There are moments in life when an opportunity appears that challenges everything comfortable and familiar. Sometimes those opportunities arrive neatly packaged with a clear roadmap. Other times, they require a leap of faith.
This spring, I found myself taking one of those leaps.
After years of building a career in agriculture, local food systems, community engagement, and farm-based education, I accepted a position at Nourse Farm in Westborough, Massachusetts. The move wasn’t simply a new job—it was an opportunity to return to the daily rhythms of farm life and help shape the future of one of New England’s historic family farms.
What I didn’t fully anticipate was just how much this experience would challenge me, teach me, and remind me why agriculture continues to be such an important part of my life.
Returning to Agriculture in a New Way
Nourse Farm has been part of the Massachusetts agricultural landscape for generations. Today, the farm grows strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, asparagus, rhubarb, peaches, currants, and more while welcoming visitors through pick-your-own experiences, a farm store, community events, and educational programming.
My role focuses on the customer-facing side of the farm: overseeing the farm store, managing a 300-member market-style CSA, coordinating events, developing educational programs, and helping create systems that support long-term growth.
On paper, that sounds straightforward.
In reality, every day brings a different challenge.
One moment I’m discussing produce availability with farmers. The next I’m planning a school field trip, training staff, evaluating retail products, organizing events, solving technology issues, or helping customers discover local foods.
It’s a constant reminder that successful farms are far more than fields and crops. They are complex businesses built on relationships, logistics, education, hospitality, and community.
Building Something from the Ground Up
One of the most rewarding aspects of this experience has been creating systems and structure where they didn’t previously exist.
I’ve always enjoyed building. Throughout my career, whether in corporate settings, nonprofit organizations, or agriculture, I’ve been drawn to opportunities that involve creating something new.
At Nourse Farm, that has meant helping organize operations, refining procedures, improving the customer experience, and preparing for a busy growing season.
Opening the farm store this spring was one of our first major milestones.
What started as an empty space gradually transformed into a welcoming destination featuring local products, baked goods, seasonal produce, historic displays, and visual storytelling that reflects the farm’s 300-plus-year history.
The process required countless decisions, long days, and more than a few unexpected challenges. Yet watching customers walk through the doors and respond positively to the space made every effort worthwhile.
Why Community Matters on a Farm
One lesson agriculture continues to teach me is that farms thrive when they become part of their communities.
This has become especially clear through our CSA program and educational initiatives.
This season, Nourse Farm welcomes approximately 300 CSA members. While a CSA provides fresh food, it also creates something equally valuable: a connection between people and the farm that grows their food.
That’s why we’re focusing on creating meaningful experiences for members through farm tours, tastings, educational opportunities, and direct engagement with the people who make the farm possible.
The same philosophy extends to our work with schools.
Several local schools are visiting the farm this season, creating opportunities to connect students with agriculture, history, environmental science, and food systems. These experiences help children understand where food comes from while fostering curiosity, observation skills, and a deeper appreciation for the natural world.
As someone who has long been passionate about agricultural education, this may be one of the aspects of the job I’m most excited about.
Finding Balance Amid Intensity
If I had to choose one word to describe these first few months, it wouldn’t be “overwhelming.”
It would be “intense.”
Launching new programs, learning a new operation, managing a growing team, preparing for peak season, and balancing responsibilities across multiple states has required a tremendous amount of energy and focus.
At the same time, life doesn’t pause while professional opportunities unfold.
Family responsibilities, unexpected challenges, and everyday realities continue alongside the work.
One of the surprising gifts during this season has been the farm itself. The horses, the fields, the changing crops, and the simple act of being outdoors provide moments of perspective amid the busyness.
Agriculture has a way of grounding us. It reminds us that growth takes time, seasons matter, and progress rarely happens overnight.
Looking Ahead
As summer approaches, Nourse Farm is entering its busiest season. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, educational programs, field trips, events, farm store operations, and CSA distributions are all coming together at once.
In many ways, this is the moment everything has been building toward.
There will undoubtedly be challenges. There will be mistakes, adjustments, and lessons learned.
But that’s also what makes this journey exciting.
Starting over isn’t easy. Building something new rarely is.
Yet every day at Nourse Farm reinforces why local agriculture matters—not just because it produces food, but because it creates places where communities gather, families learn, and meaningful connections are formed.
For me, this experience isn’t simply about returning to agriculture.
It’s about rediscovering why I fell in love with it in the first place.
Click here to listen to The Farm Journal, episode 3 with Jen Ross and Pattie Baker.