Life on the Farm - Seek to Understand

   Back in March, I followed my heart to a place called - Fat Blossom Farm. It's just a few miles from my home, nestled in the rolling hills of Allegan County. They are a young family working hard to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Not only are they growing and providing organic produce; they also offer an incredible line of "Enchanted" craft kits foraged right from the farm. Fortunately for me, they welcomed me with open-arms and brought me aboard.

What does your office look like?

   We set up a workstation in the greenhouse; where I immediately buried my hands into some fresh dirt and began planting seeds. I LOVE DIRT!! I haven't fact-checked this, but I'm apt to say that every natural living thing in the world eventually decomposes and returns to the earth. In that same earth we plant a seed and new life begins. It then grows, providing food and shelter for all sorts of creatures as the cycle continues. This is sometimes referred to as "the circle of life" (please do not cue the Elton John song) and dirt is at the bottom of it. After planting thousands of seeds, I eventually worked my way into the upper level of the barn.

It feels more like a sanctuary, than just a regular ol' barn.   

   It's to my understanding the barn has been in that same spot for around 140 years. The beams are hand hewn and notched. They are believed to be made from trees taken straight from the property, all of those years ago. The outside has been resided, but most of the original wood can be admired from the inside still. The moment I walked in, I could feel the spirits of the men that poured their sweat and blood into this awesome structure. I wondered who they were and thought about how I would have loved to help them build that barn.
   It's easy to imagine other people from the area back then, using their time and skills to help build a community. As I began tidying up the barn I pictured a banker, a pastor, a sheriff and fellow farmers all working together from start to finish. Each of them humble while they did what was right for their neighbor and fellow man. With a broom in my hand, I was swept away in my own imagination. Suddenly, something caught my attention and painted a smile across my face.

Brilliant!

   This framed poster was leaned up against a table in the barn. It didn't actually make a sound, but its silence spoke so damn loud! I took discovering it as a good omen and felt it was something that definitely needed to be shared. Here's what it says:

HOW TO BUILD COMMUNITY

TURN OFF YOUR TV, LEAVE YOUR HOUSE 

KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS

LOOK UP WHEN YOU ARE WALKING

GREET PEOPLE, SIT ON YOUR STOOP

PLANT FLOWERS

USE YOUR LIBRARY, PLAY TOGETHER

BUY FROM LOCAL MERCHANTS 

SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE 

HELP A LOST DOG 

TAKE CHILDREN TO THE PARK 

GARDEN TOGETHER 

SUPPORT NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS

 FIX IT EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T BREAK IT 

HAVE POT LUCKS, HONOR ELDERS 

PICK UP LITTER, READ STORIES ALOUD 

DANCE IN THE STREET 

TALK TO THE MAIL CARRIER 

LISTEN TO THE BIRDS, PUT UP A SWING 

HELP CARRY SOMETHING HEAVY

BARTER FOR YOUR GOODS 

START A TRADITION, ASK A QUESTION 

HIRE YOUNG PEOPLE FOR ODD JOBS 

ORGANIZE A BLOCK PARTY 

BAKE EXTRA AND SHARE 

ASK FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT 

OPEN YOUR SHADES, SING TOGETHER 

SHARE YOUR SKILLS

TAKE BACK THE NIGHT 

TURN UP THE MUSIC 

TURN DOWN THE MUSIC 

LISTEN BEFORE YOU REACT TO ANGER 

MEDIATE A CONFLICT 

SEEK TO UNDERSTAND 

LEARN FROM NEW AND UNCOMFORTABLE ANGLES 

KNOW THAT NO ONE IS SILENT THOUGH MANY ARE NOT HEARD... 

WORK TO CHANGE THIS

   This brilliant list of values is an incredible reminder for all of us. Basically forcing us to ask ourselves, what are we doing to make our home (not house) an authentic and genuine place to be? We all have a chance to lead by example every single day. When we're inspired, we tend to pay-it-forward. Which in turn creates a positive vibration that forges some of the most rewarding relationships in our lifetime. When I mentioned "home" earlier I was referring to the old saying, "Home is where the heart is.", and that's what it takes to build a community... HEART. Love where you live and wear your heart on your sleeve.

Mark Boyle is the author of the Moneyless Manifesto (link at bottom of page).

   I came to Fat Blossom Farm this season to get educated about a forgotten way of life. Only a couple of generations ago, most families grew their own gardens. Keep in mind that the garden back then wasn't a hobby, but was grown for survival. Not doing so wasn't even a choice. Humans did this for thousands of years up until the last century. Now some of us actually waste up to 33% of the food we purchase!! Our access to food doesn't seem so convenient anymore, now does it??
   There is no doubt in my mind that letting someone else be in charge of the way we survive as humans, is a formula for catastrophe. I'm sharpening my skills on how to grow my own food and forage from the land, so I can share it with anyone else willing to learn. I believe if we solve our problems locally, we can eventually make a huge impact globally. The aesthetics of Panera Bread and Starbucks hardly compare to community garden plots. We need to change our priorities (I'm just starting, so can you!), we're better than this!! Let's use our hearts and BUILD OUR COMMUNITIES!!!

Neighbors.

   There are many extraordinary adventures to come in my future at Fat Blossom Farm. I started planting thousands of seeds when there was still snow on the ground. Now we have a ton of delicious varieties of produce growing from those seeds. Since the sun has been shining I've spent more time out on the forty-seven acres of rolling hills, woods, ponds, marshes and fields. It's an awesome piece of land with an awesome family tending to it. I'll have a lot to share, so please stay tuned and feel free to join me on this journey!!
 
Scotty J ~  "Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for life."

--Fat Blossom Farm--
--The Moneyless Manifesto-- (Really incredible video of Mark Boyle)