Living Sustainably: My Government Job Makes Me an Anarchist Farmer

Two years earlier, just before admitting she hates this job, Kati hears their tiny splashes.

Hundreds jump above the stream. These special minnows are the only fish who eat flying insects. Red and yellow racing stripes on their sides flash in the sun.

Saving the Redside Dace in southern Ontario is the project’s purpose.

Supposedly.

The stream used to pass through an old culvert stirring up sediment. But dirt-filled water kills minnows. After the culvert is replaced, Kati and crew stabilize the banks to end erosion.

The sun warms her brown hair as breezes bring whiffs of forest musk.

Kati plants dogwoods beside the murmuring stream. Their roots will stabilize the bank. Shade will cool the stream. Fallen leaves will become fish food.

This is a delightful task for a nature-lover. A peaceful “day at the office.” The perfect job.

Kati looks around and takes in the magic of the forest. This should be the perfect job.

A startling roar with diesel stench explodes into Kati’s magic natural world! Shocked, she looks over her right shoulder.

“But the fish!” she pleads to nobody’s ears. In a gesture of frustration, she bonks her forehead with her left palm.

An excavator takes a humongous scoop from the clear stream bed. Flowing sediment rushes everywhere, swirling with menacing confusion.

Once fresh water is now minnow-consuming chocolate pudding.

The ground shakes. Is it the machinery? Or Kati’s anger sneaking up on her again?

“Why can’t he go easy with that machine? So they all don’t have to die?” she wonders.

The little tree in her dirty hand may agree. Seeing the black grit in her palm, she wonders if her forehead now matches the color of her hand.

Though this beautiful young woman isn’t concerned with such vanity. A quick swipe with her black shirt and she looks at the fish.

Kati’s heart drips sadness into the water, trying to revive the little creatures.

“Do these people know what they’re doing? For that matter, what am I doing here!” Kati stares into the murky water.

“Poor fish. Poor dead fish.”

She grabs another seedling and shovel.

Kati remembers how this all started years ago. It’s the Discovery Channel’s fault.

As a child, she’s intrigued by wildlife professionals capturing animals. They document, tag and let the vulnerable creatures go. Kati imagines traveling on life-saving safari adventures. She will protect animals when she’s older.

In college, Kati chooses the fish and wildlife program. Her favorite course is a sustainable agriculture internship. She learns to live and work on a farm in harmony with nature.

Her internship focus is herbal remedies and edible weeds. She discovers one may eat most garden weeds. Though not all are tasty.

Years later, Kati will lay pulled weeds on garden paths. These keep other weeds from growing. Plus, this nourishes the ground for future growth.

After years of work, Kati’s college degree qualifies her as a fish and wildlife technologist. She knows how to save natural habitats.

Kati remembers shouting into the phone last year. “Mom, I got a job! With the regional conservation authority.”

“Congratulations, Kati.”

“So many people want this job. I’m lucky to get it.”

“What will you do?”

“Wetland reclamation and habitat restoration. I get to save animals and fish by fixing their environment.”

“That’s my daughter, the animal lover.”

Sadly, Kati’s enthusiasm is soon dashed on the rocks of government contractor reality.

Kati picks up another seedling and inspects it.

These fragile petite roots will spread for meters in all directions. This twig will grow high into a magnificent tree.

Pulling final crumbs of moist dirt from the hole, Kati lets it sift through her fingers. The intoxicating earthy aroma lifts her imagination. She thinks back to yesterday.

The project manager stands in a clean grey T-shirt surveying new rocks on the bank. “This is a mess. Hey Mike, grab a hose and wash this dirt off the rocks.”

“Wash off the rocks?” asks Kati’s confused coworker.

“That’s what I said. I want this to look good if some random taxpayer drives by.”

“Uh, OK. Whatever you say, boss.” Water squirts over the rocks. Sediment cascades toward the river’s doomed areal acrobats.

Usually, screen sediment barriers are erected at river’s edge until vegetation grows. For this project, the barriers are cut to save money.

Kati’s heart hears the Redside Dace struggle to survive death-by-sediment. Her deep connection to nature compels her to speak up.

“Hey boss, shouldn’t we let rain gradually clean the rocks? Washing dirt into the river kills the fish we’re supposed to save.”

