Nourished: Moments of Plenty
Nourished: Moments of Plenty
BY FARMER JESS OF YOUR FRIENDS FARM
Someone recently asked me what I was most proud of in my life. They wanted to know what has held most true to me in my work and play, my family and my community. I told them that I would need to think on this for a bit, I wasn’t quite sure what I was most proud of that just pertained to me. I could tell you about my kids and my marriage, friendships that have withstood time and change, the farm that Brian and I have grown, business ventures or school but none of those felt as if they were just mine.
After some time, I realized the thread pulled through each one of those things has been directly related to me, my creation and my creaturely existence. I am most proud of my constant desire to welcome others to our table, to create and make and source and grow nourishing ingredients that create nourishing meals and memories. I have spent the better part of the last two decades thinking about the next meal I would be able to share, for work, for play, with my family and with others, and it has been the joy of my life.
I started cooking professionally more than 15 years ago, through that time I began to really think about what made a meal healthy, and what made a shared meal most nourishing. Over the years I found that true nourishment is not just found within the dishes on the table but within the bodies that are present and represented around it. For a meal to be truly nourishing it must recognize and celebrate life; both given and shared.
In our home, we refer to all living things that require the sun, the air and the soil as creatures. This includes plants and animals, vegetables and grass, humans and cows. We honor that all creatures deserve healthy access to these elements, to not only be nourished but in order to nourish others.
When we sit at our table we then work to honor each creature that is present. The creatures that are known as farmers, that have grown the food, the creatures whose lives make up the food (both plant and animal), the creatures that come as they are to enjoy the food and the creatures that have so lovingly prepared it. This narrative reminds us of our interconnectedness, in life, in death and in the case of this conversation, the table.
This drive towards interconnectedness has informed my work with and in the food industry. It has served as a foundation for how we approach hospitality and community in our home. It fuels me as a farmer who grows and produces food as I see myself in direct service to my crops and animals, ensuring that they have access to an ultimately nourished life.
This fall and winter, I want to invite you to invest in a nourished table with us. Tables that honor all who are brave enough to come as they are with their own stories and experiences, recognizing that these narratives impact how each of us is able to receive and provide nourishment. Let’s create tables that approach these realities with kindness and curiosity that desire to love and be loved. I want to encourage you to remember that each of us has plenty to be nourished by through the interactions and moments we share with one another, realizing that we all have something to offer through our presence. Our interactions alone provide ample nourishment as we share through tears or laughter, a smile or a story.
Join me in honoring the many creatures that are represented in and through the table this season. Offering gratitude and welcome to the farmers and animals, your family and friends and all the many others that you may encounter through the hustle and bustle that threatens to overwhelm this time of year. And instead, may you pour yourself a glass of your favorite beverage, make a warm meal, no matter how simple and enjoy the nourishment that this beautiful life has to offer.
Cheers to you and yours,
Farmer Jess
