On April 1, 2022, the YSFP held its first Farm workday and outdoor knead 2 know of the spring semester. The afternoon was spent propagating lettuces and mustards, turning the compost pile, weeding asparagus, tending to the chickens, and shaping beds for over 1,000 strawberry plants that will soon arrive at the Farm. While many of the beds on the Farm experience frequent turnover, the strawberry plants are a more long-term installment; they will be a constant, beloved presence for several years. The workday began with a burst of hail and concluded with brilliant sunshine. Students then headed up to the Lazarus Pavilion to gather, eat pizza made by culinary events managers new and old, and listen to Charlotte Emerson ‘22 give her knead 2 know presentation. Charlotte shared original creative writing about a peanut fair in Georgia, inspired by stories from her father, who grew up in West Virginia. Charlotte discussed how fiction can be used as an engaging and academically rigorous tool of research and detailed her own experiences investigating strains of peanuts and the cultural histories and practices associated with the crop. Charlotte also posed the question of what it might mean or feel like to “write about a place that is not your own.” On Friday, though, the Farm belonged to everyone who attended, as students relished the return to the space and to each other. Many thanks to all who showed up.
Photos by Reese Neal ’25. Please follow this link to view all the photos from the event.