Farmer Mike Got What?
Last week I was honored to receive the “Hall Of Fame Award” from Montgomery County during its annual Agricultural Leaders Luncheon at the fairgrounds.
It was truthfully a way more significant event than even I had realized and I had quite the out of body experience listening to the list of accomplishments our farm has had over these past 20 years. When I got up to speak, after a completely unexpected standing ovation, I was really at a loss for words! Not something I am used to!
Besides bragging, I am bringing this up for a much more important reason. This farm isn’t just me, it is truly all of us. Over the past almost 2 decades, we have done a ton, from eating really good food grown thoughtfully, employing a diverse and fantastic group of people who love the work, donating time, money and food to people as close as down the road, and as far away as Houston Texas. We have rebuilt high tunnels for a farm that lost it all in a storm, hosted tours of the farm countless times, and showed our kids how food is grown. I personally have seen your children go from toddlers proud that they “pooped in a toilet”* to being grown women back from college.
*I will never not love that story
We have done a lot in this time, and during my speech on Monday, I mentioned one thing that I thought of very late in my planning, but perhaps resonated with me the most. I walked onto my first farm in the fall of 2000 in State College Pa. I had zero idea that decision would radically change the course of my life. Over these past years I have put my 10,000 hours in on how farming works, but now I want to spend the next 25 years figuring out how to farm even better.
But I need you. I know I ask you all the time to spread the word and join the farm. Be a spend down member if that is all you can do, but I truly need more members. Fall is fast approaching if we want to continue doing all the things, it only works with your support.
I truly hate that it comes down to this! I hoped that at some point the membership part would get easier, spoiler, its only gotten harder. I hope with your help we can make the next 20 years at One Acre even more successful!
~Farmer Mike
