Opa’s Farm
EmilyGrandy
“Up,up,up!”saidthevoice,animatedandurgent. Eggshivered,havingsleptwithoutablanket,andtriedblinkinghimselfawake. Theunfamiliarroomwasdarkanddisorienting.Somewhere,aroostercrowed.
Opa,Egg’seighty-somethingyearoldgrandfather,stoodoverhimsportingthe sameoverallshehadwornthedaybefore.Possiblythesameripeshirtunderneath. Rightarminacastandsling.Awitheredcigarettepinchedbetweenhisteeth.His grandfatherwasasthinasawoodenpostandequallyfriendlylooking.Athin,dry stickofaman,facehardasbark.“Timeforchickens,”Opasaid.Thenaddedanother “up,up,up!”forgoodmeasureandflippedontheoverheadlight.
Eggrolledoffthecouch,hisbarefeetlandingwithaslap.Likehisgrandfather, hehadonthesameoutfithehadwornyesterday:apairofredbasketballshortsanda plainwhitet-shirt.Groggyandstillpartiallydisoriented,Eggmanagedaquickpit stopbeforestumblingoutside.Lavenderdawnmistedthesky.Opastoodwaitingfor himontheporchwithabucketmarked“foodscraps”athisfeet.
“Whereyourboots?”Opaasked.
“Ionlybroughtthese,”hesaid,slippinghisbarefeetintohisNikes.
“Your ibu,sheshouldknowbetter,”hetutted.“Youwearbootsonfarm.For now,borrowextrapair,”Opasaid,pointing.
Theextraswere,inexplicably,notOpa’ssize,thankheaven,giventheheight differentialbetweengrandfatherandgrandson.Still,theyhuggedtoosnugly,atleast twosizestoosmallforEgg’sfeet.Histoesprotestedpainfully.
Opahandedhimthebucketcontainingtheremnantsoflastnight’sdinner, vegetablepeels,leftovernoodles,breadcrusts,eggshells,evenfishskins.Egg accepteditandfollowedhimuptheslopetothechickenshed,histoespressing terriblyagainsttheinsidewalloftherubberboots.Theairwascoolandwet,asif rainhadvisitedinthenight,ifonlybriefly.HisNikes,hadhewornthem,would havegottensoakedinthedewygrass.AsOpaunlatchedthegateencirclingthe chickencoop,Eggthoughtheheardasortofdistant“toot”likethecallofatugboat inafog.
“Isthataboat?”Eggasked,mystified,havingnorecollectionofanybodyof waterlargeenoughtoaccommodatesuchavesselanywherenearHaleCreek,the nearesttown,agoodtwentymilesaway.Thenhehearditagain,another“toot”, samepitchasbefore.
“Noboatshere.”OpawavedoffthesuggestionasifEgg’scommentwasamong themostludicroushehadheardallyear.“Justabird.”
Eggthoughtthatunlikelybutfoundnoreasontoarguethepointandstepped
insidethechickenenclosure.Thecoopresemblednothingmoreelegantthanatool shedbuthesupposedthechickenshadlittlereasontomindtherusticlodgingsso longasitkeptfoxesandferalhousecatsatbay.
“WhatshouldIdowiththis?”Eggasked,holdingoutthebucket.
Withasweepofhisgoodhand,Opaindicatedheshouldemptythecontents ontothemuddygrass.Thenheunlatchedthelittledooronthesideofthehenhouse andouttheytrotted,abouttwentyorsobirds,downtherampandintothe enclosure.Therewereplainchickens,whiteandcaramelbrown,butalsospeckled hensandonegallantroosterwithblackandwhitespottedfeathers.Theywent straightforthescraps,peckingwithgustoatthefeastofdecomposingleftovers.Egg yawned,marvelingattheirenergyatthisungodlyhour.Hismomalwayssaidhehad lovedhelpingcollecttheeggsinthemorningwhenhewaslittle,buthedidn’trecall havingtowakeupthisearlytodoit.
AsifansweringaquestionEggwouldn’thavethoughttoask,Opasaid, “Chickencan’ttastespiceofpepper,”thennoddedproudly,asifsuchabizarre evolutionarytraithadbeenhisidea.“Come,wegeteggs.”
WhileOpapluckedeggsfromthenestingboxesusinghisonegoodarm,Egg heldoutthebucket,thesameonehehadjustemptied,intowhichOpaplacedthe delicateorbs.Likethehens,someeggswerewhite,somewerebrown,andsomehad freckledspots.Then,theyleftthebirdstotheirbreakfastandchatterandlockedthe gatebehindthem.Backatthehouse,Opainstructedhimtostacktheeggsinthebig fridge,theextraoneinthelaundryroom.“Makesureyoudowithoutbreaking,”he said.
