The journey to start a farm began several years ago, even before we knew what our goals were. Derek and I had so many differences, but one important value remained the same throughout all these years. We wanted to farm. Having very different backgrounds, neither of us really knew the other’s goals in life before we got married. Thankfully, God had a hand in pairing us together. That first year of marriage was the hardest thing either of us had ever done. Maybe the Lord made us both so stubborn just to survive that year of our life, neither of us were willing to give in or give up! Knowing most of our family didn’t think we would make it, our pride kept us from throwing the towel in.
After making it through that first year, we welcomed our son, Wyatt, to the world. Suddenly something was changing in us. There was more at risk of just settling for something. Our values in how to raise a child were starting to give us sneak peaks into what God really had in store for us.
As we slowly began to really get to know each other, finally, we were starting to see that maybe we were made to do something more than just be a family living on someone else’s farm. Maybe we could actually run our own farm. Maybe we would be able to do something really great in the community. Maybe we could teach our son how to be something more than just an employee. So many maybe’s but one really big HOW.
After trying to work with the farmer Derek was working for, we soon realized there was no room for growth where we were. We would never have anything of our own by just sitting around being comfortable. Derek began looking for farms to rent, cattle to purchase, and equipment. None of which we had any way of affording either in cash or credit. So now what? How do you start a farm? I had grown up farming, but getting into business with family was not an option for me, though Derek still brings that up. I am very independent, so much it bites me in the rear more often than I would like to admit. Derek had so much potential, but never any drive to push himself. We were stuck.
Than, like the rays of sunshine peaking through the clouds-the DGA appeared. The Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship that is. This is a program that gives beginning farmers the education and resources to continue the smaller dairy farms legacy by teaching how to intensively graze dairy cattle. Check out their link on our page!
I was the one that was uneasy about this at first. Then it was Derek. Then it was me again. Then it was Derek. You get the vicious cycle that was circling our house for months. Finally, we made the decision to go visit a farm 3 hours north of our home to get an idea of what this program was all about. Derek had never moved more than 15 miles from his childhood home. I had a new baby that I wasn’t sure I could raise without my family around, though I never would admit that out loud. Again the vicious cycle came back. With a vengeance. I wish I could put into words the debates, the fights, the tears, and finally the connection we made in making this decision. We could do this. If we wanted something better for our son, we needed to be brave; get out of our comfort zones and fight for what we wanted-even if we didn’t really know what that was.
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Well, that pretty much gets us here. Another little boy, 5 goats, a few dogs, a handful of chickens, and facing a dairy industry that is extremely gloomy. We are just over halfway through the program with several options ahead of us. Hello-vicious cycle, AGAIN. After so many sleepless nights and so many deep conversations. One decision we did make is for me to go back to school. A full-time mom and student. Neither of which I ever thought I would be. The more we are learning through my classes the deeper our conversations are getting!
Late one night, while nursing our youngest son Fitzgerald, I was researching aquaponics. Let’s not ask why; it was late. I stumbled across a few articles of sustainable farming. Deeper and deeper I was getting into this world of farming I never knew existed! After bringing up my new found research to Derek, we found that we were narrowing down our goals AND they were matching up to each other’s almost perfectly. Really, this was all God. It was almost as if a miracle hit our house, like Mack truck through our living room! Finally, our goals appeared: To own a sustainable, small dairy farm that has on-farm processing, as well as to produce other products for the community at AFFORDABLE prices.
Please join us on this adventure of starting our farm! We will take you every step of the way with us! Let’s find out together what farming can truly be again!
Update: February 2019
Well, what a year! I just want to throw a shout-out to all our followers and supporters on this journey! If you haven’t caught on with our posts for the last seven months, we found a farm!! We are transitioning ownership from a slowly-retiring dairy farmer! The farm is certified organic and has been successfully farming for over 35 years under the current farmer. We are now the forth-generation to keep the farm going. Though not in the same blood-line, farming is all a family! This is definitely new territory for the Plucinksi’s! But we are loving every minute of it! We started out in some of the worst dairy times, having one of the most extreme winters, and having the greatest time as a family! It truly is a blessing what God has handed us!
The Farm has literally everything we prayed for in infrastructure; a story, a stall barn, all the land needed to support it, and really great people handing it over to guide us along the way! The Christensen Dairy Farm is now D & M Family Farm, but with all the support of the most honest farmer’s you could find! Jim & Lori Christensen are entrusting us to carry on their legacy of a successful, sustainable dairy farm.
When we first moved here we were overwhelmed with the need for more knowledge on the organic lifestyle. This is beyond higher milk prices, fancier labels, and segregated aisle in the store. This was something we wanted to know inside in and out, we feel it important to walk the walk if we were going to talk the talk. Derek dove into the importance of organic farming on the environment, animals, and land. Meg dove into the science and politics of it. Together, we are starting to be labeled as a “power-couple” in organic farming! Not a label either of us every dreamed of!
As Meg studied the political side of the organic world, she was finding a huge issue directly affecting D & M Family Farm, and all small family farms. Communication! In fact, after many articles claiming the large, corporate dairy farms are wiping out the rural communities- organic and conventional, Meg decided to stand-up. Well, sort of. Actually, just sent a very argumentative email to an innocent organizer at the Organic Trade Association. Arguing that these large, Washington D.C., organizations were only advocating for the large corporations, as they were organizing a Dairy Sector Council including all names that were easily recognizable due to their corporation statuses. Much to our surprise, this email turned into something much larger than any of us could have imagined. After several more email exchanges and a lengthy phone call, Meg found herself on a national dairy council for organic farmers, part of the Organic Trade Association, and a member of the Farmer’s Advisory Council. We began to see that the issues in farming right now, while very large, are becoming more devastating on communities as farmers are blaming each other- large against small, small against large- this is a battle that is only weakening an industry already struggling. Well, Meg has just returned from Washington D.C. for the Annual Farmer’s Advisory Council’s Fly-In. She met with Senators, Congress-people, and law-makers. And if any other farmer’s are reading this right now- from this small farmer, very anti-political talks, there are a lot of really great people fighting for us! Fighting for our rural communities to stay rural, for our families to stay farming, and fighting for the heart of our country to keep beating.
While we are much busier now with the farm, meat productions, updating some systems, raising our kids, completing our degrees, and advocating for organic farming- we are never to busy to help our fellow farmers or community members. We are even more passionate about helping each other, and using our talents of farming to support others. We will be getting our first batch of chick for meat purchases in a little over a month, a mama pig in the next few days, and beginning to raise some beef cattle. We are doing this to provide our community with fresh, organically-raised meat products at a reasonable price. You should not have to go without healthy, local food because of cost. We are doing our best to keep our costs low so all can afford some tasty free-range chicken, or pasture raised pork! Be sure to check out our website for any details or simply shoot us a message! We are happy to have visitors and help people see how our food grows, and how much it really is cherished and cared for! Be sure to Like our Page and Follow us on Instagram for more updates!
