Mary Ellen Cory’s path in faith and agriculture is one that spans for several past generations. She has seen many developments and transitions in her family farm down through the years to the present day, but her relationship with the Catholic Church is a recent journey on which she and her family have embarked.
The operation, Cory Family Farm in rural Iowa, is an establishment that goes all the way back to the mid 1800s.
“I’m currently living on the farm that I grew up on,” she says. “My dad was raised here, and my parents raised us here.”
The farm has certainly seen many technological and industrial changes down through history; in fact, her grandfather “was a pioneer in the seed-corn industry”, who was very successful. Her father ran a small feed lot, cattle operation with corn and soybeans. And after living in a variety of places, Mary and her family returned to the farm in 1999, focusing on grass-fed lamb and beef, with pastured poultry and eggs. One year, they even grew flowers to sell at the local market.
Finding ways to cultivate healthier crops did not always mean employing new technologies. Sometimes, it meant going back to the natural roots.
Mary’s father employed chemicals in cultivating corn and soybeans, but her son began to take an interest in organic farming. Beginning 2019, a small portion of the farm was organic certified, signalling a transition. In the years following, their oats became food-grade for human use.
The farm has finished its fifth year of transition, with a sizeable portion already organic certified.This year, they will complete said certification for the remaining portion of the land.
The growth and development of the farm–specifically, going back to the “roots”– is not the only significant change that the Cory family has experienced. Originally Protestant with a deep faith, the couple converted to the Catholic Church in 2022 at the Easter Vigil.
“I was a very devout Protestant,” she recalls, “but just did not know about the Catholic faith, because I’d never heard any good teaching from a Catholic. Everything I heard about the Catholic faith was from devout Protestant pastors. I didn’t know any different.”
Her son–the one who had been interested in organic farming–had moved to Minnesota and met a young woman who loved her Catholic faith and was strong in it.
After informing his parents, Mary was open to this new perspective.
“I remember saying to him, ‘well I learned to never say never,’” she says, “And he took his own faith very seriously, so I really trusted him. So he actually started learning about the Catholic faith and joined RCIA.”
Mary recalls her son giving her and her husband resources as he went through the process of becoming Catholic.
“There came a point where I knew he was going to join the Church, whether they got married or not,” she says, “They actually did get married, which was such a huge encouragement.”
Another son of theirs also converted to the Church.
It’s certainly a new development in a family that had long been Protestant, but a journey that ultimately goes back to the roots of Christianity.
Her membership with Catholic Rural Life certainly adds to her gratitude, and sense of connectedness with other Catholics especially in the agricultural industry, when reading about the many different stories of other farmers in the magazine.
“The articles I’ve read are just so encouraging about people living out their faith in whatever their specific circle of influence is in agriculture.”
Today, the Corys primarily attend St. Augustine’s parish in Des Moines, continuing to develop their relationship with God and the Church. Their work at Cory Family Farm continues, as well: her husband primarily manages the sheep, and Mary works with the organic crop farming with her father.
Even through difficult situations such as crop damage, Mary recognizes that their needs have always been provided for by the hand of God. She sees the value of doing her part in selecting the best kind of seed, maintaining equipment and so forth, but ultimately it is up to God to give increase.
“Every year, I’m just so grateful,” she says. “There are always circumstances that arise that can seem daunting…of course I want an abundant harvest, but if it’s not like what I think of, I would still be grateful.”
The Corys’ story is one of both advancing developments, and also one of returning to roots and foundations. Either way, with each transition, the Corys have experienced fruitfulness…both on an agricultural level and a spiritual one.
