one word to describe it all
Released last Thursday, March 6th, The Beautiful Pursuit is a three-part documentary streaming on YouTube that takes an honest and authentic look at what it means to be a flower farmer from the point of view of those who do it. Inspired by a simple survey question posed by farmer/florist Erin Benzakein of Floret Flowers, this documentary answers the question posed to growers, “what do you wish people knew about flower farming?”. Produced by Rob Finch, The Beautiful Pursuit takes a deep dive behind the scenes and explores the common hardships, glories, mental ramblings, and purpose that, it seems, every (flower) farmer has behind their pursuit. It depicts the beautiful, but also accurately portrays the challenges behind this career path. We, too, hear it frequently, “You must be living the dream.” or, “Oh, what a life!” or, “Wow, you’re surrounded by such beauty all the time. I’m so envious.” While yes, these things are true…it is a SPECTACULAR life, it’s also one of sacrifice, physical endurance, mental stamina, and a whole lot of financial juggling.
The first episode opens with the question, “How would you sum up farming in one word?”. This got me to thinking - how WOULD I describe farming in one word. It is so many things all at once - insurmountable beauty, anticipation, revelation, growth, wonder, and sometimes devastation, but, ultimately, I decided on the word ‘humbling’ to describe it all, and I think it accurately captures most of what we experience - the good, the bad, the planned, the unforeseen, the glory, the surrender, the victory, and the defeat. Not a day goes by where humility of some kind does not embrace my heart. I bow to the precise and intense beauty of it all; I bow to the power that every seed we plant possesses; I bow to the havoc that can be ravaged upon us and create such heartbreak; I bow to my physical body and what it is routinely capable of; I bow to the crop failure even when I’ve followed all the recommendations and advice from experts; I bow to the routine forces beyond my control; I bow to the greatest teacher of them all, our natural world; I bow to the privilege and the primitive act of having my hands in the earth day in and day out; I bow to the fact that so many of you come out to our market and support us; I bow to the exhaustion and yet the determination to go one more round; I bow to the abundance. There is no end to the humility I feel in this work.
Farming is a path of hope, of optimism, of connection, of inquisition, of mind-altering expansion, of believing in tomorrow, of chasing beauty, of fortitude, but, more than anything, it is a journey in humility. It is a lesson in recognizing one’s place in the greater order of the universe, it provides a continual reminder to remain modest and never thinking you know it all, it is a force SO much bigger than any one or thing that you have no choice but to abandon any greed and self-centeredness you possess and to humbly bow to it all.
In closing, THANK YOU for your support of our farm and local agriculture.
Humbly and with gratitude,
Melissa & Cale
