A Tribute to Cathy

We were so young back then. Looking back I realize that Cathy and I both spent most of our adults lives serving – 30 of our best years, but we would do it again.

I may have worn the uniform, but spouses serve too.

There is nothing casual about being an Army Officer’s wife. They sacrifice more than most and serve in ways other spouses can’t. They have duties and responsibilities that are more difficult than a lot of paying jobs.

Cathy Jacobi was a lot of things in this life –and yes a great Army wife was one of them but more than that- she was a wonderful mother, A mentor to young women, and a  loving wife who put everyone else’s needs before her own. Throughout my 32 years in the Army, Cathy was beside me, every step of the way helping us forge a career and raise our kids.  

Truthfully, Cathy did most of the raising while I was off doing Army. Cathy raised our two boys  - Tanner, now a nuclear engineer in Oak Ridge and Charles Blake -an environmental consultant for the city of Dallas. She did pretty good.

Our time in service exposed Cathy and I to other cultures and different ways of living - mostly European. 

Different cultures and ways of doing things seep into your psyche and later you question - “Why do we do it that way in the States ?

 “ After returning home to the US after our  second tour in Germany I remember Cathy coming home one day – “ I cannot take the kids to Walmart  - there is so much junk everywhere and the kids are not used to it”  

The biggest treat our kids had eaten was the chocolate drizzled fresh croissants that had been fresh baked that morning or maybe Kinder Eggs. Germans do enjoy real chocolate, and Kinder Eggs were a real treat for kids

At the end of my career and with two state side commands under my belt and the organizational leadership that goes with that territory (formation health issues, etc ) Cathy and I started paying more attention to food and what was in it and what was not.

My favorite breakfast in Germany had been a slice of fresh baked bread with fresh butter, butter kase, a slice of prosciutto and fresh preserves - and a poached egg. Two of those and you were ready for the day.  

Our first two tours were Germany focused - we spent all our time there and never really ventured out to other countries – except France once and Belgium a few times. So 95% Germany really.

That was not true with our last tour. In our last tour in Germany, we were stationed in Garmisch- Partenkirchen – Germany’s crown jewel of hiking and skiing. While there we did a lot - we learned to ski in our 50s believe it or not and more significantly started to travel to other countries in the region - Austria of course but then we discovered Italy.

All the usual trips – Venice, Florence and Verona several times.

We found ourselves wanting to go back time and time again. Life in Italy was so different than the US. Every Italian city has a piazza (a city center ) ringed with cafes and restaurants and outdoor seating where people sit, drink their coffee or red wine and visit at the little café tables and smoke.

Italians do like their cigarettes but by and large you don’t see unhealthy Italians, overweight Italians. They are different. They soak in more life around them than we do.

 They are not busy …... they love each other, they love their women, their babies, their pasta, fresh fish, fresh breads and risotto… and of course red wine .

 Notwithstanding food and eating better - we could learn a lot from the Italians when it comes to living better.

This probably applies to many other cultures too. As Americans- we do not have the monopoly on the best way to do things - even though we are arrogant enough to believe that.

My wife Cathy used to say – “I love you in Italy”

At the end of our last Italy centric tour, Cathy and I embarked on retirement and the start of a new life.

At the end of the Army career there were two competing ideas –

Idea 1 – go to work in some 6 figure job somewhere leveraging my experience as a colonel  like most of my buddies were doing.

Idea 2 was radically different - This new idea was born out of North Africa of all places years before and on the eve of my brigade command.  I was introduced to a Joel Salatin book by and Airforce buddy of mine. 

Joel Salatin’s writings resonated with me and surfaced my recollections about troop health  and our societies health in general and farming for the sole benefit of families – a direct sale farm business. These romantic ideas intertwined with a deep desire to do something on the land  - to forge something on our own…… to not give our country or a company or corporation the remaining years of our lives – to do something for just us.

The idea of Land Basket Farm was born.  It was the theme at our retirement ceremony.

In 2018 we traveled back and forth to the United States a few times to look at farm lands we had been studying on the internet . I will never forget the decision to buy what is now Land Basket Farm

At the time, it was the leading property on our list …..but when we arrived , both of us were mortified as to the condition of the house.  The old house, albeit charming required a full renovation - an expense we had not figured on and because the farm was the largest farm in the area – 80 acres – it did not come cheap.  

I remember Cathy walking into the old house  - with me falling all over myself  - “ babe its ok, there are other places on the list – we will keep looking “

She kept walking around – not really paying attention to me. Just walking around.

 Later that morning when we were approaching the end of the showing, I told the realtor and owner that Cathy and I were going to take a walk.

We took a short walk up into the woods behind the old barn where the green house is now  - we walked and talked  & she said  -

“ You know, It is not what I expected  - but when I was walking around in that old house  -- It talked to me. The walls talked to me… I know you think I am crazy – but I think we are supposed to be here “.

