Freedom Team

As we celebrate the national day of freedom, this team gives us ours.

As tanks stand in the streets of Washington, the meaning of freedom is on the minds of us all. Glaciers melt, sea levels rise, storms intensify, droughts persist, people migrate in desperation, and fears arise throughout the world. What happens to national, local, and personal freedoms, as a result? Freedom is all most of us have ever known, yet we are learning it is susceptible to undue influence and is fragile by nature. These issues are so powerful and complex, they are hard to fathom, but they are upon our heads.

We do know about our daily lives, however, and this team is what makes Susan's and my daily life better. This team gives us freedom to be and to take a perodic sojourn off the farm. They are central to the mission of our work and to the high quality of our lives. From right to left, we have: Clark & Paula Harshbarger, Stephani Young, Bob & Beth Gehres, Mike Kelley, Suan & me, and Bo and Laurie. Missing from the photograph are Jacob Bartley, who manages the wetland bank, Landis Weaver, who runs the dairy, and Kathy Kipp, a neighbor who covers miscellaneous critical tasks. Clark is farm manager, Paula -- coordinator of social media and website upkeep, Stephani -- soul sister, Beth -- captain of kitchen, Bob -- market maven, Mike -- chicken king, Susan -- culinary scholar, I am dreamer and cliff-jumper, Bo is hard-headed right-hand-man, and Laurie is Landis' border collie in-training.  

A team is essential to having a business. Otherwise one becomes prisoner to an all-consuming passion. This is our team, and it is a darn good one. Together we are reaching the tipping point of sustainability, so we may be around to maintain trust and serve you far into the future. The recent rainbow below suggests our tipping point may not be far off! 

One year ago, we broke ground on a new hay barn, and completed it just in time not to be able to use it for the winter. Hay had already been delivered and was too wet to stack in a barn. Thus the barn sat essentially empty until yesterday. The warm dry weather of the past week enabled hay-making to proceed for the first time all year. Two nights ago the hay-maker called to say he'd be bringing three semi's to us continuously throughout the following day to fill our order. And so he did. We now have a barn nearly full of overly mature but dry hay. Just after the last bale was unloaded, the heavens unleashed a teasing downpour, reminding us that even though we now have a barn, the heavens always have the last word. 

Our Fourth of July dinner is featured below: short-rib burgers, corn on the cob, cucumber salad, and tomato salad. Home made French Aioli stands as dessert!

With the Freedom Team in place, Susan and I are heading to a family reunion this weekend and then to Ontario for the rest of the week. 

We stand in deference to the potency of freedom.