Monday Motivation: Why I Farm Roadtrip Week 33

Eeek! Christmas is less than a week away, I start heading towards home in a couple days, and today marks the start of week 33 on the Why I Farm Roadtrip. I'm super pumped to spend the holidays with loved ones and eat some of my mom's awesome home cooking. Plus, I've collected some pretty awesome Christmas presents for my friends and family I can't wait to give. With all the sappy excitement going on this time of year, finding motivation to keep me focused this week is important. To keep me on track, I'm revisiting these three farmers' stories. As always, you can click on their photo or the caption to read more of their Why I Farm story.

Maine farmers: Pam Townsend (left) and Sue McCrum

"We’re very fortunate to be a multi-generational family farm that is able to farm together. We have two sons and three nephews that are part of the fifth generation carrying it on. We’re a big family. You just have to realize you have the same goals, you want to be a success, you want to have the best product you can, you want to keep everybody safe while they’re doing it, and you cannot do it alone. You have to work together. Pam has seen us go through the highs and lows. She’s been around nearly twenty years. It’s not always perfect, but in the long run, it’s faith, family and farming. It’s something we can all do together." - Sue McCrum, potato farmer in Mars Hill, Maine

Rhode Island: Wayne Salisbury

"For the most part, I enjoy it. It’s outdoors. I enjoy seeing the land produce and I enjoy being able to deliver quality products to customers that they don’t always get in the grocery store." - Wayne Salisbury of Salisbury Farm in Johnston, Rhode Island

Alaska farmer: Bryce Wrigley

"Why do I farm? I started farming because I liked driving tractors and combines. I mean that was it for me. It started out because I was just selfish. And now, it has morphed into doing something that is larger than ourselves and benefits as many people as we can. When we started raising "people food" and realized we had a good product that people liked and needed, there was a different level of satisfaction that comes from doing something for somebody and then hearing that they liked it, or it’s good for them, or it helped them out. I always used to tell people that I farm because I can’t stand not to. And that’s still true, but it’s coupled with that different sense of purpose than what I had before." -Bryce Wrigley of Alaska Flour Company in Delta Junction, Alaska

Each of these farmers' stories challenge me to keep the big picture in mind. Through the hustle and bustle of the season that can be so distracting, it's important to keep the larger goals in mind. Here's to working towards my bigger picture (honoring farmers) this week! Thanks for reading! Merry Christmas!

Monday Motivation: Why I Farm Roadtrip Week 32

As the momentum of the Why I Farm Roadtrip continues, the pace gets faster and faster. Over the last month, I had to take a step back from other commitments, including this blog, to make sure I was turning around farmers' stories as fast as I could. Now that I'm caught up, I'm glad to be back sharing my reflections and experiences. I've really missed having this outlet to post about people and places I want to remember.

With Christmas rapidly approaching and the end of 2016 just around the corner, I'm well beyond the half way mark of this adventure. I say this all the time, but it's hard to believe how quickly this experience has flown. As I travel, I notice how each farmer leaves their own mark, shaping my outlook. Here are a few I'm thinking about this week:

New Jersey farmer: Bea Tassot

“I think farming is just something that’s in your genes. I mean really, I’m sincere about this. My husband has dedicated his life to this. We are running a 400 beehive operation in Milford, New Jersey. It’s really my husband’s job. He’s been a bee keeper since he was five years old in France. He learned bee keeping from his great uncle in Burgundy. We came from a big city, Paris, but it was always in his mind, ‘That’s what I want to do one day.’ We were very lucky. We have a gorgeous farm. I would not trade this to go back to a city, not at all. It is so peaceful. Each night you just sit out on your deck and it’s just silence. It’s green and you have the animals, it’s beautiful.” -Bea Tassot of Tassot Apiaries Inc. / Buzzing Acres Farm in Milford, New Jersey

New Hampshire farmer: Alicia Pedemonti

"After college, I came back home to the farm and started trying to envision how I wanted it to be. That was a really emotional decision for me to make. Farming and raising pigs in particular was something I always did with my dad. So going back really took a lot of thought. I remember the first Pork Producers meeting I went to after college, after he had died. It was really emotional. I kind of sat in the parking lot before, unsure if I was going to go in. And then the drive home was a lot of self-reflection, talking aloud to my dad, and very emotional. It was such a big part of my relationship with him and my life growing up, I knew it was something I needed to continue and I really wanted to. I was starting to look ahead, so in my early 20s I knew having kids wasn’t too far off. I wanted to make sure I was trying to create the lifestyle and image that would be something my children could be a part of, because I know how important it was to me growing up and I wanted them to have that same experience." -Alicia Pedemonti, pig farmer of Hopkinton, New Hampshire

