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jared-m-johnson

Gettin' Dirty

Why pass the dirty work to someone else when it’s so much fun?


I recently had the chance to do some work with Gathering Springs Farm in Virginia. I worked kohlrabi, radishes, carrots and weeds in this regenerative space. The carrots got thumbs up all around. One out of one five-year-olds surveyed loved the sweet, creamy, funny-shaped “crew carrots” that didn’t make it to market!



Here were the overall takeaways from my time in the sunshine:


- Go to the Farmers Market! I aim to be more deliberate about supporting my local Farmers Market. I’ve seen the care. I’ve tasted the care. Saturday and Sunday mornings are busy in Casa de Johnson, but the time/money investment is so worth it.


- Dig more in the dirt! There’s something primally satisfying about digging in the dirt with your bare hands. Bonus if there’s an objective, though not required.


- Plant native! Invasive species aren’t just coming for the forests. One of my volunteer roles is Preserve Steward at The Nature Conservancy’s Fraser Preserve, where the team is fighting a seemingly losing battle against Japanese stiltgrass. I spied the same stiltgrass on the farm. Animals generally don’t care for it and it’s a biodiversity killer. Please, please, plant native plants!


By the way, the ladies running the farm had much praise for the team at Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT). Keep producing relevant, actionable information, FACT. Your work is making a difference!

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