Spring 2024 Farmer's Perspective: Jenn
In an age of social media demanding that we post, like, repost, share, snap, save, click, double-click, tag, and post again, I know I’m not the only one who feels simultaneously caught in waves of succumbing to the doom-scroll, and also wanting to “accidentally” put my phone in the oven while cooking dinner.
I’ve helped manage Spade & Plow’s online presence in some capacity since the farm started in 2015. Though I am really proud of what we’ve experimented with and built over the years on this online platform (shoutout to our OG recipe-creators, photographers, and Field Note recorders!), I’ve become equally fatigued by it all.
Over the years, I’ve noticed how our relationship to “posting,” getting projects done, or setting and attaining goals follows a seasonal arc. Winters are for stirring and reflecting, while spring is for putting things in motion. Summer is marked by staying consistent, and autumn is for trying to stay grounded and not getting too caught up in the winds of change.
This is less a marketing strategy than it is a witnessing to how we connect with our seasons and surroundings. Everything is connected, y’all. We’re all farmers, if you think good, long, and hard about it.
The period of time that existed between ending our CSA program (September 2022) and now (March 2024), we’ve called the “Dormant Winter.” We’ve been quiet, but the metaphorical, bubbling pot has been stirred, over and over. This spring feels particularly potent, because we have sludged through what has kind of felt like a two year period of idling, reflection, and silence. We’ve taken a hard look at who we are, what we’re striving for, and who we want to become: for ourselves, for our families, for our community.
Many of you know that Farmer Sam and I had a kiddo in June 2023, and perhaps all of this stewing and stirring is a product of being a parent. Playing the long game, as we tell ourselves frequently. Through the inevitable isolation that accompanies farming, and now, new motherhood, I’ve seen how our relationship to anything - people, chickens, bed prep, social media - is only as deep as we give our attention to.
For those of you who parent, you know what a specific and useful skill it is to do literally anything one-handed. A skill, I must say, I’ve become increasingly better at. Whether seeding summer flowers (photo for reference), or doling out change at the farmers market (thanks for your patience, Mountain View), nine times out of ten, I’ve got a curious and energetic kid on my hip. The one occasional time is with his papa on a forklift.
With a family and a farm to help juggle in one hand, there is no room for a phone in the other. It’s that simple. That is to say: these days, our efforts and energy are on and in the ground. You’ll see us on the interwebs from time to time, sure. But to know what we are really up to, is to come to the farm or the farmers market and find out.
What’s on the horizon? Glad you asked! We couldn’t be more thrilled to start our seasonal farmstand in April. It’ll kick off with a Transplant and Pullet Sale on April 13th, and will run on Saturdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. through September. Can’t wait to share the bounty of our summer harvest with you all!
