“He hulu makua.” A feather parent.
“He hulu makua.” A feather parent.
When most of the relatives of the parents’ generation were gone, the few left were referred to as hulu makua and considered as precious and choice as feathers. Hulu can refer to relatives as far back as three generations.
ʻŌlelo noʻeau-Hawaiian Proverbs & Poetical Sayings- Mary Kawena Pukui
I was blessed to meet a “feather parent” in Rogersville, Tennessee living among the Appalachian Mountains. A master in sustainable farming, Ms. Maggie is a southern treasure. Her passion for farming is contagious and her knowledge of running a peaceful and productive homestead is legendary.
How we met:
I sent my older teen to pick up supplies at our Azure Standard drop, and Ms. Maggie kindly introduced herself and invited us to visit her farm. She is my rural neighbor, and I often drive past her farm on the way home. I slow down my truck along the winding country road, gazing at her beautiful farm in wonderment. Taking in the sights, I smile at her livestock guardian dog who is often found sleeping beneath the cows. My eyes light up as I stare amazed to see the free-range chickens confidently strutting alongside the sheep. When you see Ms. Maggie’s farm, you know that you’re looking at something special and unique. I knew Ms. Maggie was a genius, long before I visited her farm. Her assortment of ducks, turkeys, rabbits, cows, horses all live peacefully together.
Our First Visit:
The day I met Ms. Maggie; we became instant friends. She is truly a gracious person, and we were delighted to have an up close and personal tour of the farm. Lily, the sweetest milking cow ever, walked up to greet us as she let my 6-year-old pet her. I was amused to see the farm animals following her around the paddocks as they baa’d, mooed, crowed, and chirped. Maggie loved her animals and they loved her more. The curious creatures lived harmoniously together in shared living spaces. Her garden thrived among the rabbit hutches, and the butterflies and bees visited her many flowers.
She is also an animal social worker, rescuing and rehabilitating many animals. The once scrawny and sickly creatures are quickly fattened up on her nutrient dense pastureland and they even change their skittish behavior becoming more cheerful around the company of many friends.
My daughter and I helped install electric fencing, while Ms. Maggie generously shared her knowledge. Her farm is expertly designed as a polyculture farm. The polyculture farming method replicates nature and creates a web of plants, animals, insects, and sometimes fish in a complex self-sustaining ecosystem. She setup her farm with the mathematical precision of a NASA engineer and shepherds her animals around with the charm of Mary Poppins.
She is dedicated to helping the younger generation learn about farming, and sharing her homesteading wisdom is her family’s ministry. Her hands on approach, engaging personality, and patience makes farming seem more like fun than work. If play is the best way for a child to learn, then Ms. Maggie is helping many children develop a love for farming. Would you like to hear more about this “feather parent” and others in our community?
