I came here in May of 2014 with Susan to replace the caretaker that had just left and I think the reason I was given the position was because i just started showing up and I had enthusiasm and ideas about new things we can do on the farm.
Skip forward to December of 2014. I had planned to post many more blogs as we went along on this journey, but the truth is I did not have the time. I don't really have the time now, but I am making it because i have something important to say to my kids, Susan, her kids, family, friends and anyone that will listen.
Starting over is hard no matter when you do it in life. Coming from the finance background and from the business franchise background I went from the alpha male to shit. Now you must understand, nobody treated me like shit directly, but the fact is, I have an obligation to this farm and if something needs to be done i have to do it.... again, never imagined myself doing these things. I am part caretaker, part share-cropper, part donkey, part slave and part entrepreneur . While I try to fulfill my obligation to the farm I also try to start my own agricultural business on this farm such as vegetables, firewood, Christmas Trees and pastured eggs.... oh ya, and manage the UPS store also. I can say now that it is totally impossible to do this alone, heck even with some help it is extremely difficult. I also learned that stretching yourself thin across multiple endeavors is a recipe for failure. I have been pissed off, pissed on, grossed out, tired like never before, on the verge of giving up and extremely happy. I am moving towards full time farming and hope to get there in the next six months.
I would not change a thing. Even when everything goes wrong, which is about twice a day, I still have the opportunity, at the age of 48, to learn not only "what to do", but just as important, "what NOT TO DO". I feel the key point here is, I am choosing to go forward with this and that more important than the "opportunity" at the age of 48, is that I TOOK THIS OPPORTUNITY. I actually think it is one of the most important things I have ever done in my work life. I make food for people. I get to know the animals up close and know that when their time comes to become food, they were treated well and had a good life. i get to know that the people smart enough to buy this food, direct from a farm are getting something you cannot find in the best supermarket.... they are eating local, they are knowing their food source and farmer and lowering their carbon footprint (yes, some people do care about that)
Is this what i will do forever? No clue, if I have to start from the bottom again I will. I want my kids to know it is ok to start over in life. It is ok to start over as many times as you need to in life. I have met new people, learned new things, and i look forward to clawing my way up the ladder to wherever farming takes Susan and me.
Started from the bottom now we here..... with a long way to go, and that is ok, because this life is a good life
All the Best, you deserve it!
Jeff