My Experience of being a Workshare on an Organic Farm
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

My Experience of being a Workshare on an Organic Farm

Working for my food and everything that came with it

27
My Experience of being a Workshare on an Organic Farm

My Omi once told me "My mother was a gardener, I am a gardener, your Oma is a gardener, and your mother is a gardener. I wouldn't be surprised if you become a gardener as well"

It's true that a care for plants runs through my family. But I've always been more interested in growing food over flowers and maintaining bushes. When I was a kid, I went to this farm almost every fall to go get my own pumpkin from the field. For a year or two, my mom was part of that farm’s CSA, or the Community Supported Agriculture subscription program, where you pay a certain amount of money to the organic farm that is running it, and every week during the season you could go pick up freshly harvested, organic produce.

Throughout my time at college, I have learned about organic farming and polyculture and how amazing it is. I don't remember how I got to this point, but I wanted to try working on an organic farm to see what it was like.

Thankfully, that farm I went to as a kid was not only organic, but they had a workshare program. The workshare program basically lets you work for your food: work on the farm for 4 hours a week for the entire season, and each week you are guaranteed enough produce to feed a couple for a week (or what is called a 'couples share' on the farm).

I wanted to try doing a workshare last summer, but I just didn't have the time. I pushed aside time this summer so I could actually do it this year. My experience was awesome.

On the days I worked, I worked on "harvest days" aka, workshare members and farm employees harvest produce in the morning, so it was ready to be sold nice and fresh at the 'market' (which was inside of the barn, aka where people came to pick up their weekly produce "subscription") by noon. I worked from 8am to 12pm. As someone who is an early bird, I didn't mind getting up early for this. This way I wasn’t working in the afternoon heat. Also the farm is about a 15 minute drive from my house, so the commute wasn’t horrible at all.

Also for a place that was 15 minutes away from my house, whenever I was at the farm, I felt like I was somewhere in the middle of Washington, far away from my home. It is tucked away in a valley and it felt like a hidden paradise. Because it's all farm land out there, it is incredibly peaceful. On any given moment, it's just the sound of nature or typical farm noises. Trees rustling, cows mooing, birds chirping or simply the wind blowing. It felt like a safe space, and honesty I hope most of my peers don't find it. But maybe that's me being possessive.

What also made the workshare an enjoyable experience was the people. I live around a snooty, mostly-rich suburb, so whenever I was on the farm, it was a different type of company. Everyone there was interesting, down to earth, kind, and intelligent. When doing less strenuous tasks (especially micro weeding), it was the perfect time to talk to the other workshares about literally anything. Food, politics, family, school, careers, life in general, etc.

Then of course there is the "gardening" aspect of it all. There is something so therapeutic about harvesting or even weeding sometimes. You are getting your hands in the soil (I never really used gloves; the soil didn’t have any rocks in it, so it was incredibly soft and it didn't feel right to wear gloves most of the time). Afterwards, when the clock struck noon, the other workshares and I would go to the market and collect our portions of the produce that we harvested to take home and enjoy.

To see the growth progress of the plants week by week, getting to harvest what was once a seedling that youplanted, and then going home to eat what the earth produced is just so amazing and almost fulfilling in a way. Like you were a part of planting this, taking care of it, and now your end result is this gorgeous produce that you get to feast on and it is just a magnificent thing, man. Especially also because the way the plants were grown were with organic practices. For example, we got this amazing giant kale that you wouldn’t find in a typical supermarket. That was all done by Mother Nature! I mean, how freaking cool is that?

Because of all the fresh produce I took home each week, my family and I started eating healthier. It kind of just happened. When you take home as much produce as I did, why waste it? We found new recipes to cook with some of the produce that we have never eaten before like chard, pok choi, and kohlrabi.

Honestly, everyone should try workshare programs. For a measly four hours of work a week, you get a bunch of delicious, nutritious food (@ college kids: this is a perfect substitute and money-saving way to get fresh produce that tastes good and is better for you!), you meet new people, get some exercise and fresh air, and it’s just therapeutic. You also get a taste of what is it like to be a farm worker, and actually how incredibly laborious it is. The whole experience makes you rethink the way you eat and what you are putting in your body all the while realizing how important and amazing Mother Nature really is.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

20534
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

948055
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

124759
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lots of people sat on the cinema wearing 3D glasses
Pinterest

Ever wonder what your friend meant when they started babbling about you taking their stapler? Or how whenever you ask your friend for a favor they respond with "As You Wish?" Are you looking for new and creative ways to insult your friends?

Well, look no further. Here is a list of 70 of the most quotable movies of all time. Here you will find answers to your questions along with a multitude of other things such as; new insults for your friends, interesting characters, fantastic story lines, and of course quotes to log into your mind for future use.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments