Quiet Creek Herb Farm & School of Country Living (Photo courtesy of Quiet Creek)

PASA volunteer Lisa Grazan shares her experience attending our workshop “Transition Truths: Taking Over an Established Farm Business,” hosted by Quiet Creek Herb Farm & School of Country Living. The workshop was part of our CRAFT event calendar.

Seeking a place to plant roots, raise a family, and put their education and experience to good use, Claire and Rusty Orner acquired the land on which Quiet Creek Herb Farm & School of Country Living sits in 1996 from a retired attorney.

Upon arrival, you learn quickly that Quiet Creek is beyond what meets the eye, and certainly much more than its name implies. What is discreetly called an “herb farm” is actually a 30-acre property containing a vast array of organic vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, and edible flowers, as well as bee hives, wind- and solar-powered energy systems, a zero-waste worm composting facility, and, of course, herbs. The 125 varieties of herbs are grown for medicinal uses, culinary mixes, salves, soaps, and teas—all harvested, produced, packaged, and sold by the Orners.

At the workshop they hosted, the Orners toured new and experienced farmers around their property, sharing their joys, struggles, and just plain good advice about the daily realities of running an established and respected business. While their farm is not for sale, Claire and Rusty are currently seeking new stewards of Quiet Creek to not only carry on their work, but to expand upon what they have created, infusing Quiet Creek with new energy, creativity, and possibilities.

Their message was genuine and generous. The Orners want to offer guidance to their future stewards in any way they can. But it’s one thing to show a new steward the ropes; it’s quite another to bestow a way of life. You come to learn that Claire and Rusty’s belief, faith, and work ethic permeate every aspect of Quiet Creek.

The Orner family (Photo courtesy of Quiet Creek)

Education is built into Quiet Creek’s foundation. It’s no wonder, since Claire has a bachelor’s degree in geology and two masters degrees in education, while Rusty has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and over 30 years of experience as a dairy farmer, landscaper, and vegetable grower. The Orner’s School of Country Living is a natural outgrowth of their commitment to education and the environment. With the creation of their School of Country Living, which became a nonprofit entity in 2003, the Orners carry forward their mission of teaching people of all ages about conservation, ecological thinking, and healthy living.

They offer a broad spectrum of classes and workshops, from herbal soap making to solar panel installation certification. They wisely blend teaching opportunities with functionality on the farm. For instance, their straw bale addition to the barn has an exposed interior wall to illustrate earthen building construction. It doubles as a guest house for farm apprentices and visitors.

“Education is about the sharing of ourselves. It’s about giving and receiving.”

Their philosophy about education is clear and profound. Education is about the sharing of ourselves. It’s about giving and receiving. This philosophy was evident at the workshop as Rusty took us on a tour of Quiet Creek. At the outset, we each drew a number which assigned a hypothetical job description, and a question about how we would improve that specific area of the farm.

As we arrived at each location—the straw-bale barn addition, the zero-waste worm composting facility, the herb garden, the mushroom logs, the earthen oven, the solar panels, and the mobile high tunnels—the person who drew that corresponding number introduced themselves, read their “job description,” and shared their ideas and creativity with the others.

Photo courtesy of Quiet Creek

It was through the Orner’s philosophy of education that six strangers got to know and respect one another walking around on a rainy, breezy afternoon. Not by being lectured to, mind you, but by participating—by the giving of ourselves and receiving from others.

This is the same kind of sharing that Claire and Rusty will take beyond Quiet Creek, as they plan the next phase of their life together. Having served in Jamaica, France, Spain, Ghana and Guatemala, they are planning their next journey to southeast Asia to continue to provide education on living sustainably.

“They are not here to rule, dominate, or possess the land; they are here to respect it, to have the honor and privilege of looking after something greater than themselves.”

As they transition Quiet Creek into different hands with hopefully greater visions, it is significant to note that Claire and Rusty don’t refer to themselves as “owners” of Quiet Creek, but rather as “stewards” of the land. While technically they’re both, after speaking with them you can understand the reason behind their choice. They are not here to rule, dominate, or possess the land; they are here to respect it, to have the honor and privilege of looking after something greater than themselves.

The three-hour workshop was just a “blink of an eye” in lives devoted to educating people—whether it is showing a good life to a new steward, or showing others how to steward a life that is good. Either way, Claire and Rusty can confidently speak to both. With the unselfish success they have created at Quiet Creek, it is clear that while they may tread lightly on the land, the footprints they leave are indelible.

Lisa Grazan is an attorney based out of Pittsburgh, PA focusing her practice on food & agriculture law. She is also a writer, speaker, and natural health advocate. Lisa holds an ND (Doctor of Naturopathy) degree and is a certified natural health professional. She regularly speaks and writes about the influence food and nutrition have in reversing disease.

