Which seed are you planting?

Today, I worked on creating a trail. Along the trail there are fruit trees, which will hopefully, begin producing food within 4-6 years. The trail will allow access to these sources of food. As well, I have had the privilege of planting and/or harvesting: lettuce, beets, celery, eggplant, lemongrass, ginger, green beans, turmeric, pineapple, mango, bananas, and a number of other foods. I enjoy seeing the process of the foods from seed to food; it is such a resemblance in so many ways of life, of the process of life, for any living creature including humans.

My bachelor’s degree is in business management and music business. Sometimes I do get asked “Why did you decide to get a business degree and now farm instead of working in a corporation or owning your own business?” The answer is simple, yet difficult to explain to some.

My family background is very involved in business; some of them even own their own businesses. Naturally, I am a product of my environment, however, as much of a product of the environment that we are surrounded with every individual can be, it is to a certain extent. Had I continued in the path I imagined: working within a corporate business and gradually move up until I was in an executive position where I could even foster change to the business model and hopefully create more sustainable practices; my ideas would’ve most likely have been shot down and like many others, I would’ve conformed and my imagination would’ve been put on stop. I foresaw this happening so I jumped ship: I became a farmer!

Now, what I have learned in business has definitely helped in the agriculture world. Sure, farming is also a business but there is a big difference in the lifestyle approach. I was brought up with such an emphasis on finances. My dad wanted me to know how “hard” it was to make a living and provide for the family; my uncles wanted me to know how to manage my finances so that I can decide wisely, yet it was like I always had a devil and angel on my shoulders when I needed to make a financial decision.

Living life on a farm has changed many aspects of my life. I now enjoy and have learned to take a different approach to others doing similar business to what I am doing rather than to look at them just as competition and find a way to undercut them. Communication has become much more diverse for me: I enjoy it much more, I have found different tools for communicating, and I am able to help others with communication. Caring more about Mother Nature, about our soil here at the farm, about the staff, caring for so many other things than just profit has allowed me to, well learn the devaluation of money, in other words, what money can’t buy. I’ve been able to learn about the small things, not just microorganisms and seeds, but day-to-day things that make up matter, things that matter to people, to the community, to the world as a whole.