I have been thinking a lot lately about the people I work with, and what joy each of them brings to me. Mostly, however, I decided that I appreciate each and every one of them because they all inspire me and push me in different ways. Each of them brings a unique set of skills and strengths to the farm that not only helps the business and community grow and prosper, and (selfish of me to say, but) they are all helping me be better at what I do. They give me great feedback, they listen to and share concerns, and they bring bright ideas that improve our systems and products.
Cara: extreme enthusiasm. team player. honest. communicative. sold cheese for Whole Foods for years before coming to work with us. she takes initiative on important projects. yoga makes her quite giddy. she has hot pink pants, and is not afraid to wear them. she is a wonder woman with the creamery hose – curds beware!
Justin: downright hilarious. full of light-hearted humor. charismatic. has a delicious singing voice. did trail work with the SCA for years in all sorts of places including Alaska and the Southwest. he knows when i need a pick-me-up at work, and delivers it in the form of an old lady’s New Yorker accent or the words to love songs and musicals. likes to bike ride around the area and knead butter.
Jamie: loves chickens. bakes artful bread. thinks of the important details. i admire her supreme organization and meticulous nature. hope that i will be working as hard as she is when i am her age. her work ethic, creativity, and thoroughness constantly impress me. she comes into work in the wee wee hours of the morning, when the world is quiet, which seems peaceful and delightful.
Mike: all smiles. gets down to business. carries himself with ease and 
boundless positivity. he worked in the men’s suit department at Bloomingdales, which led him to think critically about business structure and finance, which is kind of how we met. looks great in coveralls. he is a great cook and has the biggest cast iron pan i have ever seen in my life.
Jenna: playful. conscientious. highly organized. likes to belly dance. sarcastic – in an awesome way. she grew up on an organic dairy farm and brings her love for cows here. she is a world traveler, and pretty much taught herself Russian in her early 20s. has a special way with the Tobasi cheese, i think she is really a witch that has cast a spell over the cheese to make it incredible.
Eric: always prepared. focused. diligent. full of ideas and solutions. has a big smile. should be on Jeapordy because of all the facts in his head. hates waste. has worked on farms in the Finger Lakes and Hudson Valley for years before coming here. also has a Masters of English. he can perform spacial magic in the Maggies Round aging room to create tons of space when we thought we had none.
Topher: gentle. silly. has a vast hat collection. no matter who he is talking to, he looks them in the eyes and takes them seriously. he can consume 10 artichoke hearts in one sitting. can outrun the tractor driving down the road. recently exposed the secret that he is a pro ice hockey player. loves to eat mayo.
Jude: generous. warm. loving. shows her appreciation for all the amazing things happening on this farm. she loves languages and cultures and is a life-long student of Italian. makes great connections with people everywhere she goes.
what a bunch! thanks to you all for motivating me, making me laugh, pushing me, and pushing this farm in the right direction!