2019 marked 10 years that agriculture has been part of my life. From my early introductions at a Brant County family farm pitching hay, four summers spent in various field research assistant positions, four years as a full-time agronomist, and the six years living here on the farm where Brad grew up, it has been a learning curve like no other coming from the city.
If you asked me 10 years ago where I saw myself in the future, I certainly would never have guessed it would be here, planning for a third market season of our on-farm business. This market business is one of the most fulfilling things I’ve done when considering day-to-day work.
The community of agriculture is a very special thing. The local community support, networking, and interaction from our customers in Chatham-Kent has been so amazing and has given us such a great opportunity to grow over our last two years. Social media also has given us a way to interact with other farmers across the country, and North America. We’ve connected with other pumpkin growers, flower farmers, homesteaders, and so many great families that share our passion. We might have large geographical distance between these connections, but it’s never been more clear to me how tight-knit the industry is.
My roots and path to the place I am today are certainly uncommon. I couldn’t be more grateful for my husband, and his patience, as I learn things every day that are second nature to him. And I couldn’t be having more fun connecting and interacting with people, in and out of agriculture, sharing our journey as a family in farming. As we turned the calendar over to 2020 this morning, I can’t help but be excited to see what the next 10 years will look like, for myself, our kids, and our business!