Shirts »
Irene
While working on the farm, Irene is kept
constant company by rescue dogs, Rex and Goût.
CSA farmer, Irene is an advocate of knowing where food comes from. Her life revolves around growing, preserving and cooking with wholesome produce cultivated in her very own field of a backyard.
And it's only natural.
Irene is a newly-minted CSA farmer, and with her husband Andy, she runs York Farm in Hutchinson, MN. Once Andy's parents' farm, it's nestled in an idyllic setting with large white barns, a beautiful view and the true, warm feel of home. There are green fields, stunning flowers and plants, historied farm equipment and unicycles resting in unexpected places.
Irene is a 9-time World Champion unicycler. She's traveled to countries like Norway, Germany, Switzerland, France, Croatia and Japan, and through unicycling — she even met her husband. Together, they started by using the farm as
A big time saver? Riding from field to field
and chore to chore on an all-terrain unicycle.
This year, Irene decided
to focus on farming full-time.
She took what she already knew, like what she learned from her host mom while studying abroad in France, and she added to it by learning as she went — on her own farm and while working at a neighboring CSA, Loon Organics. Some things that she's learned are simple like the prime time to pick produce and what parts of each vegetable are actually edible.
What has she learned
that isn't as simple?
Irene shows off her "new" tractor that's been
farming since long before she was born.
As a farmer, she needs to be as efficient as possible. She needs to think about what she is doing to eliminate erroneous steps and what can be done to make the work go faster. And with such a short and rushed peak season, she needs to prioritize.
Sure, she's learning as she goes, but Irene's priorities are clear. She's made the most of her talents, and through them — she's created a full life, a life that's brimming with family, good friends and — thanks to a lot of hard work, a life full of great food.
