Reflections from a Farmer

Bloom Where You Are Planted

Plants are funny things. 

At the start of their lives, they are buried - covered over, essentially suffocated - in soil. Only when they are covered do they start to grow, breaking through the surface of their own volition with their own strength and determination. 

And when they surface, they must fight off the blaring heat of the sun, the bruising of wind, the pressure of predators, the onslaught of downpours. They must be buried alive, burnt, battered, and drowned. 

But they grow into something life giving, whether with their beauty or their nutritive qualities. 

Sometimes for a plant to thrive, it must be pruned. Sick parts need to be removed for the good parts to flourish. And occasionally, those good parts can be taken from one plant and grafted onto another.  In other words, plants must also be cut down to become stronger. 

And when their time is through, plants gracefully fall away. They do not put up a fight or cause a scene. They quietly whither and dip back into the soil from which they came.

Plants are an incredible gift. 

We would be wise to mimic their efforts as we strive to bloom as people.  

“For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19

In my previous post, I reflected on the countless ways The Farm makes dreams come true.  As I pass on the proverbial torch at the end of February, I hope that The Farm will continue to be a place where dreams are made and fulfilled.  Many of my dreams have been fulfilled at The Farm, though I had no clue the first time I heard of The Farm my freshman year it would take me on a seven-year journey of self-discovery, wishing, and dreaming. 

New dreams are on my horizon. 

What will you dream this year?

Dreams Do Come True

As I reflect on the 2021 growing season, and every season before for that matter, I realize The Farm at Stonehill is a place of dreams.  While this is true in the sense that it is beautiful and peaceful, like a scene from a surreal dream, it is also a place where dreams are born and come true.

Even The Farm itself began as a dream.  In 2010, then Vice President of Mission, Paul DuPont, dreamt that Stonehill could be integral in mitigating hunger in the surrounding community.  In 2011 when Bridget, then Farm Manager, came onboard, she fulfilled dreams of developing a strong program out of nothing.  Abandoned fields turned into a productive landscape that has since fed hundreds of people. 

Those in the surrounding community suffering from hunger, poor nutrition, and food dessert conditions who dream simply of having a meal have their dreams come true with every bit of produce harvested on our land.  They are literally fed.  But how is the rest of our community fed?  How do their dreams come true?

Many college students desire a respite from schoolwork, time with friends, chances to enjoy the outdoors, and to learn in a capacity beyond the classroom.  The Farm offers such opportunities.  Faculty and staff who dream of educating students in a space that brings concepts in the textbook to life can do so through The Farm.  The nature of The Farm encourages new ideas, like establishing clubs such as Food Truth, that invigorate students.  Many staff and faculty themselves dream of tapping into their other interests and serving those in need, and they get to do so through volunteering at The Farm.  

In addition to volunteering, students and employees learn about broad concepts and ask questions they may have never considered before.  Who raised the chicken you ate in the dining commons, or who grew the tomato added to your panini at Au Bon Pain?  What might those farmers’ dreams have been?

At The Farm, there are dreams for Holy Cross to live out Catholic Social Teaching and the mission of the college.  What better place to encourage sustainable practices and embrace our common home, as Pope Francis urges in Laudato Si, than The Farm at Stonehill?  

Dreams to encourage diversity, sustainability, and other social justice topics for the institution come to life through The Farm, too. Our work in donating produce, as well as bringing in volunteers, fosters an inclusive environment for diverse groups of people. Many of the folks we serve are from Cape Verde and Haiti. We've had a Mobile Market intern of Cape Verdean descent who helped us translate, offering that student a space to connect with her culture and share the gifts and strengths that her unique identity offered. Food justice is intertwined with social justice as students learn about how food is grown, distributed, wasted, and how food connects so deeply to cultures and family traditions. Clearly, The Farm brings to fruition dreams of making these issues tangible and calling them to the forefront.  

Beyond Stonehill, The Farm births many new ideas, wishes, and dreams – dreams that came to life.  Our community partners who dream of providing more resources and creating stronger networks for their clients do so with the aid of The Farm.  Nearby farmers, like those at Langwater Farm, Copper Kettle Farm, Freedom Food Farm, and Round the Bend Farm, can fulfill dreams of sharing knowledge and creating partnerships as The Farm at Stonehill supports local business.  Twice over, first in 2018 and again in 2020, the network of campus farmers had dreams come true as they were able to exchange ideas and attend summits focused on campus farming.  

Local churches, like First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brockton, had the dream of creating a community garden, and in 2019 Stonehill’s summer farmers were able to present to church members to help get them started.  Thanks to The Farm, donors who dream of supporting a program that encourages many positive works can give to such a cause.  And reporters who dream of some good news to write about have been able to time and again, like here and here!

Of all the dreams I’ve witnessed at The Farm, both my own born and come true countless times, and others’ dreams that live on here, I will never forget witnessing the dreams of young children.  While working with some summer campers volunteering at The Farm, their joy, wonder, and hope for the future was so evident. One eagerly exclaimed, “I want to be a farmer!”. If that isn’t the birth of a dream, I don’t know what is. The Farm mirrors the future of the world, the future of dreams come true.

During the 2021 growing season, despite the pandemic, despite The Farm being in transition, dreams held strong and provided much needed support to people. Now, more than ever, folks are suffering from hunger, and local businesses and farms crave local support. The world is evolving.  Some of our old dreams perhaps have been lost, but new dreams will arise. Just like the wispy seeds of a dandelion, The Farm’s reaches are endless. And there are still dreams and wishes waiting to come true. There are still people waiting to be fed. Those dreams can be fulfilled at The Farm with support from the community, just as dreams have been fulfilled before.  As long as The Farm exists, it will be a place that gives rise to dreams, fulfills dreams, and inspires us all to live with the childlike innocence, wonder, and excitement that rejuvenates our world.