ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL JUSTICE
,¶YHGHFLGHGWRNHHSZULWLQJ«XQWLOP\ZRUGVDQGHQHUJ\UXQRXWRUDW some appropriate conclusion, as I turn 79.
XS&KDUPDLQH3HWHUVRXU\HDUIDUPPDQDJHU6KHVSHQWPLG1R - YHPEHUWRWKHHQGRI0DUFKZRUNLQJLQWKH'&DUHDSDLQWLQJUHRU - JDQL]LQJ KRPHV DQG HYHQ UHOD[LQJ D ELW 7KLV LV KRZ WKH IDUP KDV EHHQRSHUDWLQJIRUWKHODVW\HDUVRUVR:LWKRXWERWKRIWKHPZH ZRXOGQ¶WEHIDUPLQJ Before coming to the farm, Charmaine worked in a decently pay- LQJ'&QRQSUR¿W1HZIDUPVWD̆ZLOOVWDUWLQPLG0D\7KHLUGD\ ZLOO EHJLQ DW DPZLWK D WR PLQXWH EUHDNIDVW DQG VWD̆ PHHWLQJGLVFXVVLQJWKHGD\¶VWDVNV FURSVQHHGLQJWRQXUWXUHGPDN - ing decisions and other items to keep the farm running and meet- ing its goal of bringing healthfully grown produce to mixed income QHLJKERUKRRGVLQ:DVKLQJWRQ'& )URP)DUP-RXUQDO We’re a farm that believes that food, housing, jobs and healthcare are necessities and that a country as rich as ours should provide those to everyone. We are part of several subsidy programs and food pan- tries that provide fresh produce from farms to families across the DC metropolitan area. While farming is hard work, there is also downtime, time to swim in the creek, go for hikes, explore the region, cycle along rivers and coun- tryside. It can be quite meditative and spiritual. There is something ³RUJDQLF´DERXWWHQGLQJWKH¿HOGSODQWLQJQXUWXULQJDQGKDUYHVWLQJ ,WDOORZVRQH¶VPLQGWRHPSW\RIWKH³QRLVH´LQRXUKHDGV$QGLQWKH quiet and stillness of the farm, you can focus on being out in the fresh DLUWKHRQO\VRXQGVEHLQJWKHEHHVELUGVDQGUXVWOLQJOHDYHV<RXWDNH pleasure in helping plants grow into nutritious food and then inter- acting at the market with the people who will eat the food you have grown, knowing that what they consume was grown without harmful FKHPLFDOV7KHH[SHULHQFHRIZRUNLQJDWPDUNHWVHQDEOHVVWD̆WRPHHW the customers and enjoy the fruits of their labor. The average workers the last several years have been college edu- FDWHGZRPHQLQWKHLUODWH¶VWRHDUO\¶VZDQWLQJWROHDUQWKHIDUP WUDGHDQGKDYHWLPHR̆IURPṘFHRUUHVWDXUDQWMREV:HRQFHKDG D SURIHVVLRQDO ³VWULSSHU´ LQ KHU ¶V« $QRWKHU \RXQJZRPDQZKR worked the farm travelled around the world with friends during the ZLQWHUDQGWKHQUHWXUQHGWRWKHIDUPWKHQH[WVHDVRQ6HDVRQDOIDUP - LQJ LV D JURXQGLQJ H[SHULHQFH R̆HULQJ ORWV RI WLPH WR WKLQN DERXW WKHIXWXUHDQGVDYHPRQH\WRWUDYHOR̆VHDVRQ (From Farm Journal If you are interested in farm work, and can handle the hard, but rewarding work, try to volunteer at a farm for a week and check it out. The work is seasonal, which in our region means April – Novem- EHU0RVW IDUPV R̆HU VHYHUDO GL̆HUHQW W\SHV RI SRVLWLRQV WKDW UDQJH