FarmRaiser launch!

Today the Runamuk FarmRaiser gofundme campaign launches to raise funds for the down-payment on the property that will become the home of Runamuk and the pollinator conservation farm that I have long envisioned. Eeeeeeeeek!

The Man Woman in the Arena

I’m taking a deep breath and putting myself once more in the ring to fight for this dream. It’s both exhilarating and terrifying to be in such a position, at the mercy of so many factors beyond my control, and yet I must give it all I’ve got. Against all odds I was called to beekeeping and pollinator conservation, and against all odds I have grown my farming business even as a landless farmer. I have chosen to commit myself to the same economically depressed region of Maine where I was born and raised, and have bootstrapped my way to this arena. I just need a little help to get there.

Here is the link to the GoFundMe page for the Runamuk FarmRaiser campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/runamukfarmraiser

It’s been a long, hard scrabble, but I’ve built my business slowly and carefully to the point where Runamuk is now generating enough income to warrant investment in real estate. We need a property where we can dig in, plant perennials and begin to cultivate this pollinator haven, putting into action all of the techniques I have learned for bee-friendly farming and leading the way for other farmers to take up a bee-friendly approach to farming too. I

This conservation and demonstration farm will allow Runamuk to host a wide spectrum of workshops, tours with the public, school field trips and family picnics. With winding paths through the gardens it will be a place of revelry for the beauty and wonder of nature. Our approach to farming will inspire others to start their own journey toward a more sustainable lifestyle.

After searching for years, I can’t help but wonder if it is fate at work, or mere serendipity that the Swinging Bridge Farm became available just as the Runamuk FarmRaiser was about to go live.

Later this morning Paul and I will be going to see the old farmhouse in New Portland. I can hardly believe that the sellers have already agreed to my drawn-out timeline for finalizing the sale of the property. Because I am a farmer and am unable to receive financing with a regular bank, I’m working with the USDA’s Farm Service Agency. As you can imagine, any government program comes with a lot of hoops to jump through, hurdles to overcome, and it’s a slow process. I know most people don’t have the luxury of waiting so long for a sale to go through.

I’m a bundle of nerves and fairly quivering with excitement as I wait for the time to come to meet what could possibly be my forever-farm. Could it be? Is it she? The one I am destined to love for the rest of my life? The land that I will give myself to, to sweat and bleed over, to love and cry for─til death do us part?

How you can help

1. FOLLOW: Follow this blog by email. Follow us on facebook, instagram, twitter, linked, or pinterest to follow our journey and learn more about how you can BEE more friendly.
2. SHARE: Share the blog with friends and family. Share the Runamuk FarmRaiser gofundme link with your networks to help spread the word about my mission to create a pollinator conservation farm. It’s a small thing, but it really makes a big difference and it would mean the world to me. And it’s a FREE way to support Runamuk.
3. PARTY! If you’re in the state of Maine, and especially if you’re local─come to my FarmRaiser Party on Sunday October 1st! Good food, good beer, good music, and good company. What more could you want? All proceeds go to the Runamuk FarmRaiser campaign.
4. DONATE: If you can afford to and are inspired to help bees, consider donating to our gofundme campaign. I’ve come up with some great bee-friendly perks to show my appreciation, including bee-themed refrigerator magnets that friends at Johnny’s Selected Seeds are helping me to paint, bumper stickers, honey, reserved spots in future workshops, and more! [paypal-donation]

Runamuk is already a force within the community here in central Maine. But I know I can do more; I’m ready to take this next step and grow my business into this powerhouse of a conservation center. Please join me on this journey; become my brothers and sisters in arms, and take up the fight. Together we can save bees and save the world.

Check out the Runamuk FarmRaiser gofundme page and please consider sharing our story with friends and family!