{"id":4191,"date":"2014-10-15T07:44:37","date_gmt":"2014-10-15T11:44:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=4191"},"modified":"2014-10-15T07:44:37","modified_gmt":"2014-10-15T11:44:37","slug":"the-importance-of-supporting-future-farmers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/the-importance-of-supporting-future-farmers\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Supporting Future Farmers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Excerpted from a speech given by Matt Celona, Crops Manager at Drumlin Farm, during Moon Over Drumlin, an annual fundraiser held in Lincoln.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>It feels good to be amongst people who care that it\u2019s pumpkin season, amongst people who love nature and farming, and the future of both. We all love freshly harvested, sustainably-raised food, and we understand\u00a0that the quality of our\u00a0crops and\u00a0livestock depends on the health of the ecosystems that nourish\u00a0them and nourish\u00a0us all. You can\u00a0feel\u00a0confident that at Drumlin\u00a0Farm<\/a>, your farmers are conscientiously stewarding the soil, water, and landscape that in turn feed\u00a0the\u00a0plants and animals\u2014domesticated and wild\u2014that make their homes here.<\/p>\n

By donating to Drumlin Farm<\/a>, you are helping to support our Crops Apprenticeship Program<\/a>, a program that is synonymous with the future of farming. That may sound grandiose, but these words from farmer and activist Wendell Berry ring true: “The first thing farmers as conservationists must try to conserve is their love of farming and their love of independence. Of course they can conserve these things only by handing them down, by passing them on to their children, or to somebody’s children. Perhaps the most urgent task for all of us who want to eat well and to keep eating is to encourage farm-raised children to take up farming<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

I don’t have children of my own, and farm-raised children are few and far between in metropolitan areas. But there are many people out there\u2014I\u00a0myself was one of them\u00a0several years ago\u2014with a passion for the environment,\u00a0a deep\u00a0curiosity about food production, a desire to work on a farm,\u00a0and yet no farming experience. This is where Louise Hatheway\u2019s vision<\/a> and your generosity come together: thanks to her\u2014Drumlin\u2019s original benefactress\u2014and you, our farm\u00a0thrives\u00a0here in Lincoln\u00a0a mere half hour from Boston and the thousands of people yearning\u00a0to learn more about\u00a0sustainable food production.<\/p>\n

During my\u00a010 years at Drumlin Farm, I have trained close to\u00a050\u00a0of these committed and hard-working people. Dozens\u00a0have been\u00a0recent college graduates, some never saw the need to go to college,\u00a0some have been\u00a0career-changers, but\u00a0only one grew up on a farm, and that was in Mexico. You can see how drastically culture and agriculture have diverged in America.<\/p>\n

And yet, each season apprentices arrive here in April or early May\u00a0and are soon\u00a0seeding, transplanting, weeding, trellising, harvesting, running our stand at farmers\u2019 markets, coordinating our summer and winter CSA programs<\/a>, talking to chefs, delivering produce to restaurants<\/a>, and\u00a0leading groups of summer campers<\/a> and volunteers<\/a> in field work.<\/p>\n

\"farm-staff-2005-2-small\"<\/p>\n

They learn quickly and make the Crops Operation hum. Some leave in October after one season with us. Some return for up to\u00a0three seasons before moving on to farm management positions elsewhere.\u00a0Our alumni<\/a> include:<\/p>\n