“We are only ever custodians of our farms and of the land. It will be part of the cycle of nature that we too will move on and our farms will welcome the generations that come after us. And so it is with me and Fallowlees, who has stood for hundreds of years and will stand for many more.”

My Farming Life by Emma Gray

I think living at a farm is a different experience than living anywhere else. Perhaps an old or architecturally significant house would be similar. Somewhere you feel that you’re part of something bigger and older than yourself. Something that will persist long after you.

What is my part in the life of this farm?

I have been here for 13 years. A small amount of time in the history of the farm. Miniscule in the age of the land.

I think about my word of the year, care. How can I care for this land and this home so that we can coexist in harmony?

For much of the 13 years, I have left the land alone, aside from the grass we mow, the fields our farmer harvests and the dead trees my father-in-law cuts. Part of it is time, energy, money. Part of it is also knowledge. What native plants should we be growing? How do we restore habitats? Which invasive species should we prioritize? How can we rebuild the soil?

When we moved here, I said I had no plans to be a farmer. I still don’t, but living here I can’t help feel connected to the land and want to be part of a healthy ecosystem. I have been learning over the years and there is so much more to learn and to do.

Initially, I might have said my role is a caretaker of this property. It is a temporary role. I am here to do my best for the land and the house and the barn and take care of it all until the next generation (hopefully Ellie) takes over.

Now, I think the best description I have is partner. How can I work with the land to make it as healthy as possible? To make a safe, helpful place for Ellie to live, yes. And also for the land itself. Nature is amazing and powerful and healing. She can do a lot on her own. But humans have messed things up and we can try to work with the environment to straighten them out again. There are many examples of people living in harmony with nature. I’m hoping that we can get there here at the farm. And some day, when I am gone, the farm and this land will continue.

“I hope she will nurture them as she has nurtured me. I am honoured to have been part of her legacy.”

My Farming Life by Emma Gray