Special to The Union
Restless energy is an immediate first impression. A lean and muscular frame suggest decades of physical labor. Big hands appear designed to work the soil and sense its quality. Leo Chapman is a farmer and has been one of the leaders for local food production and food education in our county.
To many of our local farmers he has been an inspiration and mentor. He is a passionate farmer and thrives on sharing his enthusiasm and knowledge. It was his vision and focus which provided the impetus for Sierra Harvest, one of our community’s important non-profits.
The first four decades of Leo’s life were typical. Born in in a Bay Area suburb, the family move to Sacramento and then to Ohio. After high school he joined the navy to escape the Midwest. During his four years he saw the world and married his high school sweetheart and partner-for-life, Debora while still on duty.
Return to California
After four years and an honorable discharge he returned to Sacramento with his young wife. The country was in recession and there were no jobs. He decided to become a handyman. Soon he had as much work as he could handle. Realizing that he had the skills he enrolled in a program at Sierra College and passed the exam to become a licensed contractor.
Leo’s parents hoped to move back to California and they considered Nevada County. In that process the couple discovered and fell in love with Nevada City. They found a house on Boulder Street and with his sister and brother-in-law formed a Catering business in addition to his construction company. Soon they found themselves working seven days a week for their businesses and Debora’s teaching job.
Unlike, many families they decided to become debt free and the prospect of real freedom. The catering business fell by the wayside.
A Mid-life Crisis
Perhaps, it was burnout or a mid-life crisis, but Leo grew tired of construction as he approached his 40’s. Leo started a period of exploration. Both of them embraced the idea of living simply. They both agreed to adopt a lifestyle that was not driven by consumption.
Leo craved adventure and had started sailing with a neighbor on a trimaran, ultimately to Mexico. Debora didn’t want adventure and was happy to stay home.
While these were happy experiences they were not a path that he found fulfilling. He started a new business producing architectural ceramics including tiles, mantles, sinks and tubs, but his partner fell ill, and the business couldn’t continue.
Re-inventing Leo
Leo had always hoped to retire by the time he was 40. Not only was he debt free, they had lived on Debora’s salary and banked Leo’s income for ten years. They had some savings and lived simply. Leo liked to say “we live simply so others can simply live.”
Leo remembers clearly a life changing moment. He had been looking for land to farm and was finishing a construction job on Cement Hill. One day on impulse in 2005 he pulled into the driveway of the Jacobson family. It was fate. Leo asked if he could farm their land and they said yes. That was the day Leo Chapman reinvented himself and became Farmer Leo.
He admits he didn’t know what he was doing. He was approached in summer 2006 by a college student, Tim Van Wagner. Tim wanted to be his intern and become a farmer. Tim worked with him that summer. In 2007 Tim returned after he graduated from college for his internship. By that time Leo had decided that he couldn’t have an intern since he didn’t know what he was doing. He made Tim a full partner in the enterprise called Blue Bird Farm.
Living Lands
Leo and Tim formed the Living Lands Agrarian Network with Tim. Between fund-raising, family savings and produce sales they ran a program for interns and supported the farm. The two men had a vision of establishing a collective community of farmers. Interns were recruited and then journeymen. Outlets for produce were developed first with Briarpatch and then by forming the Nevada City Farmer’s Market. New farms were established and as with similar utopian enterprises capitalistic instincts prevailed and the farms became independent.
Over time, it became clear that the organization needed to be formally organized as a non-profit organization. Soon others joined and new projects were initiated. This included the Food Love Project, as an educational resource with special programs for kids.
What started with Leo and Tim’s desire to develop Bluebird farm on Jacobson’s land blossomed. Now there were many farms. Fresh produce made its way to the market. Surpluses were gleaned and went to the Interfaith Food Ministry. It became clear that it was time to move to another level, and Leo and Tim’s Living Lands program and non-profit merged with Live Healthy Nevada County, a public health initiative, to form Sierra Harvest in 2013.
None of this would have come about if it had not been for Leo Chapman’s passion and vision. Aimee Retzler current Executive Director of Sierra Harvest said, “My sense of him is he’s just a warrior and will do whatever it takes…it is very hard to live up to his level of expectations...” Leo’s efforts have been transformative in promoting food access and food education and he leaves an impressive legacy.