Spotlight on: Local Farmer Aaron Mick

 

Aaron Mick is a farmer…..and a construction worker….a husband to his wife, Lyndsye , and a dad of soon to be six children.   As I spoke with Aaron on a sunny spring morning some of those children weaved in and out of his legs.  It is obvious that his family holds the center spot of his life…farming is a close second. 

He spent the summers in Ohio on a dairy farm, where he is became accustomed to muddy boots and hard work.  Currently he farms on a few acres around his home and leases 20 acres in St. Cloud where he grows crops to sell to local markets.   You’ll find him peddling his boxes of produce to some restaurants and local outlets.   “A face is worth a 1000 words,” he says speaking of this way to sell local establishments.  He meets the chef in many cases and more importantly, the chef meets the farmer of his food purchases. 

Aaron is passionate about keeping business with our local economy.   “I buy local even if I can get it a bit cheaper elsewhere.”  He’d like to see local food in our stores, schools, and marketplaces.  But farming is a gamble.  “Every time I plant, I count on losing it…that’s reality, “ he states matter-of-factly.  And he knows what he’s talking about.  His acres of green beans had to be plowed under this spring because of drought and bug infestation.   There went a good chunk of income for his farm improvements, future crops, and family needs. 

Yet he still has a smile and a dream. That dream is to farm about 400-500 acres.  My bet is that he achieves it.....with his family working right beside him.

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