4 minute read
How Viva Helped Me Land My Dream Job
by Sharis Harmon
My journey with growing food began in 2016 with two small raised sidewalk beds outside my apartment in Seattle. I knew nothing about growing food, but thanks to the internet and some books, I began growing a few carrots, artichokes, kale, and whatever else happened to pop up from seeds left behind. Over the following 4 years, two raised beds gradually grew into eight. Post-pandemic, I found myself in my hometown of Mount Vernon, with 3 acres and a dream of farming full time. Unsure of how to make the move from tech to farming, I came across Viva Farms Practicum in Sustainable Agriculture and knew that it was the perfect opportunity for hands-on farming experience. I joined the Viva Farms Practicum in April of 2022. Viva Farms is a unique and inspiring organization providing invaluable opportunities to a new generation of farmers. Many farmers in the US are born into the world of agriculture, inheriting farms that are passed from generation to generation. So, how then, do new farmers find their way? The Practicum was an opportunity for me to take my passion for growing food to the next level. It provided me with a space to learn everything from the infrastructure of a farm to soil health, tilling practices, pest management, budgeting—you name it—Viva Farms covered it. Over 9 months, I gained a network of incredibly kind and knowledgeable community members and farmers.
My biggest takeaway from the Practicum was the personal confirmation that agriculture was truly what I wanted to pursue. My time on the farm strengthened my conviction that we need to support farmers to steward our lands and feed our communities. Viva Farms taught me that we have so much to learn from each other and the earth. My time at the Practicum in Sustainable Agriculture reminded me of the humility needed to surrender to the power of nature and the elements—there are certain things we will never be able to control. We need to find a deep reverence and care, to live in partnership with the land for a sustainable future.
I’ve spent the past 3 years since my cohort finding my footing after multiple devastating life circumstances. I made my way to Tacoma, working from home and desperately trying to escape the tech industry. I wasn’t sure how I would make my dream of farming happen, but I’ve continued to put in the hard work and keep my mind and heart open.
One month ago, I was offered my dream job: I am now the Farm Manager of L’Arche Tahoma Hope, a non-profit in Tacoma, Washington that provides housing and jobs for people with and without disabilities living in community together.
The L’Arche mission is; “To make known the gifts of people with intellectual disabilities, revealed through mutually transforming relationships.”
In my first two weeks at my new job, I taught high school volunteers how to lay irrigation, transplant starts, build a trellis, harvest, and direct sow. Seeing the students marvel at eating a strawberry fresh off the vine filled me with so much joy and contentment. Farming has brought me a fulfillment that I could have never imagined. The land has been a partner to me these past 10 years; she has taught me to be patient, held my grief, fed me, and taught me stewardship and mutual aide.
When I stepped foot on Viva Farms in 2022 I could never have imagined that I’d be managing a farm just 3 years later. I am forever grateful for the experience, life lessons, knowledge, and community that Viva Farms has provided me.
