The story of The Hare
Meet the Farmer
Olivia and her husband left the city in 2020 and moved to Lakeville seeking simplicity and a reconnection to nature. Fueled by dreams of a sustainable, honest, and humble life they broke ground on their new 2 acre plot of land. Using recycled materials, old world farm innovation and hard work, they laid the foundation for Hare's Paw Farm.
The Hare Symbolizes new beginnings, abundance, and strength, which is a perfect metaphor for the farm.
Olivia Thomes has over 10 years of animal welfare experience in addition to leading teams and teaching in fields ranging from academia, entrepreneurship, system administration, general healthcare, and outdoor, farm, and digital learning.
Olivia was the little girl that foraged for hours and made mud pies, offering them up as suitable dinner appetizers, rambling off how each ingredient was fresh from the land. She’d rescue baby bunnies and turtles from the road, providing them sanctuary in her room, while simultaneously burying eggs in the backyard in hopes of raising chickens. Over the course of her life, she learned how to actually cook and bake by assisting her family in the kitchen, collected and read books on herbalism, and found that she still had the urge to fill her room with animals no matter how old she got. Fortunately, she learned how to care for animals and the importance of hard work by positioning herself on farms throughout the years. It was because of these core passions that Olivia always knew she wanted a farm of her own.
In 2015 & 2016 Olivia volunteered with the St. Bernard Project in NOLA rebuilding homes affected by Hurricane Katrina, which ultimately taught her the importance of serving community. It re-sparked her vision of what she wanted her life to be: What better way to serve her own community than to offer a taste of the farm life!
Olivia is also a published poet and writing instructor with degrees in Literature & Creative Writing. She has founded her own literary journal where she publishes creative writing and music:
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