In March 2020, we took my mother-in-law on a cruise for her 80th birthday to celebrate with her sisters. The whispers on the ship became roars of confusion and upheaval. In the seven days we were at sea, we were turned away at the ports, and the news of COVID had become more than a quip on morning television. 

We returned to a whole new world filled with confusion, fear, and apocalyptic consumer behavior. We also came back to a community that saw people caring for their neighbors. Does anyone need some TP? I have six eggs to spare. People who had never met the family living next door suddenly showed up with a surprise can of Lysol they were able to grab at the store, limit one. 

We thought it would last a couple of weeks. We can handle that. But weeks turned into months, and the way we live, think, do business, and even educate our youth- everything changed. Evolved. 

What happened to me is a journey like so many: let’s plant something!

In my quest to learn how to keep my uncle’s award-winning Native New Mexico chile alive, I began to scour videos, books, and anything else that might help me understand this mysterious task. 

In the Fall of 2021, I had an epiphany-joining thousands, maybe millions of others who made life-changing decisions during that time. I had to do something about this problem I had encountered. We were losing soil at a faster rate than it was regenerating. 

This would be unlike anything I had ever done. It would require me to step further out of my comfort zone than I ever had before. I had no idea where it would take me or how hard some of those days would be…