Tending to Oneself

“In the place that is my own place, whose earth I am shaped in and must bear, there is an old tree growing, a great sycamore that is a wondrous healer of itself.” - Excerpt from The Sycamore by Wendell Berry

I’ll be honest, July put me through the wringer. Between getting three stitches in my upper lip (next time I take my dog swimming in a lake, I’ll cut her toenails beforehand!) and contracting Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (watch those ticks folks), I’ve been forced to slow down and tend my wounds. Working two jobs, traveling most weekends, and raising cattle have added to the craze of this summer. So naturally, I’ve been thinking about the art of tending to.

As the caretaker of 27 animals — 16 cattle, 10 hens, and 1 dog — I constantly have their health and wellbeing on my mind. Do the cattle have enough water? Have they eaten enough today? Do they need more pasture? Do the chickens need fresh bedding? Has my dog gotten enough exercise? Have I scheduled her next vet appointment? Tending to the animals requires observation, intuition, and timely response. There’s no waiting around until I feel like hauling water for the cattle or letting the hens out of the coop. What often gets pushed back is my own body’s list of items to tend to. Drinking water, eating three meals a day, sleeping enough — these basic tenets of human health have been surprisingly hard to come by.

So the daily acts of care that I must do to heal my scar or get over Rocky Mountain serve as chances to practice tending to myself. To form healing habits. To list myself as the 28th animal under my care. To become the healing sycamore in Wendell Berry’s poem who “bears the gnarls of its history healed over” and “has gathered all accidents into its purpose.”

In other news, the cattle are growing up! My first batch of beef will be available this January and there are still bulk orders available. I’m selling them in quarters, halves, and wholes to folks in Athens or Columbus (if you want me to deliver) or for anyone who wants to pick the meat up from the butcher in Bidwell, OH. Buying in bulk is one of the most cost effective ways to purchase meat, if you have the freezer space for it. I raise lowline black angus cattle. This breed has all the great taste and quality of black angus beef, but has a smaller body size. They are docile and easy to manage. Better yet, they pack on the pounds and produce a high quality meat product. Email me below if you’re interested in purchasing some beef.

I’m working with my local NRCS office to create a grazing plan to best conserve water and restore the soil. While I’ve previously relied on my own research to inform my grazing practices, like taking courses with Cornell’s Small Farms Program and reading Holistic Management and On Pasture, I’m excited to have some local specialists available. This is just another step towards improving this land and sequestering more carbon.

Finally, the garden is such a lush and joyful place to be this time of year. Last summer the Cherokee Purple tomatoes converted me into a tomato lover and I’m so happy to see them ripening now. Scroll to the bottom for more tomato appreciation.

Interested in purchasing beef?

My first batch of beef will be available in January 2022. I’ll be selling this beef in bulk, meaning quarters, halves and whole cows. If you live in Athens or Columbus (or you’re willing to drive to me) and you’re interested in purchasing beef, email me. First come, first served! So clear out your freezer and send me an email.

What I’m reading…

The Planter of Modern Life by Stephen Heyman | “How a leading writer of the Lost Generation (Louis Bromfield) became America’s most famous farmer and inspired the organic food movement.”

My Vision for American Agriculture Article by Gowan Batist of Fortunate Farm | “A few weeks ago, an odd request appeared on an online farmer discussion group to which I belong. A lawyer was soliciting white farmers to join a lawsuit fighting a new USDA loan forgiveness program aimed at helping minority farmers, claiming it unfairly excluded white farmers…like me.”

What I’m listening to…

Check out my Summer Spotify playlist! I’ve been listening to these tunes while pulling weeds, writing grants, and moving cows.

This episode of Invisibilia blew my mind. Given the recent IPCC report and all that there is to worry about in our climate future, this story about a Scottish woman’s ability to “see” things that will happen in the future is fascinating.

Why these animals? Episode from the podcast, Gastropod, which explores foods through the lens of science and history. This episode looks at how individuals and cultures decide which animals to eat, and which they don't. And why this decision is so divisive.