On the podcast last week, we had the privilege of speaking to Clara Coleman of Four Season Farm. In it, she mentioned the good work she’s doing through an initiative, Real Farmer Care. We’ll let her explain it…

WHO STARTED #REALFARMERCARE, AND WHY?
My name is Clara Coleman, and I am the farm manager at my family's farm Four Season Farm http://fourseasonfarm.com/real-farmer-care/ in Harborside, Maine. As a second generation farmer, I wanted to give back to my community of fellow farmers. My father inspired me to share farming knowledge and ideas and candy carrots, and my mother, to live life with an open and generous heart. This new decade brings an opportunity to share my heart and honor my Real Farmers MANIFESTO. My MANIFESTO acronym is Make connections, Ask for support, Nurture yourself, Inspire others, Family farming fun, Educate yourself, Serve others, Trust in nature, Own your story. For 2020, I made a commitment to show up and Serve Other Farmers this year. In this spirit, I created a #RealFarmerCare donation fund to help farmers feel cared for by the community. Donations come from anyone who feels compelled to be of service to farmers. A donation of any size gives back to farmers for all their hard work growing and raising the delicious and healthy food that nourishes us.

WHERE DO THE DONATIONS GO?
Every dollar donated goes into the hands of farmers. Farming is hard work and it is not easy being a farmer. It's especially hard during the early phases of starting up a farm, with the enormous hurdles to accessing land and capital, building infrastructure, and the daily operations and management of a farm. It's necessary to work incredibly long hours to do what they love—growing good healthy food, caring for animals, building community, protecting our land, water, and environment, and raising a family. These farmers rarely have extra funds on hand to prioritize themselves and provide the self-care that they need.

WHY DO FARMERS NEED THESE FUNDS?
I believe small-scale farming is a public service that heals the planet. Our dedicated and hardworking farmers need intentional care and random acts of kindness. A few extra bucks can help them prioritize self-care activities like treating themselves to a delicious dinner at one of the restaurants where they supply local products. Or a deep tissue massage for their overworked muscles or a family fun day outing or a date night with their partner while their kids have a babysitter or even a new pair of boot insoles for their tired feet—and the list goes on. We can show our immense gratitude to farmers for growing and raising the nourishing food that fills our bellies. The more we care for our farmers, the more successful they can be at caring for us and the land.

HOW DO FARMERS GET FUNDING?
If you are a farmer (or you would like to nominate a farmer to receive a gift): 
1. Contact me directly realfarmercare@gmail.com.
2. Ask for what you need to feel cared for in the $50-$100 range.
3. Provide a photo of you on your farm.
4. Include a couple of sentences about your farm - its history, its beauty, its challenges - and what it means to your heart and your community.

I will allocate these donated funds as they become available by the generous donations of this community. They will be sent directly to you via PayPal or Venmo. Then I will share photos and stories of farmers who receive a @RealFarmerCare gift on Instagram and Facebook. That way we can all celebrate farmers’ stories and show this community just how much these donations matter.

This is my commitment to you and to farmers. Let’s keep showing up and serving each other.