Dunn County's Racing Heart Farm, in Conversation
local creative and part-time farmhand KD Hackworthy chats with Racing Heart Farm owners
KD Hackworthy, photos by Alex Barber
Les Macare and Els Dobrick are first-generation Queer farmers with over a decade under their belts as a couple. After a humble first few seasons in Minnesota, they put down roots in Western Wisconsin. Today, Racing Heart Farm is a no-till, organic produce farm nestled on two acres in Dunn County. Writer KD Hackworthy, now a part-time hand at Racing Heart, sat down with Les and Els for a conversation on community and the intersection of Queerness and farming.
How do Queerness and the land intersect in your lives?
Les: We aren't making any choices based on the "norma" – the choices we tend to make are more rooted in how we want to move through the world and the things that bring us joy. It feels special to have a team of all Queer folks working on the farm, which is the kind of atmosphere we're calling into our lives. We expel so much of our energy and resources into the farm, so having it be a place that also meets our social and emotional needs is huge.
KD: When I decided to leave the city, it was because I wanted to create community at the intersection of Queerness & the land. After talking to Les & Els, it was a no brainer for me to (finally!) put my roots back down in the Chippewa Valley.
"The best thing about farming is farming with each other, and our relationship is the most important thing." –Els Dobrick
What is your favorite part about being a farmer?
Els: I love having the sky be my ceiling – being outside feels essential to my being. I feel like I've always been held by this land, and the attention I give to the trees and the birds comes back to me in a huge way. It's an amazing thing. I also love the logistical challenges – it's like a two-acre puzzle I get to constantly solve! It's so satisfying to put in so much care, and have something gorgeous and delicious at the end! I love the feedback we get, and the gratitude people express, to.
Les: We've had some of the same customers since we started, so we get to watch their children grow up. I've been doing this for 15 years, and I'm still learning all the time. I'm honing a craft, and I'm getting pretty good at it!
Els: The best thing about farming is farming with each other, and our relationship is the most important thing.
KD: What drew me to farming was a combination of being outside (what I like to call my “medical need”) and the ability to tend to my human & more-than-human connections. We laugh and share stories and delight in our abundance every day, all while working our butts off!
What does creating community, through both the food you grow and the land you steward, mean to you?
Les: Being a farmer is what we do for work, but it's not just our job. We’re curious and open about other ways to create community here, and we’re committed to doing so with an open, emergent framework. We want to build the future we’re dreaming of!
Els: We both went to art school, so creativity is rooted in how we move in the world as well. I feel this place can hold so much more than just our vegetable farm. We hosted our first basket making class this March, which felt like a revelation. We’ve been farming together for 12 years, and we’re ready for more – more community, more art, more creation.
What do you wish people knew about farming?
Les: We want people to know farming brings us immense joy! Seeing our food land in the hands of people that appreciate it and value it the way we do is a beautiful experience.
Els: Every farm is different, and we’re continuously learning & improving. You must be adaptable! Change is inherent to farming, it’s hard, and it’s the way of the world. …And we want people to know if you want the perfect zucchini, you have to pick it every 24 hours!
KD: In the past few months, I’ve been able to not only learn & delight in new skills, I’ve been able to nestle into the growing, gorgeous Queer community I know can thrive in Western Wisconsin. It is, truly, a bounty to behold.
Learn more about Racing Heart Farm and sign up for its CSA program at www.racingheartfarm.com. Keep up with the local farm on Facebook.