Loriene Perera

Seed farmer Lindsay A. Klaunig, 39, of Toledo, Ohio, arranges Black Futsu squash before passing them to non-profit organization Rural Action for sale at the Chesterhill Produce Auction, in Trouvaille Farm in the unincorporated community of Shade, Ohio, on Monday, October 16, 2023. Halfway through the growing season, Klaunig noticed half-types among the heirloom Japanese pumpkins, and Hudson Valley Seed Company ultimately decided to cancel the contract with her farm. "So we were left with at least 1500 pumpkins that I had intended to process as seeds and now have to sell to local markets. I was selling them less than what they cost me. The problem of the off-type thing was out of my control, their fault, but I still had to deal with the consequence,” Klaunig lamented. (Photo by Loriene Perera)

Seed farmer Lindsay A. Klaunig, 39, of Toledo, Ohio, points out Abe Lincoln tomato seeds while sorting out a pail of rotten tomatoes at Trouvaille Farm in the unincorporated community of Shade, Ohio, on Monday, October 13, 2023. According to Klaunig, the seeds are for an order of 8 pounds of Abe Lincoln tomato seeds for seed company Baker Creek that is based in Missouri. "They were the first company I contracted with 5 years ago. I've been growing for them since, especially during the pandemic. The contract sizes got bigger, but the prices did not,” Klaunig elaborated. (Photo by Loriene Perera)

Seed farmer Lindsay A. Klaunig, 39, of Toledo, Ohio, and her partner Michael S. Barnes, 48, of Santa Fe, N.M., look on outside their home before attempting to separate two bulls from a herd of cows at Trouvaille Farm in the unincorporated community of Shade, Ohio, on Monday, October 16, 2023. According to Klaunig, the cattle are part of Barnes' livestock business, which he operates as a separate limited liability company from Klaunig's seed farming business, but they have an agreement to help each other where necessary. "I did not marry him on purpose. We've shared money, but I keep a lot of separation because I didn't want to lose myself to a marriage, which is what happens. I've seen it happen to every other woman I know. I am extremely cynical about men. I’ve been married before him, and I’ve had, I don’t know, I don’t trust men", Klaunig elaborated. (Photo by Loriene Perera)

Seed farmer Lindsay A. Klaunig, 39, of Toledo, Ohio, and her partner Michael S. Barnes, 48, of Santa Fe, N.M., react as their cattle broke through a wire barrier after they failed to to separate two bulls from the cows at Trouvaille Farm in the unincorporated community of Shade, Ohio, on Monday, October 16, 2023. According to Barnes, this is his first attempt this season to separate the bulls, and he will need to work on it again another day. "The older lady cows are well behaved. It's the just the naughty little boy cows that misbehaved,” Klaunig chimed in. (Photo by Loriene Perera)

Seed farmer Lindsay A. Klaunig, 39, of Toledo, Ohio, looks on while waiting to hear back from local restaurant Casa Neuva regarding the drop off for their order of jalapeno and shishito peppers in Athens, Ohio, on Wednesday, October 25, 2023. According to Klaunig, she had cold called and emailed Casa Neuva to try her luck at selling off her excess jalapeno peppers, and was initially surprised they had responded back. "I've been trying to sell to them since 2019. I heard they bought local produce. I usually sell them $4 a pound, wholesale, but I offered them at $2 because I wanted to get rid of them. Then they wrote back "I'll pay $1.50.” They said to meet me at 9:15 a.m. but now they texted me that they would be half hour late,” Klaunig bemoaned. (Photo by Loriene Perera)

Seed farmer Lindsay A. Klaunig, 39, of Toledo, Ohio, and her son Elias V. Barnes, 9, of Athens, Ohio, interact as she harvests peanuts at Trouvaille Farm in the unincorporated community of Shade, Ohio, on Tuesday, October 17, 2023. According to Klaunig, this was her first peanut harvest on her farm. "These are a variety of Hardy peanuts I got in a seed trade or seed swap. I started with a handful last year and I am hoping to grow enough so I can eat them next year. It may be food for the family or a product or confection. A candy or a treat for another seedy confection product." (Photo by Loriene Perera)