“No, Kati. Waiting for nature takes too long.”

“But we don’t have sediment barriers. If we kill the fish to make it look nice, aren’t we defeating our purpose?”

“Taxpayers want it to look good. Plus, I will come in under-budget,” he smiles, pleased with himself.

Kati walks away, holding in her exasperation. Beyond his earshot, she sarcastically mutters, “It HAS to look good. It HAS to save money. Who cares if our restoration kills fish to save ‘em!”

How long can she keep her disgust quite?

Today’s cooling breezes can’t blow it away. The sour taste of yesterday’s dialogue with the boss lingers.

Kati pauses her planting to stare into bubbling waters. Tiny Redside Dace jump above the water like little dolphins grabbing lunch.

Her heart aches for them. Watching her dancing friends, Kati remembers back. Her love of animals starts as a little girl.

Kati grows up in Newmarket, Ontario. Her dad’s home has over 20 pets. A quick tour shows:

3 dark green turtles
3 squeaky adorable guinea pigs
2 fuzzy scampering hamsters

2 wet long-tailed newts
several hiding tree frogs
a couple loud red-bellied toads

6 cats on pest control

The cat-count begins at 5, until a stray has kittens under a neighborhood bush. Other families snatch up the adorable kittens. Nobody wants mamma.

Kati’s family adopts the rejected one.

Growing up, Kati’s inherited love of animals increases exponentially. As an adult, she surely cares about Redside Dace minnows more than all crew members put together.

Especially when they’re dying!

Planting saplings is therapeutic today.

Working alone gives time to think. “I finally have my perfect job. Hate to think I made a mistake and have to start over.”

Lost in thought about her life priorities, Kati doesn’t notice the emptying box. In time, her tired legs enjoy walking to the truck for more life-giving starters.

She remembers back a month to another project. Workers often hear, “We’re over budget.” To save money, the boss cuts corners. Free soil comes from a construction site.

Weeks later, grass grows. Then the project boss surprises the crew. “Today’s task is raking this grass.”

“Shouldn’t we mow it first?” suggests Kati.

“The lawnmower broke because of the brick pieces, wires and glass.”

Kati whispers to her friend Sandy, “So the money saved on free dirt will pay us to clean the junk out of it.”

“Yeah. So much for saving money ‘cause we’re over-budget.”

After five raking days, a dozen debris piles testify to poor planning. Yet, even with money wasted, the project comes in under budget. The crew boss smiles, pleased with himself.

But the crew is annoyed.

Sandy finally arrives to help Kati plant the dogwoods. Thankfully.

Dirt on Sandy’s hands and once blue shirt matches Kati’s. Before long, Kati blurts out her thoughts.

“I’m upset! Government work should make a difference. But this contractor wrecks more animal habitats than it fixes!”

“I hate it, too, Kati. But that’s what you get when you give projects to independent contractors.”

“You got that right. Crew bosses fight for permanent positions. All that matters is making it look good and saving money so they’re promoted.”

Sandy adds, “And we can’t speak up about best practices we learned in school. They’ll replace us!”

Kati wipes her hands on her blue jeans and stands up straight. As if making a speech, she calls out sarcastically.

“We make it look like we’re doing great things. And not spending money. Then we’re funded to keep doing it. Because we’re soooo good at it.

“But the fish are dead!”

Sandy applauds, adding, “I took this job to learn about habitat restoration. But everyone is so competitive, nobody shares the info.”

Pushing dirt over the roots, Kati plants her last dogwood. “This environmental job is an environmental disaster.

“I’m done.”

But she’s actually just beginning.

Three years later, Kati makes an environmental difference in a new way. She works with her partner Dan, who’s a roofer by day. We tour the beginning of their small sustainable farm.

Titan, a back lab-pit bull mix runs around, erratically checking rocks and roots. Dan throws a giant stick. Titan soon returns, banging the protruding branch on unsuspecting trees.

In the forest, we see three huge adult Tamworth, Hampshire and Berkshire pigs. Shade from tall fir trees cools their large pens. The pigs approach for Dan to give vigorous back and ear scratches. Happy snorts abound.

These animals live stress-free and well-loved.

A small pen to the south protects 8 cute little pigs. Young ones run grunting from humans.

