My 13 year old son has the heart of a farmer. He loves planning, envisioning, designing, growing, nurturing and harvesting. In fact, our neighbor (and good friend), John, calls him “Farmer Grant”. Grant’s always outside, riding the tractor, mowing grass, collecting hay, feeding animals, pounding T stakes, cleaning up or giving our sheep “scratchies”. If you ever see Grant indoors, he’s usually either eating food or impatiently pacing the floor waiting for his next farm project idea. I adore Grant because he is my farm friend and we love spending time together outside.

If there’s “farmah drama” (ALWAYS!!), we figure out together what’s causing it. We dream together about growing lavender, sunflowers, sorghum, and hominy. We looooove projects. We’re both dreamers and doers. Grant isn’t afraid to use power tools or get all sweaty and dusty. He astounds me with his innovative farm solutions. I couldn’t imagine Chehalem Prairie farm without him.

And do you know another 13 year old who asks for farm tools and farm equipment for birthdays? Like I said, he’s got the heart of a leather-handed, muddy-booted, sweaty, tender-sweet, 1850s farmer.

P.S. That other thing in the picture is my go-to garden tool. Great for busting up rocky soil, weeding, and planting. It helps me get a lot done, but not as much as Grant does.