An Open Thank You Note to the Eighth Day Farm Community

By Madison Ostrander

Dear Eighth Day Farm Community,

At the beginning of summer, I wrote a blog admitting how little I knew about farming. Since then, I’ve learned an awful lot. First, I learned the basics: the difference between a turnip and a radish, smelly compost is the key to happy plants, and micro-weeding pairs perfectly with deep hypothetical questions and new friends. But as the temperature grew in tandem with the onion patch (aka The Jungle), the farm began to teach me far more than unique plant names and proper growing techniques; through dirt-covered days, I was introduced to a new side of myself.

On the surface, the only noticeable change in my persona is my (now fading) tan and perhaps my aversion to sitting inside for hours at a time, but these changes only begin to illustrate the impact of my internship with EDF. Pre-Eighth-Day-me knew that there were hungry people and food waste happening in the same communities; I wanted to be confident in starting my own vegetable garden someday; I knew I liked the Farmers Market, but didn’t understand its importance.

Post-Eighth-Day-me is grateful for active organizations that bridge gaps between food waste and food insecurity such as Eighth Day, Love INC., Community Action House, St. Francis de Sales, and Holland Rescue Mission; growing my own food now feels like more of a civic duty rather than an afternoon hobby; because of the economic, environmental, and health benefits, I have a new appreciation for those who take their time and financial resources to invest in their local growers.

So if that’s you, pat yourself on the back with this fun fact from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: “If every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week (any meal) composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country’s oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week.” Curious what 1.1 million barrels can do? I was too. Learn more here.

I recognize my experience with local agriculture has been short, but it’s been long enough to reveal to me the laborious nature of a small farm; local, freshly-harvested, chemical-free, flavor-bursting people fuel demands months of planning, germination induced jitters, and long hours of weeding. Without Eighth Day Farm’s CSA community, board, and market customers, the farm couldn’t thrive. Because of your support, I’ve been able to learn invaluable lessons about the importance of local farms and now take a necessary pause to think about the daily choices I make to feed myself.

Only now, about two weeks after leaving the farm, I am starting to understand the commitment and planning it takes to eat locally on a regular basis. As some of you might know, part of my compensation for time on the farm was the luxury of going “grocery shopping” at work. Planning a fiesta bowl for dinner? Great, all I had to do was to go snip some cilantro, forage through The Jungle for an onion, pick up a not-so-pretty-pepper, and snag a tomato or two before leaving. Now, having lived the importance of supporting local farmers, I have to plan ahead… it’s not as easy as I thought. Before this summer, I hadn’t put much thought into who harvested my zucchini or pruned the plants bearing my tomatoes. I no longer have the “luxury” of being blissfully ignorant about the differences between large national growers and small natural farms like Eighth Day. I admit, it now takes conscious effort to resist shaming the lackluster veggies at the grocery who have just endured a cross-country roadtrip. In efforts to avoid the high-mileage produce, I visit my local Farmers Market, but truth be told I miss being behind the booth. But, the kale is always greener on the other side, right?

All of this is to say, thank you. Thank you for supporting your local farmers and making an effort to enjoy the fruits of your community. There are easier options out there. There are cheaper options, too. But if you’re reading this, you’ve likely made the choice on some level to assign a greater meaning to your food. At the risk of speaking for another, my thanks aren’t only from me; they’re from your rejoicing taste buds enjoying the freshest available finds, the naturally enriched soil that benefits from your demand, other EDF interns who have been nourished from your involvement, and your local farmers who feel your support.

With Gratitude,

Madison