Lizzie Wilford graduated from Dickinson School in 2016 with a Studio Arts diploma. As a scholar, she was excited in regards to the School Farm. She grew to become associates with a number of scholar farmers and was a loyal supporter, attending each Pizza on the Plaza and different Farm-sponsored occasions on campus. Following commencement, Lizzie received the prospect to additional contain herself in farm happenings because the Training and Outreach Coordinator. She was trying ahead to the steadiness between outside and indoor work that the place provided and located herself happiest when she was exterior, serving to on the farm, getting her fingers soiled, and taking part in with the animals.
She says her path since graduating Dickinson has been something however straight and slender. Following her EOC days, Lizzie joined fellow DCF alum Megan Moody within the Adirondack Mountains – at Craigardan, an artist residency program that additionally boasts a small farm on their property. Her work week was break up between farm and property chores and private artwork initiatives. As a former TA within the Dickinson clay studio, she was excited to get to work with ceramics once more. Throughout this time, Lizzie additionally began working for one more native farm, operating their farmer’s market as soon as every week. On the finish of her residency, Lizzie continued working full-time for the native farm, attending 5 markets every week and dealing with wholesale deliveries by October 2018. She was joyful to remain within the idyllic Adirondacks and received to deliver her golden retriever alongside for the experience.
Lizzie then transitioned into development with associates from Craigardan, and later into maple operations, working with an area farmer whom she linked with by the farmer’s market circuit. As their supervisor, she oversaw the sugar bush made up of over 1,500 sugar maple timber. When there was a leak or hole within the tubing system (this might occur because of plenty of causes – one being a pesky fisher cat, which she recommends trying up in case you’ve by no means seen one earlier than), she was answerable for finding the issue space. Her golden retriever sidekick by no means did not help her endeavors and beloved any alternative to return play within the snow along with her. One other perk of this job was serving to out within the precise syrup-making!
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She’s dove into flower farming and gave jobs as a barista and HVAC technician a shot. She’s even labored for herself as a private landscaper. Earlier than shifting again to Maryland the place she’s initially from, Lizzie returned to Craigardan as a particular initiatives supervisor, serving to them with varied constructing initiatives on their newly acquired property.
In Maryland, Lizzie spent 10 months working at a local plant nursery and small farm earlier than getting employed as a Center College Artwork Trainer in a neighboring county. She’s very joyful on this present place and appears ahead to sooner or later pursuing a graduate diploma in Training. In her spare time, she enjoys using her bike, being on the water, creating artwork, and taking part in along with her two cats, Pickle and Porkchop.
When requested to share her favorite Dickinson School Farm reminiscence, she says, “Throughout senior week of my senior 12 months we had a live performance on the School Farm and it was considered one of my favourite bands on the time (Parsonsfield). I used to be surrounded by my associates and classmates with good meals, good beer and good music and we have been sitting on the framing of the timber-framed barn. I used to be sitting with considered one of my classmates who had been a scholar farmer however was shifting away after commencement and he simply checked out me and mentioned, “you might be so very fortunate to be spending the subsequent 12 months right here,” and man was he proper. I’ll endlessly be thankful for my time with the School Farm and I at all times stay up for returning and visiting.”
