A Different Version of an Iowa Farm

and an Invitation to an Open House.

Last fall, I moved from the city to the country. I should write more about this. I guess I’ll start now. We searched for a couple of years for a property to start a small homesteading effort. As we drove around the countryside we realized that our preconception of the stereotypical Iowa farm has all but vanished from the landscape. I think many of us still have this impression that Iowa is full of small family farms with gardens and orchards and a wide variety of animals scattered about the farm yard. These are the scenes that provided the state of Iowa the reputation of being the bread basket of America. This version of Iowa also presented us as good stewards of the land and animals, with all of the people, flora and fauna living in harmony. The reality of the situation is that our stewardship story is more of a mixed bag. While there are some producers committed to sustainability and regenerative agriculture, others are taking more of an extractive approach without sufficient regard to the impact to the land, water, health of the people and future of the environment. This is very sad. I’m not trying to present myself as an expert in any way. I am learning. Some of the things I am learning about is the movement to grow and raise local fresh food, small scale agriculture, food as medicine, regenerative agriculture and produce. Thankfully there are more and more people trying to do things differently. One of those efforts is my neighbor… In Harmony Farm.

From the In Harmony Farm website -

“In Harmony Farm is committed to cultivating an environment focused on inclusion, empowerment, and respect for all. We strive to grow a place that is reflective and honors the diversity of the community we serve. We celebrate varied backgrounds, approaches, and points of view in our work. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the root of who we are and central to our mission.”

In Harmony Farm is an incubator of sorts for historically underserved farmers, in this case refugees from Burundi. The farmers are given access to land and tools and resources to plant and grow crops. They are also given classes and mentorship to help them grow not only produce but also a sustainable and scalable business.

This model can be a beneficial solution to so many interconnected problems; restorative to land (environmental conservation), access to nutritious food (food security), meaningful work (financial independence), community building and cooperation.

I recently became part of the In Harmony Farm team. I am helping them with photography and video, social media, community building and storytelling.

They are hosting an open house on July 31st from 4-7 pm. There will be live music, fresh produce, farm tours, hiking trails, and a food truck. The address is 17995 358th Pl, Earlham, IA (North of I-80 at exit 104) Come learn more about this unique Iowa farm. Please RVSP on the facebook event here.

Please follow In Harmony Farm on Facebook and Instagram.

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I am proud to be a contributor to the Iowa Writers Collaborative. There are so many great entertaining, inspiring and informative writers in this group. I invite you to check them out. A few that I am enjoying currently are…

And many many more…

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