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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Working with your spouse (was: Hoes & Other Stuff)

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  • From: Lucy Goodman <goodows AT infinet.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Working with your spouse (was: Hoes & Other Stuff)
  • Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2003 10:25:57 -0400



Nicole wrote:
>
> >>Market farming is something that has to make your heart sing,
> or it will become a drudge, & if you have someone on your team that
> doesn't absolutely love it or that has different ideas concerning
> farming or marketing, you will soon despise them!<<
>
> Ohhh I hope not -- my husband is the only one on my team, and he
> definitely has different ideas. He grew up in DeKalb Illinois, though,
> so he has a skewed perspective (which is, farming basically sucks).
> Which I suppose is why he doesn't do much of the gardening so far.
>
> Nicole in KY

I have been working with my husband, on this market farm we created, for
the past 9 years and there are many times when we want to kill each
other, think that the other's ideas about the farm and marketing are
just dead wrong but than we realize it is just the pressure of too long
days, too much heat, too much rain, too many weeds, not enough time,
etc.. That's when we remind ourselves we are a team.

We did have to figure out what each of us does best and keep with our
strengths. I don't like planting much but I love to harvest and weed.
Eugene is great at planting, tilling, building things, making tools but
feels harvesting is like killing off all his hard work of nurturing the
plants to adulthood. I do all the paperwork and marketing (email,
website, making ad fliers, brochures, getting and maintaining CSA
members, etc.) but both of us do selling at the farmer's markets.

We both went into this with romantic notions (most of which have been
killed off by the realities of market farming) and we both really like
what we do most of the time so despite some rough spots we have a strong
marriage and business relationship.

I think having different ideas can work, I know Eugene and I do not
think at all alike but we work things out. Of course we did start with
the same vision of having an organic farm and selling at farmer's
markets but over time this vision has changed and will continue to as
life goes on.


Lucy Goodman
Boulder Belt Organics
New Paris, OH
Check out the Boulder Belt website:
http://www.angelfire.com/oh2/boulderbeltcsa
"There is no way to peace---peace is the way."
A.J. Muste




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