Earth Day by Kate Schat

A Love Letter to the Land

A heartfelt reflection on the grit, community, and deep love for the land that fuels Canadian Field Team member, Kate and her family.

We live in a place where grit is required. You need a certain tenacity to live in a cold climate, and I’m in love with the community of people who thrive in such a place. A few years ago, we had frost every month of the year—July 4th to August 10th was the only frost-free stretch. And yet? I don’t want to live anywhere else.

Where tomatoes and hot peppers need careful tending, root crops, brassicas, and livestock thrive in our climate—so we lean into those. Every spring, we plant seedlings and tubers so that we can eat well for another year. It’s not a hobby. It’s not even a decision, but something within us that urges us to work with our hands and grow what we can.

The grit required is not just for farming. It’s for other outdoor opportunities as well—fishing year-round, whether it’s ice fishing in woolly layers or river fishing with ball caps on—you’ll find us there. Hunting grouse, hunting mushrooms, hunting deer… we’re not Venison for Dinner for nothing.

It’s why we use the catchphrase Work Like Dogs, Eat Like Kings—because we do, and our neighbors do, and we all do it because we love this land. And some days, it’s so hard you cry—your tears mixed with dirt and sweat—because you couldn’t save that calf or you had a crop failure. But still, there is nowhere else we would rather be.

Spring is calling—the ground is thawing, we can practically hear the morels growing, the plant starts are taking off inside the house, we’re prepping soil for outside, the garlic is starting to peek out of the dirt—and friends, we are outside loving every minute of it.

ABOUT KATE:

My name is Kate Schat, and I’ve always enjoyed living a homemade life whenever possible. In 2017, my family of seven moved 1,000 miles north to British Columbia, Canada, which upped our game even more! Together we live on a 34-acre homestead and get a kick out of things like raising our own meat, dairy, and vegetables.

Follow Kate on Instagram @venisonfordinner.

Kate wears the Arctic Sport II Tall.