to help or advise in any way I can.

Be well and stay safe,

Farmer Kinzie

Growing Our Own Food During a Pandemic