5 dedicated farm interns with 5 passionate hearts and 5 sets of strong hands. From left- Justin, Claire, Emma, Tom, Jillian have committed to Aspen Moon Farm for this whole season and their help is essential to providing this amount of food, flowers, and plants to the community. They live on the farm, work 5-6 long days per week, and rotate taking care of the cows, sheep, and chickens. We provide the interns with the most diversity of work possible, starting off the season with 8-10 weeks of greenhouse work and then rotating weeks of focusing on flowers, hoop houses and pruning, fieldwork and transplanting, CSA pack and distribution, livestock care and composting, harvest runner and tracker (getting the produce out of the hot field and into the packhouse efficiently), and farmers markets. In the intern job description it says, "You will live and breathe the FARM!" Yep, they have all willingly signed up for this crazy farm life and we are so grateful for their hard work and enthusiasm. They do this because they all love growing good food and they care about the health of our planet, our soil, and our beings. What do they have to say?
Justin (from Maryland)- "Its the people! The customers and the farmers as a whole coming together to operate one big farm that grows sustainably and helps us all be healthy. Teamwork makes the Dream work! I like to be part of doing work that makes me feel positive about the future of our environment."
Claire (from Connecticut)- It is great to work with the wonderful beautiful plants on the farm and know that the way we grow provides the most nutritious food to our community."
Emma- (from New York) "Farming is the most beautiful magical thing and the hardest thing I've ever done. I get to see the sunrise everyday and even though I'm so tired I'm able to grow all this incredible food for the community and all of us farmers too. I am creating the future I want to live in by being part of sustainable agriculture."
Tom- (from Virginia) "I like having my hands in the dirt and the mud and people's appreciation for the food we grow and the love we put into it."
Jillian- (from Pennsylvania) "I love pruning tomatoes, eating dirty carrots and broccoli, and meeting the people at markets and CSA and watching them get so excited about the food that we have worked so hard to bring."
Recently Justin inadvertently came upon a ground wasp nest on the farm and was chased and stung several times. After some time getting to a safe place and making sure he was a ok, he turned and said, "Well you said I would live and breathe the FARM!" with a smile that surprised the heck out me and left me laughing with deep appreciation.
In 13 years of farming, this group of interns have inspired me the most. Thank you 2021 Interns! You are making the world a better place for us all!
Thank you CSA members for appreciating a little bit of our Aspen Moon Farm story.
