Tell us about your role on the local foods team:
I joined the Local Foods Team in April 2022 as the Food System Program Assistant and I help with planning and implementing programs for producers, food businesses, and consumers. I provide behind-the-scenes support with administrative and logistical tasks, such as managing our Fruition blog subscriptions and developing social media posts to broaden local food awareness. I enjoy continually learning how our local food system functions and how we can work together to create a strong rural foodshed.
What sparked your interest in local foods?
In college, I studied ecology and natural resources, originally with the goal to work in wildlife conservation. As I learned more about agriculture and its impact on our environment, I decided to pursue farming so I could learn small-scale, regenerative farming practices, and understand the local food movement. I was quickly enamored with the way agriculture challenges oneself both mentally and physically – and how you can see the rewards of your labor in beautiful flowers, bountiful produce, and nutritious meals. Through my farm experiences, I realized that our food system challenges are interconnected and vast. I entered into a graduate program to further tease out how our food system developed and what we can do to make it more equitable.
How do you eat local food in the winter when everything is frozen outside?
We preserve food during the growing season to have plenty of local produce during the winter months. For example, I recently made slow cooked turkey breast, raised by a friend, that we had frozen in November. Along with the turkey, we made mashed potatoes from homegrown spuds we harvested and put in our root cellar, and we sautéed bok choy that we grew and froze ourselves.
What are some of your favorite foods to grow and cook with?
I like growing root crops, such as beets, carrots, and garlic. I find it very satisfying to start these little seeds and then harvest a big beautiful beet or carrot to be stored for the winter. I like cooking with garlic, whether it is caramelized when roasted with chicken or added raw into hummus and pesto. Recently, I’ve been learning how to grow blueberries and apples and I enjoy seeing the growth cycles for these plants, too. Blueberries are one of my favorite fruits so it’s nice to have a freezer full of them during the winter and I can drink them in a smoothie daily. Our dogs love them as treats, too.
If you could pick a NoCo view to look at everyday, what would it look like?
The rolling pastures and fields of blueberries and apples that surround my home, particularly at sunset. I’m already lucky to see this view everyday – our neighbors’ pastures are adjacent to our property, too, and we are often treated to seeing their cows and horses up close and personal during the warmer months. We see amazing storm systems approaching and when these storms are mixed with vibrant sunsets, the views are some of the most spectacular that I’ve seen in the region.
What are some hobbies you enjoy doing in the North Country?
A few years ago I rented a spinning wheel from the Canton Public Library and started to teach myself how to spin wool. I had some brief experience with spinning at a farm in Maine and I now have two spinning wheels. I find it to be a very meditative practice and something fun to do in the winter. I want to keep learning about the different techniques involved, natural dyes, and perhaps have a sheep or two for wool (and as pets) in the future.
I also ride horses at a small barn in Canton. I hadn’t ridden consistently before coming to the North Country, but I learned how to drive draft-horses in Maine. It was a dream of mine to start a draft-powered farm, and it may still happen one day. Working with horses is a great source of joy for myself.
Click here to check out the other Extension staff who contribute to the Fruition Blog.