Gratitude & Grass Fed Beef
As Grassworks Farm nears its first offering of 100% grass fed, grass finished beef to the public, I am presented with the perfect opportunity to reflect on and thank those people most instrumental in making this possible. Over the past four years, from contemplation through the execution, there have been a number of people whose efforts and contributions are worth noting. First and foremost, I have to recognize my wife. Without her willingness to take on an overwhelming amount of work in our household, to allow me the freedom to work toward the goals that we both shared, this would not be possible. In 2016, when our vision was taking shape and the wheels were put in motion, we could not have dreamed of what our lives would look like four years later. Although spontaneous triplets and five children four and under would have been a really good reason to put our plans on hold or to discard them all together, Danielle would not allow that to happen. She understood how important this was to me and the family as a whole. In addition to simply allowing me to do the physical labor outside, her thoughtful contributions to selling our products, her efforts in developing our online presence, and her overall encouragement and support have been truly necessary for us to arrive at this point. Next in line , I need to recognize the countless hours that my father has spent helping me with projects that I either didn’t have the knowledge or time to tackle. Additionally, I am so thankful for his willingness to engage with me in the mental gymnastics of how to approach all of the challenges that we have faced to this point. This, coupled with the importance of the unlimited use of his equipment/tools as if it were our own and his willingness to allow us to turn his very productive hay ground into our pasture simply cannot be overstated.
Next, I would be remiss if I did not mention that on this journey, through the numerous phone calls, emails, texts and trips to people all over the country, I have met and engaged with some of the kindest and most generous folks on the planet. From Gerry and Retha Bond here In McLeanboro, to Russ and Marcie Heerten in Springview Nebraska, to the Shaw family in Palestine IL, I want to express my gratitude to them. I’m grateful to each of them for taking the time to answer questions, give advice along with encouragement, and finally for establishing meaningful friendships. Last, but not least, I want to thank our friends and family who have helped in ways large and small.
