Gratitude is a renewable resource and there is SO much to be grateful for, but it is often difficult to hold ourselves in that space. A blessing of this holiday season, is that it tends to pull us all back to those basics.
As we finish matching our pastured turkeys with the folks they’ll feed this coming week and try to finish getting ready for the winter that has actually already begun, we take a few moments to highlight some of our gratefuls.
We feel so fortunate to be have the opportunity to grow food regeneratively, in ways that capture the greatest potential of the sun, rain and natural systems, while enhancing food quality, plant health, soil life and ecosystem services. Farming in a way that prioritizes wellness and ecological health feels like both a luxury and a necessity.
Our supportive and patient customers, I hope you know the difference you make. How you choose to spend your food dollars can determine whether local, regenerative farms exist in your community or don’t. By choosing to purchase directly from farms you are making it all possible. And this farmer can attest to the value of the emotional support that also gets delivered with those consistent, regular purchases. It is the renewable resource of gratitude in action.
I feel myself smile and stand up straighter and as I relay a story or message to the rest of the farm team, I see the smiles amidst the dusty, sweaty faces and feel the uplifted mood despite the challenges of the day. So thank you. You and your shopping and your stories of enjoying the food do matter.
Being part of an amazing community of farmers:Can’t even name them all, but a few special treasures for us this year are Hannah Blackmer at Field Stone Farm for a fabulous partnership.
Sure, grateful for the gorgeous and tasty produce she has provided for our farmstand, but even more for being a strong and supportive partner at the Farmers Market with style, consistency and always space to share the joys and challenges of farming, all while also shouldering being president of the Montpelier Farmers Market.
Nicko from East Hill Tree Farm was so present in our minds this year as we watched our apples and pears fill with abundant, gorgeous fruit. His kind and steady tutelage and collaboration as we’ve planted, pruned and shepherded our young orchard is paying off. In fact, we crushed, pressed and canned the last batch of cider and applesauce just this week! And there is a gorgeous crate of apples headed for celebratory pies.
And of course our daily community of farmers make this farm possible.
The world (us included) worry about the age demographics of farmers. We are grateful that there are still young people interested in farming, for a summer and for a career. Unfortunately, it is still an uphill career challenge, but we hope together as a community we can make it both an attractive and viable path.
While the intangibles keep many of us going, it isn’t enough to enable many folks to farm for the long term. At your Thanksgiving meal, do thank the farmers, all of them, because their days were long, not always easy and probably not remunerated as well as we’d all hope.
10 years of farming, learning and sharing together
It stills feels a bit unbelievable that our farm celebrated its 10th Anniversary this year.
As we sit down to each meal with friends and family, we are blessed to intimately know most of the food on the table and the care and grit with which it was grown. For that, we are deeply grateful.
May you too experience the joy of knowing where your food comes from, how it lived, and how your purchases contribute towards your dreams for the world.