Daily Inspiration: Meet Mayflor Chokshi

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mayflor Chokshi.

Hi Mayflor, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself and telling us more about how you got into agriculture.

I’m Mayflor Chokshi and I’m the owner of Mayflor Farms. I got my start in gardening in 2005, which is when I became interested in agriculture beyond having a small backyard plot. I took courses and received certification via the Henry County Master Gardening Class, and Georgia Organics. Mayflor Farms started around 2008. My husband is the one who really wants to have a farm. He grew up in Pennsylvania where you see the Amish farms in vast rolling hills. It is beautiful. I grew up in the Philippines and I had fun memories when I went to the province and saw the rice fields that my grandfather owned and worked as a farmer a long time ago. 

What guides you in your agricultural practice?

My husband and I believe in growing our own food and being the best stewards of the land, which means continuously exploring how to enrich the land. We put a lot of love in the farm after we bought it in 2008. It needed a lot of work and we weren’t sure what we were doing! Slowly, we made the house livable, fenced in the areas (for at that time we had a Great Pyrenees roaming the farm). We didn’t live at the farm but it is very close to our primary residence. From there, we maintained our land and slowly built the barn, clearing a large area for a pond and pasture. We even had two miniature Jersey cows. My husband actually delivered one of the calves when the vet couldn’t make it on time! 

How did Mayflor Farms continue to develop?

Learning is a lifelong pursuit. After I joined Georgia Organics and took organic farming, I met our longtime (and unfortunately, now deceased) partner, Farmer Chris Edwards. Thanks to Chris we got a tractor, a few implements and a seedling house. I was able to receive grants for our two hoop houses, drip irrigation for our planting fields. We planted fruit trees. The cultivated land is only 1.5 acres, but it’s still hard work. We grew crops from organic seeds and planted varieties of seasonal vegetables for our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) members and for the farmer’s market and sold to a few restaurants. Our method is organic and we never till. Over the years of using compost, no pesticides, and the use of organic fertilizer our soil became so rich in organic matter. You can see the symbiotic relationship between plants, insects, birds and people. Nothing is easy but indeed very rewarding. 

What have you learned?

This is a long journey. The goal is to make it sustainable. You learn each day, make new mistakes and learn from it to find inspiration to make new projects. Luckily, I met a farmer who’s willing to join the venture with me. It’s exciting and anxious all at the same. Soon we will open our CSA, rent the place for intimate wedding events (my son recently got married at the farm!) continue to host pop-up dinners and offer wellness education for the community. Farming is all about evolving within the bounds of realistic optimism. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s not a smooth ride at times. The struggles are laborious. I feel the challenges climate change. We cannot control Mother nature but you can control your ways and learn to adapt.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an immigrant. I came to the US as a Registered Nurse and worked for 30 years. I’m now retired. Back home life is quite hard financially. I’m proud that I made it here. There will always be obstacles, those experiences of hardships.

I’ve often been the glue of our family, quietly keeping things in order. Because of family responsibilities, I didn’t pursue my career as aggressively as I could have. At times I wonder if what I did was “enough”, but with more self-compassion, I’m learning to see that running a household well is meaningful work- even if it isn’t always recognized as something special. My husband’s and children’s successes feel like an extension of my own. 

What sets me apart from others…At this point in life and with my experiences – I am grounded ; I’m steady and don’t get easily thrown off by praise or criticism. I have a strong sense of self compassion. Being kind to yourself is not a form of weakness but a form of strength. Hatha yoga is part of my daily practice and I try to inhabit that flow state throughout the day. I love the farm and am still trying to make it sustainable. What we are aware of in this world is that I’m  only a tiny speck in the universe—yet a content and grateful one. I continue to grow, to learn, and to remain eager to help, trusting that even my small presence can make a difference. 

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
At a certain point, you have to take risks but always have a plan B ready.  Let’s say, you invest in a business and as long as you’re aware of the risks and be prepared to have that Plan B. Be practical and realistic. Don’t be greedy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mayflorfarms.com
• Instagram: Mayflor Farms
• Facebook: Mayflor Farms