Messy compost. New growth.
Farming is beautiful and messy. So is family. Put the two together and a beautiful and messy compost gets created. I am finding my way toward new growth. Come dig into the compost and grow with me.
I’ve been quiet lately. Maybe it’s because last year’s farm transition was challenging and messy and I didn’t know how to talk about it publicly. Or perhaps after years of constant movement from running my family’s farm, I wanted to be still for awhile - take time to pause and reflect, process and integrate, nourish and repair, learn and grow.
Why this, why now
When I get still and pause, I tend to connect to myself and other people better. And really listen too. Last year my friend Maria Rodale shared with me a cautionary tale about family and business and the toll it can take on mental and physical health, and often without even realizing the cost until it’s too late. I really listened to Maria and I owe her so much gratitude for sharing her story with me. I believe it helped me to let go a little easier and find my way before it was too late.
Maria also shared about her musings and writings on Substack (they are lovely, check them out!) and it inspired me to launch my own. This isn’t a place of comfort for me. I regularly feel vulnerable and exposed sharing my voice more publicly, but I also know I am not alone in these feelings and I believe we all need each other’s stories and wisdom to help make sense of the world. To learn how to compost the messes in our lives. To build community. To find new beginnings.
Do I have anything important and meaningful to say right now? Who knows. Will I struggle and mess up and let my recovering perfectionism cause me to feel like I have nothing good to say? Probably. But what I do know for sure is that I am committed to trying and practicing, to opening my big heart, to serving farmers, to building connections and community, and if anything I share helps a reader to let go a little easier and find your way a little clearer, then I have paid forward Maria’s beautiful gift to me.
I hope you will jump into the messy compost and grow with me.
On the topic of recovering from perfectionism you might be interested to check out my friend Vanessa's Make Time Farm Substack (https://www.maketimefarm.com/substack) For a long time she was writing daily posts - no edits, no proof reading - and it showed, but in the best way.
Welcome to substack Clara! We need more farmers like you sharing your heart and your knowledge in this space. Looking forward to following along!