If Luke was a medicinal plant, he would be Lemon Balm, bringing a sunny uplifting energy with him wherever he goes. His catchphrase ‘You’re doing great’ has caught on and is usually said by someone in the crew at least once a day. Besides being a cheery member of our crew, Luke is a talented musician, avid cyclist, rock climber, and a great dancer.
Luke started his path of farming on a biodynamic permaculture homestead in Colorado. He continued to explore agriculture while he was going to school for Geology at ASU, volunteering at ATG once a week. After a short stint on an aquaponics farm in Hawaii, he returned back to Boone and began working at ATG full time as our ‘Greenhouse Guru’ in March of 2022. When reflecting on the greatest take aways from the season, Luke talks about how important the experience of living in community has been for him. He has greatly enjoyed our weekly biodynamic bookclubs and the chance to learn Non-Violent Communication during our monthly workshops. He also loves getting to connect with the animals in a meaningful way, especially with the pigs, never shying away from the opportunity to wrestle or cuddle with them. Honoring the great opportunity that is raising animals for slaughter, he values building relationships with them as an integral part of getting to eat his favorite foods: pork chops and sausage.
In his role as Greenhouse Guru, he has spent a lot of time in solitude tending to the seedlings in the greenhouse, a place he likes to call‘The Cathedral’. He feels grateful to have learned a great deal about what plants like and how they function by getting to observe their first stage of life so closely. Bea (one of Andy and Holly’s daughters) has built a close friendship with Luke this season and you can often find the two of them listening to Harry Potter books in the greenhouse together.
Although you would never be able to notice, Luke is often in a lot of pain due to having Legg Calve Perthes disease (LCPD) which caused necrosis of his hip when he was nine. While it can sometimes provide a challenge, he is grateful for the experience of farming to keep him moving and strengthening his body.
Luke plans to get a hip replacement next spring and then wants to do a big bike packing trip and travel somewhere far away. He knows with certainty that he will end up back on a farm, wanting to continue living in connection with the seasons, living a life that feels purposeful, and caring for the earth and animals. He wants to dive deeper into biodynamics, permaculture design, and agroforestry.
PS: his spirit vegetables are turnips and scarlet amaranth.