The Prouhets own and operate a sustainable vegetable farm in Troy, Mo., Jim Prouhet grew up on a large conventional farm in O’Fallon, Mo., and moved away from the family farm as an adult to run his own construction business. In 1999 they bought a farm in Troy where they now grow their own produce in a traditional way without using pesticides or fertilizers.

Ramona believes that growing your own produce does not require large equipment, chemical fertilizers, or pesticides. At the same time, growing naturally is not a complicated science. She says it is about growing your produce “the old way, the way our grandparents did it before the arrival of pesticides and fertilizers.”

They joined Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), a sustainable farming movement. Their CSA farm, Shared Bounty, provides naturally grown produce to 45 members for 20 weeks a year. Jim and Ramona work on their farm Monday through Friday. Jim drops off coolers full of freshly-harvested produce to customer doorsteps every Saturday. CSAs are helping strengthen local economies, reducing carbon footprints, and making quality produce available to consumers.