Welcome

This blog has been a long time in the making, so I just want to start by saying how happy I am to have you along for the ride! Join me as I dive into the adventures of family farming, fiber and natural dye production, fiber arts, and with the way things go around here, a little of everything in between. I’m excited to share our experiences as farmers, storytellers, and keepers of rich Black agrarian legacy. Join me as I reconnect with forgotten roots and stitch together my own swatch of beloved community.

Going back to get it

Heeding the call

We are a family of accidental farmers. We found our way back to the land after landing on a foreclosure fixer-upper which inspired memories and visions of relatives and past generations that once knew the ways of pastoral living. Many of these same family members chuckled (out loud) when we told them of our often times crazy dreams of being on the land. Nevertheless, they cheered us on, because let’s face it city slicker dreams can still come true!

In the beginning, we raised chickens, ducks, and hogs, grew market vegetables and herbs, and cared for dairy goats. Over time, we discovered and then followed our passion for producing fiber and meat from heritage breeds of chickens, rabbits, and sheep. We also began learning the art of putting by and processing our harvests, which led to sharing more and more with friends and neighbors. The old skills and stories of rural living were nearly lost to us, but eventurally they became more than tales told during holiday dinner conversations. It wasn’t until we’d spent some time on the land that we felt the call to farm and serve. I recognize now that these baby steps into farming were essential to learn and understand. Somehow, we’ve been priviledged to join a beautiful network of Black agrarian farmers and artists, embarking on a journey to steward and cultivate not just the land but our family and community. Home is on the farm and the farm has become home—a restorative space for family and guests alike. High Hog is where we explore and form new relationships with the soil, plants, and animals and where we tend the roots we’ve planted to help us grow together.

Becoming a Farm Virgin

Promise and Purpose

Now, with all of that said, I’d better start by explaining what I mean when I refer to myself as a Farm Virgin, just so we’re all starting off on the same page. (I get lots of questions and opinions about it).

I first created the hashtag #DiaryofaFarmVirgin nearly a decade ago. It was a tongue-n-cheek poke at our new, city-slicker-style farming chronicles. It was part social media archive, part memoir and loaded with humor. Think newbie mistakes and animal antics! Now, the idea of still being a Farm Virgin reflects this original intent but has come to take on a richer meaning. It  transcends mere inexperience or beginning farmer status. The essence of the idea is a reminder that no matter how old we get, we are always capable of dreaming and learning something new. It means humbly embracing my journey in, in my lifetime, reconnecting my family to the land, acknowledging a willingness to learn, unlearn, and relearn—often repeatedly. It’s not about lacking knowledge or skill; but rather embracing the transitions deeper into both. For me virginity speaks more to promise than purity, so I imagine myself holding untapped potential for unimagined possibilities, ones that in due season, I will be able to uncover. It’s about honoring the legacy of my family and those whose toil made it possible for me to become a conduit for those who will come afterward. It’s tending  tender seeds planted long ago, planting hope—my commitment to nurture and be nurtured.

Ancestral echoes

Reverberations

Rooted in the legacies of those who’ve come before, we recognize that the soil holds both lessons and stories—the blood, sweat, tears, and whispered secrets of generations past. Virginity carries a kind of cultural weight—a transition from innocence to experience. Being a “Farm Virgin” is akin to receiving an ancestral blessing. Our ancestors, unseen but felt, nod approvingly as we embrace their lifeways. We’re initiated into a lineage of resilience.

When you find yourself reconnecting with the land, you can begin to hear ancestral echoes in the soil—echoes of laughter, struggle, and resilience. Next, comes a joy in discovering that somehow you’re a part of this timeless continuum. As returning generation farmers, we have become more than stewards of soil; we are, in fact SeedKeepers—guardians of this ancestral wisdom and cultural resilience.

I choose to look for the Divine and extraordinary, right alongside the sweet, and common when working on the farm. I’m surrounded by it anytime I step outside my door. Interestingly, I find a lot of joy and wonder in both the ‘hard’ and the simplicity that farm living provides. My decision to work with animals stems in part from an intentional focus on raising heritage livestock breeds, ones that were traditionally raised for generations. Many of these once-common breeds are now threatened and endangered. They, like so much of the lifeways we are seeking to preserve, represent an irreplaceable piece of  culture and diversity.

Thank you for joining us on this journey. As we share the stories, lessons, and adventures of our farm life, I hope you’ll find inspiration, joy, and a sense of connection. Together, we’ll explore the rich tapestry of our Black Agrarian heritage and embrace the promise of new beginnings. Welcome to the #DiaryofaFarmVirgin community—I’m excited to see where this journey takes us!