If someone was to ask you, “What are you passionate about?” would you have a quick response or would you have to ponder the question? The word passion can have some very strong emotions and connotations associated with it and can, in turn, require a person to take time in order to figure out exactly what fits that category. Some people discover a passion early in life and follow it for the rest of their days. Others may find it, but due to a myriad of reasons, they are unable to fully commit.

I was born into one of my passions but didn’t realize it until I was almost 30 years old.

I grew up on a small Green County dairy farm and once I graduated from high school I wanted to get away from home and explore the world beyond, and therein lies my second passion: travel. This passion was a main focus of my life during and after college. I was able to find opportunities that paid me to live and work/volunteer in other states and countries. It was sometime in graduate school, that my long dormant passion for agriculture began to emerge.

That was in 2006, since then my husband and I have put farming first and created a diversified farm which provides 100’s of families fresh, local, and organic produce during the growing season. We market our produce at several farmers markets, restaurants, and a community supported agriculture (CSA) program. From March until the end of October I am managing the seeding, transplanting, cultivation, marketing, harvesting, processing, accounting, and delivering of over 100 different varieties of fruits and vegetables on 7 acres.

It is often a challenge to find a work-life balance since farming is not a job, but a way of life. More difficult still, is finding time for my other passion: travel, which as you can probably see doesn’t mesh easily with farming. Thanks to my Soil Sister network of women in sustainable agriculture, I found out about a program called Farmer to Farmer (F2F). The F2F program is funded by US AID through the US Farm Bill to assist developing countries and middle-income countries around the world to increase farm production and incomes. It promotes sustainable economic growth, food security and agricultural development. Volunteer technical assistance from US farmers, agribusinesses, and cooperatives helps improve productivity, access new markets, build local capacity, combat climate change and conserve environmental and natural resources. Farmer-to-Farmer also aims to increase the American public’s understanding of international development issues and programs and international understanding of the U.S. and U.S. development programs.

Finding this program was my ticket to the perfect combination of my two passions. I am able to use some of my farming skills while at the same time seeing the world, interacting with people of other cultures, and gaining new insights into the differences and similarities between agricultural practices. Thus far I have traveled to Senegal and Ecuador to do in person assignments and during the height of the COVID pandemic I did a virtual assignment with a group in Kyrgyzstan. Fortunately, the assignments take place in the winter when my farming responsibilities are a lot less and I have time to focus my energies on other areas.

I think, and hope, many of us are searching for ways to make others happy, make ourselves happy, and be productive members of society. It’s often in random conversations or serendipitous assemblies that we learn about an opportunity that could accomplish any or all three of those tasks. For me, I relish the times that I am able to gather and visit with my fellow Soil Sisters to swap farming stories, livestock challenges, and agricultural opportunities. I hope, you too, can find people to connect with and who in turn will help you discover and/or dive more deeply into your passions.

— Katy Christensen Dickson is a full-time produce farmer near Browntown. She is also an Organic Crop Inspector and part-time teacher. When not on farm duty she can be found helping out with her kids 4-H club, completing home projects with her husband, and planning their next trip. If you are interested in the Christensens Farm CSA program and how you can receive fresh local produce during the growing season check out our website: christensensfarm.com. Soil Sisters, a program of Renewing the Countryside, connects and champions women in the Green County area committed to sustainable and organic agriculture, land stewardship, local food, family farms and healthy and economically vibrant rural communities.