Gary passed away suddenly in 2012. “It seems like yesterday,” Bruch said, gazing across one of Cyclone Farms fields. “Instead of working with him, we’re working for him now.”
“As farmers we only maybe have only one time a year to do what we love,” Bruch said. “Who knows if we’re going to have ten or 30 or 50 seasons in our lifetime – or even more.”
Bruch and Cyclone Farms reflect Gary’s “zest for life,” and the fragility of life itself. “Every day you need to try and make a memory,” she said. “To learn different people’s approach and being open to learning new things has been a real blessing for me. There are many ways to do the same thing.” Bruch said one of her philosophies is to marry the way people farmed decades ago with current technology, all while maintaining organic status. “There is a renewed focus on agronomy as soil health as our number one defense to fight the challenges of the season,” Bruch said.
Organic farming offers significant challenges, Bruch said. “It’s a humbling way to farm. Not everything works the way we want it to; you’ve got to make a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C,” she said. “There isn’t a road map for what we do; there is definitely not an ‘easy’ button, because the solutions are very different. It requires very detailed plans, management and record keeping, but it has allowed for my husband and I and our team to dive deeper into soil balancing, applying new technology and expand our team to allow additional opportunities for those interested in ag to get involved.”