Welcome Back Green-Earthers, and a hearty greeting to all of our new members, thank you so much for being part of our community!
Coming in to my second full season as the farm manager at Green Earth Harvest is feeling great so far. So much has changed since last year, and in the bigger picture, it doesn’t feel too different. Although, my wife and I are now the happy parents of a beautiful baby girl, the community at the farm has made it feel like a walk in the park! Well, almost 😊
Regardless of my new responsibilities at home, farm life doesn’t stop. I’m not sure what I would do if it did! One of the biggest reasons that this season feels so good is that we have been developing a great farm team. As Anne (Crew Lead), Eric (Assistant Farm Manager), and I work together, the effects of a strong and dedicated leadership team are becoming evident.
We have also found ourselves in the presence of some fantastic people, who have decided to double as fantastic seasonal farmers! Amanda, Agustin, Dan C., Dan P. and Lindsey have all return, and we’re excited to have Cherese and Jeremy on the crew along with interns, Caroline and Yaretzi! It is great to see the number of people applying to work here each season because they see the importance of, and are excited about, the prospect of a responsible local food system. From the little kids chomping on carrots, peas, and cherry tomatoes at pickup, to the high school interns, and college age and adult seasonal crew members, we can feel the thread of
responsible food production weaving through the generations. If we hope to see the changes we are working for come to fruition, we have a good start with this intergenerational cooperation, and we just might pull it off!
Farming isn’t all people though, we are the ones who gave it a name, but farming is truly just the manipulation of natural resources to provide ourselves with a reliable food supply. People are one part; the natural resources are the other. For us, that means biodiversity, clean water, clean air, and healthy soil, and we are happy to report that all the necessities are coming together right here on McDonald F arm!
Over the past weeks leading up to our Main Season, we have seen our cover crops crowding out weeds, leaving behind rich, loose, organic soil. We have seen the earthworms thriving under leaf mulch, spined soldier beetles feasting on Colorado potato beetles, and the waves of blooming prairie plants and trees that provide the habitat for this diversity. After every rain our water cistern is replenished and that rainwater is used to irrigate our crops. After irrigation, that water percolates through the soil into our aquifer or wetland where it is filtered and enriched with minerals. Nature truly is a finely tuned system. It’s breathtaking how it all works together for good.
So, to kick off our 2024 Main Season, here’s to the good! The good food, the good plants, the good critters, and the good people that put in the work to bring this all together. Here’s to the good times, the good weather, and the good vibes that one can only find in a genuinely happy and healthy community. A community just like the one we have here. So, thank you all for your interest and support of what we do. We take pride in our efforts to make our community stronger, and if not for each of you, none of it would be possible.
Here we grow!
~Farmer Russ & The Team at Green Earth Harvest
