GOING TO THE FARM

As a kid, going to the farm was such a treat. There's a different pace to life there. It’s not rushed, but everything still gets done. Your day is determined by the sun; animals wake, eat, and sleep with the natural circadian rhythm and so you follow their lead. Your tasks are determined by them.

It's funny how things of your childhood come back around to be the dreams of your future.

My papaw was one of 13 children. One of his brothers and 3 of his sisters moved back to the family farm to help care for their aging parents and look after the animals. Their parents were gone before I was born, but we got to visit the farm regularly, have family reunions there, and see the legacy they built, and it was magical.

My great aunt Wanda would take us out to help with the chores. Writing the word chore here is the first time I'm acknowledging that that's what that was- because it felt like anything but. We loved being outside, running with the chickens, laughing at the pigs. We would drive the 4 wheeler around the pond, checking on the cattle. I remember being terrified of the cows at first (I mean, they were taller than me at that point.) But she showed me how gentle and kind they are. Some of them acted like big puppies, just wanting attention- to have their ears scratched, to play with us, and eat treats out of my tiny trembling hands. She told us which ones were the friendliest and which ones could be a bit grumpy at times- so we knew which ones to steer clear of. (there's probably a great correlation to people that could be made here)

"I think having land and not ruining it is the most beautiful art that anybody could ever want to own.” - Andy Warhol

I always looked forward to the unexpected trips out to the farm with my papaw. He & my mamaw took care of me after school while my parents worked and my sister had basketball practice. Some days we stayed local and would tend to his bees and deliver some of his raw honey to small business owners (just as a gift- because he loved stopping in to say hello.) Other days we would venture over to the family pecan farm. We mainly just collected the pecans that had fallen to the ground because he said they would go bad before they could be harvested. We would fill a bucket and head back home. I learned a lot about life from watching him live his.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I think that’s where my idea of a good life started to take shape. And now, in a very different season, I find myself building a business that reflects that same pace… steady, meaningful, and rooted in something real.

I think about life back then often, and how much I want that same feeling woven into the way I live and work now.

Anxiously, in a hurry to slow down....

Warmest regards,

P.S. If you’ve been craving a slower, more intentional way to build your business, you might enjoy my business foundations roadmap or the Designed Simply membership, where I focus on building something sustainable from the ground up.