I can’t believe that the time to say goodbye is already upon us! Although my stint at Elk Run Farm was no more than six months, I am amazed by how it feels like I’ve been there for much longer. In my mind, my time as the assistant farmer has lengthened to match the abundance of experiences and stories I’ll take with me wherever I go: a Ukrainian food bank client who used Google Translate to tell us all her favorite foods, a student separating garlic cloves for planting and offhandedly mentioning they want to be a farmer, Jillian showing me photos of her pet slime mold…the list goes on! I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work hard with everyone at the farm, and all for a common goal: grow good food with neighbors for neighbors, and have some fun along the way.
This job was a dream; I could continue honing my skills as a grower while learning and working with incredibly passionate people. Through my interactions with volunteers, students, teachers, former employees, and my indomitable teammates, Joy, Skye, and Jillian, I gained a sense of optimism and purpose. We challenged one another, dreamed big, and laughed together. We tried new things, then stuck with old practices. And at the end of the day, I was always reminded that while work teaches me hard skills, the lessons I learn from my coworkers are always deeper, and further-reaching than knowing how to drive a tractor or make a spreadsheet.
While I am confident I’ll find a good agriculture job out here in New York’s Hudson Valley–my new home!–I made sure to remind my partner that it would be much easier to move if I could find a job that is exactly the same as this one. Thankfully, as Joy and Jillian often say, I can always come back and spend some time on the farm.
Elk Run Farm 