Justin had a good job working in the family business back in his hometown of Little Rock. He wore a suit every day to the office. The only problem was that he didn’t enjoy the work; it wasn’t a good fit for him.
He left the company to explore other interests and started a lawn care business. That’s where he discovered how much he enjoyed working outside. “It kind of saved me in many ways,” he says. “It was the opposite of what I’d been doing, which was indoors and often stressful. Changing to hard physical labor felt good. The hard work was rewarding; I could set my schedule, and there was no stress. I loved being outside.” Finding the type of work he enjoyed and a commitment to healthy eating led to farming ambitions. This brought him to the CAFF Farm School.
“I care about nature, living naturally, and spiritually. That’s who I am,” says Justin. “I think it’s intentional and fascinating that our origin stories include humans beginning in a garden. For me, that’s the natural place to be, that’s where I’m comfortable and at peace. Everything else seems like this false reality we lay over our true natural state.”
By extension, regenerative farming is essential; he thinks it’s crucial for keeping our soil and people healthy for the future. “If everyone understood how connected we are to what we eat, how it’s grown, and the importance of good soil, it could be unifying. We’ve lost our communal connection to our food production,” he says. “But once you become aware of it, growing food and nurturing the soil become much more sacred.”
Justin continually finds meaning and purpose in growing food. “Farming requires a bit of faith. You put so much into it before you get to the harvest. The process is full of metaphors and lessons that you can apply to other areas of life, like raising children. While farming, you discover universal truths about the importance of diversity, environment, sustainability, nurturing, etc.”
Justin is fascinated by the diversity of crops to grow. He loves planting tomatoes and wants to grow heirloom varieties. “We all know what it’s like to bite into a delicious, fresh, locally grown tomato. It’s an experience. The flavor is so much richer and more satisfying. It feels more nourishing when we eat like that.” Listening to Justin discuss produce varieties inspires curiosity and cravings as he gushes about lush, leafy lettuce and pink celery. “Small farms can grow unusual things, with different taste profiles, that are aesthetically gorgeous. I want to grow some of those unusual varieties to wow people with food they didn’t know existed. I want my farm to deliver excitement.”
He also wants a farm where he can build a family life. He’s sacrificing much time with them this year to attend the CAFF Farm School while still running his business.
Being together and enjoying their childhood years is a top priority. He looks forward to them learning life lessons through farming just as he has. He hopes they grow up knowing how important good food and soil are to humans. His daughter is already interested, especially in seed saving, and is a budding entrepreneur. Still in elementary school, she has already participated in a couple of makers markets to sell what she’s produced.
One of the most essential things Justin has learned in farm school is how to reshape his business plan for earlier success and profit. His passion for unusual varieties was scaled back to focus on profitability and long-term success. He will introduce uncommon crops more thoughtfully. Eventually, he hopes to add farm stay experiences and workshops. But first, he needs to make it profitable, and CAFF is providing the farm business education to help with that. “This component of CAFF is so important,” he says. “You can have the greatest idea and be super passionate, but the numbers need to make sense, or you just have a hobby.”
That’s one of the primary reasons he would recommend the CAFF Farm School to others. He thinks the knowledge, expertise, and connections make the program valuable. To help pay for attending the CAFF Farm School, Justin received financial assistance from the CCOF Scholarship, for future organic farmers, one of several opportunities listed on the CAFF scholarship information page.
Justin is glad that he could attend the Farm School at this time. Like many, he sees the world changing rapidly. As life becomes more artificial, he believes many will seek a more natural way of life. “I’m a spiritual person, so for me, the true advancements will be in caring for our bodies, the earth, and our relationship to God. We’ll find a more natural and balanced existence that makes us feel more alive.”
Ultimately, Justin hopes to be a part of a changing food system focused on small, local farms. “We’ve learned that it’s not ideal only to have food grown and shipped from other parts of the country or world. We can balance it with the return of more small farms growing food locally. “I think it’s important to do it with integrity and ethical production practices that protect our soil for the future.” Justin is hopeful. He believes that communities are increasingly realizing the importance of small farms and are committed to supporting them.
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