Twenty years ago, when she was studying International Business, Erin couldn’t have imagined that she’d eventually become a poet farmer in Arkansas. Life can be twisty that way.
Her emphasis on the Middle East allowed her to study in Cairo and the surrounding region. She also volunteered at an apple orchard on a kibbutz in Israel. There, she discovered that farming can be a powerful cultural touchstone, bringing diverse people together with the common goal of sustenance.
After her undergrad, Erin worked in the non-profit sector for Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the Washington Regional Cancer Support Home. She accompanied her husband on expat assignments to Chile and Brazil. When her oldest child was born ten years ago, she decided to work as a stay-at-home parent, and two years ago, she began studying poetry at the Ranier Writing Workshop. She wanted to find complimentary work that could provide a counterbalance to a writer’s life. This led her to farm, something she had harbored a love for since she got back on the kibbutz. “Writing all day can get lonely at times. It’s easy to get discouraged,” says Erin. “I wanted to find something that would get me moving around physically, allow me to work with other people, and provide an income. It’s a bonus that farming is bursting with metaphors and inspiration.”
With two young children, her MFA coursework, and the CAFF Farm School all simultaneously, it’s surprising that Erin has time to think. She was happy to find other artists and even a fellow poet in her cohort at the CAFF Farm School. She’s also learned about many different farms run by artists and writers who farm in the mornings and create in the afternoon. “I’m not the only one to find the two pursuits compatible,” she notes. “I love to think about the future possibility of a farm with artist retreats and residencies here in the beauty of northwest Arkansas.”
Aside from the kibbutz, Erin’s previous farming experience was primarily with community gardens due to her travel and relocation throughout the years. But she has fond memories of her grandparent’s farm in Missouri. A fondness for familial farms is a theme shared by several students in the CAFF Farm School. Erin believes that any exposure to growing food can make a lasting impression. She’s glad one of her children benefits from a fantastic school garden at Washington Elementary. “You can learn so much from growing food,” she says.
Before starting the CAFF Farm School, Erin considered farming a primarily physical occupation. “I was shocked to discover how much knowledge you need to farm in many different areas.” Her initial expectation was just to be farming every day in the field. She had no idea how much mental rigor was involved. “It’s not like gardening. I initially underestimated the educational component. However, this is a school; anyone interested in the program should remember that. You are learning to run a farm business, and the course work is substantial. It’s frontloaded; before you get into the field to plant and harvest, you must know what you are doing and why.”
Despite the intensity and demands of being in the program while pursuing her master’s degree, Erin says she is glad she did it and thankful for her family’s support. “This is what I want to do. I’ll rest after graduation,” she laughs.
Erin’s favorite thing about working on the farm is being outside, connecting with nature, and learning from it. She gets excited every day about working with a culturally diverse team of farmers. She looks forward to a future where more people rediscover the importance of growing food. She hopes it becomes common for urban lots to be transformed into walkable community farming hubs where neighbors can grow food together and more people can access that, even in the city. “Growing food together provides a common goal and a better understanding of one another,” she says, “It brings people together.”
The CAFF Farm School is a 10-month intensive program teaching small farm entrepreneurship and specialty crop production, emphasizing regenerative methods. Learn more about the program and apply at LearnToFarm.org
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