Big Punch Farm
Independent Project - 2021

Tucked away in Edgerton, Wisconsin, a park owned by Dane County and run by The Friends of Silverwood Park rent out garden and farm plots where life and business partners Wendi Kent and Liv Von Blomberg use a quarter acre plot, beginning their dream of owning a farm they’ve named Big Punch Farm. “Lil’ guys, Big Punch”. The Friends of Silverwood Park are stewards of the ancestral lands of the Ho-Chunk people.

Both queer and disabled, they’ve found farming to be exactly what they need in a job. “It’s perfect for us because we both have fibro and I have idiopathic hypersomnia and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. The flexibility is just incredibly vital”, says Wendi. “We can come out here when we can, we can leave when we need to. If I’m feeling a sleep attack, I can sit in the truck. If I start to get a migraine, I can go home. You just can’t get that anywhere else. Working for ourselves and doing it through farming is just so important. I never would have thought about it but I think people should think about how vital it is not just to have farmers but for there to be jobs out there for people who do want to work but can’t necessarily work in the same ways as everyone else.”

Wendi grew up in Texas where it’s hard to grow anything, but she’s always wanted to. She had a small vegetable garden while living in Madison but nothing to the extent of their plot now. Liv grew up in Jefferson and has had experience working on CSA farms (community supported agriculture). They met right before the Covid-19 pandemic and went through those hardships as a couple, coming out on the other side with a shared dream that they’ve quickly gotten to work on by moving to Edgerton and renting this plot.

This is just the beginning of Wendi and Liv’s journey with Big Punch Farm. While they’re not in a position to sell at markets yet, they hope to soon and they occasionally sell at Brickhaus cafe in Jefferson. A roadside produce stand will also be established shortly. They can be found at Big Punch Farm for more information.