Ode to Ally, from the Wild Harmony Crew
How Ally Came to Wild Harmony
Ally Dell is not one to toot her own horn, so I’ll toot it for her! Ally has been working with us for FIVE YEARS. Before coming to Wild Harmony, Ally was working in vineyards growing grapes, making wine, and sharing it with customers in tasting rooms, but she got started thinking about the meat she was eating. She really wanted to eat meat that had been raised using practices she could stand behind.
Ally joined us in 2017 as a Livestock Apprentice.
A couple of years later, we promoted her to work as our Assistant Farm Manager. She has supported the farm through the start of our marriage, my career transition from being a ship captain to working full time on the farm, our welcoming Milo into the world, and almost two years of a global pandemic!
Always learning and growing as a steward of the land and animals and the people we serve, Ally truly cares about regenerative agriculture.
Ally loves all our animals, but especially the pigs. She will be the first one to give a pregnant sow a cool shower with the hose on a hot day. Ally also has a knack for coming up with great names for the sows. She helped teach our livestock apprentices to respect and care for the animals with patience and kindness.
Teamwork
I talked with some of our team members about working together with Ally, and here is what they had to say!
2021 livestock apprentice Lauren describes Ally as “one of the hardest working and funniest people I know. Her work ethic and kindness in the face of adversity always inspire me to be a better version of myself. I am lucky to call Ally a mentor and a friend, and I can definitely say I wouldn’t be who I am today without having met her :)”
Nico, another 2021 livestock apprentice, writes, “Ally Dell taught me the meaning of good farming. I am still untangling all the things she has taught me. She has an unending well of knowledge and shares it in a beautiful way. I feel so lucky to have met this crazy competent person and know she will leave an imprint on everyone who crosses her path ❤️❤️❤️”
Marina, a 2019 livestock apprentice, says, “Ally and I formed a pretty tight bond and worked our butts off together for over a year! She consistently inspired me to think outside of the box, work hard, and put my heart and soul into this work. I have a very fond memory of staying late on a Friday together to help a sick boar. We sat in the mud and fed and watered him and gave him the attention and care he needed in that moment. That story is just a small example of the care and dedication Ally put into Wild Harmony during her time there. She was always thinking of others’ wellbeing, humans and pigs included. One of my absolute favorite things about Ally was her ability to laugh with me when things were tough on the farm. We laughed through the cold snow, the wet and miserable rain, trailer mishaps, mischievous piglet escape artists, heaving huge round bales uphill in the snow, ground wasps, and t-post pounding. She is truly a gem and I will never forget my time spent with Ally at Wild Harmony!”
New Chapters
We are so thankful for all Ally has done for our team, our business, and our family. Now, it’s time for her to blossom and do something different. This Spring, Ally is off to hike the Appalachian Trail. Yes, all the way from Georgia to Maine. Yes, all 2,190 miles! We will miss her upbeat attitude, incredible work ethic, and her dedication to furthering our mission of “Healthy Land, Healthy Animals, Healthy People.” We cannot wait to cheer her on in this next chapter of her life!
