Welcome to Imagines Farm

Welcome to Imagines Farm

My heart is extremely heavy these days.  Tierra Miguel Farm is closing.  I hope to, in the next couple of days, put down in a post what exactly happened to lead to its closing.  However, when one door closes another opens. 

I was really upset about losing that part of my life.  The plan was that Mel and I would stay out here in SD for another year.  During that time I would be the Farm Manager at TMF and learn what I needed to run a farm.  With TMF closing that kind of alters our plan.  Needless to say I was, and am, apprehensive about what is next.  Earlier this week I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't fall back asleep.  My mind turned on and started thinking about all the negatives.  It is funny how you can work yourself up.  I finally stumbled onto a solution at about 5 a.m. and it's simplicity is staggering. 

I got up and logged onto the computer and bought the domain name for Imagines Farm.  Our farm in TN is only a year away.  Why not start it now?  Why wait to get to TN, get jobs, find land, then start 6 months to a year after that?  There is no reason why we can't be ready to start as soon as we move to TN in a year.  In the mean time I'm going to try and work at as many farms/orchards/vineyards as possible over the next year.  We'll finish the farm's business plan and put into place as much as possible.

So that is what this blog is about.  I'm deleting all the other "stuff" I've tried to do in the past.  I think they were just practice for this one.  This blog will be about how we build the farm from nothing, starting from halfway across the country.  When possible I'll share parts of our business plan in case someone is looking to do the same or for general critiques.  I also want to explore why farms close and the importance of organic, nutrient dense food.  Another important subject I would like to talk about is food justice and how it applies to all of us. 

How we settled on the name

We settled on the name because of its double meaning.  Obviously the literal meaning inspires one to use their imagination when they talk about the farm.  We want to create a new type of farm that combines the best of what is out there:  Permaculture, Organic, Biodynamic, Natural Farming, Grass Pasturing and on.  We believe we can steward - not create - a place that is more productive by working with nature.  This will go beyond mimicking nature, which most of the new progressive farming techniques try to do, and actually be a part of it.  We also want to integrate the human side into this farm; by providing jobs, stability to local economies, perfect food, community, and wildlife habitat protection and restoration for generations to come.  We want you to help us imagine the possibilities.

The other meaning of the word comes from biology.  "The imago is the last stage of development of an insect, after emergence from the pupa where the metamorphosis is complete. The imago is often referred to as the adult stage.  The Latin plural of imago is imagines."  [1]  It's pronounced with a long a and a long e.

I think this is going to be a fun and challenging year!  We've always been working toward this goal but now it is beginning to materialize.  We hope you'll follow us as we build a farm and a business.  Offering encouragement and constructive critiques along the way.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imago