Wisconsin farmer: Matt Rezin

"I’m an Ocean Spray cranberry grower. I’m actually an 8th generation grower and my cranberry marsh, my great-great grandpa started it back in 1931. We’ve been growing cranberries since 1886. It’s kind of in my blood so I just keep doing it. For me, it’s not a job. It’s more of a lifestyle. My kids are out there working with me. I’m still working with my dad. My grandpa is 86 years old. He’s still out on the marsh, I’m still working with him. It’s a family ordeal. My grandma is still out there doing stuff. My mom gets out there and helps harvest. It’s huge – family. The thing with the cranberry industry, a lot of the marshes and bogs around here, we’re all related. We’re all cousins. So we’re going over to other people’s marshes and saying hi and helping out here if they need that or borrowing equipment if they need equipment. I love what I do." -Matt Rezin of Warrens, Wisconsin

As I think about these three farmers, I'm challenged to find beauty in my surroundings, follow my calling even when it requires tough decisions, and be thankful for my family. I hope their stories challenge you to do the same. Happy Monday! Thanks for reading!

Monday Motivation: Why I Farm Roadtrip Week 27

How is it November already? I'm half way through this roadtrip and 2016 is starting to wind down. As I head into week 27 of my Why I Farm Roadtrip experience, these farmers' stories are top of mind as my motivation. I hope you find them as inspiring as I have this week.

Rhode Island farmers: Loren & Gina Thurn

“I farm for the sunrise in the morning. I farm for that connection with life. I farm for the ability to be with my family. And the knowledge that I’m producing a healthy product that I have no qualms about eating or feeding my kids. That I get to be my own boss and do things I love with both plants and animals. Having already done other things, you couldn’t pay me to go back to them. It’s just part of your soul.” - Gina Thurn of Our Kids Farm in Exeter, Rhode Island

New York farmer: Mike Bulich

“When I was a junior in college, I came back from Christmas break and my dad was talking to me about how he was planning on shutting down the farm when he turned 62, which was only a year after I graduated college. I had quite a few job offers with some big firms in the business world. I have degree in business, minored in finance. I went there, in terms of internships, and just didn’t see myself doing it. So I talked to dad. When I graduated, my brother Mark and I went back at it, and rebuilt the whole place. I just like being able to do different things. On this type of farm, yes, we’ve got to get in there sometimes to harvest mushrooms, but then I’m in a big truck picking up manure, fixing a baler, or welding another piece of equipment. I’m doing the electrical, I’m doing refrigeration. I just like doing all these different things." - Mike Bulich of Bulich Mushroom Co. in Catskill, New York

New Jersey farmer: Matt Steinberg

"It’s the story you’ve heard a hundred times. I got tired of the corporate run around. As an engineer, I had kind of maxed out engineering and was just like, where do I go from here? My background is in computer science so this was a change of pace in life. I’ve only been doing this for a few years now. I have no connection to farming what so ever. I mean, I’m sure if I go far enough up the line, but not in my last two or three generations that I know of. It just kind of came, I decided I wanted to be out on the land. I decided I wanted a different life." - Matt Steinberg of Stone Mountain Farms in Lafayette, New Jersey

Click on each photo to read the farmers' full Why I Farm blog post. I hope these stories challenge you to try something new, learn different skills, and find a way to be connected to life. Happy Monday! Thanks for reading!

Wordless Wednesday: Iowa State Homecoming Fall 2016

Last week was Homecoming at Iowa State University. For the first time in five years, I wasn't on campus for all the festivities. I left town for the next loop of the Why I Farm Roadtrip right before all the fun began. I was disappointed to miss my friends and the football game, but on my way out of town I was able to visit campus just after the banners got set up. It was a gorgeous fall evening, so of course I brought my camera along.

The creativity of these banners impresses me every year. It's so fun to see so many different spins on the same theme. Maybe next year I'll make it back to Ames for Homecoming weekend. It would be great to catch up with my friends and classmates now that we're scattered around the country. Thanks for reading!

Motivation Monday: Why I Farm Roadtrip Week 25

Wow! Another week of the Why I Farm Roadtrip is in the books. I look forward to what adventures await in week 25. Along the way, I'm keeping these farmers' stories tucked in the back of my mind for inspiration. I hope you find them as motivating as I have.

