Farmers-in-Training

Tuesday I went to the first CRAFT meeting in Ossining, NY. No, not an arts and craft thingy, CRAFT stands for Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training. Basically, all us farmers-in-training in the Hudson Valley Region get together every couple of weeks to tour a farm, attend a talk, or see a demonstration on a specific topic.

Our kick-off was hosted at Kitchawan Farm, a farm that's been in the family for a century. A very enthusiastic and bubbly host greeted us in a long rain coat and rain boots. The whether was not very cooperative for our farm tour, it was pouring buckets. Lindsey walked us around her garden where she grows organic vegetables, herbs and flowers on a little less than an acre. And she does it all by herself! The farm was a mixture of old and new, retaining the farming aspect but changing the type (from horses to organic veggies). I especially liked the sight of the old white barn with solar panels on the roof. It was truly a thing of beauty.

After our tour we sat underneath a tent and shared a pot luck meal. The table was laid out with fresh bread, cheese, spinach calzones, a bounty of salads, pasta, chili, freshly made iced tea, raw milk, and various deserts. I brought some delicious rhubarb oatmeal bars, if I do say so myself. I ate and socialized with interns from other farms and temporarily forgot how soaked and freezing cold I was. It seems like I have truly found my kindred spirits amongst these farmers-in-training...people who both love to grow, cook, and appreciate good food.