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THE BEAUTIFUL WORK OF COMMUNITY FARMS NOW

Mary by Kristin Kimball. Courtesy of Essex Farm.

The work of farming is a beautiful thing on so many levels. Today, we are sharing the story of one farming community, in upstate New York, that is working together to make both the experience of farmwork and the experience of the people served, even more beautiful.

Veer off on a dirt road in Essex County, NY, and you are likely to be delighted by the beautiful discovery of a community built by entrepreneurial farmers and friends. Essex Farm, Fledging Crow Farm, Juniper Hills Farm, Reber Rock Farm, and Mace Chasm Farm, have all discovered how they can work together and help each other, while making a large impact to the community that supports them.

Working hard to supply healthy food to their customers, these farmers have identified one very important thing - a community is only as healthy as its residents. 

These farmers are a part of the CSA program, Community Supported Agriculture, a system in which community members purchase shares of a farm’s harvest. Because this is a “full diet” CSA, their customers can enjoy the fruits of the farmers’ labor all year long, even during the winter, when nothing grows.

Despite the highly competitive nature of farming, this community of farmers works together. By sharing resources such as knowledge, expertise, equipment, products, and rides to the market, they are more self-sustaining and can better serve their community.

Jori Wekin, an Essex County community member, has taken a large step to improve working conditions for the farmers. She purchased a large warehouse, with space for shared grain mill and a large commercial kitchen that the farmers can share. She also intends to provide over 200 meals a day for the farmers, so that during growing seasons, farmers don’t have to worry about feeding themselves. 

Essex County farmers’ long term focus is creating international awareness of the energy used to grow organic produce. New systems are being developed to quantify the amount of green and dirty energy used in farming.

While their current impact is on the community in which these farms were born, there is no doubt that their work will be far reaching. Whether it’s feeding the community around them, or making a national push to reduce the effects of organic farming on the environment, the Essex County farmers are doing very beautiful work indeed. 

Read more about Beautiful Work, as it relates to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact including Working Dogs Are Beautiful Dogs Now! and The Most Beautiful Work in the World Changes Minds.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

  1. Image: by Kristin Kimball. Courtesy of Essex Farm. Mary.
  2. Image: Courtesy of Essex Farm.
  3. Image: by Richard Quirk. Courtesy of Juniper Hill Farms.
  4. Image: Courtesy of Fledging Crow Farm.
  5. Image: by Kristin Kimball. Courtesy of Essex Farm.
  6. Image: by Richard Quirk. Courtesy of Juniper Hill Farm.
  7. Image: by Kristin Kimball. Courtesy of Essex Farm.
  8. Image: by Kristin Kimball. Courtesy of Essex Farm.
  9. Image: by Kristin Kimball. Courtesy of Essex Farm.
  10. Image: by Kristin Kimball. Courtesy of Essex Farm.
  11. Image: by BN App - Download now!
  12. Image: Courtesy of Juniper Hill Farm.

 

 

 

 

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