Introducing Jesse from Dancing Badger Farm, in Alamosa, CO

Hi PJ,

You asked me where the name, Dancing Badger Farm, came from. From it an explanation of our farming philosophy arises. Badger, as I said, is something of a nickname for me, and I feel an affinity with them, as they’re earthy, rooted creatures that don’t seek out a fight but don’t back down when challenged and defend themselves fiercely. Few creatures mess with badgers. However, they are also surprisingly cooperative and have been observed forming bonds and hunting with coyotes, as well as cooperating with various other animals such as birds. Marlena came up with Dancing Badger as an encapsulation of how we wish to approach our work with the land. It’s not a brutalist, “clear everything off” approach to grow every last inch with monocultured cash crops. Rather, it’s an act of play, a give-and-take that seeks to obtain yields while improving soil, creating habitat and honoring the more-than-human neighbors we find ourselves living with. It’s a recognition that we won’t last long unless we can be humble enough to see we cannot seek to only take for ourselves—we must give back to the land in equal measure. We strive for mutual flourish with all life, not just sustainability for an economic system.

Jesse Marchildon, Dancing Badger Ranch. June,2021