Rising Stars: Meet Barak of Manitou Springs

Today we’d like to introduce you to Barak.

Hi Barak, 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 backstory with our readers?
I was a middle school teacher who saw the immense benefit of getting kids outside for hands-on learning in the garden. Now I host over 1500 children in the garden each year!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Farming always has a host of challenges along the way. Hail that destroys crops, droughts, grasshoppers, and predators attacking our chickens, there is always some new challenge to adapt to.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m the Executive Director and one of the teachers at Flying Pig Farm. I’ve been around FPF since before we had the deer fence, and I feel so fortunate to have been witness to the incredible transformation and reawakening of the land into a community learning garden.

The students here call me Mr. Barak. The chickens call me Mr. BakbakbaRAAAAAK!

I love learning how to be part of this world. For me, that means learning the names and personalities of the plants and animals around me, so that whether I’m hiking, climbing, gardening, or just playing in the park, I can greet and be welcomed by all the diverse life of our ecosystem.

While working with the landscape is by far my biggest creative outlet, I also find time for many other art forms! I love to play music on the accordion, guitar, and most recently banjo, practice oil painting with my mother, write poetry and prose, and paint spontaneous murals whenever I get the chance!

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
That humans have a role to play here and now on the planet. I used to believe that the planet would be better off without us but have seen how partnering with the Earth can grow a more beautiful, regenerative world. Similarly, children aren’t biding their time in school until they can become “contributing members of society” when they graduate and enter the workforce, they are vital contributors right here and now with important roles to play to in communities and ecosystems.

Pricing:

• Farm Camp tuition $250 per week per kid

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/flyingpigmanitou
• Instagram: @flyingpigmanitou
• Facebook: @flyingpigmanitou
• Other: https://forms.gle/cvonrCmyfHRuXxVY7