Last September, we had the great privilege of hosting one of my favorite brands, Duluth Trading Company, here on the farm. When their producer emailed me about hosting a photoshoot on our farm, I had to reread the email several times before I understood that they were asking me to be a model. At first I felt so intimidated and unsure about saying yes - this is way out of my comfort zone! But when I researched more about their company and how they choose to use real women as models, and I started thinking about my niece, goddaughters, and all the other young women that I hope to inspire to follow their dreams and to encourage a love of the natural world. So I said yes and I am so glad that I did… it was one of the highlights of the season!

In the weeks leading up to the photoshoot, I received lots of guidance from Duluth Trading Co’s production team about what to expect. These emails and phone calls really eased my mind… basically their pros would handle everything and I could just be me. Everyone was so kind and reassuring that they wanted to document me doing normal farm activities. We talked through my normal daily routine and what I normally wear while working; they truly wanted everything to be as authentic as possible. About 2 weeks before the shoot, Duluth’s stylist sent me a huge box of clothing to try on with several different sizes of pants and tops. William was such a trooper and helped me take photos of each clothing item, from several different angles each, so that we could send the photos to the team for them to choose my sizing. It was pretty hilarious and we used sticky notes to keep track of what was what.

The weekend that we were scheduled to shoot was one of our busiest wedding weekends of the year. Duluth’s production team arrived early Friday morning to scout the farm and this was the first time they laid eyes on me and our property in person. As the production team was leaving, my freelance designers began to arrive and we got to work. I am so grateful for my wonderful design team that weekend (thank you Stacey, Laura, Kelly, Rachel, Hali and Ayla!); together we designed beautiful weddings and they really helped me to not be quite so nervous about everything. On Sunday, Duluth’s production team arrived bright and early, and we began hair and makeup. It was really nice to not think about making myself look “pretty” or think about what to wear… I just did what they told me to!

The shoot lasted for 8+ hours each day for 2 consecutive days, with 5-6 outfit changes per day (I think…I may have lost count). Each outfit change entailed setting up a new scene, whether it be in the studio, in the field, on the tractor, etc. It was way more exhausting than I imagined because I finally learned that when photographer Tom saw something he liked, he had me do the same action on repeat about a zillion times. Imagine picking up a full bucket of flowers off the floor, moving it several feet up and onto the workbench, then back again to do it all over… times twenty. It was tiring, but really really fun. Duluth’s team was so fun, professional and kind; it was a really neat experience to learn how much goes into producing these photoshoots!

This month their Women’s and Spring catalogs have been released and their website is unveiling new photos and clothing items every day. Its really fun (and surreal) to see myself on the Duluth Trading Co home page as I write this blog post. This satisfaction isn’t about seeing myself “out there” - because that still feels weird for an introvert like myself - its about having an opportunity to share my story and hearing from other women who connect with the desire to follow their dreams. The messages and emails that I’ve received from women across the country are so encouraging. One woman wrote, “As a child of an agriculture focused father who really loves plants and flowers, I'm drawn to your story…. Your story is a beautiful reminder to dream big and do more.” I can’t express how it fills my heart to hear this feedback!

Even though the financial situation for so many of us has changed during these uncertain times, I wanted to share a few of my favorite pieces that I wear constantly. Whether it be working on the farm or when I want to clean up and look cute, I love my Duluth pieces. The quality and longevity of Duluth’s products is unsurpassed in my opinion, and I’m really hard on clothes and shoes (my mom says this has been the case ever since I could move)!

Please note that this is not an ad, nor do I receive a commission if you buy anything. I get asked frequently for recommendations on durable, comfortable clothing to work in, and so this is why I am sharing. And you’ll see that its no secret that I love wearing dresses and skirts :)