“The truth is over the years you realize that the work never goes away. You do your best and at the end of the day you try to find satisfaction with what you accomplished”, reflects Mark Cain on the demands of farm life. After 33 years invested in Dripping Springs Garden, Mark Cain and his partner Michael Crane understand the reality of working sunup to sundown to realize their farm dream, a process that literally started from the ground up. Unlike the more traditional intergenerational farm transition, Dripping Springs Garden represents an increasingly more common farm narrative: the first generation farm. These are farms started by individuals with no family land, no hands-on childhood experience, and no predetermined operation to take-over. Every decade, the number of these first generation farmers grows and in recent years has reached a tipping point that demands a new model for supporting new and beginning farmers. As this new breed of farmer enters the market, they are seeking opportunities to gain hands-on experience from the ground-up, they need alternative land access models, and most importantly, seek mentors that understand their perspective. Enter Mark Cain, the farmer with a degree in ecology with a passion for the outdoors that fell in love with the potential for organic farming to help heal the land, heal himself, and heal his community. Without family land or formal training, Cain’s story is similar to so many new farmers striking out on their own to gain the knowledge, skills, and experience to pursue the dream of owning a farm. Over the last several decades he and his partner have taken an idea and transformed it into a successful business in the Ozark mountains of northwest Arkansas, all the while helping guide others on the path to realizing the farm dream. “They’re like farmer shamans, guiding others into community-based organic agriculture in our part of the world” says long-time friend Keith Richards.

So what steps did this successful operation take to get where it is today? To start, they studied at the feet of other masters of industry and have continued to adapt, grow, and hone their craft over the years. Their land was selected because it was a beautiful, isolated space surrounded by nature, not because it was previously a working farm, so they understand the challenges of building a operation from the ground up. They have developed their business with intention, choosing to invest in time and planning to maximize each acre to ensure a diverse range of crops can be grown and harvested year round for market. While others may have increased acreage or markets, Mark chose to instead diversify crops, refine production techniques, add high tunnels, and focus on developing a successful internship program. All of these elements are components farms across the region can adopt, adapt, and utilize to grow their operation.

Yet the most compelling aspect of Dripping Springs Garden is not the cultivation but rather the culture, one that is focused on not only surviving but thriving. Mark embraces regenerative agriculture, a reflection of his deeper belief that the farming can be restorative instead of extractive to both the environment and the community. Mark has seen first hand how despite farming’s potential for positive, the one resource that suffers the most in the industry are the people. The demands of farming require a unique combination of both physical endurance and mental resolve but many entering the industry push too hard, too soon, for too long, often resulting in injury, breakdown, or burn-out. For the team at Dripping Springs Garden, it is about finding the balance of passion, hard work, and honoring yourself. Cain achieves this balance by operating the farm on a Mediterranean schedule allowing for mid-day siesta for yoga, meditation and relaxation during the warmest hours of the day. Mark is actually a certified yoga teacher and provides interns with the opportunity to join him in practice. The daily break provides “a golden opportunity to let go of everything for a little while to restore the body and mind” according to Cain. Dripping Springs Garden also provides time for family meals, with Mark and Michael cooking, eating, and socializing with their 4-6 interns to enjoy the fruits of their labor and socialize in a non-work setting. While the schedule and activities provide a more balanced work day, Mark also credits them with keeping him from experiencing the exhaustion many at his stage in the business often feel. Mark notes, “I have other things that I find value in, especially those that allow me to be creative. People have to find those unique outlets they can integrate into their operation.” He also stresses the importance of having young farmers working alongside them, not only as an investment in the future of farming but also as a way to reconnect with the joy of farming through the eyes of the interns (a view you can share from the farm’s instagram feed, run by the interns).

With all of the incredible experience and success, it is enough inflate anyone’s ego but I can assure you these are still two humble farmers interested to helping others by sharing their journey. Mark admits he has “made a million mistakes and tried to learn from a few” but still has a passion for farming because according to him, they have balanced farming with creative outlets and are surrounded with aspiring farmers still in awe of the daily farm life. He knows that many people look at his model, his schedule, and his approach and will say “I don’t have time” but believes if he does not take care of himself and his employees, the operation will not be the regenerative system he is striving for. Cain’s zen approach to farming is something we can all take to heart, “We have to feel good about what is happening right now. Not what could be. It is not about waiting for something to give you peace but finding it in the moment.”

