Hello,
I’m Isabel, I was raised on a conventional cranberry farm in Massachusetts. I graduated from Simmons College, Boston, MA, in 2013. This past summer, I had the pleasure of working in Maine where my dear friend, Anna, is an apprentice on Four Season Farm on Cape Rosier. Through her, I was introduced to the diverse farms in the Penobscot Bay area. I volunteered at Four Season Farm for two weeks alongside eight apprentices. With my camera in hand, I had a taste of farm life.
This project stems from my admiration and wonder for the life of an apprentice. I hope to share the beauty I see in their work. Many of the apprentices either were pursuing their degree or graduated when they became a part of the farming community. Rather than pursuing more financially secure or socially encouraged career paths of today, the apprentices have chosen to invest their time in a trade which nurtures the land, themselves, and others.
In hopes of capturing the meaning these young individuals find in their work, and reasons for choosing the farm life, I photographed the apprentices at work. In addition to Four Season Farm, I traveled to King Hill Farm, Blue Zee Farm, and Horsepower Farm. I also had the pleasure of photographing apprentices at Tinder Hearth Bakery, a homestead that bakes bread for the surrounding community. I quickly learned that the apprentices are crucial to the farms. I would like to thank those involved in this project for their welcoming responses to my questions and photography.
In the Spring of 2014, I had the opportunity to continue this project on Maui, Hawaii. Unfortunately, I did not have the time to work on the farms I photographed, but I am grateful for how welcoming and willing the apprentices were to share their stories. I became connected to these farms at the local Farmers Market as well as through my co-workers. On Maui I visited, Hale Akua Farm, SEE Farm, Akua Harvest Farm, and a homestead. Unlike Maine, there is no growing season in Hawaii, it's 365 days a year!
Accompanying his/her photograph, each apprentice has written a statement beginning with the words "I farm because..." Whether they have chosen to farm for the summer, for a year, or the rest of their lives, I believe these statements collectively impart a strong sense and understanding of the motivation and empowerment farming gives each one of them.
In the fall of 2016, I produced a short documentary film, On the Bogs. This film shows the beauty of a cranberry harvest as well as the journeys of three friends harvesting. Here, I share my story as a third generation cranberry grower.
May these images create a window into the lives of the apprentices and show you how they have chosen to live their lives. May the words intrigue you and provoke questions as they do for me. Most importantly, may this project grant you a better understanding of why we farm.
Enjoy!
-Isabel Stearns
Edited January, 2017
Image above taken by Anna Burgess. I am cutting leeks so they will fit into the crate.
I’m Isabel, I was raised on a conventional cranberry farm in Massachusetts. I graduated from Simmons College, Boston, MA, in 2013. This past summer, I had the pleasure of working in Maine where my dear friend, Anna, is an apprentice on Four Season Farm on Cape Rosier. Through her, I was introduced to the diverse farms in the Penobscot Bay area. I volunteered at Four Season Farm for two weeks alongside eight apprentices. With my camera in hand, I had a taste of farm life.
This project stems from my admiration and wonder for the life of an apprentice. I hope to share the beauty I see in their work. Many of the apprentices either were pursuing their degree or graduated when they became a part of the farming community. Rather than pursuing more financially secure or socially encouraged career paths of today, the apprentices have chosen to invest their time in a trade which nurtures the land, themselves, and others.
In hopes of capturing the meaning these young individuals find in their work, and reasons for choosing the farm life, I photographed the apprentices at work. In addition to Four Season Farm, I traveled to King Hill Farm, Blue Zee Farm, and Horsepower Farm. I also had the pleasure of photographing apprentices at Tinder Hearth Bakery, a homestead that bakes bread for the surrounding community. I quickly learned that the apprentices are crucial to the farms. I would like to thank those involved in this project for their welcoming responses to my questions and photography.
In the Spring of 2014, I had the opportunity to continue this project on Maui, Hawaii. Unfortunately, I did not have the time to work on the farms I photographed, but I am grateful for how welcoming and willing the apprentices were to share their stories. I became connected to these farms at the local Farmers Market as well as through my co-workers. On Maui I visited, Hale Akua Farm, SEE Farm, Akua Harvest Farm, and a homestead. Unlike Maine, there is no growing season in Hawaii, it's 365 days a year!
Accompanying his/her photograph, each apprentice has written a statement beginning with the words "I farm because..." Whether they have chosen to farm for the summer, for a year, or the rest of their lives, I believe these statements collectively impart a strong sense and understanding of the motivation and empowerment farming gives each one of them.
In the fall of 2016, I produced a short documentary film, On the Bogs. This film shows the beauty of a cranberry harvest as well as the journeys of three friends harvesting. Here, I share my story as a third generation cranberry grower.
May these images create a window into the lives of the apprentices and show you how they have chosen to live their lives. May the words intrigue you and provoke questions as they do for me. Most importantly, may this project grant you a better understanding of why we farm.
Enjoy!
-Isabel Stearns
Edited January, 2017
Image above taken by Anna Burgess. I am cutting leeks so they will fit into the crate.