As noted on the blog page,  I’m Angella.  Youngest and only daughter in the family.  A long, long time ago all I could think of was getting off the farm.  Within months of graduating high school, I did just that.  I have worked in the corporate world and spent a more significant amount of time working for a well-known non-profit.  As the years passed, I started longing for a life that revolved around that farm the younger me couldn’t wait to get as far away from as possible.  Towards the tail end of 2016 I returned to Menard County, bought a house that was older than dirt and made the decision I was going to farm.  Six months in, I started doubting the decision and returned to corporate life…  which left me miserable.  So… in January of this year I made the leap of faith.  I have spent the past five months cultivating seeds into full grown plants, tilling, weeding, watering and praying…  A lot!  Praying the weather is kind – which it hasn’t been this year.  The storm yesterday made a mess of my field and destroyed the storage shed.  Praying my finances hold out until the produce is available for sale.  But mostly praying that I’m not taking on this new chapter in my life too late.

So…  why do I farm?  There are three primary reason I farm.  The biggest reason is family.  I am blessed.  I have an amazing family and farming has helped me reconnect with my parents and my brothers.  Mom makes sure I remember to eat and Pops helps me in the field.  My brother Don has been there for me since the beginning.  He works harder than anyone I know yet he finds the time to help me too.  To list all the things he has done for me would take hours…  My brother, Mark helped build my greenhouse.  My brother Jim has been there as well.  It has also made me appreciate just how hard Pops worked all those years to keep a roof over our head.  He made it look easy…  so did Mom.  Coming from a family of farming – it makes me proud to carry on the tradition. 

The second reason is a simple as it gets.  I like growing things and I like feeding people.  What could be a more perfect fit for me than farming?  This farm has been in my family since the 30’s.  As noted in the previous post, Pops purchased the farm from his Mom.  I don’t know a darned thing about soybeans and field corn – but I do know vegetables; particularly peppers.  It seems like every week, there is a new food recall.  I want to make sure the food I make available to folks in central Illinois is good for them.  So – grow tasty things which feed people. 

The third reason is wanting to do my part to take care of our planet.  The longer I’m on it – the more damage I see being done by us.  I know full well one person can’t fix it; but I want to ensure what I do makes a positive impact on the planet vs taking away from it.  I don’t use chemicals on the farm.  I use organic, natural products to feed the plants.  I take advantage of companion planting to keep pests at bay.   I take care of weeds the old fashioned way; mulching, proper planting and hand weeding.  We have bees to help pollinate….  No matter how easy it would be to take short-cuts; I won’t.

So that’s why I farm.  Most days I wake up tired and sore from the day before.  Most nights I’m almost too tired to climb the stairs to go to bed.  I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I’ve spend 35 years working for some amazing companies/organization.  None of them come close to providing the personal satisfaction that comes from farming.  My farm within the farm is small….  But there is room for growth in so many ways.  I can't wait to see where this chapter of my life takes me.