Mark is looking forward to sharing more about his unique journey in January 2018 at the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group Conference in Chattanooga, TN where he will kick off the conference in his plenary session with an exploration of where he began and the lessons he has learned along the way. We hope you will be joining us to learn from Mark and the other 90 speakers during the 56 educational sessions, short courses, field trips, and networking events. Register today to take advantage of Early Bird rates! Living on a tight budget? Check out our fee waivers.

Post originally appeared on the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group Blog: http://www.ssawg.org/ssawg-blawg/2017/10/25/finding-peace-in-the-chaos-of-farming 

Header Image: Mark Cain (right) and Michael Crane gather flowers to sell at nearby farmers market. Photograph by Beth Hall, Northwest Arkansas Times.

The sound of fireworks has always brought with it a sense of nostalgia for the summer nights of youth filled with the excitement of staying up late followed by the booming explosions that echoed in your chest and lit up the sky. I find it incredibly fitting the 4th of July is a celebration of the Declaration of Independence because it was this time last year that I, too, declared my independence.

One year ago today, I struck out on my own as a business owner with the launch of Wit Meets Grit. I hit the ground running with three clients and have been going full steam ever since. Just to keep things interesting, my husband, Dan, and I bought a house at the same time, making the experiences of entrepreneurship and homeownership deeply intertwined. Both have given me an incredible sense of accomplishment and freedom I was completely unaware I had been missing. Admittedly (and not surprisingly) my work and family have been my primary focus (sorry garden).

Despite spending 5 years supporting, advising, and advocating for business owners, there is nothing quite like swimming in the water to make you appreciate the joys and dangers of the experience. While there have been challenges, none have been insurmountable or daunting. My biggest obstacle? Figuring out how to explain what I do for a living. Having spent so many years with clearly defined jobs, it has been difficult to put into words the depth and breadth of the services I am providing. When you grow-up with a modern renaissance man for a father, it is hard to see the point in narrowing down your interests or skills when there is so much pleasure to be found in new experiences and projects.

Upon reflection, I realized that in the end my passion is people. How they communicate, organize, collaborate, build their programs, run their organizations, manage their systems, make decisions, achieve results, and evaluate their success. Paired with an expertise in the areas of sustainability, environmental studies, and food systems (agriculture, land-use, distribution, marketing, and consumption), I am able to support the people and organizations working in these industries. And of course if you want to talk about green building, affordable housing, gardening, public health or transportation, those are areas of interest as well (hence the aforementioned depth and breadth).

In the last twelve months I have had the pleasure of working with ten different clients on a wide range of projects from meeting facilitation and coalition building to organizational development and landscape assessment. My clients range from small non-profits and businesses to large national organizations. Although the majority of my clients fall into the “food system” category, I have also had the opportunity to work with folks on areas of organizational management and the broader area of sustainability.

Beyond the work under the umbrella of Wit Meets Grit, I am also an adjunct faculty at the College of Charleston, co-teaching Introduction to Environmental Studies with a “hard-science” partner and just wrapped up co-teaching the Gaiananda Herbal Apprenticeship with SC Herbal Society. Outside of work, I am also heavily involved in community giving through volunteer work on several boards but that is a whole other post for another day.

A goal for the next year is to schedule more time to actually update the world on the fun I am having at work (and at home) to provide a peek into this fascinating world I find myself in. In my own defense for the serious lack of blog posts and updates, I just wrapped up a 6 month project that included over 25 interviews, data collection, and mapping on four states that resulted in a 60 page report (with citations) aka soooo much writing.

What is the most important take-away at this point? It has been a great year and I am so thankful for the support of friends and family as well as my stellar clients. To illustrate the awesomeness that is self-employment, I created a fun infographic.

Forget the foreign cars and name brands, you are now more likely to be judged by what is on your dinner table. Is that steak local, grass fed, animal welfare approved? Did you pair it with a side of local, organic, heirloom potatoes? While the string of labels becomes its own parody, it is indicative of our life in the information age. Transparency is a valuable trait that consumers are beginning to expect from companies, especially when it comes to food producers. In the race to lead the most socially, politically, and environmentally correct life possible, how does one ensure they are making the right choice?

The real challenge comes when determining which certification is the “best” and finding measurable data to back up these decisions. At the top of the debate is the local versus organic. Which is better? What is more important? How are they different and how are they similar? These are the types of questions that can paralyze you in the grocery store. Adding to this challenging endeavor is the reality that a lot of this is subjective. Everyone has their own set of values as well as financial and logistical constraints. What is the right choice for you and what you are able to source where you live?

Organic.