Muttering“I’mnotfive,”Eggretreatedtothecornerhisgrandfatherhad indicated.Hecouldn’trecallhavingeverdroppedaneggatanyage.Besidethe fridge,hefoundastackofemptyeggcartonscutinhalfsothateachcontainerheld sixeggs.Hetransferredthefreshbatchtothecartons withoutdroppingasingleone andslidthemintothefridge,whichalreadyheldtenothersAfew,henoted,held onlyfourapieceTheseeggsweresmallerandgreenwithlittlebrownspecklesThey remindedhimofamphibians,ofwhatadinosaureggmightlooklikeClearly,these hadn’tcomefromthechickensMoretothepoint,hewonderedhowOpamanaged toeatsomanybyhimselfbeforeconsideringheprobablysoldmostofthem
Hefoundtheoldmaninthekitchen.Opa’shouse,orratherthescentofit,spicy andearthy,struckafamiliarnoteinEgg’smemory.Itwasmadeofsolidstone more likeboulders,really,cementedtogether andthickwoodenbeams,asthoughthe househadsproutedstraightfromtheearth.Opabuiltithimself,that’swhathismom said,andEggbelievedher.Nonormalarchitectwoulddesignahousethisway. Thankstothenumberofadditionstackedonovertheyearsthehomewasa mishmashofincongruousrooms.Egggazedupward.Twobalconies,oneontopof theother,overlookedthecombinedkitchenandlivingroom.Overeachrailing
hungbouquetsofclothes,twistedsheets,wettowels,andfadedblankets.Minusthe practical,wear-worndécor,onlysubtlehintsatothershavingoncelivedhere remained,smalltestamentstothosewho’dmovedon.Afuneralportraitofhis grandmotherwastheonlyphotographinsight.Afewtrinketsthatmighthave belongedtoherlinedabuilt-inshelfthatranalongtheceiling.AheavyblackBible satonthesidetablenexttoasaggingcouch.Nothingpredatedthebirthofhis mother,nothingherehadcomefromOpa’splaceoforigin,fromIndonesia.
OpawasquicktoextricateEggfromhisreverie.“Whyyoualwaysstandaround? Gosettable!”
Obediently,Egghuntedfordishesandcutlery.Opafollowed,settingoutasmall jarofhomemadepickles.
“Here.Youtry,”hesaid.
Asarule,Eggwaswaryofanyvegetablepickledbyhismaternalgrandparents.If thesewereanythingliketheonesOmausedtosendeveryautumnforIndonesian IndependenceDay alongwiththecrackershismothercalled krupuk theycould ulcerateyouresophagus.Whenhewasyoung,hehadaskedhismomwhytheysent pickleswhen,presumably,theycouldsendcookiesorchocolateortoys.Shehad explaineditwasatraditionthatremindedthemofwheretheygrewup,whichmeant nothingtoEggatthatage.Later,whenpressed,shetoldhimthatherparentshad stillbeenthere,hadbeenchildrenwhenithappened,thatfightforindependence. Egg,despitebeingonlytwogenerationsremoved,knewnothingaboutthehistorical event,leastofallwhotheislandershadneededindependencefrom.TheBritish seemedareasonableguess.OrwasittheFrench?Eitherway,theconnection betweenpicklesandcrackersandtherevolutionagainstthecolonialistsseemed tenuousinhismind.Maybeithadsomethingtodowithrestrictionsimposedbythe Europeans.Perhapsthey’dinstatedapickleprohibitionwhich,whenlifted,gavethe peoplereasontocelebratebysharingpicklessospicythatanylingeringcolonial inhabitantswouldhavetokeeptheirdistance,ormoveawayentirelyOrmaybe picklesandcrackersjustshippedwelltoCanadaEggchoseoneandsetitgingerly betweenhisteethAsexpected,histongueblistered,theinsidesofhisearsburnedAt leastOpagotagoodlaughathisexpense
Alongwithpickles,Opaservedomeletswithdicedasparagusandgreenonion Despitehisdumb,inflexiblenickname,Egghadneverreallyenjoyedeatingeggsbut keptthispreferencetohimself.Heharboredaquietsuspicionthatcomplaintswould notbepermittedinthishouse.JustasEggforkedinanothermouthful,displaying whathefeltwasaremarkabledegreeoftolerance,Opamadeanunwelcome announcement.