Seed farmer Lindsay A. Klaunig, 39, of Toledo, Ohio, comforts her goat, Hanna, while it gets its hoofs trimmed at Trouvaille Farm in the unincorporated community of Shade, Ohio, on Monday, October 13, 2023. "She is a Kiko. She is 6 or 7 years old. She wasn't born on the farm. She is the matriarch of the herd, or we say the "herd queen". At this point they are a land management tool for us. We'll put them on weedy spots in the pasture. Specifically the eat grass and vines. They love poison ivy, autumn olives. Sometimes we do use them in the garden to terminate or kill cover crop so we can plant there. They're a great source of fertility and company, and the babies are fun", Klaunig shared. (Photo by Loriene Perera)

Elias V. Barnes, 9, center, of Athens, Ohio, talks to his friend Oliver Martin, 10, of Athens, Ohio, as his mother, seed farmer Lindsay A. Klaunig, right, 39, of Toledo, Ohio, signs off on a form that informs The Plains Elementary School that Elias will be picked up by Oliver's mother as they wait for the school bus to arrive in Athens, Ohio, on Wednesday, October 25, 2023. "This is the first year he's going to school in town, in Athens. Before it was the rural school, Alexander. That's our district school. I've never wanted him to go to a rural school. Athens is our community. It's our people. It's our customers. It's most of our friends,” Klaunig explained. (Photo by Loriene Perera)

Seed farmer Lindsay A. Klaunig, 39, of Toledo, Ohio, reacts under the afternoon sun while harvesting tulsi, also commonly known as holy basil, at Trouvaille Farm in the unincorporated community of Shade, Ohio, on Sunday, September 23, 2023. "That's something I plant every year to attract beneficial insects, as part of my integrated pest management. It's a way to avoid pesticide use. And I make tea with them", Klaunig explained. (Photo by Loriene Perera)

Seed farmer Lindsay A. Klaunig, 39, of Toledo, Ohio, sorts through Loxton Lass tomato seeds while conducting a germination test before packing them to fulfill seed company orders at Trouvaille Farm in the unincorporated community of Shade, Ohio, on Friday, October 13, 2023. "So we're testing the viability of the seeds by putting them on a wet paper tower, then into an incubator, and finally counting how many sprouts. I do it for all seeds I sell because there are minimum standards that have to meet for the seeds to be sellable. That's both in contract terms and a legal standard,” Klaunig explained. (Photo by Loriene Perera)

Seed farmer Lindsay A. Klaunig, 39, of Toledo, Ohio, reacts while wiping her hands dry to prepare a lunch of raisin bagel with cream cheese in the kitchen of her home at Trouvaille Farm in the unincorporated community of Shade, Ohio, on Monday, October 16, 2023. "A lot of times when people come work for us, there's some that expect to be provided a huge farm lunch with this farmer's wife who's going to cook. Like what are you talking about? That's absolutely not true. We stuff food in our face, between you know, tasks," Klaunig shared. (Photo by Loriene Perera)

Seed farmer Lindsay A. Klaunig, 39, of Toledo, Ohio, and her partner Michael S. Barnes, 48, of Santa Fe, N.M., remind their son Elias V. Barnes, 9, of Athens, Ohio, to take a bath after he is done with his meal during dinnertime in their home at Trouvaille Farm in the unincorporated community of Shade, Ohio, on Tuesday, October 17, 2023. According to Klaunig, her partner is primarily responsible for cooking for the household, and on most days, dinner is their only meal of the day. "We try to make up for skipped meals during dinnertime. We try to make that a solid meal with you know, our own vegetables, our own food,” Klaunig shared. (Photo by Loriene Perera)