Community Partner Profile
Samuel Joseph, Program Director for St. Lawrence University Sustainability Program, has been farming in Canton for nearly ten years, although he still considers himself a "beginner". Here are some questions we posed to Sam:
What is a typical day like for you? It's hard to say because it changes all the time, especially when school’s in session. I try to spend as much time working outside as I can, so first thing, I walk the dogs, do animal chores, make a list of things to get done each day, and try to do them. I usually have administrative tasks to do, as well, meaning: lots of email and computer-related tasks, although those decrease during the summer, giving me more time in the garden.
What’s your favorite part about working for the sustainability program? First, I really like the freedom to experiment with various alternative farming systems that I consider sustainable, especially no-till and crop rotation no-till. Actually, I’m trying to get away from the phrase, “no-till” in favor of "regenerative agriculture" or "living soil systems". I have the freedom to play around with these systems without worrying about the economic pressure of making money, eventually getting the hang of the systems and techniques in order to potentially scale up and share them with other farmers.
Second, I like the fact that, when students get really excited about something, together we can explore a topic more in depth. I can focus on them and their interests, giving me opportunities to really get the students out there experiencing the garden.
What is your perspective of food and how it relates to recovery? I feel that food is very important in all aspects of life including physical well being, mental health, environmental ecological well being, culture, and quality of life. I really like the way that Roanne White from Akwesasne talks about food as a sacred part of life, and that food is your connection to creation. I really like that perspective and that’s actually why I got into farming: It’s a spiritual practice for me.
What are your hobbies? I like to hike, canoe, and observe general nature. I like walking around identifying plants, and I really love seeing why plants are where they are and what caused them to be there. I also like board games, slack lining, and mindfulness meditation.
What’s your favorite season of the year and why? I’m going to preface this by saying that I really like the change of seasons, so I appreciate all the seasons. For example, I was really into Spring because I saw all the bunds opening; however, I’d say my favorite season is summer. During summer, I get to focus on just the garden (There's no homework to grade!), working with interns 8 hours a day, during which we have deep conversations about topics in which they are interested.
If you were a vegetable, what vegetable would you be and why? I would be a potato because it’s a hearty, strong vegetable survivor and it's delicious. There’s a good, edible part of a potato, but also a poisonous part, so you have to approach me carefully.
