Katie

I believe that there is a way to raise food that is responsible, that leaves the land better than it was, that nourishes the earth and the people. And I believe that others can and will be able to do this as well. I believe that we can be part of this force of change.

I was not always this passionate about food and the processes that surround it.

As a kid, my grandpa had a garden. My family would collect the bounty and preserve the harvests to enjoy until next harvest time. The things I experienced and skills I learn during these times were not revisited again until after I had finished college and was married.

After reading Barbara Kingsolver’s book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
, my eyes were focused on a direction of understanding food. My mind was reeling with thoughts of locally, sustainably, responsibly sourcing or producing food. I was gobbling up all the information I could find on the subject. My husband, Andy, joined me in all of this after reading the book. (He had gotten tired of me reading him snippets of it every few minutes and caved in.)

My already established love of plants transitioned nicely into gardening. Starting with a few herbs, tomatoes, and peppers, I was hooked. When Andy and I decided to start an art center in Mount Vernon, Ohio, I was left with only a cement pad to garden on. I made do with a container garden that expanded each year, but longed to get my hands in the earth.

Our concrete jungle

With our growing understanding of the need for change in our food systems and a yearning to be closer to the earth, we moved to a small piece of land outside of town near a family we had met not too long before. These are the people we are now sharing this dream with at this farm.

Our family grew, our knowledge grew, our tiny farm grew. We had a large garden and added chickens, then rabbits, then some ducks and a guinea fowl, all protected by our tenacious dog.

The Homestead Garden

Our friendship with the Whartons grew. Both families were working towards a place of better food, better health, better earth. Through the Wharton’s, we got to know Kathy and became friends. The more we shared our lives together, helping with projects, chores, kids, the more we wondered if we should combine our efforts.

Hand Hewn Farm has been born out of all of this and all of these people. We are on this journey together. Thank you all for joining us in this adventure!