Why We Called It “Old Dog”

Is it true you only get one “heart dog” in a lifetime? The kind of dog who is less a pet and more the keeper of your family’s soul?

If you’ve seen our farm logo, you’ve seen Buddy. 

My daughter, Sierra, drew that sketch of him: spotty paws, long nose, greeting you with a wagging tail.

He was mistreated for his first three years, locked up on a small cement pad with little to eat. When he finally found his way to us, he was boney and weak. What would eventually become a shiny black coat was brown and ragged.

You know how sometimes you just know? 

There was something really meaningful in those eyes, something hard to describe… an eagerness to discover how delightful this life can be.

He spent the rest of his days making up for lost time:

• In the mountains, he was a Buddy Goat, following us up any rock scramble.

• Trailrunning, he would gaze out at the view as if saying, “This moment is so sweet, isn't it?" 

• When Sierra was born, he was there, steady and calm. He loved her (and licked her) so much we joked that Buddy thought she was his baby.

• As Sierra grew older, Buddy came to her whenever she was sad, laying his head in her lap. He gave the best kind of medicine. 

As we traded our skis and climbing ropes for shovels and seed trays, Buddy transitioned, too. He went from a high-altitude athlete to spending his days laying in the shade.

He watched as I planted the first seeds of this farm.

A year ago this week, he crossed the rainbow bridge. We planted a dogwood tree on his grave.

We named the farm after him because we wanted our food to represent what Buddy gave us:

Care.

Connection.

Awe at the wonder of life.

A deep sense of “home."

When you buy veggies from us, you’re supporting a farm that values those deep connections between the soil, our animals, and the families we feed.

We love growing with you!