It has officially been two and a half months since my first day of work here at Horton Road Organics. I remember the farm tour Bill took us on first thing in the morning and I was immediately overwhelmed. How would I ever be able to keep the seven fields straight? What if I mixed up Greenhouse 1 with Greenhouse 5? The flat of newly germinated lettuce looked the same to me as the flat of newly germinated broccoli. All this confusion made me eager to get started with my apprenticeship because I knew there was much to learn. Two and a half months in, saying that I’ve learned a lot is an understatement. Whether it’s by harvesting a new vegetable, accidentally hoeing down a poor veggie and fixing my technique, or sitting down with Bill at the end of the workday to learn about irrigation, each day consists of multiple opportunities to expand my knowledge and experience.
This past weekend I had a friend visit, so of course a farm tour was very first on my itinerary. I was pointing out each field, which crops were growing where, what was in each greenhouse, and so on when I noticed a look of confusion on my friend’s face. He was just as overwhelmed as I was on my first day on the farm! I was too excited to show him around that I forgot my very feelings during Bill’s farm tour on my first day.
My friend was only in town for the weekend, but I was curious about what his first impression as a short-term visitor to the farm was. If you’re curious as well, keep reading below where you can read a casual interview I had with him.
Me: What is your experience with farms/farming?
Friend: I have no experience working on farms or farming. Growing up in the Midwest, a lot of my perception of farming was limited to the massive amounts of large scale corn and soy bean production. There were other farming practices that were taking place, just at a much smaller scale.
Me: What is your definition of organic?
Friend: Organic… the word you see on every label in Whole Foods. I guess to me, organic means herbicide/pesticide free. I also like to think the crop was produced more sustainably… I’m not too sure to be honest.
Me: Having never been to Oregon, what is your first impression?
Friend: Well coming from the desert of Utah and battling 100 degree temperatures, it was a huge sigh of relief to fly in and step off of the plane to 75 degrees and green as far as the eye can see. The liveliness of the state amazes me, and being a huge lover of conifer trees, I felt a little at home.
Me: Are there any vegetables growing on the farm that are new to you?
Friend: A lot of the salad greens are new to me. I went around the field with you and tried about all of them. I cannot stress enough how fortunate the city of Eugene and surrounding area is to have the opportunity to eat such fresh, wonderfully tasty greens. Back home, people would go crazy for ’em!
Me: What has been your favorite vegetable to eat during your visit?
Friend: My favorite vegetable was the garlic whistle.
Me: What has surprised you most about Horton Road Organics?
Friend: The farm was such a beautiful place full of beautiful people. The positivity and overall commitment of the farm to produce the best possible food was obvious the second I walked on. It was a truly beautiful property filled with wonderful energy.
Me: How was your overall experience here on the farm?
Friend: Well I came from a 9 day work excursion where I ran a chainsaw in 100 degree heat, which is extremely stressful on the body and mind. I kind of walked onto the farm with a very destructive mindset after that. Being on the farm for the weekend really healed me. Waking up to serene views, dining on fresh and flavorful veggies, and being surrounded by genuine people was just the vacation I needed.
Although I now have the fields and greenhouses straight, and can tell the difference between newly germinated crops, I can’t say the same for my friend. However, he left his short visit with gained knowledge, a new appreciation for organic farming, and probably his favorite part, a full belly.
Photo taken by Taylor’s friend
Taylor is loving her first experience in Oregon and first time working on an organic farm. Her favorite vegetable to harvest at Horton Road Organics is kale.