Our stop at Land Basket was the last one of a weeklong tour before our flight back to Germany headed out the next day.  That night in the hotel we spoke of it more.

I told Cathy that I had read somewhere that if you plan to buy a place - you should stand on it when the sun comes up. You should be on the land at daybreak and just listen and watch…

………….… Is this what you want to see and hear for the rest of your days ?

I told Cathy that I wanted to go back early in the morning and listen to the sounds…….. I wanted to walk around in the pre-dawn hours and see how it feels ….. to see if it talks to me.

I want to watch the sun come up……... I can be back in time to get to the Airport.

 She said  - “Go – you must do what you have to do”

It was a great recon. I had put my Army hat on and knocked out several foot recons to parts of the farm I had not been able to see - but most memorable was the sun coming up in the lower 40 – where we raised our Pastured Chickens now – it was magnificent.

I felt good about running back to Cathy …. And I did, with excitement and joy. I am glad I came.

We made the offer boarding the Plane back to Germany.

When we finally returned to the US later that fall – I asked a lot of my Bride – We spent 8 months in an RV while the contractor spent all our savings remodeling the house – While they did that, Cathy and I borrowed money from my life insurance policy and bought our first flock of sheep and a small flock of laying hens.

God – we had no idea what we were doing – but Miss Cathy was first in line to do it with me.

 One of my fondest and craziest memories was Cathy and I trying to work sheep with nothing but our wits and our backs – no head gate, no working facility – no nothing – just a man and a woman trying to do right by a bunch of crazy sheep.

We built a trap essentially out of Cattle panels and fed them there a few days and then closed the trap and climbed in.

I wish I had a video of that day.  I would run them down and tackle them and wrestled  them into a sitting position and then hand them over to Cathy to hold, while I doctored their feet, gave them shots etc.

Cathy and I have never been so sore in all our lives. She did not complain once.

For that first year or two Cathy and I learned a lot about sheep  - you see, when you buy sheep from a stock yard – you are getting everyone else’s problems – but we did not know that.

We experienced every sheep issue known to man those first 3 years. Cathy became an expert sheep doctor and momma to baby lambs.  

There is another Shepard in the area and he used to call Cathy - “Cathy can you go help so and so with their sheep – one is lambing and they are kindof clueless”.

She was good.

Some of my fondest memories are her and I in January – lambing. Lambing is a beautiful time that is full of as much joy as it is sorrow. Losing lambs always devastated Cathy – but it steeled her resolve to do better………

She would walk the winter yard every morning with her cup of coffee   - she’d always come back to the house with something

“you better watch 34 today - she is close.”  Or something like that

She was a natural.

Somewhere along the way Cathy also became the Crazy Chicken Lady and before you knew it  - folks were stopping by to get advice on laying hens .

She became a trouble shooter for our community ….. “ I got this chicken that’s doing this, what do I do ? …… and Cathy would help them.

Another great memory is how we decided to do meat chickens. I remember vividly concocting the idea-  that there was a market for it because no one around us was doing it .

Besides – It is how Joel Salatin got started ! so  it has to be right. (not exactly a business plan but close ….)

One night Cathy and I had drank too much red wine ……………. The next day we realized we had 100 red ranger chickens headed to the farm  - no tractors, no fences, no guard dogs , no way to process…  and we had 6 months.

That is such a great story – and it really is true. Once we started digging into getting ready for chickens, we realized that there was no processor within 250 miles of us ……. So we would have to do it ourselves.

The first 100 chickens were memorable to say the least and I am so proud of Cathy for building what is now a powerful group of people that are as fiercely dedicated to product quality as Cathy was.

Cathy would say  - “ Kevin might raise them – but I get them ready for a woman’s kitchen  - I know what that mom wants. “  

 Cathy trained us all. She was the original “engine”. At the time – we did not call it that – it was just Cathy running the cut room.  Cathy stood at the beginning of the line and started the breakdown. She was so fast – I would have to tell her to take a break. She was awesome.

That position now is called the “Engine” - the engine keeps the room flowing, they have to be good, they have to fast – that have to keep the rest of the team in chicken, and they are the watch dog on carcass quality because they are the first to grab it.

 For the record, no one is as good as my sweet Cathy was – she was a powerful force that has shaped so much of what we do.

Cathy Jacobi will be remembered by this community as a woman passionate about her “flock” – she had a vast flock here at Land Basket farm - a flock that consisted of a lot more than just chicken  

Her flock was made up of people mostly but did include sheep, chickens, pigs, dogs, cats, kittens, geese and of course ducks.

Cathy was a beautiful human being, a wonderful wife, a great Shepard, a super chicken lady and great mom to so many.

Her legacy in this community and among people connected to Land Basket Farm will live on in all we do.

I love you Baby. I will miss you dearly.