Responding to the Unexpected

Many of us had heard of the possibility of being affected by the COVID-19 virus early in the year. The first week of March came and went. Then as more news on the potential threat to hit in the U.S. bombarded our tv screens and social media feeds, the more anxiety came upon me. The question for me was, how could we help?

Exactly a year ago today, April 1st, we formally established our farm operation, Glory Fields. Little did we know that our small-scale startup would end up being a resource to our community during these trying times. We set out to nurture our interests in food, art, creativity, identity, and culture and bring them together into a startup that is part creative space and part local food haven. We are only in our second year of business as farm owners and focus on positive stewardship of the land using natural and sustainable practices and let creation inspire our work.

As we enter a new month, the uncertainty of what is next is not only affecting us but changing our lifestyles. Today, we hear the news and read more about what “is” and “is not” considered essential and how the world is changing. Many of us have been ‘forced’ to work from home due to social isolation, others are left to not work at all due to unemployment, leaving many to explore gardening. (Fearing Shortages, People Are Planting More Vegetable Gardens)

Thankfully, I have worked from home for five years and have been a stay-at-home working mom for the past four years. You would think I’d have it all figured by now with a toddler roaming the house, but that is not the case. The challenges are still there.

Working from home has allowed me to dedicate some time to our farm. My husband probably thought I was losing my mind when I started seeding in late January. This year we tried some greens and have been able to grow more than we initially thought. So here we are, the first day of April, with uncertainty, a basement full of seedlings (greens, vegetables, flowers, and herbs), and a high-tunnel with tender greens almost ready for harvest. Our goal is to be able to provide our community with fresh naturally grown produce and flowers, as has been our mission since the beginning of our venture.

We learned of an opportunity to take action and fill a void through our network Future Harvest – The Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture (FHCASA). The “FIND A FARMER OR MARKET” directory shows 500+ listings of farms, markets, retail shops, butcher shops, vineyards and more in the DMV area. Anyone listed or mapped, have pivoted their sales models to meet the demand for customers during this time.

Although our produce is still growing we hope to be able to be of service to our community in a matter of weeks. If you are interested in finding your local farmer click here. Click on an icon near you to see what products each location is offering, how to order, pay, and pick-up, and read how the precautions they are taking to ensure safe food sales during COVID-19.

Many of us have seen businesses shut down, but we are still putting our energy and time in preparing for our first harvest of the year. While the world seems to slow down, farmers are stepping up to fill the void.

We may be beginners, but even so, today I am proud to call myself a farmer. #farmher