Safe Haven

Things at the farm never stop, but by mid-December they slow down for a few weeks.  This is the time of year I focus on plans for the next season, website updates, marketing strategies and new product offerings.  The Abundance Cubed Program helped me define the farm’s mission and vision and it has been interesting to think about it as I make changes.
 
Friendly Farmers, Caring Consumers
 
At Stone Coop Farm we are friends with the earth and all its inhabitants down to the microorganisms in our soil.  We are dedicated to being better stewards of the land and sharing our knowledge with others. Stone Coop Farm is a neighborhood farm supported by folks that care about the long term health of our planet and future generations.
 
The election has also reminded me that Stone Coop Farm is a safe haven, not only for the plants and animals, but for the people that work and visit here.  This farm is a neutralizer.  When people come to work and volunteer here, they are here to collaborate, to accomplish a task together for the better good. We are all in work clothes, there isn’t a judgement about lifestyles based on clothes, make up or jewelry.  We talk about food and living healthy lives, not our jobs.  It is important to me that everyone is welcome here and treated with respect and dignity.
 
During my working life I have been at jobs where I was sexually assaulted and had to figure out how to deal with sexual harassment. Unfortunately 3 different men, during work, felt it was their right to touch me without my permission.  Others mentioned that I could advance my career with my body.
 
I have also heard racist comments and actions towards co-workers and strangers that were completely unwarranted.  One of my current employees couldn’t even get me a receipt for gas because she was given too much grief and she just needed to leave that situation.
 
A friend had someone else record her business answering machine because she felt her accent would negatively impact her business because of the intolerance and disrespect she had experienced personally.
 
These situations reinforce that sexism, racism and injustice are prevalent every day all over the U.S.  I want Stone Coop to be the exception.  I want people here treated with respect and I want them to feel like it is a safe place no matter what their race, religion, sex, or social status.  I want to be a leader that demonstrates tolerance, compassion and kindness.  I might not be able to influence my government officials in these attributes, but I can personally treat folks that way and expect people that work at my business to do so as well.