DECEMBER 2024 vol. 1
I’ve always struggled with asking for help, but there are a lot of chores on the farm that go a lot easier with a helping hand. We’ve been fortunate to have numerous individuals offer their help, but the reality is, untrained labor requires a significant amount of supervision. Unfortunately I just don’t have the time to monitor unskilled help while also completing my regular chores, managing issues that arise daily and continue to work my day job. Something always crops up that is more pressing, or my day job keeps me tied up so I can’t be present to hand over a task – let alone take the time to train someone to do it. I’m a bit of a control freak, so I’d struggle to put together a plan, then just hand that over to someone and expect that it will get done right.
Enter Ben. When his wife, Jennifer, a customer of ours, offered his help, I was initially skeptical. My skepticism started to wane when Ben told me about his experience doing industrial maintenance and completely vanished when he told me he used to repair heavy equipment – I tend to break a lot of equipment! Not only has Ben helped repair my feed mixer, and mow the pasture, his knowledge has emboldened me to take on some more complex repairs – knowing that I could phone a friend. I’ve got a lot of big projects that will be made easier and less intimidating with Ben lending a hand.
Then there’s Delana, a neighbor who made friends with our granddaughter a while back. We’ve relied on Delana to help with a few chores and have had her “farm sit” when we’ve been away. She is always willing to take on the messy tasks (cleaning manure out of the cattle trailer or loading chickens on processing day). As her skills have expanded, she has taken on more and more responsibility. She is now helping Molly at the Lakeline market and continues to help around the farm with more and more complex tasks. We have high hopes for Delena so expect to see her featured in many of our social media posts and at more markets.
And if you frequent the Taylor Farmers Market, you’ve likely noticed the transition from Jordan to Kaet. Jordan, our son, has been helping us at that market for a year or so, but he recently began a new job that requires more of his time. We’ve known Kaet for several years as she is the daughter of a very long-time customer of ours. While on an errand to pick up her family’s Monthly Buyer’s Club, Molly had a conversation with Kaet about her most recent trip abroad to work on a sheep farm in Scotland. Knowing that Jordan would not be able to continue helping with the weekend markets, Molly asked if she’d be willing to help out. Since then, Kaet has helped with several projects at the ranch and has recently become our representative at the Taylor Market. As Kaet has a passion for regenerative agriculture, we’re looking forward to integrating her more into the farm and seeing her play a crucial role in our growth.
We hope to continue to live and learn and grow with a little help from our friends. See you at the market!
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