The 204th recipients are Emily Virzi and Rose Thackeray of Union Brook Farm @unionbrookfarm in Northfield, VT.
Emily and Rose write, “We met working on a farm 7 years ago. We have each been on our individual journeys seeking out and acquiring the skills we are interested in and have both only ever worked in manual labor jobs related to food (ag and restaurants). For the last three years we have been combining these skills to build our collective vision on our farm in VT. We are building systems and creating enterprises that strive to be both ergonomic and economically viable. We want to be farming and a part of our local food system for as long as possible so we are investing in systems now that will help us to achieve that.
Self care is not something either of us do well but feel we can work towards creating more space for as we transition to being fully self employed. Mealtime is something we take seriously and is our most consistent way of caring for ourselves. We are fed richly by our vendor friends @montpelierfarmersmarket and are constantly bartering. Body work in the form of basic stretching, cupping, and acupuncture along with various forms of THC/CBD are our main strategies for maintaining our ability to farm. There are many hard days and striving for balance might just be the actual life's work but through the lens of farming it is sure to be a delicious and fruitful one.”