The post Quiet Creek Speaks Volumes appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Aimee Good and John Good, The Good Farm

By Aaron de Long, Delaware Valley Hub Manager, PASA

For many first-generation farmers, there is an undeniable romance to the notion of stewarding a piece of land and growing food for one’s livelihood. These romantic conceits can be quickly dispelled, though, once the work is taken up. Beyond meeting the physical challenges of farming as a career, there are the financial realities—from the low pay of a field hand, to the seasonality of positions, to the challenging prospect of running an operation and the even more challenging prospect of owning one. First-generation farmers don’t often have access to the knowledge, equipment, and land that established farmers may pass down from one generation to the next. In many ways, they are starting from a blank slate—a daunting prospect for even the most committed. Role models for this journey are both valuable and difficult to come by.

PASA members John and Aimee Good, owners of The Good Farm—a PCO-certified organic vegetable farm in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania—provide just such role models to first-generation farmers. In September, as part of our CRAFT event calendar, the Goods hosted a group of beginning and aspiring farmers at their home to share insights from their journey and to answer questions about what it took for them to realize the small-farm dream.

John and Aimee have farmed together for nearly twenty years, though neither of them came from farming backgrounds. The couple found their shared vocation when, soon after college, they apprenticed together on a farm in New England and never looked back. Two years later, they were hired by a nonprofit organization to manage its small CSA farm. “We were lucky, in a sense,” John says, “because we got hired to manage a start-up CSA when we weren’t totally ready to manage an operation. It was a big leap.”

The couple noted that this first farm management experience as part of a larger nonprofit provided several advantages. Primarily, it allowed them to experiment and challenge themselves as farmers while offering a basic level of financial security. “We were given housing and wages, and the equipment was already there. It was a great opportunity to learn and make mistakes with minimal risk. We were able to start out on just two acres of land, raising food for a 40-member CSA and one farmers market.”

The couple envisioned a “15-15-15” strategy—they would put $15,000 each toward a new house, a new business, and a financial safety net…in case their plan failed.

In time, though, the Goods felt the desire to run their own operation. They also wanted to return to the community where they were born and raised, and to start a family. But first, they needed a plan. The couple envisioned a “15-15-15” strategy—they would put $15,000 each toward a new house, a new business, and a financial safety net…in case their plan failed.

John and Aimee began to implement their plan when they moved on to a new farming arrangement in their home community. Similar to their previous situation, they would cultivate land owned by another nonprofit organization, which came with a good deal of infrastructure and equipment available for rental and use. This time, though, they would be leasing the land themselves, purchasing a house nearby, and starting their own venture. The business—and the risk—was now theirs alone.

Despite giving up some of the security their previous management position offered, the Goods’ business prospered on their leased land. They grew their CSA from 150 members in their first season to 275 members in their tenth season. The Goods built equity over the years by purchasing farm equipment, a little at a time, and by owning their home. They remained at this site through three lease cycles—a one-year and two five-year terms. “A stable lease arrangement might actually be ideal, with land values where they are,” John said. “Ownership isn’t necessarily crucial, but the key is stability within the lease.”

“A stable lease arrangement might actually be ideal, with land values where they are,” John said. “Ownership isn’t necessarily crucial, but the key is stability within the lease.”

Still, one drawback to their arrangement became increasingly apparent. Although their home was only five miles away from the land they were leasing, “traveling back and forth two or three times a day to water greenhouses and open and close high tunnels with small children in tow began to get old,” Aimee explains. “And we still had the dream, I think all farmers do really, of living on the land.”

After signing their second five-year lease, the Goods decided that lease would be their last. Either they would buy their own land to farm, or they wouldn’t farm at all. In discussing this decision, John laughs, recounting that “in the end, we felt like we were good at farming, and, to be honest, what else would we do?”

The Goods now had their own farm business, equipment, and some infrastructure. They just needed to find a piece of land to call home. “It was a bit scary, buying a farm, moving the business, starting all over again,” Aimee said, “and it took years to find land.” The couple was committed to staying close to their extended families, and, with a growing family of their own, they wanted access to good schools for their children. They also wanted to stay close to the CSA membership they had built. Really, they wanted to stay in the community in which they’d been raised, and which they’d help create.

They lived with their family for a year while their search for land and affordable housing continued. Finally, John and Aimee found the land—and built the house. One of their strategies for raising the capital to purchase land was selling CSA shares three-years in advance. This is a strategy they continue to consider using for large farm purchases.

The Goods also used the equity in their home, as well as loans from the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit, and a local bank to help them transition to the new land and construct their new home, barn, greenhouse, and other farm infrastructure. “We were very averse to taking on debt for years,” John notes. “But in the end, we had to become comfortable with debt in order to achieve our vision.”

“Anything you do for forty hours a week is going to be work,” Aimee says. “The key to keeping the passion is setting boundaries. Take lunch. Work an eight-hour day. Take weekends, as much as possible.”

Today, the Goods are finishing their second season at their new farm in Germansville, PA. During a year with seemingly endless rain, their well-drained shale fields helped mitigate some of the effects of the uncompromising weather. Still, there are challenges. “As a CSA farm, it’s tougher now than when we started. There’s less opportunity, and more competition in multiple directions,” John notes. “And finding labor can be difficult.”

Aimee spoke toward the complexity of managing communications on multiple platforms, including their website, blog, e-newsletters, social media, and email. “There’s a greater quantity of communication,” she notes, “but the quality is often less.” To help manage these different communication streams, the Goods have hired a CSA member to handle their social media accounts as work trade.

