Meet Tara

I was the last person to become a farmer or orchardist. Really. My family tells me this quite regularly.

Asthma, allergies, and serious health issues encompassed 30 years of my life. My doctor told me I needed to have an office job when I grew up, and he told me I should never marry a farmer. He said allergens would surround me and high physical exertion would be required.

When I grew up, I found that office job (and the education that went with it). I learned all I could, and I sought to be the best at what I was trained to be. In 2017, I went out on my own, had my own clients, and earned my own living.

With the death of my dad in 2022, my life turned upside down.

Our family has a produce-market farm with an orchard. It started a long time ago with a dream. My parents purchased the farmland from my grandparents before I was born. In the 2000s, the farm business became a reality. I always helped behind the scenes with bookwork and marketing. Hardly ever did I do the physical labor side of things.

That changed in 2022. The orchard needed care. The farm needed another hand. While I can never replace my dad and his amazing abilities, I stepped in to help in the day-to-day management of the farm. How did my health handle it? Well, that is a story for another time. Simply said, there have been improvements in my health that have enabled me to become a Farmer and Orchardist(in-training).

Together with my mom, we are running the farm. I am learning orchard care, as well as general farm responsibilities. And I am falling in love with working the land.

Who would have thought! The Lord had a different set of plans for me and my life. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 ESV