Last night we sat in the field and watched fireworks light up the valley as the Worcester Range turned into a silhouette in the dark. After a day of waffles, ice cream, some field work and swimming, we celebrated the fourth with family and good food. Below is an excerpt from our weekly farm note to CSA customers, along with photos by my dad, Rob Spring.

As we celebrate our country’s independence, I am reminded of the opportunity we have to create independence today, and how integral the role of community is in that. Part of the mission of our farm is to bring community together through good food and the natural world; in growing food and participating in local farms, we are all together working toward a more independent community that can feed itself, take care of its land, and bring neighbors together. In a letter to George Washington in 1787, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Agriculture is our wisest pursuit because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness.” Whether you are a farmer, CSA member, or all around local-food supporter, you are involved in the pursuit of agriculture. When it comes down to it, we are all connected to agriculture, no matter how far removed, because we all eat. In the spirit of independence, Edge and I want to thank you for supporting us and Good Heart Farmstead. The wealth of food and the happiness of connection with both our CSA members and the land bring peace and comfort to us, and your involvement in the farm helps to make all it possible.