Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Judge.
Hi Crystal, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
My journey on this path started when I was 17 years old, I went to visit a woman who we called Grandma Betty (Betty Roepke), she was a wonderful woman who served the community in many ways and had helped my family when I was a child. While visiting her I was experiencing some pain and asked if she had a pain reliever, expecting a pill form she introduced me to catnip an herb used for pain. I was amazed by the relief and wanted to know more about herbs. Each visit to her farm in SE Indiana, I learned more and more. I have continued the study of herbs for 27 years, I now teach herbal learning classes at our farm in Goshen, OH, and organize an annual Botanicals and Herbs Fest.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have met many challenges in my life. My father left our family when I was 6 years old, then my mom died of cervical cancer when I was 11 years old. I was separated from my 3 siblings and bounced around from a group home to family members and finally as an unaccompanied youth. I was in Florida at the time and chose Cincinnati as the place I thought I could survive and thrive. And over time, I did!
Several years ago, I wrote a book about my experiences, I don’t consider it a huge accomplishment and it wasn’t well written but it allowed me to process my experiences so I could quit telling the story and stop living in the past. My experiences don’t define who I am today but, in some ways, they did help to shape me. If I had not lived in poverty or if I had access to health care, I may not have looked for natural alternatives.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Gracious Farm is committed to stewardship of the land where we grow our plants and herbs. Our activities show reverence to Mother Nature and the natural order. We intend to leave the land better than how we found it in a nourishing and natural way.
We are dedicated to growing and distributing high-quality live plants, rootstock, and seeds of native medicinal herbs, culinary herbs, and other useful exotic species in an ethical, organic, and Earth-friendly way and to expand in partnership with animals as much as the land will allow.
We sell products, teach herbal learning classes and organize events for like-minded people.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I already mentioned Betty Roepke as far as leading me personally toward herbal knowing. Our family works together so my partner, his parents, and our two small children all are contributors to our success here on the farm.
Within the community, we sell products at other locations who are huge supporters; Earthganics, Save Your Bee’s, Beelious, and Bite Restaurant, we also sell our herbs to other business in our area who sell them in bulk or use them in their products.
Contact Info:
- Email: crystaljudge11@gmail.com
- Website: graciousfarm.net
- Instagram: instagram.com/graciousfarm
- Facebook: facebook.com/graciousfarmohio