“Tomorrow,wegetupevenmoreearly.”
“Whatfor?”Eggasked,soundingpainedandpetulant,eventohimself.Forget fun,atthisratehewouldn’tevenbesleepingthissummer.
“Gototown.Bigmarketday.Youhelp.”
Farmer’smarketswereforhippiesandvegans,peoplewhoworeleathersandals anddrankkalethroughastraw.Hecouldn’timaginehisgrandfather,a curmudgeonly,hard-shelledoldoysterofaman,minglingwiththatcrowd.Egg,on theotherhand,mightmeetpeople girlshisownage.Thethoughtsentapleasant surgethroughouthisbodythatoverwhelmedeventheunappealingtextureofthe eggsinhismouth.Assumingthosesortsofgirlsdidn’tneglecthygieneordiscussthe ethicalambiguitiesofsourcingsingle-origincoffeebeansjustforlaughs,hemight haveadecenttime.Unless,ofcourse,marketsweredifferentinHaleCreek, Kentuckythanwherehehailedfrom.Maybetheonlywomenwhoshoppedat countrymarketspushedbuggies,eitherthegrocerykindorthebabykind.Inwhich case,hewouldratherstayhome.
Ashegatheredthebreakfastdishes,Eggvoicedhisplansfortheday.Opawaved theproposalaside,tellingEggtofocushiseffortsonthegarden,leavingnoroomfor debate.Infact,hewentsofarastoinsistthatEggleavethedirtydishesinthesink. Hecoulddothemlater.Evidentlythatever-needfulinfant,thegarden,required immediateattention.Withafleetingthoughtforthecrustydisheshewouldhaveto scrapelater,Eggonceagainfollowedhisgrandfatheroutsideandaroundthesideof thehouse,tothesunniestspotonthehill.
Geometricallyspeaking,thegardenwasarrangedinseveralwell-organized rectangles.Atfirstglance,itappearedthatanyeffortsaimedattidinesshadbeen earmarkedentirelyforthisplot,bypassingthehousealtogether.Asanartist,Egg couldappreciatethedifferenttextures,theendlessvarietyoforganicshapes,the colorsrangingfromdeepoceanpurpletoleafygreentogoldenrodandeye-popping pink.Butasayoungmanaccustomedtoconcreteandasphaltandthepurelylinear landscapeinherenttomoderncities,hefeltatwistofanxietywhenfacedwithso manyunfamiliarvariables.Whatwashesupposedtodowithsuchaperplexing assortment?
OpahandedEggalargeplasticwateringcan,ridiculouslyundersizedforthe dimensionsoftheplots
“Don’tyouhaveahose?”Eggasked “Hoseforbigplants,hardycropsUsethisforseedlingsandcarefuljobs”
Opashowedhimwheretodunkthewateringcaninarainbarrel,thenledhim toasmallgreenhousehiddenbehindacopseoftallpines.There,hisgrandfathergave himhisfirstlesson:howtouseawateringcan.Withhisunbrokenhand,Opa demonstrated,goingoverthetraysafewtimestoletthewatersoakintothesoil, darkeningitbydegrees,beforehandingthedevicebacktohisgrandson.Whenthe canemptied,Eggreturnedtotherainbarrel,thentogreenhouse,andbackagainin anendlesslyloopingcycle.Eggfeltcertainhehadneverattendedtoanythingso tediousinhislife.
“Look,look!Watchwhatyou’redoing.Lookatsoil,noteverywhichway. Focus,”Opasaid.“See?Youdotoomuch,nowwaterrunoffandmakepuddle.”He tsked,thenshowedEggwheretofindthehose.“Hoseconnectstopump,overatthe pond,”heexplained,thoughEggreallycouldn’tcarelessabouttheproperty’s plumbingarrangements.Afterdemonstratingoncemorehowtowaterthedarn plants really,itisn’trocketscience Opahadhimusherdifferenttraysbearingthe morematureseedlingsfromthegreenhouseouttothegarden,indicatingwherehe shouldseteachone.
“Thisonesquash,thatonebrusselssprout,thatoneonion.Everythingreadyto go.”Opakneltintothesoiland,withhisgoodarm,producedasmallhandheld shovelfromthedeepsidepocketofhisbaggy,crustyoveralls.“Usetrowel,likethis. Makeholethissize,thendropin.Pressdown.Nextonegothisfarapart,notmore, notless.Egg,youwatching?Payattention!”
