Kathy Litchfield
Letter in support of the Many Hands Sustainability Center
July 24th, 2008
This is a letter of support for the work of Many Hands Sustainability Center and the empowering work Julie Rawson and Jack Kittredge do, and make possible for others to do, by working with former inmates from urban areas, and by growing organic food for the greater community via their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) venture.
I worked at Many Hands Organic Farm one or two mornings a week for five seasons, sometimes helping to manage farm crews and the CSA, and I loved the experience. Jack and Julie make available a space where people from diverse backgrounds can be themselves, feel supported and share life's experiences.
The summer I worked with whom I affectionately termed "The Friday Guys," was one of the best of my life. Not only was it fun to help educate the guys - ex-inmates from the Worcester County House of Correction -- about organic farming methods and the rewards of growing food, while weeding fields of brassicas for instance, but it was very educational for me to learn about an entirely different way of life that I would most likely not have been exposed to otherwise.
I looked forward to Fridays with the guys, and to listening (and growing personally) while they shared with us what life in jail is like, how overcrowded and unsustainable the environment there is, how challenging some of their family relationships had become because of the trouble they caused, and how the disease of narcotics abuse can leave life-long scars.
Also, I think the guys really benefited from sharing their stories and working hard alongside a supportive group of farmers, many of whom became friends. The staff farmers working with Jack and Julie are dedicated to the practice and philosophy of locally grown organic food, and of providing that to the greater community via Many Hands' expansive CSA venture.
Jack and Julie have lifetimes of experience in organic farming and homesteading, and they have taught thousands of aspiring farmers the tools of their trade via annual conferences, workshops and events of the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA), as well as on-farm workshops, cooking classes, farm tours, internships and also by hosting farmers involved in the Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOF) program and other non-profit community programs at their home.
Teaching people to farm organically is a wonderful skill to pass onto others. Getting what you need locally is also becoming increasingly important and we need more organic farms (and educated farmers) to do that. So far, one of the ex-inmates is running his own farm nearby Many Hands. I hope the experiences Many Hands makes available inspire many more to do the same.
I strongly support the work of Many Hands Organic Farm and the Many Hands Sustainability Center and thank you for the opportunity to share some of my thoughts!
Best Wishes,
Kathy Litchfield