Although the organic foods movement began in the 70s, the official National Organic Program was launched in 2002. Organic Certification is a process by which a food business must pass a third party inspection to verify that they have met organic standards, utilized specific production practices, and are not using prohibited substances. In South Carolina, Clemson University’s Public Service and Agriculture department is the Accredited Certification agency for the state that conducts these third party inspections. Ryan Merck is the Organic Program Coordinator with the program and has spent years on the ground in South Carolina conducting inspections on crops, livestock, and processing. He believes the strengths of the program are its ability to help provide accountability through third party verification and record keeping while also creating a minimum standard for how to farm with an “ecological component.”

The challenge for consumers in South Carolina is that currently there are only 53 certified farms, ranging from ¼ acre to 1,000 acres, leaving many gaps in supply. Charleston County only has three certified organic farms, Joseph Fields Farm, Middleton Place Organic Farm and Clemson’s Coastal Research and Education Center. Why are there so few farms getting certified in SC? Ryan believes it is in part due to misconceptions about the process being too expensive or having too much paperwork as well as a major deficit in farmer and consumer education. He noted that neighboring states are far ahead in numbers, with North Carolina home to 262 certified farms and Georgia up to 97 certified farms.

For Joseph and Helen Fields of Joseph Fields Farm, the choice to transition to organic began almost 14 years ago and this year they completed their 9^th inspection. “The customers were asking for organic vegetables,” Helen Field reflects. As one of the first Certified Organic farms in the state, they had to spend a lot of time educating consumers when their prices increased. Although some fought the change, in the end Helen explained, “If someone is truly interested in organic, they buy it, regardless of the cost.”

While the Fields are seasoned veterans at the process, Joshua Adams just completed his first inspection as the Farm Manager at the Middleton Place Organic Farm. “It’s a lot of paperwork, but it’s really not as bad as I thought it was going to be,” he says. He realized that the process itself would help him develop positive habits in his first few years of farming. “As a farmer you need to keep good records and being certified organic helps you do that.”  Yet Joshua is left feeling as though perhaps society has it wrong. “It’s kind of backward. As someone that is trying to grow healthier food, we have to have to go through so many hoops and other people can spray chemicals without even having to be labeled.”

Adams is not the only one that feels as though farmers practicing organic production should not have to go through a stringent process that eats into their already tight margins. Kenneth Melton, owner of Lowland Farms on Johns Island, has always grown using organic methods and attends a variety of trainings to learn more sustainable methods for his operation but is not certified. “I have kids and feed them from the farm. I don’t want to spray anything. I don’t want to import things onto my farm that I don’t have to”. As a farmer with direct to consumer and restaurant sales, he doesn’t see a reason to go through the process because he has great relationships with his customers and will answer any questions they have. “Once you have the relationship and they learn about how you are growing, organically, then they trust you,” he says. “People are more interested in where you are located.”

Local.

Lowland Farms is one of several local operations that sell regularly at farmers markets in the area, including the new market launching in West Ashley. Charleston is not the only city with an incredible demand for local food, as demonstrated in the continued growth of farmers markets nationwide from 1,755 in 1994 to 8,284 in 2014. Proponents of local foods are focused on the ability to have a relationship with their farmer, reduce their carbon footprint, access regionally specific products, support the local economy, and enjoy harvested-that-morning fresh produce.

Yet unlike organic, the food industry is having a harder time pinning down how exactly to define and enforce this. According to the USDA: “locally or regionally produced agricultural food product” is less than 400 miles from its origin, or within the State in which it is produced.” In South Carolina, Growfood Carolina initially adopted the more stringent industry standard of 120 miles but recently expanded statewide to capture the range of growing seasons and products grown in the state. According to Sara Clow, the General Manager at Growfood, buyers are sourcing from them to access high quality produce that is sourced locally and are generally not as concerned with organic certification, “The chefs want what tastes best and is local.”

One of the challenges local is that distance is the only requirement. Local farmers can practice a broad range of production methods that may or may not reflect your own beliefs on health, social justice, animal welfare, or the environment. The benefit of location as a restriction is that because of their relationships in the communities in which they grow and live, farmers selling in direct markets locally have a great motivation to meet their consumer’s demands. If you have the ability to build a relationship with a farmer, you can ask about their practices and express your desire for certain types of certifications. Although this sounds like an ideal solution, the reality is the majority of Americans still buy their food at the grocery store – making food labels the primary tool for a customer can learn about a product. The current system relies heavily on certifications and language approved by the FDA (ie. words like “natural”) to help consumers make decisions because farmers are not in the store to answer questions. Marketing and packaging can be very confusing to customers and take advantage of loopholes in labeling restrictions. This weakness of the system is also its strength because it encourages consumers to actually learn about the food system and build relationships with those growing food in your community so they can be informed and savvy customers.