IURPXQSDLGLQWHUQVKLSVWRIXOOHPSOR\PHQW6RPHIDUPVDUH³OLYHDQG ZRUN´DQGRWKHUVKDYHGD\SRVLWLRQV6DODULHVFDQVWDUW IURPDURXQG ±PRQWKLQFOXGLQJLQVXUDQFHURRPDQGERDUGDQGLQ - centives to return the next season . >6HHVLGHEDU@ For those who want to put words to actions but can’t commit to farm work, think of volunteering at a farm stand, especially one that serves the limited income communities. For example, at our markets in Ad- DPV0RUJDQ%URRNODQGDQG$QDFRVWLDZHR̆HUIRRGLQH[FKDQJHIRU volunteering. Try helping once, and if you like it, become a regular. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet lots of interesting people, and to GLVFXVVUHFLSHVGL̆HUHQWSURGXFHDQGQXWULWLRQDQGLVVXHVRIPXWXDO interest and concern. * * * I’ve dedicated a limited run self-publication of the Farm Journal to my three children and friends and family and CSA members, but
Several farm organizations can refer potential farm workers and volunteers to jobs. Here are just a few: ,Q0'&$6$ &KHVDSHDNH$OOLDQFHIRU6XVWDLQDEOH$JULFXOWXUH www.futureharvestcasa.org 02))$ 0DU\ODQG2UJDQLF)RRGDQG)DUPHUV$VVRFLDWLRQ www.marylandorganic.org 3$6$ 3HQQV\OYDQLD$VVRFLDWLRQRI6XVWDLQDEOH$JULFXOWXUH www.pasafarming.org 4. Pearlstone Conference & Retreat Center www.pearlstonecenter.org )RUPRUHLQIRUPDWLRQDERXWRXUIDUPVLQWKHUHJLRQDQGHPSOR\ - PHQWRSSRUWXQLWLHVFRQWDFWLQIR#OLFNLQJFUHHNEHQGIDUPFRP3RWHQ - WLDOVWD̆QHHGVWREHLQJRRGVKDSHQRQVPRNHUVDQGDEOHWRH[SHUL - HQFHDYHJHWDULDQGLHWDQGKDYHDFXUUHQWGULYHU¶V OLFHQVH,I\RX¶UH DQHDUO\ULVHUWKHUH¶VWLPHIRU\RJDPHGLWDWLRQDQGUXQQLQJ &6$ PHPEHUVKLSV DUH DYDLODEOH RQ 6DWXUGD\V DQG 7XHVGD\V DW RXU $GDPV 0RUJDQ )DUPHUV 0DUNHW %URRNODQG )DUPHUV 0DUNHW DQGLQ7DNRPD3DUN DGGUHVVJLYHQZLWKPHPEHUVKLS &RSLHVRI0L - FKDHO7DERU¶V)DUP-RXUQDODUHDYDLODEOHDWWKH7DNRPD3DUN6LOYHU 6SULQJ)RRG&RRSRUDWWKHLUIDUPPDUNHWV/RRNIRU0LNHWKHUH
Here are some specific farms to check out:
/LFNLQJ&UHHN%HQG)DUP www.lickingcreekbendfarm.com 2. Eco City Farms ZZZHFR̆VKRRWVRUJSURJUDPVEODGHQVEXUJIDUP 2QH6WUDZ)DUP www.onestrawfarm.com 4. Wilson College Farm ZZZZLOVRQHGXIXOWRQIDUP BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
Licking Creek Bend Farm Markets in the DC Area:
$'$06025*$1)$50(560$5.(7 Columbia Rd and Euclid Streets, NW Every Saturday through December 18, 2021
DP± SPUDLQRUVKLQH :$5')$50(560$5.(7 $WWKHSDUNLQJORWEHKLQG0DUWLQ/XWKHU.LQJ(OHPHQWDU\ 6FKRROWK6WUHHW6(MXVWR̆ of Alabama Avenue. Saturdays, through October 10:00am – 1:00pm, rain or shine 78(6'$<%522./$1')$50(560$5.(7 $WWKH%URRNODQG0HWURXQGHUWKHEULGJHDWWKDQG2WLV1:
Every Tuesday through October 4:00 – 7:00pm, rain or shine
PATHWAYS—Fall 21—83
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