What do you do?
I am an organic vegetable farmer at Flynn Farms and a pre-loader at UPS. My farm is part of the Cloud Mountain Incubator Farm Program in Everson, WA, and this will be my 5th growing season - I have been WSDA Certified Organic since 2017. I am a member of the best market around: Twin Sisters / Birchwood Market, and I also do a small CSA. Most of the markets I supply to are for local non-profits, and this year I will be growing for the Cooking Matters program through the Foothills Food Bank. This program feeds children and their caretakers, and it fills my heart with absolute joy knowing the participants in this program will not have hungry bellies this summer. Reducing hunger in my community and closing the gender gap for farm owners are my biggest reasons to be a farmer.
Advice/words of wisdom that affected your life you'd like to pass on?
Life is truly a gift, but sometimes tragedies occur that are so far beyond our control all we can do is let time pass in order to heal. I’ve had a handful of tragedies in the recent years that have made what I am trying to do feel impossible, but resilience is always possible. If you fall down or someone tries to push you down, do whatever it takes to get back up. You can do it. Resilience is key.