Farm: A Convergence of Nature and Humanity, a Living Organism

Richard & Andrea checking out the roots in a field
planted with a cover crop

By Andrea Yoder

Back in early August our friend John Peterson posted an article on the blog for his farm, Angelic Organics.  The title of his article was “Farmer John Writes:  Do You Eat Data?”  If you have a minute, I’d encourage you to read his article.  If you receive/ed a CSA box on October 7/8/9, October 14/15/16 or October 21/22/23, you may have made the connection between this Farmer John I’m citing now and the Farmer John who grew the carrots in your box these weeks.  We share many parallel thoughts and perspectives on farming with John and want to take a moment to share some of his thoughts with you, after all its his energy and that of Angelic Organics that comes with those carrots to your table!

Fall Garlic Planting

In his article, John challenges us to consider the difference between viewing a farm as a living organism as opposed to a collection of data points.  His definition of a farm is a little different from the dictionary definition.  The dictionary defines a farm as “a tract of land devoted to agricultural purposes.”  John defines a farm as “a convergence of nature and humanity.”  I have to say, John’s definition resonates with us much more closely than the textbook definition of a farm.  You see, a farm is more than just “a tract of land.”  It truly is a living organism that needs to be nurtured, cared for, guided, protected.  It needs someone to commit to caring for it, a steward or rather stewards.  This is where the concept of a farm as a living organism comes to life.  It’s where humans commit to connecting to nature in a way that is bilaterally supportive and beneficial.  It’s where the perspective of a farm supersedes the data and our eyes are opened to the dynamic, complex nature of a farm.  It’s where food becomes more than just a product and becomes a way of connecting to nature, to community, to something much greater and more meaningful.

Silvestre counting the number of seeds per foot
the planter is putting out to make sure the
planting rate is correct.

 

Lets pause for a moment and revisit the concept of viewing the farm as a collection of data points.  We do use data every single day.  Our farm is a collection of every subject in school.  Most of us carry calculators in our back pocket.  We have all kinds of forms and documents where we record data—every single day.  We look at harvest yields and efficiency.  We consider bed feet and the quantity of seed needed to plant a specific plot of land.  We titrate mixes of nutrients to feed plants through drip irrigation, utilize metric tools to do repairs on machinery, apply concepts of pressure changes and temperatures to managing refrigeration, and of course we have to look at the bottom line on a Profit & Loss report to make decisions that help us keep the farm profitable, self-sustaining and ensure it has a future.  But with as many data points as we utilize every day, there are just as many considerations and aspects to viewing a farm as a living organism that are less tangible and more difficult to measure as a data point. 

What about the people?  As we look at our farm, we’re not just talking about ourselves who have been labeled “The Farmers.”  We alone are not the only caretakers of this land, and thank goodness as it’s a job that far exceeds our capabilities alone!  As we consider the convergence of nature and humans at Harmony Valley Farm, it’s vital to broaden our perspective to include you, our CSA members, as well as our employees and those within the community who support the innerworkings of our farm. This ranges from the guy who delivers parts from Auto Value to the truck drivers who pick up produce from our farm each week and everyone in between.  Yes, our relationships are laced with transactions.  We issue paychecks biweekly to our employees.  We pay invoices for services we receive.  We process payments from you when you submit money to purchase your CSA shares.  It can stop there if you want it to, but we hope you look a little further. 

We all need the food that comes off this farm.  This is the food that sustains our bodies, keeps us healthy, supports the growth and development of children, strengthens our immune systems and helps us function in our highest capacities.  People who eat well, feel well and, we hope, go on to do good things in this world.  This is where the meaning and connection, the convergence of humans and nature, becomes a beautiful, dynamic, living organism with a reach and impact that goes beyond what we even realize.

The Nash family enjoying our 
Fall Harvest Party in 2019

Over the years we’ve heard many stories about how participating in CSA has impacted people’s lives in positive ways.  CSA kids who grow into beautiful, healthy adults, families who have built memories around the meals they’ve shared and the moments they’ve spent at the farm.  Members who have become our close friends and loyal supporters.  You see, there’s an energy that comes with that food and we hope you understand the food we produce comes with a big dose of commitment, dedication and desire to truly nurture and care for this organism.  But we also hope you understand that we feel the energy you send back to us!  Your gratitude, whether spoken or unspoken, the ways you go on to do good things in this world, the ways you use these vegetables and connections to enhance your own lives.  It all matters. 

What about the many hands that work here, our employees?  Farmworkers are often overlooked and underrepresented.  One of our longtime buyers made a comment one time that every time a consumer takes advantage of cheap food, someone along the supply chain is exploited.  I don’t have a data point to demonstrate this point, but I can tell you that in the industry of fresh market vegetables, labor is the greatest cost of producing food.  Thus, it’s also the line item on a Profit & Loss statement that often stands out the most and is subject to being cut.  This farm would not run without the efforts of our employees.  

Luis is happiest when he's operating a tractor!

Their physical strength as well as their positive, “can-do” attitudes, problem-solving abilities, refined skills and even their jokes and laughter are what fuel our days.  Your dollars and continued support of our farm in turn supports these workers and their families.  The majority of our employees come from Mexico and many of them have worked with us for many years.  We care for each other and while as employers it’s not our responsibility to be concerned for the families of our employees, we can’t deny the fact that their families are just as much a part of this farm as we are, as you are.  So yes, we do think about them, their needs, their well-being and send them gratitude at the end of every season.  Gratitude for sharing their loved one with our farm, to care for the land and contribute to producing food for our community.  Last week we had all of our chimneys professionally cleaned. We’ve had the same person clean them for several years now and he caught me off guard as we were closing up the deal when he was finished.  As I handed him the check for his services, he told me he loves coming to our farm every year.  He said “everyone is so nice and you can just tell they are happy and want to be here.”  Needless to say, my heart melted and his words confirmed just how much our employees contribute to the spirit of this farm.

Nitrogen nodules forming on the roots of cover
crop plants, plus millions of bacteria you 
cannot even see!

I could write volumes about the opportunities we all have to connect to the natural side of Harmony Valley Farm, but I’m going to condense my thoughts today and just highlight one of the many amazing natural aspects of our farm that exemplifies the convergence of nature and humans.  We are surrounded by a vast and complex community of microorganisms, fungus and beneficial bacteria.  This network of organisms extends from our forest land to our fields and everywhere in between.  We can’t see it with our naked eye, but we know it exists in the soil beneath our feet.  This network functions on our behalf, keeping our soils alive, helping to make nutrients available to the plants and continually contributing to the regeneration of our farm.  The benefits we reap from this vast underground system of microbes far exceeds the understanding of our humble minds, and yet it’s a part of what makes this farm a complex living organism.

Get a copy of Farmer John's
Cookbook packed with 
farm stories and seasonal 
recipes!

Thank you Farmer John for challenging us to “think outside the box.”  Yes, there are many in the world that view a farm as a data point, a tract of land, a factory in a sense that produces food.  But lets not lose sight of the bigger, broader view of a farm as a living organism.  One that generates food, yes, but also represents the convergence of nature and humanity.  One that we care for and support and in turn it supports and cares for us.  It’s a pretty meaningful bite to swallow.  On behalf of all of us on this side of the partnership, thank you for choosing to be part of this farm.  We appreciate and value you, we think of you and hope your lives are enhanced through this connection.