By Lynn Kotrba, Executive Director 

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A year ago (March 31, 2018), ten ewes arrived at Harvest Hope Farm on a day that was less then desirable for road travel to and from White, South Dakota. Thanks to Jason and my brother, Jeff Cariveau, the ewes arrived safely to their new home at HHF and we began the biggest learning curve we have ever experienced! What we have learned this past year has put us on a quicker learning pace than either of our graduate school programs. Simultaneously, plans for the first season of Harvesting Hope for Others Farm Camp were just being finalized; we were entering a new journey of teaching children (that were not our own) about the outdoors in hopes of making a positive impact on them and those in our local area experiencing hardship.

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What a year it has been! Blessed by our amazing team member, Dr. Kim Vonnahme, we have learned to care for (most) aspects of our sheep. Lambing for the first time was an adventure filled with excitement and thankfully no problems. From docking tails to giving vaccinations and most recently shearing, we have learned things I never thought I would learn in my lifetime! Our praise goes out to student volunteers from NDSU who have helped and taught us along the way as well. We could not have done any of this without them and Dr. Vonnahme.

 

Of course, we will never forget about our first group of farm campers. Seventeen amazing kids, unique and filled with energy and hope. We learned much from them and were pleasantly exhausted after each night of camp! These children blessed many people with produce, people who otherwise may not have been able to afford it.

 

As the journey of HHF continues, our team and volunteers will continue to strive to bring hope to others. Whether it be for families experiencing Huntington’s disease who see hope in our sheep, through our Rosary walk for those who need time to pray in a peaceful environment, or for the children who attend Farm Camp and bless others through the work of their hands, we will continue to carry out our mission of bringing hope to others.

 

We would love for you to join us on this journey! Volunteers are always welcome! Watch our website and sign up to receive news in your inbox and follow us on Facebook @harvesthopefarm. Upcoming events include “Buckets of Hope” in May, a “Canning Carnival” in the fall, and our second annual fundraiser in September!