Connecticut farmer: Rachel Freund

“It’s what I know. I grew up with this lifestyle. I can’t imagine a life without cows in the background. I farm to stay connected with animals. I’m a very huge animal lover. The work isn’t always cuddly, but we still provide them with the right environment and quality care. They do right by you if you do right by them.” - Rachel Freund of Freund's Farm Market & Bakery in East Canaan, Connecticut

Rhode Island farmers: Jonathan & Hazel Secchiaroli

“We do it for the past, the present, and the future. For the past, Jonathan farms to honor his family’s legacy. He farms for the present because it’s something he enjoys doing. Pigs in particular give him a sense of accomplishment. And we farm for the future, because hopefully someday our kids will want to go into farming. We’re stewards of the environment. Our practices include recycling food scraps and diverting them from the landfill so we’re sustainable for the future.” - Hazel Seccharoli of Secchiaroli Farm in Waterford, Connecticut

Click on each photo to read the farmers' full Why I Farm blog post. I hope these stories inspire you to think about your past, present and future. Happy Monday! Thanks for reading!

P.S. To keep up with the Why I Farm stories as they come out, 'Like' the Facebook page or 'Follow' Why I Farm on Twitter.

Foodie Friday: Why I Farm Roadtrip, August

August was an interesting month on the Why I Farm Roadtrip - food and famer wise. In today's post I'm sharing a few of the yummy (and not so yummy) things I enjoyed as I traveled through New England.

My go to Starbucks drink is still the Pink Drink (a Strawberry Acai Refresher with coconut milk and light ice). I'm curious how many gallons of this deliciousness I sipped as I transcribed audio from all the fantastic farmers I interviewed. I should have started keeping track of this sort of thing from the beginning of the trip just for fun.

Thanks to Twitter, I learned about National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day as I was traveling through New England. Since I was thousands of miles away from Barbara at The Chick Wire, I had to settle for a couple of cookies from McDonald's.

After a great morning with the Millers exploring their farm, Walnut Kitchen Homestead, I followed them to the farmers market where they sell their pork each week. It was a hot afternoon, so I had to sneak across the street for this tasty treat. Frozen yogurt with wildberry topping hit the spot!

Some nights, supper doesn't exactly happen. When I'm on the go, it's really hard to discipline myself to eat real meals. Instead I often snack. The night after I visited Walnut Kitchen Homestead, that was the case. 

I tried Fairlife milk for the first time in August. I'm not a big chocolate milk person, so it wasn't really my thing. I hope to try white milk soon to see if I like that better. Regardless, I think it's to cool to learn about the technology that is being used to give us more choices in food. 

Although I don't remember what state I was in, I remember stopping for Chinese food particularly because I was missing Ryan. Kind of silly, but oh well. Our first date was at a Chinese restaurant, and in the last two years have sampled at least Egg Drop Soup and Crab Rangoon from nearly every Chinese place in Ames.

If you've been following my Foodie Friday blog posts, you know I've been trying to get a Strawberry Milkshake in each state. By the time I got to New Hampshire, I'd been seeing lots of these Friendly's restaurants. I decided it looked like the perfect spot for a classic Strawberry Milkshake. Wrong. Super fake strawberry flavor, and pretty pricey. Unfortunately, I have to say this has been the biggest food disappointment of the Why I Farm Roadtrip so far.

I was really bummed I had such rainy weather most of the time I was in New Hampshire. On one particular gloomy evening I decided to treat myself to a hot meal at The Red Blazer. I just ordered chicken soup, the stuffed mushroom appetizer and a local cider. I wasn't a huge fan of the seafood stuffing, but I picked out the mushrooms and slurped down the warm soup no problem. 

This is a typical car picnic. When I have time to stop and eat lunch, it usually looks something like this. Cup of soup from a local grocery store, crackers, and a Powerade or tea.

I have quite the collection of Maple Syrup by now. This cute little bottle came from my friends at New Hampshire Farm Bureau. I haven't tasted it yet, but I hope to have a big breakfast one day once the Why I Farm Roadtrip is over to compare all the samples I've collected from around the country!

That's it for August's Foodie Friday. Come back for a recap of all the yummy things from September. In the mean time, let me know if you have a favorite restaurant or product I need to try while I'm traveling. Thanks for reading! 

Wordless Wednesday: Why I Farm Roadtrip in Indiana

The summer of 2015 I lived in Indiana during my marketing internship at Beck's Hybrids. I really enjoyed the state and getting to know a new area. I recently went back to The Hoosier State as part of the Why I Farm Roadtrip. It was great to catch up with old friends, visit all the people at Beck's that have been so supportive of my travels, and explore some new parts of the state. Here's a glimpse of my trip.

Thanks to everyone who welcomed me back to Indiana! To meet the farmers I visited, head over to the Why I Farm Roadtrip blog. Happy Wednesday! Thanks for reading!