By Ali
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about why I’m so drawn to farming.
There isn’t a single reason. My life over the past several years feels like a chain of small decisions. One led to another. Food keeps showing up.
I followed a vegan diet for eight years. I studied sustainability my first year of college. Much of it felt heavy. Learning about regenerative farming was one of the few things that kept my head above water.
When I began farming, those ideas materialized. For the first time, I felt like I had found something where I could make a true, tangible impact.
Rotationally grazing animals on crop land revealed a cycle of nourishment. Eating them came to feel less extractive and more like respect for both the animal’s life and the land that sustained it.
I think part of what draws me to farming is also a desire for truth. I want to see where my food comes from and be involved in the process from start to finish. Even when painful emotions arise, I feel a responsibility to carry that awareness rather than turn away.
If I had to give an answer, it would also be people. I’m drawn to those who live carefully and take their values seriously. Farmers and land tenders often carry a certain resilience and intuitive nature that I respect.
Farming holds work, repetition, learning, and stillness all at once. Some days feel hard. Some days feel simple.
I don’t think I’ll ever have a clear answer, but when I feel the sun on my face and dirt on my hands, I sure do feel whole.
Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members
Upcoming Event:
Pancake Breakfast Saturday March 7th (Hike at 9 am, Pancakes at 10 am)
CSA Barn Hours:
Winter hours: 2:30-6:00 pm
Pick List:
Eggs
Nicola Yellow, Harvest Moon Purple, Red, and Fingerling potatoes
Merlin Beets
Yaya Carrots
Hablange Parsnips
Maria Nagy’s Red Onions
Verdonnet Leeks
Watermelon Radish
Rutabaga
Mars Celeriac
Passat Green, Kilmaro Red, Deadon Savoy Cabbage
Kohlrabi
Dazzling Blue Kale
Rhubarb Chard
Castelfranco, Treviso, Rosata, and Radicchio
Cilantro and Parsley
Delicata, Acorn, Tetsukabota, and Butternut Winter Squash
Winter Luxury Pumpkins
Whole Dried and Ground Hot Peppers
Herbal Tea Blends
Pick your own flowers and herbs
Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)
Apollo Olive Oil
Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday
Open Field Farm Swag!
Homemade Beet Kvass
Author: Steph Gaudreau
Homemade beet kvass is a delicious, healthy, fermented, and easy to make probiotic-rich drink.
1 beet very large, organic if possible
1 tsp sea salt coarse, Celtic grey salt*
3 cups filtered water
Gently wash but do not scrub the beet. Trim the root and any greens off. Cut the beet into 1/2-inch to 1-inch cubes. Add the cubed beets to a 1 quart (4 cup) Mason jar.
Add the salt to the jar. Fill the jar with filtered water, leaving space in the neck of the jar for any bubbles that may form. Put the top on the Mason jar. I usually put my jar in a very large bowl just in case the jar were to crack.
Let the jar sit out at room temperature for 48 hours. Taste the kvass. If it's a little sweet and a little tangy, it's probably ready. Put the lid back on and store in the refrigerator. If you can, let the kvass sit for a week in the refrigerator just like this. It'll mellow in flavor and thicken.
Strain the beet kvass from the beets and store it in a separate jar if you like. You may re-use the beet cubes for one more batch of kvass or eat them in a salad.