Posts Tagged ‘family’
The Modern “Industrial” Family Farm
Farm life. It’s quite romantic. Or rather, romanticized. Margaret Scheufler, mother, farmer, businesswoman, standing in an almost-ripe wheat field When I talk to anybody I’ve ever met who has lived in a city — or even in a town just miles away from farmland — I’m often surprised by what they think a farm is.…
Read MoreWelcome to the Farm
I’m a farm kid at heart. I love big cities. I love exploring new places, trying new foods, and encountering new cultures. But there is something about the farm — something quiet, something peaceful. A stillness that, even in the the buzz of wheat harvest or the cold, dead of winter, I can only find at…
Read MoreEco-Friendly Living in a Tiny House: An Interview with RAD Tiny Home
Sophie and Henry with their dog Cora in their Tiny Home outside of Duluth, MN. Photo cred: Sydney Carlino In this interview, Sophie from RAD Tiny Home explains their journey of intentional, earth-friendly living in their custom-built tiny house on wheels outside of Duluth, MN. Bigger is better. At least, that’s the message from mainstream…
Read MoreHow a Global Pandemic could Change our Food Supply
From producers to supply chains to restaurant workers to how often Americans cook and eat at home, the COVID-19 global pandemic has caused big changes in the food supply. A few weeks ago I opened the milk crate on our front porch which holds the weekly delivery from a local dairy. I was surprised to…
Read MoreSustainability Spotlight: Large-Scale Commodity Farm
If there is one word I could use to describe Lee Scheufler, my father and the co-owner/operator of Scheufler Farms, Inc. it would be efficient. Margaret & Lee Scheufler, co-owners/operators of Scheufler Farms, Inc. “I wasn’t going to marry a farmer!” declares Margaret, wife of efficient Lee, my mother and co-owner/operator of Scheufler Farms. “But…
Read MoreThe Quest for Sustainability
Sustainability. It’s a buzzword. It’s a fad. It’s a culture shift. But really, what is sustainability in terms of how we grow our food in the world? As a dietitian, I have had the pleasure of meeting many people who care deeply about this topic. People who buy local or organic or avoid certain products because…
Read MoreMaking Lunches
We visited the farm last weekend to introduce two of my favorite people in the world to wheat harvest. It’s a busy, dusty, exhausting, fun time of the year. Wheat Harvest The days are usually really long – starting in the morning and reaching until way past sunset as long as the grain is still…
Read MoreKansas Wheat Harvest
My favorite childhood playground: the grain truck, followed closely by the time I spent in the kitchen with my mom helping her “make lunches” for the harvest crew. Most people think that Kansas is land-locked. They would be right — except for June, when seas of golden wheat stretch across the plains. Millions of stalks of…
Read MoreFarming when the Ground is White and the Temp is Low
I work an 8-to-5-ish job. I have weekends and holidays off, I accrue PTO, and if I’m deathly ill, I have (amazing) coworkers who will step up to cover for me. This does not describe the life of a small business owner, such as a farmer. The Old Red Barn A small business owner works the…
Read MoreThe Harvest Crew
Every year my parents host a post-harvest celebration. They usually go out to a restaurant (that way mom gets to enjoy the time without worrying about cooking) and spend a couple of hours enjoying great company and great food. The crew has changed over the years. It used to take many more people to get…
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