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Lydia rushes to harvest garlic ahead of expected rainstorms.
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Originally from a small town in southwest Missouri, Lydia moved to New York City to be near a family member for a while. Eventually she made her way to the Hudson Valley to gain more training in production farming. The fresh air and striking scenery were found benefits of life outside the city.
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Second Wind CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is an independent incubator program hosted by Four Winds Farm, a certified organic farm located in Gardiner, NY and founded in 1988. Although Lydia has worked in organic farming for 4 years, this is her first year owning and operating a CSA farm.
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Two different pick-up locations allow the CSA members to assemble their own weekly "share" of vegetables, fruit, flowers and herbs. Second Wind currently has 65 member households.
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For the first half of the growing season, Lydia co-owned the CSA - as well as shared a house - with another young woman. After protracted conflict in styles and personalities, they dissolved the partnership and Lydia took full ownership of Second Wind in the midst of peak harvest.
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From seed to harvest, planning to distribution, Lydia manages all aspects of the certified organic CSA, working each day for as long as there is daylight and often longer.
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Support from the Four Winds Farm crew and volunteer hours from CSA members and friends are invaluable to her, but the majority of the time Lydia works solo.
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Lydia's pet cat, Prince Ali, also helps as much as he can.
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Lydia's passion for farming first arose from learning of the widespread exploitation of laborers in industrial-scale agriculture. She believes in the importance of building "locally-responsible, globally-aware food economies" and has dedicated her own labor to this cause.
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Lydia takes a break for ice cream with Jenna, Four Winds Farm Manager (left), and Meghan, an employee of Four Winds (center).
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Lydia preps produce for market the next morning.
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To help distribute surplus vegetables and supplement income, Lydia sells at the Pine Bush Farmers Market on Saturday mornings.
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Being a novice in managing this scale of organic farming can come with some hard lessons in such things as weather, pests and disease control. Second Wind's potato plants (left) were having a rough season, while those of Four Winds thrived (right).
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Lydia promotes the idea that the CSA is not just a subscription to weekly vegetables: by supporting its farmers, members are also "sharing in the rewards and risks of farming" and "helping keep local agriculture profitable & sustainable".
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Once a week Lydia drives nearly an hour to Garrison, NY, to distribute shares to members in that area.
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One of Lydia's most cherished facets of the CSA is the community and relationships she gains and cultivates throughout the year.