So what is better, local or organic? It is a question that only you can answer for yourself.

This article originally appeared in the Charleston City Paper. 

Want to eat local? Make and check out resources from Lowcountry Local First, including this Map of Purveyors. They even have a phone app to help you track your progress. Not in Charleston? Check out Local Harvest.

Living on the coast, we are used to battening down the hatches and slipping on our rain boots to prepare for rainy weather, so when we hear there is a storm coming we generally just stock up on the essentials: beer, bread, and batteries. Some might even say we are a little too salty when it comes to our outlook on storms. As a fellow coastal dweller, when others scoffed at the lack of evacuations prior to Katrina, I simply shook my head and thought, “Most of us wouldn’t leave either, especially because we would be expected at work the next day”. During my class today, we asked how many of our students had ever experienced a hurricane and the answer was only two out of twenty two. I quickly realized that with so many transplants here, the majority of folks have no idea how to handle this situation. Now that Governor Haley has ordered a mandatory evacuation, people will be scrambling to get ready, especially with the memory of last October’s floods fresh in our minds. You can also sign up for Charleston County Citizen’s Alert if you want current updates and you can find details about the highway reversals here.

With that in mind, here are my top five tips. Please ignore poor formatting- trying to get this to you ASAP!

1. Get documentation. 

• Take pictures and video of the inside and outside of your house prior to the storm.
• Farmers need to take pictures of all of your crops, equipment, and infrastructure.
• Gather any and all personal and business receipts, paperwork, and essential documents that you may need for insurance or personal purposes.  (including passports, birth certificates, medical records, etc.)

2. Secure your property:

• Make sure you have renters/homeowner’s insurance. For renters, this can often been purchased the same week of a storm and is generally very affordable.
• Buy plastic tubs for all items that could be damaged by water but that you would not be able to evacuate with.
• Make a list of what items you will take with you in case of evacuation.
• If you are in danger of flooding, raise everything off the ground with cinder-blocks, create a sandbag wall around your doors, and duck-tape the bottom seams of the doors from the inside and outside (I have seen more than one case of this actually stopping water from coming in.)
• If you are going to leave your house and evacuate, move valuables away from windows, cover with tarps, hang hurricane protection over your windows, and take what you can.
• Consider parking your vehicle in a parking deck to avoid damage and/or flooding.
• If you evacuate, shut off your water valves and gas line (if you have one), cut-off your main breaker, and unplug everything before you leave.
• Getting contact information from your neighbors so if you evacuate you can find out how your house is.

3. Collect Supplies: 

This is a checklist from NOAA. Also consider what you would need to take in case of an evacuation.

• Water– at least 1 gallon daily per person for 3 to 7 days
• Food – at least enough for 3 to 7 days
  • non-perishable packaged or canned food / juices
  • foods for infants or the elderly
  • snack foods
  • non-electric can opener
  • cooking tools / fuel (propane camping stove and fuel)
  • paper plates / plastic utensils

• Blankets / Pillows, etc.
• Clothing – seasonal / rain gear/ sturdy shoes
• First Aid Kit / Medicines / Prescription Drugs
• Special Items – for babies and the elderly
• Toiletries / Hygiene items / Moisture wipes
• Flashlight / Batteries
• Radio – Battery operated and NOAA weather radio
• Telephones – Fully charged cell phone with extra battery and a traditional (not cordless) telephone set
• Cash (with some small bills) and Credit Cards – Banks and ATMs may not be available for extended periods
• Keys
• Toys, Books and Games
• Important documents – in a waterproof container or watertight resealable plastic bags.

• • Tools – keep a set with you during the storm
  • Vehicle fuel tanks filled (buy extra gas can and fill as well)
    
  • Pet care items
    • proper identification / immunization records / medications
    • ample supply of food and water
    • a carrier or cage
    • muzzle and leash

4. Make a plan for staying AND evacuating.

Obviously, you need to make this decision based on what is most appropriate for you and your situation. That being said, here are some things to consider.

• What category is the storm? Category 3 and above should evacuate but if you are living in an area that could flood, be cut off by flooding of roads, or is isolated- any hurricane can pose a threat. (Check out the map below to get an idea for how bad the storm surge can be.)
• What type of home do you live in? Can your house get flooded? Are their any large trees over your house that could come through the house? Do you have a safe place in the house with no windows that you can safely hide? If flood waters rose, would you be able to climb to higher ground?
• If you were to be cut off from power and water for 7-10 days, would you be able to survive off of the supplies you currently have?
• Do you have somewhere safer to go? Consider asking around with family, friends and co-workers to see if there is an alternative place for you to go, how long you can stay, and if your pets are welcome.
• Will your employer expect you to return the day after the hurricane? You would be surprised.

