Ponderings on “The Vermont Farm Project”

“Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you're a thousand miles from the Garden.

I had the rare opportunity last night to view the live performance of "The Vermont Farm Project" (click link for more into)  It was a treat for sure!  This morning as I was up early, transplanting our third planting of lettuce along with some other needed transplants, I had some quiet time to reflect on my experience, not only during last nights performance, but also over the past 30 plus years of farming alongside of Brian as his helper, partner, and all other titles too numerous to mention.  

Three farmers were highlighted last night… the first in their twilight years of farming, trying to figure out what to do with a farm that none of the children are interested in carying on, how to, with dignity, say goodbye to a life — frankly the only life they have known — yet to preserve the land, buildings and all the unseen toil, tears and dreams wrapped up in their acreage — a barn built by generations before and kept until now. Wow! Did that ever hit home… Brian a 4th generation farmer, although no longer living on his family’s home farm, just the same - - has poured his life and body into agriculture, to not just a job, but a way of life… honoring the land, honoring the lives of animals, honoring his heritage passed down from his great-grandfather to him. He has taken that responsibility very seriously and personally.

I, not growing up on a farm, but having visited one often, jumped all into the “farming life”… knowing absolutely nothing. Would I have been so willing to embrace this “lifestyle” had I realized, in full, all I know now, with experience? Well, we do crazy things for love, and love Brian, I did and still do. When we are young, we can’t know all that lies ahead, and for any of us, if we did, I am afraid we would all bail very early on and try to create more hospitable circumstances to experience. It just doesn’t work that way, does it? Well, here we are, married in 1986 - 39 years later, living where we started on day one of our married adventure. Times have changed, circumstances have changed, the face of farming has certainly changed, and we have changed. More importantly we are still here!

For those of you who love the idea of driving past a farm to and from work.

Are you one who enjoy’s viewing the manicured rolling hills of Vermont dotted with a milking herd or beef herd, seeing the haying operations, witnessing the steady growth of the corn fields, enjoying fresh harvested greens, tomatoes, and fruit?

I have a question.

Have you thought much about the lives of those behind the scenes - those who make all that Vermont’s landscape is, possible? We are real people, and more than that, we are the face of the Vermont landscape, living out not just a dream, but a way of life, that connects us not only to our existing communities, but also to our ancestors, to those who plowed (literally) the way before us. We are carrying on their vision-- begun in some cases-- over a century ago!

Our goal, Brian’s and mine, through this blog-- is to help you connect yourselves with us-- your farmers, farming for you, for your health and those in your family, as you feed them nutrient-packed vegetables and beef. — For your mental well-being being as you take home beautiful flowers to enjoy in the warm months. We need that here in the NEK, where warm days are so few.

Yes! It is our way to make a living, a way to keep the land open, a way to keep Agriculture in our little neck of the woods, but it truly is with all of you, who are reading this blog in mind. We do it for you… because those who farm for 39 years and stick with it have hearts as deep as the ocean when it comes to caring for others. I saw that last night in the Vermont Farm Project. I felt it again in my heart as I took it all in. I don’t know anyone who chooses this life because it is “fun”, because it makes them “rich”. Awww, just saying that makes me smile… what makes my heart sing is the smell of the rich soil, the green growth and promise of life with each seed that sprouts, the heartfelt thanks from so many of you who support us faithfully, those who take the time to say “Thank you for all of your hard work”.

Brian and I are working hard through this blog, our website, our presence down at the farm stand, etc, to make a deeper connection with you because it is important if we are going to keep Agriculture alive here in our Community and Country.. You have heard the saying, “It takes a Village” - Well, that is true. It takes a village to support small farms, of which our little area has many. It takes a commitment, not only from the farmer, but also from the consumer, to perhaps do the hard thing and choose to keep some of your purchasing dollars right here in our little town and community. Choosing to purchase quality, vs. what is always the cheapest, because when it comes to your food, cheapest is not always better. In the end, a bag of Salad mix filled with nutrition is superior to a bag of 10-12 day-old salad mix from across the country or even across the ocean. YIKES! A fresh-off-the-vine tomato grown in native soil, sometimes 5 min. away from where you call home - Well, how do you even compare?

Honestly, this was not meant to be a sales blog, but rather a chat directly from my heart to yours. I was deeply stirred last night, and also this morning, on my hands and knees, with an aching body, thinking of all I had to accomplish today, pondering how much of this letuce will go into bodies hungry for proper nutrition and how much will go on the compost pile to be recycled back into the earth. TRUTH…

As you drive by our farm on your way to and from, or by a neighboring farm, take a moment or two to ponder what you might do to help afford the beauty you are greatly privileged to enjoy. Take a moment or two to “Thank your Farmer”, no matter who they are, it doesn’t have to be us! Take one more step - passing on that thanks by purchasing to keep the cycle of sustainable land stewardship going.

Then, as you enjoy that same beautiful landscape, and all that beautiful Vermont has to offer, you will know you have had a small part in making it happen… After all, I truly believe that is the way it is supposed to work.

PS - If all goes well, salad fixings by the weekend will be waiting for you in the Farm Stand Cooler.

Farming for you with love and care,

Kathy and Brian