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When you look at our farm, basically, what you see (I hope) is that we are non-conventional farmers all the way around. Michael Pollan followed by Joel Salatin set that ball rolling and it seemed everyone was on board to some extent or another afterwards. Then, all the buzz words came into play: grass-fed, sustainable, pasture raised, local, etc, etc, etc. Heck, even the word "farm" became a big craze. And, that might be, in part, how I actually became a "farmer" - it sounded nice and became acceptable (you can read the full story under How it All Began). Then, long removed were the days of the "dirty farmer" who worked the land because that was their only choice for survival in life. A new kind of farmer was evolving - ones that started calling themselves "sustainable". Whole communities of "sustainable farmers" developed and those who were not yet doing it, were reading, talking and learning so they could aspire to it. Now workshops and groups related to sustainable farming were easy to find since there was such a big interest on the subject. And, these were groups I could enjoy since they were made of educated people with other career options which they fully or partially exercised (as we were/did). They were people who wanted to farm as an option in life (not because they had to) and were choosing to learn, practice or simply support other sustainable farmers for the knowledge of knowing their food was grown by a farmer with the same concerns/aspirations for healthier food choices. I was overjoyed because it made things much easier for me. I no longer had to think about how I was going to grow and make home-made ketchup just to get away from high fructose corn syrup or grow fruit and make my own jellies for the same reason. And, those were just a few concerns of my own that led to a brick wall for resolution prior to this new era. Gen Z's of today are astonished when I tell them of the food items that were not available to me either because it was unattainable or the attainable products were unaffordable. When I was in my "farming transition" I knew "I" could never be a self sustainable farm since I could not grow and make it all (especially on the small acreage I had - I learned that the average small farm in the early 1900's was 300 acres - I was farming on 1% of that land mass). But, the movement made a change in the food industry and suddenly, I did not have to do it "all" - I could do a little bit and fill in the rest with the new, healthier products now available at the public markets. Animal food also got better, they started providing food without GMO's and later provided organic feed for the animals.
A generation has past since then and a lot has changed both in our direct, personal lives and in society. A new kind of farmer was born in this era - they call themselves, non-conventional, sustainable and regenerative farmers. They are a group of farmers who seek a broader understanding of farming and strive to make changes to improve the over-used sub-soil left from a time when most of America was over-farmed then doused with chemicals and unnatural fertilizers as a "quick fix". They do not rely on minimal input for maximum and/or immediate profits, as is typical in the industry. They strive to be price makers instead of price takers in order to keep the quality of what they grow at its best. They invest in their future harvests to the height of their ability, in faith, that the final product will be superior, and recognized as such by consumers. They are driven by quality and rewarded by highly satisfied consumers who will contribute to their passion for good food and financially support their effort to produce more, at best. Or, at worst, their reward is simply good food on the family table.
We have a small group of followers and are grateful for all the support and encouragement we get. The demand for good food is greater than the supply and there are less farmers willing (or able) to contribute to produce it. A farmer will not, or a lot of the times, cannot, afford to invest in growing a product that most likely will result in a loss because the consumer did not understand the value of it. Or, worse yet, they will reduce their investment and grow a “b” quality product. Unfortunately, this leads the consumer to a perceived inability to pay for good food or, unwillingness to do so because they don’t see the validation of the price (and, rightfully so based on the farmer’s scenario). However, there are times when the price is validated but, still overlooked because it is being compared to government subsidized prices found on grocery store shelves.
Conventional farming may upset you and, probably does if you got this far in this post. The farmers in that industry aim to make a nice profit as they have chosen farming as their career and rely on it to make a living. They are the source of food conveniently available in the grocery stores at bargain prices. They truly believe in the way they farm and have as much passion about it as any other farmer and do not understand why some feel the need to do it non-conventional (as we’re doing). They, too, are educated and have graduated with lessons of profitability, marketability and cost analysis. They believe that the medicines they give the animal are for the animal’s welfare and that the hormones or GMO’s or whatever means they use to increase yield is necessary to increase profits and satisfy world hunger.
We understand where the conventional farmer is coming from and realize that there is more than one way to skin a cat. But, as non-conventional farmers, we attract a lot of people who are mad about our country’s food supply (as I was for a time before my conviction to a life of farming) and people who are simply confused- sometimes so much that they opt out by eliminating certain foods in their diets (it can be compared to the stock market: if you don’t understand it, don’t risk it).
We now call ourselves "farmer" and stand with that group of non-conventional growers. We now know what that means and how we want to do it. Everyone has a choice and, as Americans, a freedom to exercise those choices. Though we try to be open-minded about, and accepting of all farming practices whether we agree with them or not, we do not feel like it is our mission to “feed the world”. Instead, our mission is to create awareness, teach what we’ve learned to those who want to know, answer questions for those who are still confused under the umbrella of farm and food buzz words, and serve a community of like-minded farm supporters who believe in us and what we are doing and who will come through during harvest time leaving us with assurance that when we put every dollar we have into producing a superior product, we will not be left holding the bag.
Though we are blessed with the opportunity and ability to live the “dream of a farm” (as some would see it), a conventional life-style with city or urban conveniences would be an easier road and, occasionally, seems “dreamy” to me. Regardless, we have been convicted to farm and choose to live out that conviction. We eat good and we know that our inputs may not show a significant change in our life-time. But, it gets better every day and has become a shared passion that will keep us moving as our bodies age (as the saying goes - keep moving or lose it!). Our whole family has devoted a part of their lives and soul to it. Our children are now grown but come back to the farm as they know they can get some of the best food here. We also have customers who have supported us from the beginning; and others who, no matter when they find us, keep coming back once they do. And, they go the distance even after we have moved farther from the Metroplex to expand our farm or when they, themselves, move father away (we now have customers who travel as long as 6 hrs to return and shop our farm store). We care for every plant and animal in our charge, and every creature affected by our farming practices. We smile, we laugh and we cry because of our farm; therefore, we only want to share it with those who truly support what we are doing and/or are genuinely curious and open about our choice to farm and the means we utilize to carry that out. If that is you, please come. You may email us but, we prefer to see your smiling face.
I usually get emails with simple messages like: “do you have eggs”, "can you make money from being a farmer", or “please add me to your e-mail list”. And, I will respond to all who reach out but I am happiest when I see people come to the farm to meet us, see the animals and put a vision next to the journey and passions I wrote about above. In this post, you learned a whole lot about me and my family and, in turn, I want to know who you are and what led you to reach out to us. Come and be welcomed to our farm! : )