 5. Get ready for a LONG commute. 

• Fill up your gas tank and potentially even fill up an extra. Traffic will be extreme and even with highways reversing to accommodate flow, it will be a long journey.
• Pack snacks, drinks, and games for yourself (and the kids) but keep in mind that there may not be a lot of stops for bathroom breaks.
• Make sure your car has plenty of air in the tires and all fluids are topped off (oil, coolant, etc).

Other things people often forget.

• Extra coolers filled with ice-packs to unpack your fridge into if the power goes out.
• Generator and fuel is always a fun item (if you have the money…)
• Fill your bath-tubs and sinks with water the night/day of the hurricane… this way you will have even more potable water.
• Expect excessive evacuation delays and how much gas this could potentially use.
• In addition to filling your car with gas, check all fluids, tire pressure, filters, etc.
• Either own or know someone with a chain-saw and fuel.
• Let other people know your plan so they don’t have to worry!

Check out your own area on the NOAA map. 

Whoa. Just whoa. It has been a little over a month since I took the giant leap that was leaving my job of five years to start my own company. Despite giving myself three months to prepare for this incredible life shift, I am still getting my head around such a dramatic change. It probably has something to do with the fact that my husband and I also bought a house and moved the last week of my job, but hey, I wanted to go big AND go home. Although I love to be in control, I am also not one to shy away from change. After talking with so many of my incredible friends and mentors, I knew that I had what it takes to go out on my own. The idea of such a big new adventure called to me like a siren of wanderlust so many of us temper.

Compared to most people, many of my jobs have given me incredible opportunities to indulge in unique and interesting experiences on a regular basis. But the position you are in when you start with an organization and the one you find yourself in years later are often in stark contrast. I repeatedly found myself getting to the top of the ladder at organizations, looking down at the trenches, and missing the feeling of the soil between my toes. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good spreadsheet and creative writing is a passion, but my spirit is replenished in moments of real connection. Working with other industrious people, solving complex problems, building things, overcoming challenges, sharing ideas, and traveling to new places. All of this brings me to the present, which has been a hilariously fast crash course on life on the other side of the fence where people work for themselves.

As someone who has worked with hundreds of small business owners, I knew the grass would not be greener, but damn I did not realize how much I would still have to mow the lawn. 

I was prepared for hard work and the initial adjustment that comes with growing anything new but I somehow imagined it would still involve more yoga and naps. Needless to say, I don’t even know where my yoga mat is- probably somewhere in a box I have yet to unpack. I also have not even gotten around to ordering business cards, attending networking events, or posting on my blog (as evident here). Let me assure you, these are good signs because it means that I am busy. Despite many people assuming if my husband was “supporting me during my time-off” I can assure you that a.) I am not on vacation and b.) we are still very much a two income household. Thankfully, I have several clients that were excited to bring me onto their team. In the last few weeks, I have conducted program evaluations, written grants, helped create marketing materials, and provided general program support. I am already learning from mistakes that come with starting a new business but it feels good to know that these are lessons that will allow to me grow with confidence as a business owner. Outside of consulting, I have also had the pleasure of working with my talented friends to help as a second shooter at a wedding and with a garden installation. In coming months I will also be freelance writing and guest speaking at conferences. The work is interesting, challenging, and dynamic and I was able to decide what projects I said yes to and when I chose to tackle them.

Perhaps most importantly, my time is my own.

 In between work tasks I dig around in my garden barefoot, roll around with the dogs, take nature pictures, cook meals, and spend as many moments as possible with my fantastic husband. I work when I know I will be at my best and take time for rejuvenation when I am not. I may not be doing yoga every morning and making my lotion from scratch but I already feel an incredible sense of liberation from this transition. While I love my clients… their missions, budgets, programs, and employees can stay safely tucked away when my computer is shut down. I am learning how to slow down.

As it has been for the last ten years, my life will no longer be built around my job but instead my job will be built around my life.

My head and heart are open and ready for new ideas, direction, and opportunity. The next few months are a wonderful blend of contract work and visits with loved ones. I hope to schedule enough clients in 2017 to continue this journey on my own. But even if working for myself does not work out, I know that in the best possible way, this change in perspective cannot be undone. Sometimes it takes the visceral experience of looking into the unknown and taking a leap to really make a permanent change in our lives. The beautiful part of this process is that I know I am not alone and for that, I am most thankful.