Farm Journal
In subtle and blatant ways, farmers are professionally discounted and personally discouraged. I adamantly believe agriculture can be a rewarding, and healthy full time career. By writing about my work and sharing my progress, I hope to show how organic farms and farmers enrich and strengthen the communities they serve. ~April
Joyful Farming is:
aligning life, land, and community
believing in power and possibility
restoring health and home
nurturing relationships
honoring abundance and vocation
celebrating creativity and change
“I love your newsletter. The produce is so delicious, but the spirit of the farm lives in how you both communicate with us. So grateful for you all.”
— April Joy Farm CSA Member
April Jones Thatcher Named 2022 National Organic Farmer of the Year
On May 9th, 2023 I was honored as the Organic Trade Association’s National Farmer of the Year. Because the awards ceremony was on the other side of the country and I have a farm to tend, I wrote a condensed version of this acceptance speech and pre-recorded it.
The Roots of Change
This week is quite a milestone for me. Friday will mark the completion of the fifteenth year of my farming adventure. Over the last fifteen years, I’ve been told a lot of things.
I’ve been told that bigger is better and yet in my heart I’ve always had a fondness for the small and precious.
The Ordinary is Extraordinary
A Farm to Heart Update
And speaking of extraordinary… take a look at what we’ve been up to in the last eight months.
We published our 2021 Impact Report.
LULAC Grows launched their advocacy video featuring our work.
Our Farm to Heart project and lead partner Staci Boehlke was profiled in The 74 Million, part of Aspen Institute’s Weave: The Social Fabric Project.
Nourishing Bites | Stacking Benefits Part III
Imagine a sixth grader and a farmer, connected by a tenaciously determined plant. They are miles apart, holding an extraordinary gift from this plant. Sweet pepper seed from the same uncertain harvest- unique in all the world. Yes. Holding sweet pepper seed and a mutual conviction of hope.
Nourishing Bites | Stacking Benefits Part II
A few simple changes (donated funds to purchase farm surplus, access to cooking classes, a talented chef) result in a whole plethora of positive outcomes? We’re talking benefit after benefit piled up as high as the produce on the most abundant farm stand table you can imagine!
Nourishing Bites | Stacking Benefits Part I
I’ve written about my love for stacking benefits- the idea that at the farm, labor can be a scarce resource so I am always looking from a management perspective as to what changes I can make or what systems I can set up or what infrastructure needs to be in place so that one change can result in at least two but hopefully many more benefits.
Community Voices
“Your writing is superb, April! Profound, insightful, clear, honest and generous - like you. I always find some wisdom to share with the kids or illumination of my own journey. Thank you.”