The Faces of LGBT Farming

Ralf Schaab
Co-founder, gayfarmer.de
Hof Erbenheim
Wiesbaden, Germany

What’s your farm like?

I specialize in fruits and potatoes and pumpkins and fruit processing (like juice production and marmalade and jelly). We have a farm shop and a delivery service to the kitchens in kindergartens and schools. The farm is on 50 acres, mostly orchards, and between five and seven people work there – from the part-time 12-year-old trainee to my father, who is turning 80.

How is it as a German gay farmer?

Well, before you know you are gay, at least in my case, you know that you are a farmer. I was born into farming and knew from the start that I wanted to be a farmer. In the beginning, you feel lonely because there are so few others like you around – and you feel even more lonely when you discover that you are gay.

Is your husband a farmer?

My husband is an operational risk manager at Allianz Global Investors in Frankfurt, but he likes to help on the farm whenever he has time. And he loves to work in the garden

What has changed since you began farming?

Life as a gay in the countryside has become more and more “normal.” The acceptance in our society is growing and that is very positive… but it is still worth being engaged with the gay rights movement for equal rights.

Kareno Hawbolt
Sweet Digz farm’
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada

How did you get into farming?

I was traveling across the province, teaching in high schools. And I realized that I didn’t have a trade. I felt quite insecure in my life; I knew so much about GMOs and food but didn’t know how to grow it. So I decided to apprentice at a farm.

What attracted you to farming?

I love working the land, taking care of the land, that relationship with the earth. I love being outside, I love feeding people, growing seed, being part of the life cycle.

Did anyone in your family farm?

Not really. My grandfather worked in greenhouses. My parents are both teachers.

What’s it like as a rural gay farmer?

Farming takes me to places in areas where, being gay, sometimes you have to be strong in yourself and know who you are in order to claim your identity. Farming is the same way. The world is not set out to groom farmers. You have to be strong and resilient to keep alive. The two identities have intersected highly in my own development.

Tell me about Sweet Digz farm.

Four years ago, my partner, Kimi, and I moved back home to where my parents live, because they’re getting older. For a while I managed a food bank farm. Last year Kimi and I found land, and started our farm, Sweet Digz Farm.

You also started the Rainbow chard collective. What is it about?’

Even in a progressive small town, there is not a lot of diversity, and gender roles are very defined. Men farm, and women don’t. When you don’t fit in it can feel isolating. How do people farming in rural areas find community?

So, myself and some other gay farmers decided to start a group to take a step forward toward creating community.

These interviews have been edited and condensed.