A self reflection by co-founder, Julie Jackson

Day 1: Why am I here?

Why am I here? 

To be inspired? To learn? To connect? To find my purpose? To save the world? To dirty up these fresh new Muck Boots?

I’m a small-town-turned-city girl. How can I expect to help farms if I first do not see it, smell it, feel it, taste it. See the kids running wild, barefoot in the grass; spraying – and later checking – myself for ticks; or hearing the squeal of resilient piglets being trampled unharmed; or walking through tall grass in morning dew; or smelling pig feed and dodging bull horns; or marveling at a next generation forest arise from clear cut; or feeling a cow’s tongue scrape against my jeans. (It feels like sandpaper, btw.)

Have I ever stored soil in my fridge out of duty? Had “chores”? Never mind 3x daily chores? Thought to honor an animal for its sacrifice when savoring a delicious filet mignon?

Have I ever sat, meditating in a pasture – naked of all assumptions, expectations and human control – and ask it what it wants?

Mother Nature knows exactly what she wants and needs — and just patiently waits for us to listen, feel, learn, and just let her be. Her intelligence has evolved over the millennia and has witnessed every human life that has ever existed.

Perhaps our duty is to learn from her wisdom and steward the land in harmony alongside the whole?

Every bit of nature has a purpose — each a purpose that it is uniquely marvelous at.

Fallen trees create a shelter for spiny brush to grow untouched. Save-havens of briars protect seedlings like a barbed wire shelter for them to emerge, only to later die under the tree’s shade when their job is done.

That is the cycle of nature – life, death and rebirth. Not killing. Not deciding what we want to live.

Nature is patient. She waits, and in time everything always gets done. Nature does what’s best for the whole.

So again, why am I, here? How on earth did I get here?

Me. In this place. At this moment.

The stars? Magic?

The earth is just one living thing floating in the abyss of space amongst millions of stars. How do we forget this?

I guess there’s something to be said for angels – or souls in any form – that just happen to cross your path for a moment — like a family who lives, breathes, feels, tastes life on a farm – truly connected to the earth.

For me, the regenerative movement is about healing the broken relationship between humans and nature. Connecting back to ourselves, each other and the planet we are a part of.

So how do we regenerate our way back into harmony?

Is that why I am here?

I won’t know, until I do.

Day 2: Why am I here?

Why I am here: Relationship.

This whole system, this goal, this mission, this planet, humanity, this business is all built on relationship.

The universe in all its magic, landed me on Timshel Wildland to befriend a family to add the missing link: a glimpse into how we may lend ourselves as a steward to those regenerating the earth.

I am exactly where I need to be.

Day 3: Why I am here.

It hits me for the first time ever — our Mother is in crisis.

While reflecting on my farmstay and watching Before the Flood on my flight home, I felt the overwhelming urge to cry. For the first time, these were tears of hope, not fear or uncertainty. Good people need to come together to accept our reality as fact and do better. 

Somebody needs to do something.
I am somebody. I am doing something.

I think it’s finally setting in: little old me, might actually have what it takes to make a difference. 

Small things make big things happen. If we can do hard things, surely we can do small things. 

I will never be the smartest person in the room, but I can fill the room with the smartest people. I can facilitate healthy debate, listen, unearth the shared vision for abundance, connection, love and peace. I can hear all sides. I can master my role in the middle — with the soul purpose to unite.

I will never sit first chair, but I can play the orchestra. I can lead by bringing harmony to the most talented humans I can find.

And why now? It feels right, necessary, urgent — it’s time to fight.

This is why I am here.

Let the journey begin…