Growing a Farmer - Part 2

In the second half of Growing a Farmer, Kurt Timmermeister continues to describe his journey as a farmer. He explains about how he eventually got chickens for his farm. I thought this chapter, as well as the chapter on butchering, really went into a lot of detail, which weren’t exactly very pleasant to read. Although I know that it is all a part of the process of getting these foods onto our plates, I would rather not read about how the animals are slaughtered and butchered. Besides that, I found it very admirable how he was able to learn so much from his experiences. For someone who didn’t know as much, Timmermeister was able to learn to adjust and change his practices in order to produce the best products. In my opinion, it’s important to have the mindset to want to learn from your mistakes. 

My favorite chapters from the second half of the book are “Chapter Fourteen – The Present-Day Farm” and “Chapter Fifteen – The Table”. For me, these two chapters really explained what the farm truly meant to Timmermeister. I like how even though Timmermeister doesn’t consider his farm to be “neither efficient nor particularly profitable”, he still loves it. Every part of his farm has a story and make up a significant part of Kurtwood Farms. I think the most important part for Timmermeister is the fact that this farm was something he shaped himself, as a part of his journey in becoming a more experienced farmer, and that’s what makes it meaningful. On top of all that, he created an environment and culture that he envisioned for his farm, and that’s what makes it unique. 

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Growing a Farmer. It was inspiring to see how Timmermeister was able to start with nothing, and after years of hard work, he was able to create the farm of his dreams. Even if it’s not the ideal farm, it’s still perfect in the sense that the farm was able to encompass all the visions and dreams that Timmermeister had. After reading this book, I can say that my perspective on the food that I eat: from where it comes from and how it was produced, to how it was prepared has really changed. And most importantly, I learned that it’s okay to follow your dreams, even if it can be a rough path. Because at the end of the day, perseverance is key to achieving even your wildest dreams.