making magic in the food system…and ice cream

I believe in magic. Do you?

I believe we can make magic for animals and our troubled food system. AND have a magical time while doing it. Animal welfare and food system issues are BIG. And can be so divisive. And seem overwhelming. But I don’t like to think of them in any of those ways. Because they’re fixable. At an individual level. That’s where we can and are making the difference. In our own personal lives, the lives of our loved ones, the lives of animals and…yes…lives around the world. Truly.

I was a corporate lawyer for 10 years. I didn’t get to see first hand where things were getting better. So I became a farmer. And now I get to see everyday. And I want to share it with you. (Ok, it wasn’t that simple. I had a meltdown. Felt out of place in my own life. Realized I was meant to be a farmer even though I had no prior connection to farming…)

Wonderlland is my farm. A diverse farm of 230 acres in woods, pastures and food gardens, where one human and 200 animals live. A farm where I do things the way I want and don’t care if people call me crazy. In fact, I like it. You see, there is a method to the madness. It produces a variety of delicious foods. It improves the land. It helps me and the animals - and we hope YOU - live our happiest lives. And it changes the world. But we can’t keep farming or changing the world without you. Farming is a struggle. Big food companies sell factory food super cheap. And farm land and animals are expensive when you treat them right on a non-factory scale.

I have been happily putting in years of hard labor and love, 365 days a year since 2015, without a break. And I intend to keep going. Doing something big requires big dreams and big action. I bought my first cows before my farm school graduation in 2015, and I picked them up in a rented UHaul van (sorry and thank you Uhaul). With no access to farmland, I leased someone’s backyard at first. Then I found my current farm property - abandoned for a decade and for sale - and convinced the owners to work with me. I drafted and negotiated all the contracts for the alternative purchase deal that allowed me to get onto the property. We agreed that I would lease the property for 2 years and then buy it for over $1 million. I figured that would give my broke arse plenty of time to clean up the broken down 230 acres and start making enough money to get a bank loan for that much. Go big or go home, right? My animals and the whole food system deserve big action. My time runs out this December 1. If I don’t have the finances by then, I have no rights to stay here.

And I’m not the only farmer in danger of losing her land and all she’s got. Unfortunately, it’s an all too familiar situation across the countryside. So while I’m fighting to secure my own farmland and squeak by, I’m also fighting for the survival of other truly great farmers, too. And for their animals. And for all of our food.

I believe that food is a common thread that connects us all. And that we need food, but also…that food can be (and should be) one of the most joyful parts of life and culture. Food, nature, animals and humans are all tied together. Today, most humans have become disconnected from the origin of their food. I know I felt that way when I was a lawyer - running by the grocery store on the way from the office to my suburban house. But you don’t have to quit your old life and move to the woods like me to feel more connected again. All it takes is making some different food decisions as shoppers and eaters. And maybe even some adventurous decisions with your free time - like visiting Wonderlland and farms near you…

We are bombarded with news of our broken world food system constantly. Farms have become factories. Giant food conglomerates control much of our food supply. Scandals break about gross additives in packaged and fast foods. Recalls of produce over dangerous bacteria become widespread issues. Documentaries show farm animal misery. Some species we eat are going extinct, while other things we eat are being overproduced to the point that prices have dropped below production cost. Some people are starving while food waste is pervasive. Feeding a growing world population in coming decades is a real worry. Good, small farmers are going bankrupt. And…to be honest…getting involved in politics can seem hopeless.

I don’t like to dwell on all the sad stuff. We don’t need to - because we can change it, instead. I think the fastest, most satisfying and most exciting way to make change is through our everyday choices. By opting out of the status quo.