November is the last scramble before we settle into a season of rest and office work at the farm (as evidenced by this slightly late newsletter)! With our student crews we’ve been harvesting the last of our food, cleaning out our fields, and fulfilling the last orders for Valentine Dinning Hall and our CSA. It’s been amazing to see our work study crews come together and tackle these jobs despite the cold and fatigue we feel as we near the end of the season.
November started off with the first hard frost of the season, after this frost many of our crops died like our flowers, herbs, peppers, eggplant, and cherry tomatoes allowing us to shift our energy to preparing for winter.
November has been very emotional for me as I am finishing up my last season working as the Farm Fellow at Book & Plow. This summer, I did the math and realized that this was the fourth summer I’ve spent growing veggies and learning about this land with the guidance of Maida and Kaylee. I came to Book & Plow the summer before my senior year at Amherst, knowing I envisioned a career in farming and feeling nervous about having absolutely no experience in the field.
I came out of the experience with not only farming skills but also an appreciation for hard work, pride in my abilities, and a true feeling of connection with land, food, and myself. It has been incredibly rewarding to work these past 2+ years recreating that experience for many others all while continuing to grow as a farmer.
I'll be taking this winter to rest, recharge, check in with myself and plan my next moves. Our world has changed so much in the past two years, my hope is for all us to be able to collectively find time to slow down, reflect, and cultivate joy in small ways this season.
Earlier sunsets was another big change at the farm this November, meaning we got to capture a lot more sunset pictures! Seeing the world around us slow down in the winter time is an important reminder we also require rest after a busy year.
I want to conclude my last newsletter with gratitude for all of those who support the farm and keep up with our work (you)! In the many ways that being a farmer and educator have been challenging during the pandemic, it is also so amazing to be seen and supported by so many people. Thank you! If any of you want to connect before I part ways with the farm, reach out and I can pass along my personal email to you!
With gratitude,
Julia Herion-Cruz
P.S. Please check out the Farm Fellow Position poster I’ve linked below. This is a “Green Dean” position meant for recent alumni of the college, please pass this on to any interested alumni or graduating seniors you might know!
For this month's featured recipe is my favorite soup to eat on a cold day from Samin Nosrat's "Salt Fat Acid Heat". I know many farms as well as back-yard gardeners still have kale growing in these colder months, this recipe is a great way to make use of it!
