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 plot of land. Using recycled materials, old world farm innovation and hard work, they laid the foundation for Hare's Paw Farm. Operations consist of all natural practices: no-till, no sprays, and no machinery.

The Hare Symbolizes new beginnings, abundance, and strength.

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.

In her early years Olivia would curiously join her mother in pulling weeds from the Hollyhocks garden in their front yard. They built and posted a wooden birdfeeder, painted with fine detail, to encourage the blue jays and red cardinals to visit their home. Inquisitively, she'd watch her mother in the kitchen hang homemade tzatziki from the cabinets overnight. Foraging for hours would result in mud pies and potions on the stove. Lost turtles would find themselves safe in her room until well enough to return to the wild. Nature was Olivia's playground and classroom. That did not change when her mother passed away and she had to move to the city to live with family.

Her aunt's yard was smaller, but still a place of wonder, where she would assist in a new garden of flowers. She proudly posted the birdfeeder she had made with her mother as a place of remembrance. It welcomed new life each season. If she wasn't outside investigating tracks and leaves, she'd be mixing ingredients in bowls in hopes of making a new, inspired dish. Over the years she collected and read books on herbalism, found peace in parks and horse farms, and still had the urge to keep returning to nature no matter how old or how far up in the cooperate ladder she climbed. When it came time to settle down with her husband, she knew one thing was certain: they needed land.

Hare's Paw Farm is a life-long dream, an inspired hub for all things naturally fulfilling. In 2024, Olivia and her husband welcomed a baby girl into the world. The farm, their home, will serve as a classroom and playground to her in hopes she too will find the marvel all around us.

Olivia is also a published poet and writing instructor with degrees in Literature & Creative Writing. She is the founder of Hare's Paw Literary Journal, and has brought her knowledge and love for storytelling to students of all ages by fostering a nurturing environment where creativity can flourish in her writing workshops.