Support
This summer I had the beautiful experience of working at Echo Farm - a small-scale diversified farm located in Essex, NY. Echo Farm is operated in conjunction with Farmstead Catering, which is an agribusiness that focuses on the production of food from seed to table. Through regenerative agricultural practices Echo Farm emphasizes the cyclical notion of sustainability - using every output as an input to both fortify the flavor of the menus they produce and care for the land around them.
My role at Echo Farm centered around raising livestock, which included pigs, chickens, and cows. I tended to these animals by completing twice daily chores, setting up temporary electric fences for rotational grazing, fortifying pre-existing waterlines, and by managing their wellbeing during adverse environmental conditions. When not caring for these animals who called Echo Farm home I spent my time planting, harvesting, and processing vegetables for a weekly CSA share, assisting with the construction of a perimeter electric fence, and aiding in preparations for large events.
A personal goal that I held over the course of this internship was to gain a deeper understanding of the role that animal husbandry plays within sustainable agriculture. Through conversations with the stewards of Echo Farm I have begun to understand the reciprocity that is shared between land and animal – specifically when utilizing rotational grazing practices. Through these practices small-scale farmers are enabled to firmly hold their land outside of the control of industrial agriculture, thus ensuring the future of environmentally focused land stewardship.
When reflecting upon these conversations and experiences, I have come to the conclusion that this summer taught me what it truly means to grow. In both a physical and emotional sense I learned that growth is only possible when you broaden your perspectives, question what you know, and reach for something new - all attributes that I have witnessed firsthand within young spring calves, stretching corn stalks, and pesky weeds creeping through strawberry plants.
This new perspective on growth and where it can be found within the surrounding world would not have been possible without the support of St. Lawrence University, the Linda and Paul Barnett Endowed Internship Fund, and all of the lovely folks at Echo Farm. I am deeply grateful for each and every mentor I was able to work alongside this summer - and I look forward to carrying the knowledge that was shared with me into my own communities here at St. Lawrence.