Greetings from Book & Plow,
April at the farm is mainly preparation time for our busy season that kicks off in May. In April you can find us seeding in our greenhouse, preparing our fields for planting with mulch and fertilizer, and doing a lot of tractor work. You'll also find us doing tasks that most folks don't usually associate with farming like tinkering with our tractor implements, organizing our shed & hangar, and hauling trash to the dumpster. Spring is an important time for us to set the foundation for the season and ensure that our spaces and tools are prepared for our peak season when we have much less time to spare!
A big part of our April has also been working with our work study crews. This year, we kicked off our spring work study program in March and it's been such a great experience for us. Last year in response to the pandemic, Maida, Kaylee, and I did most of our Spring work separate from each other so It's been incredibly gratifying to once again share this Spring groundwork with students.
To highlight all the important work that our students are doing to set the 2021 season into motion, I wanted to include some student farmer profiles in this newsletter. We thank all of our work study students for their energy, enthusiasm, hard-work, and curiosity that makes this farm such a special place to be!
I hope that these profiles will give an additional glimpse into what Spring at Book & Plow has looked like this year!
For Book & Plow,
Julia Herion-Cruz
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Anna Lyons (Left)
Class of 2023
Major: Undeclared but working on declaring Russian
Hometown: Denton, North Carolina
Favorite crew job so far: Fertilizing and rolling out straw bales
Favorite part of working at the farm: Having 3 hours a week to relax, spend time outside, and be hands-on
Favorite vegetable: Onions and potatoes
Something that’s gotten you through the pandemic: Focusing on my relationships and doing art
Mia Bawendi (Right)
Class of 2024
Major: Undeclared, possibly biology and art
Hometown: Cambridge, MA
Favorite crew job so far: Rolling out straw bales to mulch the onions
Favorite part of working at the farm: Getting to know the crew
Favorite vegetable: Bell pepper
Something that’s gotten you through the pandemic: Drawing a page of my sketchbook each day
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Kiera Alventosa (Left)
Class of 2021
Major: Environmental Studies and English
Hometown: Setauket, New York
Favorite crew job so far: Planting the seedlings
Favorite part of working at the farm: Being in community with such hard working and kind individuals
Favorite Vegetable: Carrot
Something that's gotten you through the pandemic: Riding my bike
Rhys Hare (Right)
Class of 2022
Major: Environmental Studies and Psychology
Hometown: New York City, NY
Favorite crew job so far: Seeding
Favorite part of working at the farm: The people who work here
Favorite vegetable: Okra
Something that’s gotten you through the pandemic: Roller skating
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Upcoming Events at Book & Plow
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Book & Plow is partnering w/ Student Activities and Arts at Amherst to expand our natural dye workshops this year. We’ll be hosting natural dye workshops once a month till October. Sign ups for our next workshop will be opened in May. Follow us on instagram and check the Daily Mammoth for updates!
We're hosting a Virtual Alumni Happy Hour on Thursday April 29th 6-7 pm E.S.T! If you're an alum of the farm please join us as we share updates about the farm and connect with each other!
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The Office of Religious Life and the Outdoor Club are hosting an Interfaith Campout at Book & Plow Farm on Friday April 30th starting at 5 pm! Spaces are limited, if interested register to claim a spot.
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