Evolution of Dreams

It was May of 2007, and the Genuine Faux Farm was in the early stages of the insanity of what it has become in the years since.  And, if I were to transport myself back to the dreams we had for this place then - and compared them to what they look like now - I wonder what I would see?

One of our dreams then was to build connections with community.  We held what we called "Tom Sawyer Days" in hopes that people might come and spend a few hours to help us do a few projects where many hands would make a big difference.  We were much more intent on hosting as many as three "festivals" or "gatherings" at the farm where food and conversation could be had.

Over time, the Tom Sawyer Days lost their appeal, as did some of the initial excitement for people to come out and do things on the farm.  And, I do mean that from both sides of the equation.  Hosting events did take its toll on us AND it seemed people became less interested in the concept of a Tom Sawyer Day.  That isn't to say that we don't still periodically host groups to help us with a task or two - and we always appreciate it.  But, what I do mean to say is that our perspective as to how we intended to maintain connections to community has evolved.

We also had many dreams about how we would manage this portion of our farm over time.  The photo was taken from the road looking towards the old machine shed/hog building that is now known as the Poultry Pavilion.

At the point the photo was taken, we were still hoping to maintain the beautiful perennial flower gardens just beyond the rows of early crops.  The granary was going to be properly painted and we had numerous other hopes and dreams.

If I were to go out and take a similar picture in May of 2022, you would still recognize the place, but it would be very different.  Eden, our smaller high tunnel, would be a significant part of the picture.  A row of bushes would be in the foreground, approaching five to six feet in height now.  The perennial bed is now more of a wildflower or wild area now and the granary is still only half painted, but it does have a new roof. 

Interestingly enough.  The dreams for this place are still rooted in some of the same desires we had then.  It's the specifics that may differ.  And, maybe we've moved away from concerns form aesthetics to a focus on utility - both for farming and for working with nature.

I think I'll make it a goal to take a picture of this area on the farm this May.  It would be interesting to see where we've been and get a glimpse of where we might be going.