"Good Friends are Hard to Find and Impossible to Forget"

I met some of my closest friends in 8th grade band class.  There was no way at that point in time I would have known how important those friendships would be to me.  In high school we were inseparable.  After high school into college we made it a point to be there for each other even though we didn't see each other on a daily basis anymore.

Here's a throw back for you! Marcia is on the far righthand side of this picture.

I am quite lucky to have friends who are simply amazing - they are there for me when I need them.  They are supportive and great listeners.  In the past year they have been incredible supporters of me in my farm business.

Tragically in early March, one of my closest friends Marcia passed away in a car accident.  This has had a massive impact on me; losing someone as close as a sister has been a deep, deep loss, one that has forever changed me.  I lost count long ago of the number of times we hung out here on the farm growing up - everything from skiing in the winter to prom photos in the spring to canning with my mom.  I think of her every single day.  I miss her every single day.

Marcia was the type of person that knew exactly what she wanted out of life.  She was the type of person who didn't only dream of taking the vacations, she would make them happen.  She traveled to 5 continents and countless countries.  Studying abroad in Asia, traveling the Amazon River, backpacking Europe...she did it all.

She was a vet - and Marcia knew she wanted to become a vet long before she went to college.  She had this amazing way with animals.  She had endless patience and she always understood what the animals she treated needed.

Marcia on the farm with our family dog Sequoia in the mid 2000's after skiing on New Year's Day.  This was a tradition for our friend group for a number of years.

I find myself so thankful to have had a friend like her, someone who truly understood me and how I "tick".  She knew what lit me up.  She knew what inspired me.  When I told her I was going to start this farm business, she was not at all surprised because she understood how much this farm means to me.

The last time I saw Marcia was on a hike in late February.  It was a gorgeous winter hike, and it was filled with lots of laughter and great conversation.  I was walking with Sadie ahead of Marcia and she called out "hey Laura, what are you growing that's new in the garden this year?"

I turned to face her and I said "Marcia, I'm growing POPCORN!"

Our friend group has an annual tradition of going camping each summer up north.

You see, Marcia LOVED popcorn.  I'm not talking about the bags you throw in the microwave, I'm talking about the fire up the stove, put oil in the pot, dump in the kernels, and pop it the old fashioned way.  Thinking back, I even remember one day in high school we were at Marcia's parents' house and we demolished the biggest bowl of popcorn I think I've ever seen.

This week, I planted my popcorn seeds.

It is hard to see but there are 450 seeds in these rows!

As I put them in the ground, I thought of Marcia the entire time.  I thought of her laugh, I thought of her love of life, and I thought of how amazing of a friend she was.

I've never grown popcorn before.  But, this year I'm more motivated than ever to learn how.  When it is harvested, we will sell it as "Marcia's Blend".  A portion of the proceeds will go towards the Prairie's Edge Humane Society in Northfield in Marcia's honor.

I can't sum up exactly what my amazing friend meant to me in one blog post, but I can tell you that Marcia loved adventure.  I miss her every day but when I think of this adventure I'm living in my farm business, I think of Marcia.  In honor of her, I encourage you to find your own adventure, that one you've dreamed of doing, and chase it.  You will never regret chasing your dreams.

Marcia absolutely loved finding a rock along Lake Superior to bask on in the sun.  Sometimes she would read, other times she would simply stare out into the water.  I have always admired how she loved being able to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life.