“Ohh, we’re halfway there”

Getting up early tomorrow because I have to meet at the farm an hour early– our Flats Mentor Farm CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is officially starting!

On Friday afternoon we sent out the newsletter I’ve been putting together over the past few weeks. We’ll be packing up the CSA boxes with delicious greens and herbs like Chinese spinach, basil, water spinach, scallions, pea tendrils, and mint. Mmmmmm…. I need to start following those recipes we have posted on our website…

Bok Choy we had at the Lancaster Farmer’s Market last Thursday

Last Wednesday was my official halfway marker– there are only five weeks left in my World Farmers internship. Between 9-5 weekdays and weekends packed with friends and family, it is easy to miss the days ticking off the calendar.

For this particular post, I thought it would be nice to expand on one important aspect of my internship that I’ve yet to discuss: the commute.

When you apply for an internship, location is often an essential component. Living on Long Island, NY, I always predicted that any internship I’d land would be in the NYC area– it’s only logical, no? I could take the train in every day and be home in time for my family’s late-night dinners. But as time passed last year and nothing was turning out as hoped, my mother recommended that I give the Worcester area a shot.

Holy Cross is wonderful in that it offers summer housing. Since summer housing is a relatively new program, this was the first year that students were put in the senior dorms. We have to be thankful– a full kitchen, living room, bathroom, and two large bedrooms. There is even air conditioning… and rent is extremely reasonable. If you ever find yourself in Worcester County for the summer, see if you can stay at HC– you’re with your friends every night and weekend, and you have a very comfortable living space. Plus, walking around campus in the summer is simply stunning with everything in bloom.

SO! I did say I’d talk about the commute: here we go.

I have a half hour commute to work, without fail. That being said, I quickly learned my second day of work that unexpected things can get in the way… you can never predict traffic, or random road block-ups. Though I wasn’t late that day, I was uncomfortably close to being “just in time.” It may sound silly or rather evident, but since I was not accustomed to a half-hour driving commute before World Farmers, it was something I had to pick up on through experience.

Also, figure out which roads are best! In other words– take any expressway you can. Red light green light 123 is very amusing as a child but when you’re on your way to work, taking the roads through town is a stop-go curse… I suggest the path with the fewest streetlights possible.

Commutes are not all that bad either– it gives you some free time in the car to relax before the day begins. Unfortunately, that sometimes puts me in a calm mood, a mood that isn’t too keen on working.. that’s why I now drink my coffee at work, instead of an hour before while I’m eating breakfast. As I said, learn as you go! (On the other hand, don’t forget that at the end of the day, you have to make the same commute back… a commute is something you have to be dedicated to ten times a week.)

Music is key, though. You need to know your radio stations. It actually makes all the difference, whatever you choose to listen to (or not listen to) in the morning, it can put you in the right mood or make you feel energized. Since 102.5 is one of the only channels that consistently plays music on my way to work, I’m starting to appreciate country quite a bit more…

And the scenery! Central Massachusetts is so beautiful. On days when I get to go to the farm I am always blown away by how nice it is but each morning and afternoon I get to pass green mountains, towering trees, boulders…  this stuff makes me remember why I want to work so closely with nature.

Do you know what’s great about a commute though? At the end of the day you always end up back home. Whether or not you like the travel time, it’s always satisfying to come back to a place you love to be.

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