I'm a chocolatier/budding eco-farmer/letterpress artist, although right now I rarely make chocolate, my "farm" is 1/2 acre of parched, barren land that I've owned for barely 2 months (as of 06/08) and my letterpress is buried in a sea of boxes. 

I had a chocolate business, but it failed.  I have a new piece of property ready to be turned from dry weeds into a permaculture oasis but, in order to purchase it, we downsized our living area 1000sf and spent every last penny we owned and a good few we didn't.  So now I'm trying to get rid of at least 1000sf of stuff I hardly knew I had.  Thank heavens for Ebay and Freecycle!

Other than having my own small organic garden for the last few years, I know nothing about farming or permaculture other than what I have been able to glean from the net.  Which, actually, is quite a bit.  Back when I participated in the corporate culture, they called me "the sponge" for my ability to absorb and learn at a rapid rate whatever I needed to.  I have a somewhat obsessive personality so, in some ways, the instant assimilation of information comes naturally.  Unfortunately, my mind is a bit like a sieve and only retains the bits that I find interesting and immediately usefull.  Plus, we don't have any money left.  And the few days a week that my husband is home are his days off and it seems a bit harsh to push him into hard physical labor every time he comes home (he's a pilot for a regional airline).   Which means I'm trying to do this on my own with no money.  Oooph.

So, basically, I've started down a wholly new and unknown path.  And here's what I currently believe my "Grand Vision" is:

I will develop my land, using organic/permaculture methods & values, to its fullest potential and will utilize the resulting fruits, vegetables, etc. to nourish, expand and enrich the lives of local people who may not otherwise be exposed to organic products and principles by doing the following;

I own a very charming and beautiful horse.  Well, actually, I own two of them, but the one I'm talking about is a breed called a Haflinger.  They are a small draft breed from Austria and are incredibly charming and appealing to look at, as well as having wonderful, outgoing temperaments.  Mine is quite young but she has been broke to drive.  I know, sounds like bad english, but that's the phrasing that is generally used. 

My dream/vision is to get a horse trailer that I can load a small farm wagon and my horse onto and, every weekend, take Saffron (my Haflinger) and the wagon to a community that is in need and to drive her down the street and give out gift baskets of organic produce and to let the people in the community interact with Saffy and talk with me about the produce and how they can grow as much, or more, as a community. 

In addition, I would like to offer to come back the next month with more produce and the chance for them them to barter something they have created, whether it's a poem, a drawing, some knitting, artwork, a piece of writing, a family recipe, or whatever, in exchange for organic vegetable starts in pots, ready to grow in their back yard, or balcony or patio.  I believe that people will consistently rise to an occasion, given the chance and that the bartered items will, in turn, enrich the lives of everyone involved beyond expectations.

I would like to photograph the contributors, their contributions, and the expeditions, as well and, eventually, the vegetables and produce grown from the barter.

I would take these bartered items and, over the next year or two, incorporate them, as well as the photographs, into a book with 50% of profits, if there were any, going to ???  I think that where it would go would require some question asking to make sure that it would truly be of benefit somewhere.

It all sounds so grand when I read what I just wrote.  Especially considering that I can't even afford to buy seeds right now.    But small dreams beget smaller results.  I own the land, I have the will, the way is just currently obscured from me.

Someone recently said that I could probably make a pretty good living growing organic fruits and vegetables on my suddenly abundant (at least in a suburban setting) property.  The funny thing is that, although we worry about making the house payment every month, I don't WANT to make money from the land.  I feel a strange and compelling urge to make good on the land, to share my abundance.

I DO hope to make money as a letterpress artist.  Actually, I will NEED to make money that way.  But the land, well, it seems to be telling me that there are grander plans.  I have been blessed and I believe that it is my responsibility to share that blessing.

We'll see.

curious about me?  see my blog/website at      www.theobromapress.com