CREATE & CONQUER

At the turn of each year, I like to choose a word to champion the 365 days to come.  Last years’ word was Create.  When you choose to build focus around a word, it naturally shifts your mindset during times of pondering, reservations, or questioning. The word comes to you like a whisper in the wind, or an echoing bang of a gong. During 2025, I woke up to notice how often I felt the need to create, and how often I chose to ignore it. I noticed how easily this farm curates creativity. From the simple things like creating a belt out of baling twine, to the miraculous things like creating a birthing center for mamma pigs on the land. 

The most inspiring moment of 2025 was watching my Mother tackle her own battles around the word. In late Fall she had surgery on her back.  If you know my mom from the farmers markets attended over the past 25 years, you may know some about her background. She’s always worked hard. From putting long hours in at the local factory, to spending 50 years working on the farm, or at the farmers markets.  Her active lifestyle in the pastures is one of the brightest memories I carry from my childhood.  She is superwoman.

The back surgery stifled mobility, which forced her to spend more time home than working with me at the farm office. This at times drove her mad, but she settled into a different routine, a routine that sparked a creative fire.

For Christmas she was concerned about not being able to get all her shopping done for the grandkids, and instead relied on one of her God-given gifts.  She’s always loved to paint, draw, and create pictures. This love faded into the back of her full heart once she had four kids and a farm.    

But not this year - this year she chose to Create.  She found inspiration from photos sent within our chaotic family group chat.  The first was of her two bright blonde grandkids holding up a couple prized possessions from their latest hunt in the woods.  Her pencil hit the pad daily to recreate some of her favorite photos of each kid.  From sketch to paint, hours were spent refining her creations. One evening she lost all sense of time, and spent over 6 hours at the canvas.  

As she gifted the kids paintings during our family Christmas celebration, I went to read out loud the Bible verse she had written on the back of the canvas, and I couldn’t stop myself from crying. My emotions caught me by surprise in the moment, but with thought I later understood - how powerful, meaningful, and thoughtful it was to watch her Create. And how precious it is tha

t my children get to see their selves through her eyes.

I encourage you all to say yes more often to the urge to make something, whatever it may be. It could change the course of a moment, a day, or a year.

Now, for 2026…choosing a new word this year took a little more time.  I know our farm has new projects in the mix, and I foresee challenges.  Challenges that I’d like to avoid most days - so this year I am getting a little more aggressive, and I choose CONQUER.