It is a quiet morning. The sun has risen, yet the light feels new and young. While the whispers of the new day are growing louder, my head and heart sit in silence. They are at once straddling the balance of mourning and of gratitude trying to find the light and hope that comes with loss.
The world lost a phenomenal soul this month. The earth lost an untiring advocate. The community lost a true hero. I lost a friend. I haven’t had much time to grieve this loss, as we often must sit in support and logistics early on in this process. And also, it felt easier to put my body to work on the farm and tire it out doing the work that I love which gives me an escape from my head and heart.
But now it is quiet, and I’m sitting with this moment. And I will take this opportunity to honor this hollowness. And as I sit with it, the sadness sits beside me. But alongside this sadness, the bright outline and glimmer of gratitude surround me. This remarkable human was one of the most intentional and giving people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. He made his mark in his 48 years in ways many of us would never reach if given hundreds. He was a true advocate of the earth and the art of growing food. He would send me photos of his homemade meals from produce I had dropped off to him, he asked me for advice on backyard greenhouses to begin growing his own, and he was able to join us on the farm to share in the beauty of our Harvest Dinner.
But in this moment of sorrow, also comes tremendous gratitude and honor. He believed in intention. He believed in hard work and dirt beneath your nails. He believed in sharing beauty through food and community. He believed in serving others through each person’s unique gifts. And so, I take this moment and his example to reinforce my commitment to the health of the earth, to sharing the gift of farming with others, to working hard, to sharing the beauty in growing food and protecting the land, to squeezing my people, and to being present in each moment that I can to express intentionality and gratitude for this precious life.
So, with that, I invite you and would be honored for all of you to join me on the farm this season. As we officially open this week, to celebrate the land, our community, beauty, and intention. The farm is set to open to the public on June 7th for our first Farm Stand of the year. There also will be many new events and collaborations (Smokewood BBQ Truck!) this season as well as some beloved community favorites (more information is linked at each date below).
So, in honor of a dear friend, get out there and live and come see us doing our best to nourish each other and the dirt under our nails...
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