The Pursuit of an (Im)Perfect Agriculture with Mark Kimball

The Soft Focus

Mark Kimball farms at Essex Farm in Essex, New York with his wife, Kristin, and their children and farm employees. Essex Farm is a “free choice, whole-diet, year-round CSA” in upstate New York, and, as you’ll learn on this episode, so much more.

Mark is a thinker, and someone who is unafraid to take an unpopular opinion. He muses on difficult topics related to the “regenerative” movement, and asks questions that we are still pondering— even weeks after recording this podcast. Mark’s perspective correlates with so much of what we aspire to at Late Bloomer Ranch, and taps into the essence of what it means to farm and attempt to steward a brighter future.

Dip into the root of it all, and reconnect with the essential elements of tending land with Mark Kimball.
Corinne and Mark discuss:

• How he got started farming
• Why farming is everything mining isn’t
• Farming as an art form
• Why Mark is triggered by the word "regenerative"
• Mark's experience of removing industrial farming techniques to improve food quality
• The importance of trying to persevere in the face of failure
• Shah of Shahs by Ryszard Kapuscinski
• Pig Earth by John Berger
• How independent communities are anathema to a global politic
• Mark's experience trying to live up to his own land ethic
• The idea that to farm better, we need to be healthier
• How reaching out to others in a real and meaningful way may be the most important health habit of all
• Mark’s practice of saying "good morning”, and, greeting all the complexities that we are facing
• The power of the question: “Am I open to a childlike state of mind in my life?”
• Exploring a life of depth versus breadth
• His wife, Kristin Kimball’s amazing books
• And so much more.

To find out more about Mark and his farm, visit essexfarmcsa.com
You can also connect with him on instagram @farmerkimball

And as always, we’d love to hear from you. Did you love this episode? Did it make you think? Let us know. Reach out via email [e-mail] or on Instagram @latebloomerranch
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See you next time.