Karen' Page: Let's Be Wonderful!
Glenn & I met in 1979, fell in love and our farm journey began. We married 30 years ago 3/21/81, the first day of Spring... and we planted our apple orchard during the Honeymoon! People have often asked me what is the secret of my success? I reply that success to me isn't measured by what most people think of when being asked that question... I reply, that I am a fulfilled woman ~ having my Faith in God, the love of my husband especially when he's looking into my eyes knowing that I am adored, cherished, loved and absolutely feeling the same for him, I am truly blessed. Having two sons with Glenn whom I cherish and living here surrounded by all this beauty, working with a great team... I could go on and on.... It's all about the "Aloha" and "Ohana" LOVE & FAMILY. I cherish time with my family, friends, employees & our International Agricultural Exchange Students whom we host here at our farm! My life is very full, rewarding & interesting. I also love meeting many people here at our farm and also at the farmers markets we attend. I have fun during our CSA day, especially with the kids ~ I love art and we provide an opportunity for our budding artists to bring out their creative side and have a gallery just for them where their art is proudly displayed. I also love the opportunity to educate children and have them occassionally work alongside me. This year, I will personally be mentoring a young woman teaching her about our sustainable agricultural practices and I am really looking forward to this. My Dad, was raised on his Grandmothers farm in Pennsylvania. His love for gardening/farming was passed on to me as he taught me how to garden pretty much since I could walk. In High School, I worked at a large greenhouse operation as a teenager and was deemed the fastest transplanter in the North East with my twin sister, Annie! Both parents taught me much ~ especially how to love & give back... I obviously have a passion for farming and love planting, also using my creativity wherever needed here ~ what gives me greatest joy is spreading love around our community quietly, with "Angel Raids". There are things close to my heart & one is participating on Agricultural Day annually at the State House, attending Ag Day is very important to me. Participating with Farm Bureau, speaking to Legislators alongside with my fruit grower farming friends ~serving up apple pie from Mann's Orchards & handing out Carlson Orchard & Cider Hill's award winning apple cider, we have an opportunity to share first hand about the value and importance of Mass Agriculture. The highlight for me during Ag Day is being able as one of a few invited guests to enter chambers of the Speaker of the House & Senate President, having opportunity to share about pertinent and pressing issues affecting Massachusetts farmers. Some of the things I am personally asked to share is about Cider Hills Renewable Energy & Sustainable farming practices and our involvement in farmers markets, and about what we do here at our farm and I enthusiastically share about agriculture! I also am often invited to speak with Glenn at conferences held throughout Massachusetts & New England and we have given presentations of what we do here at our farm with ~ Mass Ag in the Classroom, Vegetable Growers & Fruit Conferences and at Professor Holbrook's Entrepeneurship & Business class Endicott College, and many other events. We love to educate and share about everything innovative we are doing here at Cider Hill. This year we will be giving a presentation at Northeastern College. When asked during one conference in front of 900 attendee's on a panel of the Best of New England farmers, "What Business are you in" My direct reply to that specific question when it was time for me to speak, was that what we do here at Cider Hill is Cultivate, Nurture and Grow relationships, the by-product of the farm happens to be growing and providing our lovely fruits and vegetables and how we prayed when we first set foot on the soil and asked God to bless all those who stepped on the farm soil and that they would feel His presence and Love and we're bearing the fruit of that today. People who come and visit our farm, FEEL the love that is present. We began with our love, "bought the farm", planted our orchard during our honeymoon having only $500.00, a station wagon and a chain saw ~ and where we have grown today, and what we are doing for 31 years now, it's truly all about the LOVE. Another one of my passions aside from farming is hiking! I love hiking to obscure places with my husband, sons & friends... any time of year. I also love being creative with painting, making sea glass jewelry, knitting, may try a few new interests this year with photography and who knows! I Traveling abroad is also something I'd love to do more, having been to to Latvia I attending Intars wedding where I stayed on his Mothers farm and at the wedding met with the Prime Minister of Latvia complete with body guards! Glenn & I were at another wedding in Romania, where we met Ioan Ratsu, a former candidate for Presidency of that country ~ there were 1,000 guests who attended Ioan Chitas's ceremony! I Have been on two missions trips to Russia with our sons and a team from the Byfield Parish Church, we worked in orphanages. We've also traveld with our sons to other interns farms in the Netherlands, France and Belgium. I am addicted to a style of crossfit training working out at GymCore Crossfit, with trainer Greg Damigella who teaches me how to keep fit, eat right and is very knowledeable ~ I am keeping shape doing that, eating Paleo, gluten free & am thankful for my Chriopractor Dr. Steve Franson, in Beverly! I enjoy walking and when I can, I go hiking in the White Mountains of NH ~ Kaua'i, Hawaii and on rare occasion, sailing, I LOVE the sea. Phat Cats is my absolute favorite restaurant in Amesbury and Flatbreads, well ~ that's awesome too! & my best kept secret, shall I share? Okay, it's Ovedia Chocolates, need I say more? What's life without chocolate? If I'm not at the farm, I'm usually there! Come, introduce yourself and become part of our Cider Hill Family ~ Aloha!
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