Photo of smiling Liz Wang in the desert holding up a cactus
Welcome Liz! This month we have the absolute pleasure of welcoming Liz Wang into our farm and pod as our first farm intern. Liz is a graduate of the Urban Farming Institute 29-week farming apprenticeship, a grower at the Food Project, and a board member for Dorchester Food Co-op.
When Liz arrived at the farm, the sun came out for the first time in literal weeks. We think it was the farm reflecting her sunny personality. Liz brings positive energy to all of the work she is involved in. While we labored together building 60-foot long raised beds, she shared stories of her recent travels. Liz was coming to us after a month-long stay on a sandy-soiled homestead in Arizona. In the desert she (I wish I built cob houses hehe) learned about natural building and cultivated relationships with plants that were new to her like the saguaro cactus and the mesquite tree. For snack, Liz brought out bean pods from the mesquite tree. Instead of eating the beans, you eat the pod itself. It tastes delicious and surprisingly sweet! The sun and the stories made the work day as energizing for our spirits as it was tiring for our bodies.
As we’ve spent more time with Liz, it has become very clear that her commitment to food justice spans beyond the field. In the evenings, she is often in meetings with her neighbors from Dorchester and fellow member organizers of Dorchester Food Co-op. They are a grassroots initiative building a local grocery store that is collectively owned and controlled by their community. This year they have gained momentum on this project and are now in the phase of breaking ground on their future grocery store location. It is inspiring to hear about a community coming together to create structures that support the physical nourishment of people and that at the same time is building economic opportunities to keep the money in the hands of workers and local people.
Thank you Liz for joining us at Kasama Farm. Thank you for filing our home with delightful conversations about farming, land, justice, and astrology.