Have you noticed our new logo? Here's the story behind its creation.

Do you know the Parable of the Sower? In this story from the Gospel of Matthew, a farmer scatters his seed in three places: rocky ground, where it fails to root and dies in the heat; in the thorns, where the seed dies from a lack of sunlight and space; and in the “good” soil, where the seed multiplies and grows. 

This story is as much about the farmer recognizing where the good soil is - and how to steward the creation of good soil! - as it is about the seed. And it’s a special story for us here at Little Way Farm, because it’s the inspiration for our new logo. 

When we began imagining our new logo with Marie and Sara, our marketing team, we wanted a logo that told a story about our farm, and one that could have multiple meanings. And we actually found that we had the perfect image for our new logo: a woodcut drawing that had been gifted to us by our friend Annie, who was actually our first intern on the farm, back in 2017. 

Annie’s drawing was a reflection on her summer spent with us, learning both about caring for the land and the Catholic Worker. It’s an entirely original piece of art (which shows you what a gifted artist she is!), and it’s done in the black-and-white woodcut style that is a hallmark of Catholic Worker imagery. 

We love this image because it speaks to many things that are important to us: our Catholic Worker roots, our care of the land, and most significantly, the relationships we’ve built that have sustained us, supported us, and inspired us. Knowing that our logo is tied to Annie, who has also committed her life to stewarding the land, makes it a story about our community, not just an image.

Our name, Little Way Farm, stems from the St. Thérese of Lisieux's concept of the "little way": the idea that the little things in life are meaningful. Just like the sower, our farm tries to focus on the little things we can do in the soil to help life grow.

Beyond the farm, you can spread seeds of goodness when you wash the dishes, say "thank you", or shovel snow off the stairs. These acts may seem insignificant on their own, but they are not. And, of course, depending on the environment in which you spread these seeds (for example, a chaotic home vs. a peaceful home), the seeds may or may not grow and thrive.

We’re grateful to Annie for her gift, and her willingness to let us use her art for the logo, and to Marie and Sara for designing the logo and working with us over the last few months. And we’re grateful for all of you, who take the time to read our newsletters, support our farm, and offer feedback and ideas. 

So many good things are on the way - I can’t wait to share them with you!

All the best,

Michelle

P.S. Want to know more about Catholic Worker-style images? You can learn more here.