Young farmers have it hard—it’s hard to buy land, and it’s hard to start something from scratch that tends to span generations. Add on setbacks like student debt, immigration and institutionalized discrimination, and you’ve got yourself a mountain to climb right from the beginning.
Liz Brownlee co-founded the Hoosier Young Farmers Coalition in 2016 with the idea that all of this can be just a little bit easier when you have friends to share the struggles and rewards of starting a farm.
Their monthly potlucks and impromptu music sessions took a hit when COVID struck, but they haven’t stopped advocating and helping each other move forward.
In this interview, Liz talks about what it means to be a young farmer today, and what keeps her going through the good times and the hard times.
Follow Liz and Nate's farm at Nightfallfarm.com.
Learn more about the coalition at Hoosieryfc.org, and on Instagram at @hoosieryoungfarmers.
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This story is part of the podcast Growing in Place, produced and hosted by Violet Baron with editorial support from Elaine Monaghan and the team at Indiana Environmental Reporter. We are a production of Indiana University’s Center for Rural Engagement.
Listen to the interview on this episode of Earth Eats.
