1. What are you most proud of?
What brings me the most pride is the people. When we gather on the farm around a field day, for a wedding or concert, or when we invite young people out for a tour, I always find joy in the eyes of others experiencing the farm. When people tell me about their garden or farm visions I get excited with them. I live to share this passion. So any way I can light this spark or have lit this spark in other people’s eyes is what makes me most proud.
2. What is one of your greatest failures?
We’ve killed a lot of trees, created space for lots of weeds to take over and had some inefficient systems for sure, but that’s progress. For every step we take in the wrong direction, we can help others take two steps in the right direction. On a farm there are no failures, only lessons. The natural world will always set us humans in our place and teach us to take our time and stay humble.
3. What is the wildest idea you have had that worked?
We came together as a collective of farmers to raise Tree-Range® Chicken. What started as just a few farms is now rapidly growing. What started as just a few retailers has now become almost every coop in the state.
4. What do you wish people knew about farming?
I wish people new that farming is the best medication. Farming is exercise. Farming is meditation. Farming is community engagement. I wish they knew that regenerative farming is environmentalism. Regenerative farming is the best revolution, the best way to break free and live well. The best way to provide for your family. The best way to be alone, and the best way to be with people.
5. Describe your favorite place in nature.
My favorite place in nature is in my body, because I am nature. I am a living biome full of tiny and intricate ecosystems. I like to take this body to a forest or a body of water and just be with the space, soaking up every detail and trying to understand my place in it all.
