Why everyone should try farming at least once in their life

You wake up to the sound of roosters. The sun is just rising which paints a picture full of deep pinks and oranges. As you rise up from bed, you take a deep breath and feel totally rested, fulfilled even. Today you're going to put your hands in the dirt again. You're going to harvest a ton of tropical fruit and at the end of it, get to sample at least 5 different kinds of mango. The smell of the ocean is never far away, since the farm sits about a half mile from it. It's just another day on the farm but it feels like another one of the best days of your life.

That small paragraph is what I came up with after closing my eyes and remembering what it felt like to work on a permaculture farm in Hawai'i. Prior to that experience I worked in finance. My grandparents back in Cuba had told me about farmers back in the day. They went through hardships that I couldn't wrap my mind around. They worked with the earth, fed their families and the families of others. They were happy with the little they had. How did these people who had so little find so much joy and satisfaction? I shopped at my local supermarket chain with no thought to where the food was coming from. Honestly I had very little appreciation for the food I was putting into my body. In fact, I didn't appreciate much of anything and real joy was kind of hard to come across.

I could write an entire blog post on how it is that I decided to try farming for the first time. My first experience was in March 2016 working on Maui. The farm I chose was a succulent nursery that grew vegetables for the WWOOFers that were staying there. I was there for a month. My 2nd farming experience was on a coffee farm. My 3rd experience was on permaculture farm. Both of those were on the big island of Hawai'i, which I lived on for a total of 10 months. There are so many benefits to working on a farm, so many feelings I had never felt before. Here are just a few:

• It increases your connection with nature and the world around you. Before I experienced farming I didn't really make any big picture connections. It was when my hands would be covered in dirt or I was enjoying a delicious fruit I had just harvested from the tree i'm standing under I would feel so connected. There was nothing better than looking at the days harvest then back out at the land that just provided it to you and feeling grateful. Gratitude was also one of my greatest lessons learned.

• Farming and growing food to feed your community is probably the feeling I enjoyed the most. We made such a difference by providing fresh, local food for the entire community to enjoy and benefit from. Being part of something greater than myself was also something that really fulfilled me. There was something beautiful about going into town on your day off and having everyone know you, everyone tell you that the mangos the farm presented at the farmers market this weekend were the best they've ever had.

• It helped my mental health in ways I never thought it would. Like I said previously, I worked in finance prior to trying out farming. I was constantly stressed, negative and so, so cynical. My coping mechanisms were not healthy. They were basically nonexistent. I struggled with anxiety and the inability to relax. Farming was the best thing I could have done for my mental health. There is a certain joy you feel when you see that seeds you planted a month ago have grown quickly into full blown, beautiful plants that will feed others. I also know that since I was consuming food that was grown locally, I was taking in the best kind of nutrition available which i'm sure was the bulk of the major changes that happened mentally. I also learned how to be patient, how to nurture myself by nurturing the land. You can't rush a seed to grow and you shouldn't rush yourself to either. Overall, my outlook became more positive.

There is something inherently human about farming. Perhaps the reason I felt so many changes is because I got back to my roots. I find that most of us have thrown ourselves into the modern day to day. This is why I recommend trying farming at least once in your life. You don't have to go as far as Hawai'i to do this. In fact, i'm sure that there's a local farm right by you that could definitely use your help. Depending on the season, there are many farms that use volunteer work to get things done. Running a farm truly isn't the most lucrative business which is why they are so appreciative of the help. Think about it: you help them with something they're passionate about and in the meantime, you get to experience something new and make a difference. I know of a couple of ways to find out more about your local farms.

• Local Harvest is a website dedicated to finding a farm near you. All you have to do is enter your zip code or have your location settings turned on. It will then show you on a map your local farms, CSAs, and farmers markets. Once you see a farm you like, you can email them regarding volunteer opportunities.

• WWOOF which stands for Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms. I am linking to WWOOF USA but if you do a quick search for 'WWOOF' you can see that there are opportunities to work on farms all over the world. They provide room/board and most will provide food of course. All that you have to pay for are your travel expenses. Not only do you get to travel somewhere new but you'll also travel with purpose.

• Visit your local farmers market. It really is that easy sometimes. Farmers ALWAYS need help especially in their peak season. This is also a really good way to talk to the people that are growing the food you're eating and make a connection with others. Start up a conversation with them then simply ask if they need any help on the farm.

I really hope that this post has inspired some of you to look into experiencing farming for yourselves. It was hard to condense what it did for me into just a few paragraphs. Drop a comment and let me know how I did. Also follow me on Instagram for more updates.