For me, it’s the end of an era. After 3 1/2 years at The Food Project, I am leaving in February for new adventures. My days are filled with reflective activities – evaluating 2007 programs, writing up curriculum I used with interns in 2006, putting together a manual on how to run the Cadre program. Over the course of my time here, I have watched interns graduate, staff come and go, and seasons change on the farm. One of the most exciting things this year has been to see the first full season of the Urban Learning Farm pass.

The season on our new piece of land didn’t go exactly according to plan. We didn’t start planting until June, we spent the first day of the summer moving compost and topsoil as sweat drenched our t-shirts in the 100°F heat, and we gave our first workshop with no tent, table or chairs, but I still consider the first year a success. The Urban Ed interns worked with camp groups on Tuesdays throughout the summer, honing their skills at leading 8-18 year olds in different tasks, like building raised beds and harvesting basil, and developed a new version of our popular Food Choices workshop that was more appropriate for younger kids. We hosted 4 classes from nearby elementary schools every week in the fall, in which 4th graders raced to taste radishes and carrots right from the ground. We roofed our compost bin and painted a mural on our shed, and got a tent for the workshops. I have so many ideas for making things run more smoothly next year - and when I looked out at the Urban Learning Farm under snow this week, it was a chance to take stock in everything that has already gone right.