April 18th, 2019

My name is Katie Green and I own and operate Wild Hare Organic Farm, where we grow certified organic vegetables, herbs, berries and eggs on 25 acres in the Puyallup River Valley. Though we have been farming for the better part of the past decade, my husband and I are celebrating our fourth year in business for ourselves after purchasing the farm a year ago from our former employers.  During the process, we worked with a local farmland trust to establish a conservation easement on the property, meaning that this piece of land cannot be developed and will be preserved as a farm in perpetuity.  We grow for the local market, and we are fortunate enough to feed our community directly. You might find us at local farmers markets, or listed on a restaurant menu from time to time; however, the majority of what we grow and produce is sold to members through our CSA program, which stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  By investing in their share of the harvest, our CSA members help us start each season with the working capital that we need to get growing. In turn, we serve as their personal farmers in a way, providing them with a wide variety of fresh and flavorful produce week after week, grown specifically with them in mind.

I think I am drawn to small businesses, both in my career and as a consumer.  A smaller economy of scale and a solid ethic of care seem to go hand in hand. I like to support businesses that value the importance of longer-term customer relationships and treat their employees with care and respect.  I like it when my exchange as a customer feels like more than just a one-time transaction. I'm more inclined to invest in a business that seems willing to invest in me, my family and community.

I like to know that I am purchasing something that is going to last me a while and can stand up to my crazy life as a farmer and parent.  I tend toward investing in things that are fresh, durable, multifunctional and can be repaired.

I was prescribed my first pair of glasses when I was nine years old.  I remember choosing a pair of lavender speckle painted frames that made me feel super stylish (until I became a teenager and couldn't wait to wear contacts). Today, I still wear contacts from time to time, but I have come to appreciate the simplicity and comfort of wearing glasses day-to-day.  Furthermore, as a woman who wears boots and overalls to work most days, there's not a lot of room for statement jewelry in my life. I have come to appreciate my glasses as a simple but fun way of accessorizing--they're a very functional mode of expression and adornment. Which is why I loved seeing the variety of new frames EMVC had to choose from.  I had so. much. fun. trying on so many frame shapes, colors and styles. I don't think of myself as particularly trendy, so it was fun to move out of my comfort zone and find the perfect pair. Muriel was so patient with me, helping me choose from probably more than twenty frames and researching all of the different colors that were available.

Knowing that the glasses I'm wearing support a smaller independent designer, from a local clinic that serves our community with such care, makes me feel extra proud to wear them.  

Katie looks ravishing in her ruby red Say-oh! acetate frame, handmade in Japan. Even the chickens are impressed with her sophisticated style!