Rooted
Why did you move to Maine? I have been constantly asked this since moving here in the fall. Co-workers, new friends, and strangers all want to know what caused me to pack up a moving truck and drive the 3,226.9 miles from Half Moon Bay, CA to Portland, ME.
Through my first six months of living in my new favorite state, my answers have varied depending on how well I know a person. But honestly, I am not sure I fully examined the ‘why’ of the move until I sat down to write this post. What I know for sure is that by January 2024 California was feeling much too big and I was yearning for a smaller more close knit community to call home.
My journey to Maine began when I decided to WWOOF on a small farm in Pownal, ME between seasonal jobs. I had been working as an outdoor educator in the mountains above LA since September 2023 and before heading back to Half Moon Bay for my seventh summer running a surf camp there, I wanted a break. Tir Na Nog Farm was the only farm I was considering volunteering on and luckily for me they were excited to host me for the month of May which, looking back on it, was my favorite month of 2024. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived at Tir Na Nog but the smiles were warm and within a few days Sue and Holly, the farm's wonderful owners, had convinced me to move to Maine. “What do you mean you have never heard of the Common Ground Fair? Well when you move here we’ll all go together.” Phrases such as this were common practice as they worked their magic on me and showed me the home that I could build in Maine.
I don’t think that it’s because I am an easily persuaded person that I promptly made plans to move to Maine the following fall. For me, it feels like I was finally ready to move to Maine and so the opportunity presented itself. Much like corn, my roots had been growing deep and I was finally ready to emerge from the soil and stand tall on my own. Over the past ten years I have worked and volunteered on various farms and ranches, deeply loving every moment I get to have my hands in some dirt. And having my hands in this Maine dirt felt good, I wanted to keep doing it. I knew that although there was not a job for me at the farm, spending time there was what I wanted for my future, and so I moved.
One cross country road trip with my dad, two cats, and countless job applications later and I have a home and a life here in Maine. At work, I get to introduce kids to the magic of the outdoors and foster their inner strength and independence through play and on the weekends I get to volunteer at the farm and grow food that supports a healthier future for all, us and the earth.
Starting The Crowded Table Collective was a way to give back to the farm and the communities I am so grateful to be a part of. I want to pass on the knowledge of growing your own food and I want to show people that you don’t have to till or use chemicals to do it. I am so glad that there are farmers, like Sue and Holly, who believe in the same thing and believe in my vision for Crowded Table. Living and working in Maine as an outdoor educator and farmer makes me so hopeful for the future. My goal is that through The Crowded Table Collective’s programming, I can spread this hope and help show others that the future is bright.
The past three months of learning how to build a website, apply for grants and trust that I am headed down the right path, have been challenging at times. However, every time things have felt difficult, I have found myself back at the farm with my hands in the dirt and the passion behind this project is reignited. I am so excited to finally share everything I have been working on with all of you and I hope that this community grows into a place where everyone can return to when things feel hard. Welcome to The Crowded Table Collective.
