SHEGROWS

WHAT'S BEHIND THE NAME?

After months of wrestling with words to create that perfect business name, I’m declaring SHEgrows as the name of our farm. It came to me from overhearing my husband in a conversation where someone asked him what I do for a living. Without a pause he responded, “She grows things—she grows gardens, schools, communities, children—if she could be in her garden all day she would.”  As a mom of two girls, and a product of the latch key kid era, I chose to leave the traditional 9-5 job ten years ago to be a mom first and foremost, and in doing so I found a great love for public service. Today, in honor of International Women’s Day, I declare Mothering as my life’s greatest work. 

And the mothering I’m talking about isn’t just parenting my offspring, I am talking about embracing the mother bear instincts that give women courage to bring the voice of the feminine to every table. And by table, I’m talking about our family’s kitchen table where brick walls are lovingly held to raise children to be responsible and compassionate people; or the school board table to discuss if teachers should carry guns in our schools; or at the city’s roundtable to ask for more public land to be used for community agriculture that could restore and sustain our agricultural land.

SHEgrows was chosen as the name of our farm, because I believe that when farms become whole, people will become whole, and for that to happen the feminine properties on our farms need to grow into a healthier balance.  It was also chosen because yes, there is a gal behind this idea who had brave women ahead of her, and also two growing little girls following her, one sweet baby niece and a compassionate nephew visiting her, and many girlfriends and sister-in-laws that will be learning, growing, and working alongside of her, but also several strong men—in particular her husband, her dad, and her brother—who are loving workhorses that believe in her abilities to take the reins. It’s a partnership, a team, and a family that believes we are stronger and better when we work together.

Here’s to the Mothering in us all,

Gina