Farmer-Priest + Farmer-Scholar
Rev. Kerri Meyer + Dr. Jennifer Blecha
The Rev. Kerri Meyer, the Executive Director of Good Courage Farm, is an ordained priest in The Episcopal Church. Before making the leap to a fruit farm in rural Minnesota, Kerri served as Associate Rector of St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco. Kerri's role on the farm is both visionary and practical. As both farmer and priest, she engages daily with the agricultural and spiritual life of the farm, leading worship services and faith formation programs. Though she's a Master Gardner, she especially loves tending the animals who make their home on the farm, whether livestock or wildlife.
Dr. Jennifer Blecha is Associate Professor of Human Geography at San Francisco State University, teaching courses in food and agriculture systems. Prior to living in the Bay Area, Jen was embedded in local food systems work in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. Jen's expertise is divided equally between policy and practice. You're as likely to find her on a tractor applying microbial innoculants to the soil as you are to find her in front of a crowd, enthusiastically sharing about regenerative agriculture as a solution to both the hunger crisis and the climate emergency.
Jen and Kerri both bring a love of music and liturgy to the farm.
Food + Faith + Farm Manager
Rev. Christian Muellerleile
Rev. Christian Muellerleile is an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Christian has served various small town and rural churches in Michigan and Minnesota since 2006. Before becoming a pastor, Christian worked at several food co-ops and Community Supported Agriculture farms in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. He is an alumnus of Gustavus Adolphus College, The Lutheran Volunteer Corps, Luther Seminary, and the Collegeville Institute Rural Minnesota Fellows Program. He also served as the Vice Chair of Meeker Area Ministries- a ministry housing homeless people in Meeker County since its founding in 2010.
Christian lives in Litchfield, MN with spouse Kateri and kids Antonia and Augustin where they enjoy outdoor adventures, music, and good food. In particular, Christian love to sing the faith and dig in the dirt. His interests include, mountain biking, canoeing, skiing, archery, neo-monasticism, outdoor ministry, fishing, guitar playing, and contemplative spirituality.
As the Food, Faith + Farm Manager, Pastor Christian oversees the intersection of fieldwork, worship and hospitality. Volunteers who come to the farm to help grow the food that we give away will find Christian a welcoming, skilled guide to this fruitful community space.
Deacon
The Rev. Dawnlynn Greeney
The Rev. Dawnlynn Greeney is an ordained deacon in The Episcopal Church. Since being ordained in 2014, Dawnlynn has served as a deacon in metro and rural congregations in Minnesota.
Dawnlynn lives in Minneota and works as an IT Project Manager in Marshall. Dawnlynn enjoys all things food related, trying new foods, cooking, and baking. She also sees herself as a crafter. She usually has a knitting, crocheting, or embroidery project nearby.
As the part-time deacon at the farm, Dawnlynn assists with liturgy and hospitality, welcoming visitors and doing what she can to make their experience at the farm meaningful.