It is hard to believe that I am entering my ninth season of farming. My farming career began in the summer of 2015, as I made the choice to forgo going back to college for my sophomore year and instead take a break to consider what it was I really wanted to do for work. I had a few defining characteristics for the type of work that I was seeking. I wanted to work outside, I wanted to feel like the work I was doing was important and valuable, and I wanted to wake up excited to go to work. I decided in August of 2015 that I would give farming a try.
Nine years later, I am still happily farming. There are many reasons I love farming and the work I do. One of the main things I fell in love with is the immediate feedback farming gives. In many careers, it can be hard to know if the work you're doing is impactful and effective, but farming can be very clear and blunt. You forget to water your seedlings, you will immediately see what your neglect has caused. You spend an hour hand weeding, and you end up with a beautiful field of just your crops. There is very little gray area, and I love that.
Another thing I appreciate about farming is that there is always a chance to redeem yourself. Every season is a blank slate. You may have had a poor season of growing tomatoes the year before, but this year you get another opportunity. You can learn from your mistakes and make changes. There is rarely a last chance in farming; you can always try again. It also means that the learning never stops.
I am thankful to have landed at Harlem Valley Homestead, and am excited to take these last eight seasons of growing and learning and put them to good use. Come learn with me on July 6th as we harvest this year’s garlic crop. Learn about the varieties we grow, how we grow them and take home some fresh garlic for summer meals, or to save and plant in your garden this fall.
-Max Spurlin, Crops Manager
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