10 Years From Now...

It's early summer in Colorado, and the cottonwoods have finished releasing their fluffy seeds across the farm. Every breeze sends them dancing through the air like tiny pieces of snow. Most evenings, my husband can be found on the porch with a leaf blower, determined to keep the fluff from hitching a ride inside on muddy paws.

It's Sunday morning, and I'm taking it slow.

Coffee in hand, I'm sitting in the little flower meadow we've planted beside the house, reviewing my handwritten notes from yesterday's farmers market. Sales were good, but more importantly, so were the conversations. I smile as I think about the familiar faces who stopped by to tell me how much they enjoyed the last jar they bought or what recipe they tried this week.

My beloved pup lets out a contented sigh beside me, thumping his tail against the blanket whenever I talk to myself out loud. He's older now and a little slower than he once was, but life on the farm has transformed him. He has become exactly what he was always meant to be—a true farm dog. Whether I'm feeding chickens, checking the drip irrigation, harvesting herbs, or simply wandering the property, he's never far from my side.

I begin mentally sorting through the few things I'd like to accomplish today. I need to send this week's CSA newsletter before lunch. The Black Beauty heirloom tomatoes are finally ready, and I can't wait to surprise everyone with them in this week's harvest boxes.

Then I realize something.

For nearly two decades, I built products, led teams, created systems, met impossible deadlines, and worked tirelessly to help other businesses succeed. Those experiences shaped me, and I'm grateful for them. But today, all of that knowledge serves something much more personal.

It serves this farm.

It serves The Pickle Witch.

It serves a life that reflects my values.

I hear my husband call from the back door. He's already poured me a fresh cup of coffee, and it's time for one of our favorite Sunday traditions—a long walk with the dogs before the Colorado sun gets too warm.

Life is wonderfully simple…

When I imagine my life ten years from now, I don't picture an endless list of accomplishments. I picture waking up excited to spend another day caring for the land, growing healthy food, creating beautiful products, and sharing them with my community.

In partnership with my husband, we steward a small sustainable farm that supplies The Pickle Witch and families throughout the Longmont area. My days are spent with my hands in the soil, face-to-face with my customers at local markets, and filling CSA boxes with food that was grown just steps away.

This is my dream.

Every jar of pickled vegetables I make today is one small step toward building it.

If you've purchased a jar, visited my market stand, shared a kind word, or simply followed along on this journey, thank you.

You're helping me grow something much bigger than a pickle business.