My name is Heidi Jo. I am a farmgirl.

A lot of folks call me Jo. My friends know me as a farmgirl.

I grew up in DownEast Maine. It was a gift, though as a kid, I may not have seen it that way. A small fishing village on the coast of Maine, my dad was a jack of all trades. For this, I am very thankful.

My parents worked hard. Growing up, my mom and dad had three huge gardens, no fancy equipment, lots of back labor. They worked the land to provide food for our family and others who may be in need. We did not run to the grocery very much. There were things such as flour and sugar. But the good stuff, was in the storage cellar. Bins of potatoes, rows and rows of carrots, green beans, beets, tomatoes and freezers full of meat and fish.

We had, in various seasons of life, pigs, chickens and meat rabbits. Dad hunted. It was exciting the years he got a deer! We ate fish he caught.

We always had enough food. We always had good food. We always had enough to help others.

I did not realize that I was learning skills. Skills that one day I too would work the land to create a food source for my family. I too, could be sustainable. That our family would farm a small area and produce food for our family, vegetable, eggs and meat.

My goal is to pass on the same skills and knowledge that my parents gave to me to my daughter. Empower her that if she chooses, she too can live off the land. In this journey, we want to encourage and empowers others to be more sustainable.

So grow, eat and enjoy the fruits of your labor. It’s a good life.

#ourfarmhousekitchen #sustainable #fieldtofork