Heading west from Lake City, altitude is gained quickly along country roads between farms. Just after a steep climb up a hill and the relief of a gentle roll down the other side, there’s a sign in a farm field – Lake City Catholic Worker Farm. It’s not unusual for travelers who see the sign to stop to learn more about the farm and what goes on there.
It was a sunny afternoon when Paul Freid took time to offer hospitality and speak with two travelers and their dog. Paul and Sara Freid and their daughters work the farm.
“We live in a community with other folks who live with us,” Paul Freid said. “A gentleman, Evan, just moved out. He was with us for a year. We have another gentleman who is coming to stay with us who is from Cameroon. He will be at the Mayo Clinic in Red Wing (Minnesota) three or four days a week, and will also do a mini-internship with us. He will work with us on the farm. (And) Sara’s parents just moved in.
“We bought our farm in 2007; it was in all corn and soybeans. Between 2007 and 2009 we built our straw-bale house. We camped out about 18 months of that two years. In 2024 we added an addition onto our house; we recognized Sara’s parents were aging and we are used to living in a community. John is 82 and Sue is 83. We were a community house and we are now also an intergenerational house. We’ve had people come and live with us for three or four years. And we’ve had people stay for months or for a weekend. We usually have summer interns as well.