Kim here, the CSA
member-turned-crew member. In my time as part of Groundworks Farm, I have moved
through plenty of variations on those titles. The short version is, I got hooked
on Margaret and Kevin's Kool-Aid (or, more likely, organic carrot juice) and
decided to throw myself into my food system for a period of time. I went from
being a member when the farm was in Vermont, to
being so connected that it was a huge loss for me when they moved the farm to
Maryland. They
offered generously to have me come join them, so last July, I did.
A couple of weeks ago, when Kevin
and Margaret went on an experiential visit to some friends' farms in Vermont, I was put in
charge of keeping things running here. It was supposed to be a quieter week,
with no pickups and a smaller crew to manage, and was given mainly the daily
farm chores and a list of soups to prepare for the Frozen Meal Shares. Seemed
feasible, given I have learned everything I know about farming from these
guys... just do as I'm instructed and it can't be so bad. They did leave me with
some numbers for people who would help if there were problems, etc. BUT
EVERYTHING FREEZING ISN'T REALLY SOMETHING TO CALL EMERGENCY CONTACTS ABOUT.
(haha)
It was really cold that
week--below freezing for at least 72 hours straight, in the teens for at least
36 of those hours, and windy. While I know there were other parts of the country
which were much colder than we were, it seemed like a lot for me to manage at
times. I do feel homesick for Vermont often,
and even Vermont in the winter. But I can't say I've
felt homesick for trying to farm in Vermont winter. Pig feed trapped in a
frozen-shut trailer, a van wouldn't start so I had to drive around the farm in
my Volvo, tubs of water covered in inches frozen solid and requiring a
sledgehammer, running water going out all over the farm, which is quite
inconvenient when trying to prepare soup. Also, I think I've discovered that
lots of warm, non-cotton layers actually perform the task of keeping you warm
purely by not allowing your sweat to turn to ice. So many little
It was an honor to be "in charge"
while they were away, and several times I have been glad to watch things so they
can have some time off the farm. Through my six months here, I've gained so much
respect for the amount of guts they have each day. Handling whatever pops up in
the course of a day while still maintaining what needs to be done on a regular
basis--it is no doubt that they ARE passionate about growing us all amazing
food. They need to approve this blog post and are not ones for tooting their own
horns too much so I'll keep the praise to that.
When I began to write, I got a
little stuck, mainly because I wasn't sure what to say. I started to think about
what perspective I would have on farming that would be insightful enough, and
got stuck on the possibility that even explaining what Groundworks Farm is to
me, or even who I am to Groundworks Farm, could take up a blog post. Seems a
little self-centered to write about myself, but I don't think it's about
me--it's ultimately about all of you, too. We are all connected because of this
farm, whether our motivation is health, value, environmentalism, commitment to
community, personal relationships, or something else. And because of that, we're
doing something good for ourselves but also good for one another. Not everyone
would have the desire or capability to move to a farm in order to contribute,
but I'm thankful that my life has allowed that to be my participation for this
period of time.
Your Farmer,
Kim
