Rebuild & Recover

Importance of protein and rest in your farming plan

Thich Nhat Hahn Quote

Take a deep breath in.
And let it go.

Feel the air of this season—
cooler, slower, carrying the scent of change.
Autumn reminds us that slowing down
is not a failure,
but a form of wisdom.

Look around—
the trees know how to do this.
They turn toward rest without apology.
They draw their brightness inward,
root-deep,
preserving what matters most.

You, too, can turn inward now.
You can honor what needs tending.
You can choose rest,
without guilt,
without rush.

As the days shorten,
find small ways to preserve your light—
a warm cup between your hands,
a slow walk through falling leaves,
a moment of stillness before the evening comes.

To persist is not to push.
It is to keep showing up for yourself
with gentleness.
It is to honor what sustains you—
your breath,
your body,
your quiet courage.

This season invites a soft strength.
Let go of what has served its time.
Keep only what nourishes.
Root down.
Rest deeply.

And trust—
that rest is not the end of growth,
but part of it.

Preserve your light.
Persist with care.
Even in the falling,
life continues to root and renew.

Take one more breath in.
And let it go.
You are enough.
You are becoming.
Still and strong, across every season.

Carey Restino’s Rose, Thorn, Bud, and Peach

Ellen Petrick's slide deck on protein

Chat Highlights on Prioritizing Protein

Recommendation for vegetarian protein sources: Beans, lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, tofu, tempeh, seitan, and edamame. Nuts, seeds (chia, flax, sunflower), and protein-rich grains (amaranth, buckwheat)
Hemp hearts are nutty and easy to add to many dishes
I lead strongbodies in my community 2x per week and strongly recommend that program. It's all across the state and reasonably priced.
StrongBodies – Health & Well-Being
Venus Williams makes a vegan protein powder called Happy Viking that I personally enjoy a lot (good flavor, 20g protein per serving)
I've recently discovered that chocolate flavored collagen powder makes a tasty fortified hot cocoa with 11 g protein. I love if I can work a little in with a treat. And there is some evidence that protein at night is particularly good.
As I get older I'm learning that I HAVE TO let some things go because I CANNOT do everything - and truthfully I never could and I know that because I was chronically stressed and had little to no SELF CARE. So sometimes we need to evaluate our lives and figure out what's enough, and what to say goodbye to. :-) Not easy but important to lead a balanced life and take care of ourselves!

In partnership with:

This work is supported by the North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center, project award no. 2024-70027-42470 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.