Sunday, February 14, 2010

Local Love

Sunday, February 14, 2010:

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! In the purest, most sincere way, I love anyone out there who is nice enough to read my ramblings (and hopefully do what I tell you). In all honesty, I actually do really, really like all the individuals who support Jeff and my farming. Because of your values and your decision to live the right way no matter how inconvenient it may be at times, I get to do what I love to do with the person(s) who I love to be with most. So for that, thank you.

Also in the Valentine's spirit, I want to speak my appreciation for the people and businesses who have been so kind and supportive of the farm:
  • Jeff's Great Aunt Mary - She has given Jeff a place to play with plants from the time he was a kid. She helped teach him the value of hard work and modeled a life lived outdoors in the company of beautiful plants.
  • Jeff and my parents - I don't think I can actually find words that would adequately convey how much I love and appreciate our families. Because of my family, I have never known what it is to be unloved or feel lost. I have blazed my own trail, sometimes gracefully and often awkwardly, but they have always "had my back." My parents have supported my rustic aspirations as if they were their own. After all, they were the original back-to-the-landers, two of the first hippy-yuppies who believed that land is freedom and freedom is bliss. Jeff's folks are incredible, too. Without Jeff's Mom, there would be no Jeff and there certainly would be no farm. Jeff and his Mom started the farm together - it was her vision as much as his. And last but not least, Jeff's Dad. Whenever we're in a pickle, we know he'll come through for us. We asked for a movable chicken pen and he gave us the Fort Knox of chicken tractors. We asked for some help slaughtering chickens and he was there waiting for us in the dark at 4:00am, ready to go. I asked for a sandwich board sign for our road-side stand, and I got a 6x4 foot person sized sign with built in mechanisms to keep it from toppling. He's loyal and chipper and really fun.
  • Susan and Tim of Centro Espresso - First and foremost, they serve the best espresso in Sonoma County. Moreover, they made our road-side stand an immediate success by telling their customers and friends about us. Susan's endorsement is a very valuable thing, let me tell you.
  • Our early chicken customers - There's a group of people our there who bought the first chickens we raised two years ago. They took a chance and paid good money for chickens for which there was no guarantee that they would even be edible. As it turns out, the chickens were awesome. But I'm still grateful to the people who helped us learn and grow and try something new.
  • Our Dougs - Everyone needs a Doug. They're simply the best.

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