Driving up the farm road on this cool fall morning, behind a school bus, I am reminded of why I volunteer at Auerfarm. It seems like yesterday I was dropping off my son to volunteer, but it was nineyears ago. That’s when I discovered, and fell in love with Auerfarm.
My son was home for school vacation and we made a pact that if he volunteered, I wouldn’t bug him about being on his screen. His fate was sealed through that agreement. He fell in love with being outdoors, and I discovered that magic happens here at Auerfarm.
He went to off college. I joined the Auerfarm board and started to volunteer here at the farm. Now I drive up the road and breathe in the cool fresh air. I am surrounded by the sounds of happy children and adults learning where their food comes from. This all happens on 120 acres of natural beauty with fields of crops, flowers and with farm animals – in an urban area, less than two miles from my back yard – open to everyone.
It takes a Herculean effort to keep this place running. A small and devoted staff spend their days raising money and educating the children and adults to love the land and animals as much as they do. With great care they pass along their knowledge to parents, and little ones answering questions like – Where maple syrup comes from? They learn that the answer isnot from a bottle at the grocery store!
I am hooked! I spend most days here on the farm helping where I can – mostly trying to raise money to open opportunities to more children and adults. It takes an enormous amount to keep such a beautiful place with historic structures up and running for all to enjoy. This my happy place, because of the love and learning and beauty it offers.
Driving up the road I exhale and then inhale the cool clean air. I relax,breathe in and find myself inamagical place. A place that got my son off his screen and gave him a place to fit in to call his own. Who knew it would now be my own.
