North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Regina M. Kreger" <regina@kreger.net>]

Friends,

I am a 40-year-old woman who has left a longtime bureaucratic job 
(budget management, contracting, human resources) with that fine old 
"back to the land" dream. I plan to have my house in shape to put it on 
the market within the month, and then I will be free -- and looking for 
some learning opportunities. The ideal situation is described below, but 
I am open to compromise if some of the elements don't exactly fit.  I 
currently live near Washington, D.C., and I am open to going anywhere in 
the region from Southern Appalachia to New England.

I would like to find a job for a full year or more, on a diversified 
farm, not necessarily organic but biased toward ecological 
sustainability. The dream job would involve a variety of livestock, a 
veggie garden more for home consumption than for market, some fruit and 
maybe some value-added processing. Honeybees, the whole shebang.  I'd 
like to work for a woman, or for someone who genuinely thinks women can 
do anything men can do, and who will sometimes challenge me to do things 
I didn't know I was capable of. The dream farm would not be sworn off of 
tractors and machines, but might choose hand work or animal labor more 
than is typical (blessed quiet!). Also maybe exploring other ways to 
reduce dependence on fossil fuels, e.g. photovoltaics or biodiesel. I 
hope the farmer will come to trust me enough to let me see spreadsheets, 
tax returns, business plans, grant applications -- whatever will help me 
understand how farm finances work so I won't go broke when I eventually 
strike out on my own.

I would prefer to live on-site rather than drive back and forth, and to 
take part of my pay in farm produce. But I can't afford not to also have 
some cash income, especially since I hope to someday buy my own little 
piece of land (and especially if my house doesn't sell right away). My 
agricultural experience is limited to a few years with a vegetable 
garden and a few backyard chickens. On the other hand, I have plenty of 
experience being your market -- the well-paid urban consumer who seeks 
out locally and sustainably grown food -- maybe my perspective will be 
useful to you in marketing. I am smart and creative, learn fast, love 
animals, love food, have no fear of shoveling manure or cutting the 
heads off of chickens, I'm tall and pretty strong, I speak (and read and 
write) fluent Spanish and adequate Portuguese, and I don't like TV. Oh 
... on the other hand, having so very, very much to learn, I do rely on 
the Internet, and I don't know what I'd do without high-speed access.

Um ... what else? I feel like I'm writing a personals ad.... I worked 19 
years in my last job so I'm a little rusty at this. I am looking for a 
mentor, not just a boss, so the "chemistry" is important. I am very 
Catholic without being dogmatic nor judgmental, I love my family 
fiercely (I mean parents, siblings, & beyond -- no husband or kids of my 
own), love singing, and did I say I am passionate about good food?  
Raising it, preparing it, eating it, sharing it. I am quiet and like to 
spend some time alone each day, nonetheless I think I'm pretty easy to 
get along with most of the time.

Please reply if you think you might have a place for me on your farm.

Thanks,
Regina