Buddy is the exception.

Kati sits on the ground. Buddy jumps in her lap for love and attention. Due to an early piglet injury, he lives his first months at the house. They feed him from a bottle.

Now Buddy thinks he’s a dog.

Walking downhill, Sativa, wakes from a sun nap in green grass. This blonde long-haired mixed breed dog with a bit of wolf joins the expedition.

Kati enters the garden shared with neighbors. She closes the fence to keep out munching goats. Walking on paths of pulled weeds, she collects beans, beets, onions and a watermelon. Enticing strawberries bloom in a rotting rowboat well past its prime.

The scent of tall garlic sprigs beckon to mix with tomatoes for tonight’s spaghetti. This mountain valley is garlic-famous due to a wet Spring. Hot Summer days with cool nights perfect this garlic.

Further downhill is the goat barn. Kati takes her turn milking Fancy and snow-white Queeny, a Saanen Swiss-breed goat.

These free-roaming goats belong to property owner Mike. He and Kati share milk and barter with farmers down the road. It returns as delicious goat cheese.

Be warned: don’t face-off with these goats. They head-but each other for fun.

Home is up the hillside.

Kati and Dan’s cozy trailer is set up for sustainable living. Large stacked rocks hold terraces for the new garden. A small wood pile stands vigil, ready for cold-weather heat in a tiny efficient stove.

To the right is a new pen with two Holland Lop bunnies. Big-hearted Kati recently adopts Spin Cycle, with a closed ear canal on one side. When excited, this unbalanced bunny spins crop circles in his hay. Since bunnies are social, his sibling Hopsin is also adopted.

Kati gently picks up pregnant C.A.T. (That’s its name.) “Cats are the best pest control. Great for living sustainably. And they’re good friends.”

Entering a pen with a dozen scurrying chickens, Kati finds eggs for she and Dan. Fresh eggs are also sold to neighbors.

These chickens are safe because Titan, Sativa and neighboring dogs receive barking encouragement. Curious mountain lions never visit this noisy farm.

Kati sums up their small sustainable farm. “There’s no trying to look good while not doing good. You get what you sow.

“It feels great not having to rely on society for everything.”

“We don’t understand your living choices.”

Her family is bewildered. “We thought you’d get a well-paying job with benefits. You know, live in a good house with nice stuff.”

Kati responds, “Living at one with nature–mostly off-grid–is hard work, but simpler and less stress. Plus, if tragedy strikes or we lose electricity, we’ll easily survive.”

“At least we’re glad you got a loan to buy a reliable car. You look successful in it, Kati.”

In truth, she’d rather own a junker. The loan feels like a hindrance.

“People live with so much stress and competition,” Kati observes. “Living sustainably is living in harmony with nature and people. It makes me happy.”

“Less stress would be nice. We may not get your life, Kati. But we’re happy you’re happy.”

“Living at one with nature and people is what I’m supposed to do. It’s gratifying.

“Plus, there’s benefits most people never experience.”

Kati spends little energy trying to convince.

But if you ask, Kati says, “A big benefit is quality food. Vegetables are delicious right out of the garden. Fresh free-range chicken eggs are superb.”

Dan adds, “People say our pork is more tender with less fat than anything they can buy. That’s what happens with well-treated animals.”

Another benefit is neighbor relationships.

Two years ago, Kati helps her neighbor Renae in a challenging time. One day, they visit over delicious chocolate chip cookies. Kati talks about her artistic passion.

Not long after, Renae sees a very busy metal-working artist at the local Farmers Market. Renae recommends Kati. Now Kati walks five farms down the road to use her artistic abilities as part-time assistant.

Kati uses her creativity at home, as well. She admits to a dilemma in living sustainably.

“I enjoy providing my needs. But it takes time. The artist in me can knit my sweaters. Then how about spinning my yarn? Or raising sheep for wool? How far do you take sustainability?”

She still wants to change the world.

Kati and Dan plan to show how living sustainably is possible for anyone. In time, they want to educate people how to do it.

Kati finds her after-college journey ironic. “Do I regret college? No. My education helps. But it’s weird. I study to save animals and nature thru government work.

“Now I’m an anarchist farmer doing it on my own.”

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