Embracing Tomorrow
The Vision for York Meadow Farm
Welcome back, dear readers, to the third and final installment of our series,”🌱 Celebrating Our Journey.” Before we dive into the exciting prospects for the future of York Meadow Farm, we’d again like to express our gratitude for your unwavering support throughout our endeavors over the years.
In our very first post, we went on a nostalgic journey, recounting the humble beginnings of York Meadow Farm and the pivotal moments that shaped our path to the very first farmers’ market we attended.
Our second post shared our history over the past decade, from the first few seasons at market, to the beginning of our homestead adventure and the family collaboration that made it all possible. We also learned about how engagement with our community blossomed from hosting workshops to launching our tenant farmer program. In the second post we also explored the roots of our fermented food operation, the establishment of a commercial kitchen right here at York Meadow Farm and the continued legacy.
In this concluding chapter of “🌱 Celebrating Our Journey”, we peer into the horizon of what lies ahead for our beloved farm and homestead. The seeds of transformation have been sown, and as we nurture them with dedication and vision, new opportunities grow. We look forward to sharing our ideas with you about the co-op business model, agritourism, WWOOF opportunities and even AirBnB and Hipcamp sites.
In today’s post, you’ll also be one of the first to witness the official launch of our “Natural Ferments” brand logo, and learn about the business restructuring that is currently taking place to better position ourselves for the future. As far as the future is concerned, we hold dear the legacy of our late father and husband, whose vision continues to guide us. The establishment of “The Kaiser Preservation Trust” ensures that York Meadow Farm will remain a beacon of inspiration and community gatherings for generations to come.
We invite you to join us in envisioning the future of York Meadow Farm with us and to reflect on the journey that has brought us to this moment. Thank you for being an integral part of our story. If you haven’t already, we’d encourage you to revisit our earlier posts linked to above to fully appreciate our story.
Please enjoy - for we very much enjoy sharing it with you.
Upon concluding our last blog post, we spoke about how the holidays allowed us some time to reflect. During that time spent together and during our routine family meetings since Dad’s passing, we’ve been discussing a lot of different ideas to continue the growth and development of our homestead. Like we mentioned in the introduction to this blog post, one of those ideas was a cooperative business model.
Over the last +10 years, York Meadow Farm has gone from a humble booth at a farmers’ market, to what has effectively become a farmer-owned co-op. By the end of the 2023 calendar year, there were three established and separate businesses operating off of the land which has become known as York Meadow Farm, and during recent family meetings, we are all in agreement that this is only the beginning.
You may be asking…
What is a Co-op?
Co-ops are producer- and user-owned businesses that are controlled by -- and operate for the benefit of -- their members, rather than outside investors. The co-op business model is highly flexible and can address a wide variety of needs. Farmer-owned co-ops help producer-members market and process their crops and livestock, and secure needed production supplies and services.
One of these businesses involves the rebranding of our fermented foods line to “Natural Ferments.” The initial rebranding has since blossomed into an entirely separate business. Natural Ferments is operating as a business independent of York Meadow Farm, but in partnership with York Meadow Farm – much like our current Tenant Farmer. We are operating as a co-op in the truest sense of the word and we love dreaming of the opportunities the cooperative business model presents for everyone.
The Natural Ferments logo has been finalized and the business transition is almost complete. The readers of this newsletter are the first to see and experience the new look accompanying The Kraut Guy’s recipes.
We are proud to introduce you to the new look of Natural Ferments…
It is bittersweet to write and reflect on the changes with the passing of Bob (aka “The Kraut Guy”) last year, for he was not able to witness some of these transitions come to fruition – but we feel comfortable sharing these developments with you, because this was often the topic of discussions had over family meals together or after a long day of work in the kitchen or after a farmers’ market.
We were always wondering:
“What’s next?”
This is a great question. We have come so far from where we began. We did not start this journey intending to do the things we are currently doing. We are following the path outlined for us as we do our best to do the next right thing – living honest, open-minded and willing lives. We know not what the future has in store for us – but are confident that the next ten years are going to be far more exciting than the last ten years.
York Meadow Farm can support people who wish to homestead, but do not have the resources to do so on their own. We began doing so years ago when we first took on a tenant farmer, and we are hopeful we can expand with other people or young couples interested in participating in what we have to offer. We are interested in growing and developing our land in a number of different ways, including, but not limited to agritourism.
Agritourism
Agritourism is a form of commercial enterprise that links agricultural production and/or processing with tourism to attract visitors onto a farm, ranch, or other agricultural business for the purposes of entertaining or educating the visitors while generating income for the farm, ranch, or business owner.
We're also considering exploring the possibility of becoming hosts within the Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) community. Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) is a worldwide movement to link visitors with organic farmers, promote a cultural and educational exchange, and build a global community conscious of ecological farming and sustainability practices. Over the years, we've had the pleasure of meeting several "WWOOFers," and we're eager to explore the potential opportunities within this community further.
Additionally, we see potential in developing AirBnB and/or Hipcamp sites on our land. There's a growing interest among individuals living the full-time nomadic lifestyle in RVs or vans, seeking to deepen their connection with homesteading. Similarly, there are those on "The Royal Path," desiring to connect with like-minded individuals, build community, and embrace a simpler, ascetic lifestyle akin to the ancient Desert Fathers.
Furthermore, we're continually discovering unforeseen opportunities within our lives and on our land, which will endure for generations. Recognizing this, Dad and Mom established "The Kaiser Preservation Trust," ensuring the legacy of York Meadow Farm while providing opportunities for others to create their own legacies. We're grateful for your involvement in this journey. Thank you for being a part of it all.
We love sharing our farm and homestead with you, and thank you for being part of the story.
Here’s to a bright future together.
The York Meadow Farm Co-op
