A couple of weeks ago, I came across this article about “passion” and its connotations in the worlds of careers and hobbies. It got me thinking about the Farm and how it has changed from a “passionate dream” to a solid plan, on its way to reality. In this 9-part series, I’ll take the key paragraph from each of the seven P’s in the article and expound on it as it relates to the Farm.
Purpose
Passion makes us bigger. Purpose connects us to something bigger and in doing so makes us right sized.
When I first started formulating the plans for the Farm, it was all about me: leaving behind the hustle-and-bustle, ambition-driven techno-world and becoming self-sufficient. It would be a haven and a vacation home for my friends and family. Delving into breed selection for livestock led me to learning about the artisanal practices that created the breeds.
Perusing these activities led me to joining a number of homesteading groups on Facebook. Postings in the groups exposed me to the therapeutic nature of the creative processes that occur in much of the work on an integrated farm. Having and reconnecting with friends who could benefit from those treatments highlighted the importance of such therapeutic programs.
Similarly, I recognized the importance of education and hands-on skill training. In living and working in a metropolitan, urban area, I’ve encountered people who are totally disconnected from their food sources. Educational history, both my own and others’, and observance of job market trends have demonstrated an unsettling dearth of skilled laborers in our economy.
All of these things created an understanding that a farm of the type I was designing can fill an incredible niche in a community, and in fact, should fill that niche. This has becoming a driving force for me behind the Farm design, and I can no longer envision the Farm without therapeutic, educational, and vocational community programs and sales programs: programs that give community purpose to the Farm.