Hi, my name is Simon.

I want to be a farmer. I think.

At the end of March, I drove my 1991 Ford Escortia across country from San Francisco to East Thetford, Vermont to be an apprentice on a 40-acre organic vegetable farm. After five years of being a food activist, I decided to shove my stuff in storage and leave all my fantastic friends and someone else whom I love very much to try my hand at farming. Mapquest tells me that I am now 3,085 miles away from my previous life.

I have been on the farm for 2 ½ months so I will have to fill in a few gaps for these first few entries. And while I’m thinking what to write next it might be time to do a list. Nick Hornby in his excellent novel, High Fidelity, states most profoundly that it’s not what you’re like, but what you like. I agree Nick, lists are good. None of my blog entries will be listless. Nick also happens to support the same football (soccer) team as I do. Go Arsenal.

Top Ten Albums I listened to while I was driving across country. Except for the first one these are in no particular order.

1. David Bowie – Hunky Dory (The best album ever made)
2. Prince’s Greatest Hits
3. Manu Chao (both of them)
4. Mos Def (the first one)
5. Massive Attack – Blue Lines
6. Joni Mitchell – Blue
7. Beth Orton – Central Reservation
8. Postal Service
9. XTC – English Settlement
10. Stevie Wonder – Love Songs

So life out here in Vermont is great. If I had to make the decision all over again I would most definitely still be here. Cedar Circle farm is breathtakingly beautiful. Nestled between two mountain ranges and abutting the Connecticut River, the farm is awash in verdant trees and lush grasslands. Sounds like a tourist brochure, but it really is amazing. My first two months here it must have rained at least 5 days a week but summer has finally arrived and I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather spend the next five months.

Cedar Circle was taken over by two of my Californian friends, Kate and Will, five years ago and converted from it’s previous toxic form into an organic vegetable operation which sells produce through a farm stand, community supported agriculture, and to a couple of local farmers’ markets. The land has had a conservation easement placed on it so it will remain farmland forever or until Vermont is flooded by melting ice caps. We grow fifty different kinds of vegetables as well as strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. This year we are also growing dental floss and graham (for graham crackers). Could be a profitable niche market for us.

East Thetford is a small hamlet consisting of a convenience store, a pizza parlor, two hairdressers (Shearz, etc and Hair Exclusive) and a post office. Ten miles away is Hanover, New Hampshire, the closest town and home to Dartmouth College and high speed internet access. Since I’ve moved here I’ve been out at night 3 times. Twice to eat dinner. I guess I traded in my social life for Netflix and chirping crickets, but I’m getting a nice farmer tan and even learning a few things along the way.

Farmer Simon