By Andrew Murphy

Upon our arrival to the School Food Summit 2013: Celebrating our Children, Food and Future in the snowy Hudson Valley, my colleagues and I were welcomed into the Rondout Valley High School cafeteria by enthusiastic volunteers. We entered the Local Food Fair where we were able to meet with local farmers and representatives from community organizations that work on food access, food education, sustainable agriculture and other related issues. They talked with us and other event-goers about their farms and their work from behind their beautiful displays. I picked up some stickers and brochures advocating for local farming and community supported agriculture. We got to taste the output of the Kitchen Camp held earlier in the day. One of my colleagues, Meghan McDermott, participated and worked with school food service workers and others to prepare healthy school lunch options from a range of donated ingredients.

Introducing Leon Vehaba, Farm Manager and Jesica Clark, Assistant Farm Manager

(photo above of Leon and his wife, Tracy Lerman)

Leon Vehaba came to the PFP from the Student Farm at the Agricultural Sustainability Institute of the University of California at Davis.  Leon grew up in Brewster, NY, and earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a master's degree in education from Boston University. (more about Leon)

Jesica Clark (photo by Dion Ogust) writes: When the opportunity to apply for the Assistant Farm Manager position at Poughkeepsie Farm Project arose, I jumped at the chance.  I had worked at PFP as an intern in the 2004 and 2005 seasons and since then I have moved on to other farming ventures in the Hudson Valley.