Looking forward, John and Aimee see their business continuing to evolve to meet both the market and their personal needs. They caution against expansion for its own sake, and think they might actually shrink their membership, a bit, to increase their efficiency. They are also looking toward partnering with more farms so that they can deliver product year-round and access new markets. And, they decided, they won’t be leaving farming anytime soon.

“The farm is our retirement,” John notes. When asked if, looking back, he would do anything different, he laughs. “The only question I have is would I do it at all? Because once you’re in, it’s a somewhat choice-less situation. Still, I feel like we made the best decisions we could at the time, and that led us to where we are.”

“Anything you do for forty hours a week is going to be work,” Aimee says. “The key to keeping the passion is setting boundaries. Take lunch. Work an eight-hour day. Take weekends, as much as possible.”

“Manage the farm,” John adds. “Don’t let the farm manage you.”

The post Starting a Farm: One Couple’s Story appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.

Image courtesy Chris Blanchard

By Aaron deLong, PASA

When plants and animals don’t take time off and the work can be all-consuming, how can farmers balance work life with personal life?

Leading sustainable farmers from across the U.S. and Canada grapple with this topic—and many others—on Chris Blanchard’s nationally renowned Farmer to Farmer podcast.

Blanchard, who owned and operated Rock Spring Farm in northeast Iowa for 14 years before shifting his focus to farming education, is intimately familiar with the competing demands of work and personal obligations. As his commitments to his farm grew, his marriage dissolved and he found himself disconnecting with the things that brought him joy. “I had always wanted a farm with a trout stream,” he commented, “and in three years, the only times I went down to the trout stream was to turn on the irrigation.”

With concerted effort, which included making space in his work schedule to take up hobbies such as taekwondo, Blanchard learned to take better care of the parts of his life beyond the farm: his relationships with his children and his current partner, and his relationship with himself.

Blanchard presented insights he’s gleaned on achieving work-life balance from the more than 150 conversations he’s had with farmers on his podcast during his keynote address at our 2018 Winter Conference. Here are some of the common threads of advice he shared.

Constrain the work day.

Rather than working from sunup to sundown, put limits on the number of hours you work each day. “Being overworked makes it difficult to make a living,” said Dave Chapman from Long Wind Farm in Vermont. Because you’re more focused and less exhausted, a shorter and defined workday can actually yield better results.

Dan Brisebois from Tourne Sol Co-Operative Farm Quebec implemented a seemingly counterintuitive scheduling approach on his farm: During the height of the season, he lets his staff go home early on Fridays. Brisebois observed that this strategy results in greater efficiency and performance from his employees, at precisely the time when the farm needs it most.

Value yourself.

“Valuing ourselves is a risk management action,” said Laura Frericks from Loon Organics in Minnesota. Put your wellbeing and the wellbeing of those you love first. Otherwise, you may find yourself losing sight of the reasons you are farming in the first place. “I’ve designed the farm so that it serves my life, and not so that I am a servant to the farm,” said Dave Hambleton from Sisters Hill Farm in New York.

Additionally, recognize the financial worth of your work. Make sure you are developing and adhering to a business model that is financially sustainable, not only so that you can continue to do what you love, but so that you continue to love what you do. Anna Cure from Cure Organic Farm in Colorado put it simply: “Profits preserve passion.”

Image courtesy Chris Blanchard

Communicate effectively to prevent and manage conflict.

Clearly convey your expectations to employees to mitigate potential issues and confusion down the road. Lydia Ryall from Cropthorne Farm in Vancouver, British Columbia stressed the importance of taking the time to listen to the people around you and treat them with respect—particularly during the busiest and most straining parts of the season. Farmers working alongside a partner or spouse emphasized the importance of discussing and deciding on a division of labor and roles to minimize conflict.

Some farmers have learned effective communication by implementing a clearly defined management model, such as holistic farm management, to guide decision-making and set expectations. Others improvise their own approaches. For Mike Brownback from Spiral Path Farm in Pennsylvania, effective communication between him and his son often consists of working through issues in email exchanges. In the Brownbacks’ case, the relative distance and impersonal nature of this method of communication serves to defuse some of the emotional aspects of managing conflict.

Ask for help when you need it.

Many farmers are drawn to their profession as a statement and path towards independence, so can find it difficult to look to others for support. Embracing community, however, has been a common theme in the success of many farms. Lindsey Shapiro from Root Mass Farm in Pennsylvania accepted loans from friends and family when she and her partner Landon were starting out.

Many farmers have identified their market customers, CSA members, farmhands, and volunteers as integral to their success. Recognizing—and celebrating—that you don’t need to farm alone, that farming relies on community support, can be key to maintaining your health and wellbeing.

***

This article was originally published in PCO Organic‘s spring edition of Organic Matters. PCO Organic works to ensure the integrity of organic products and provide education, inspection, and certifying services that meets the needs of their members.

The post Sage Advice from Farmer to Farmer on Finding Work-Life Balance appeared first on Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.