Today we’d like to introduce you to Sky Cutler.
Hi Sky, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
BIO- “Sky grew up in Silicon Valley, California, As a child his crib was in the kitchen of his family’s restaurant. After earning a BA in Hospitality Management from Florida Atlantic University, he traveled abroad for what was intended to be a year, but turned into eight + years living in Bali, Indonesia, managing hospitality venues. Returning to the US just before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, he witnessed the food system collapse and knew he had to be a part of the ‘new earth.’ Transitioning from hospitality to agriculture, led him to work on farms, and eventually establish Wild Candy Farm with his family. When not in the garden, Sky enjoys working out, spending time with family, and planning his next surf adventure.”
After living abroad in Bali, Indonesia for 8+ year while working in Hospitality, I moved to New York City with my sister Ali Tate and her husband. 1 month later the Covid Pandemic started. My original plans for employment were thwarted so I found a job making ginger shots on a juice assembly line. During this 6 months in NYC I witnessed empty grocery stores and panic filled people. This moment made me realize I needed to become more self reliant and growing my own food would be a powerful move in this direction. I applied for farming jobs across the country and landed an apprenticeship at a small market garden in Colorado. After my time in Colorado, I migrated to the Big Island Hawaii to work at another small Regenerative farm. At the time I was contemplating renting land somewhere on the west coast to start my own small farm. My family was living all over the country and during this time my sister had a dream that she was having a baby in Austin, TX. She took this as a sign and asked my parents to move with her. They, already on a road trip to find there new home, drove to Texas and found a beautiful property in Wimberley. They sent me photos of the property and it appeared to have a beautiful space for a garden. After so many years of living apart, the family was reuniting and living in the same place. Joining them and building my market garden seemed to be the obvious choice.
With my parents Mitchell and Tracey Cutler, we have been building the farm for about 5 years and this will be our third season going to market. We sell at farmers markets, Brookshire Brothers Grocery Stores, Farm Connection and others. We grow on 2.5 acres but our mostly wooded property is 51 acres where we built a pond and vacation rentals. We are also in the process of creating a spa experience with sauna, cold plunge, and mineral bath. I live at the farm with my love Ayesha Ophelia who built our website and helps with marketing. My sister Ali, her husband Sam and their dream baby Otis live about 25 minutes away.
Covid was the catalyst to Wild Candy Farm. That time revealed so many imbalances in society, including our lopsided food economy. If only a few farms produce our food we loose control over the supply and quality of our food. Increasing the number of small farms around the country will positively affect our communities. Instead of increasing the size of large farms we need to increase the number of small family farms. A family who has a stake in the land they live on is bound to treat the land and their community differently than a company whose objective is profit. Small farms create food resilience in communities and ensure access to nutrient density.
Here are some links to articles by local news and the New York Times.
https://www.wildcandyfarm.com/post/we-are-in-the-san-antonio-express
https://www.wildcandyfarm.com/post/inthenewyorktimes1
https://www.wildcandyfarm.com/post/inthenewyorktimes2
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This was my first garden. Before starting Wild Candy Farm I briefly worked in a couple farms for 4-5 months. During that time I was able to witness regenerative farming practices, but since than the bulk of my learning has been from books/youtube the learning curb has been steep. There is only so much that theoretical learning can teach however. Experiencing the seasons and daily practicalities is a slow methodical journey.
The Texas heat is crazy! The first summer I was here had 3 months of daily temperatures exceeding 110F. Surrendering to the heat and sweat took quite the adjustment!
Balancing the market demands with what we are able to grow has been difficult.
Dealing with the legal battles mentioned in the attached articles has been frustrating.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I grow produce Regeneratively using no chemicals, sprays, pesticides. One of the things I love most about farming is working outside all day long. I get to move my body and live in the natural elements. My work is ever changing. I like to think of farming as a great introduction to all the different trades. One day I could be fixing broken irrigation/plumbing on a building, and the next day I could be doing an oil change on a tractor. This profession forces you to become a jack of all trades. I grew up in a place where we called someone to come fix our broken AC unit. Today I’m fixing my broken AC unit. This diy attitude has transformed my life. Self reliance has the capacity to change so much including local communities. My dream would be to see local communities producing their own food, utilities, products all over the world!
What does success mean to you?
Success to me is living in a way which excites me and supports my family/loved ones. Blending these two considerations ensures that I always align my actions with intention.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wildcandyfarm.com
- Instagram: @wildcandyfarm
- Facebook: @wildcandyfarm
Image Credits
Sky Cutler
