The farm is full of so many new faces. With two new Farm Managers, five new apprentices, one new Maintenance Manager, and myself - the Nonprofit and Apprenticeship Manager- this brand new team has been spending our days getting to know the land, community, and each other. We can't wait to meet you all too and get to know you as neighbors and friends who we are growing this special food for.

Our sweet team has been spending our days working with intention- we plant seeds with reverence and hope, we learn about the biology of soil and what it needs to thrive, we notice the plants' response to irrigation, climate, and row cover, working to create the right conditions for the farm. We have been getting to know companion plants, building high tunnels for our heat-loving summer crops, chasing after gophers and watching in awe at the herons who have come to the farm to help. We spend our days reminding the farm dogs to "Stay out of the field!", checking in on each other and learning together the best way to do our tasks - from big plant-out days to exciting harvest days. We sing lots of songs (on the good days!), do lots of yoga (all the days!), eat together every evening, and most importantly, grow delicious, nutritious food.

The gift of being land stewards is not lost on any of us. I wake up every morning to the sounds of birds and wind through the trees, watch the fog roll out while the tea kettle warms, take a long and beautiful walk to the farm fields, and check in on all of our new and old plantings along the way. In a world where so few have the opportunity to witness such startling daily beauty, I try not to take this special land for granted. Our mission at Oz is to get more folks deeply into the fold. How can we educate and mentor the next generation of farmers and land tenders? How can we grow intensively with high quality on small plots of land so the rest can be preserved as forest and habitat around us? How can we welcome little ones to the farm to learn how to be seed keepers and soil healers? How can we help bring the counter culture to the tables and homes of those who need it? How can we grow Oz into an impactful and fruitful education center for all?

I'm pretty excited to steward these big visions. We couldn't do it without you!

Hope to connect with you all,
All the best and most farm fresh,
Amanda Mahaffey, Apprenticeship and Nonprofit Manager