jenn

Jenn never thought she’d become a farmer. “Organic Farmer Jenn – who’s that?” Where there was once a wooded lot, tucked away down some unassuming dirt road in the foothills of the White Mountains, now lies a diverse off-grid, solar-powered family farm, booming with beauty and the drama of life. Jenn and Justin started with nothing –– no knowledge on how to farm. They started with the intention of being able to supply themselves with quality produce from the garden. Then one day a local store manager asked if Jenn would be interested in planting a little extra and selling it at the store. The first veggies that Jenn and Justin brought to the Center Lovell Market sold out almost immediately. Today Jenn and the family, produce “beef, pork, chicken, fresh eggs, maple syrup, flowers, herbs, vegetables, fruits, berries and seedlings using organic and biodynamic practices.”

Jenn is full of wisdom and kindness. It radiates from her like warmth from the sun. She is honest and loving with her family in a way I wish to emulate. Her children play endlessly and are incredibly capable at engaging with the natural world around them and when Jenn walks about the farm, the dogs follow her around fondly. Jenn believes that if you can learn how to live with nature, other things will come easier. Her eldest son for example built a cabin to live in before he owned a laptop and easily took to digital photography, design, and computer programming. Her kids enjoy a type of freedom that is rare these days. And yet they are given more responsibility than most too. Jenn’s eldest daughter spent the night with her pregnant cow and attended the birth of her calf when she was 17. For her birthday, she wished for a barn for her cow Daisy, whom she hand milked daily for the last 11 months..

Through the years Jenn has learned how to listen to plants – to pay attention to their needs so that they may grow. Jenn talked about what it means to be content, how to stay true to yourself, harmony, and choices. As Simone and I pulled out of the driveway, back down the unassuming dirt road, we were filled with a sense of “can do” and the desire to grow.

[78] July 29, 2021