“Iamwatching!”
Giventhatthecriticwashisgrandfather,Eggcouldn’tdecidewhetherhewould prefertobeadmiredorgoonbeingheldindisfavorbythisgrouchy,unfamiliarold man.Middlingsomewhereinbetween,though,feltjustasdissonantand uncomfortable.Egghadalwaysbeenmoreinclinedtoseekothers’approvalthan dabbleindisobedience,atraitthathadmadehimafavoriteofmanyteachersoverthe years.Solongasataskheldhisinterestandseemedimportanttohim,hecouldbe self-motivatedtoworkhard.Thischaracteristicmadehimaselectivelygoodstudent. Notthesortwhoaskedspecific,discerning,orelaboratequestions,notanAstudent byanymeans,butonewhoquietlysubmittedassignmentsontimeandnevergave anytroubleor,forthatmatter,anyreasontonoticehim.Onlyinartclassesdidhe becomeadifferent,moreconfidentpersonaltogether.
Lately,afterthedivorce,hehaddiscoveredanewsourceofmotivation.Forhis mom’ssake,hewantedtoperformwellifonlytoproveshehadraisedacapable youngmanButhisgrandfather,knowinglyornot,hadalreadytargetedhisAchilles heel:Eggstruggledtowithstandcensure,irrespectiveofitssourceThetoneinhis grandfather’svoice,sharpandcondemnatory,jangledhisnerves
“Egg!Overhere”Opapressedupoffthegroundandshuffledalongthepath betweencropbeds“Afteryouplant,thenyougathercropsAllthesegotomarket Youknowthisone?”
“Peas?”
“Good,andthisone?”
“Uh,celery?”Eggsaid,thoughthecolorseemedoff,tooredforcelery.Tooearly forpopquizzes.
“Gah!Your ibu,sheteachyounothing?Thisonerhubarb,thatonespinach,that one,thatone,thatone,alllettuce.”
Risingtohismother’sdefense,Eggfinallysnapped.“Giveherabreak!Sheworks
allthetime.Jesus.”
Withoutformallyacknowledginghisgrandson’soutburst,Opakneltandsaid, “Youwatch.Ishow.”Hefumbledtheclipperswithhisleft,presumablynondominanthand,cursing.Eggcroucheddownbesidehimandheldouthisown.Opa passedhimthetool.“Forlettuce,seehowleavesgrowlikethis,outwardand outward,likeflowers?”
“Uhhuh.”
“Cliponlyoutsideleaves,putinbucket.Whenfinished,alltheselettuce…here, come,Ishow.”Upagainandbacktotherainbarrel,“Leavesgetawash,thenbagfor market.”
Afterthatlengthyintroduction,Opadisappearedinthedirectionofhis workshop.Eggcheckedthetimeonhisphone.Justaftereight.Hisfriendsback homewouldn’tbeupforanothertwohoursatleast.Eggfelttheswiftpangof jealousy,imaginingthefamiliarcontoursofhisownbed,sleepinginittillnoon whenthesun’sraysfinallypiercedhiswest-facingbedroomwindow.Butenvywas anemotiontooenormoustobearatsuchanearlyhour,soEggletitgo.Self-pity, however,wasanotherthingaltogether.
Theyhadneverownedthesortofphonethatsatsnuglyonareceiver,buthe likedtheideaofslammingdownsomethinghand-heldattheconclusionofan infuriatingconversation,liketheoneandOpahadjusthad.Instead,fromhisseated positionontheground,setbetweenthegardenbeds,hethrewthehandtrowelas hardashecould.Itwentspinningoveritself,sailingoverthedrivewayandbeyond thefencelineintotheun-mowedcowpasture.Itlanded,unsatisfyingly,withbarely arustleinthegrass.Eggsatforanotherminute,hisrearinthedirt,fuming,before decidingheoughttogofetchit.Theworkwouldn’tdoitselfandhedidn’twantto givehisgrandfatherexcusestochastisehim.
Hestompedovertothefence.Theairhadbecomesothickwithhumidityhis sweatcouldn’tbebotheredtoevaporate.Heusedhist-shirttowipehisface,then placedhisfootonthebottomrung,readytovaultover.Asifhe’dtriggeredanalarm, heheardafamiliar“Oy,oy,oy!”Hisgrandfather,wavinghisgoodarmfuriously, totteredupthedrivewayinhisdirection.“Whereyougoing?Nogoinginthere. Youstayout!“
“Ilostthetrowel,”Eggadmitted,straddlingthefence,unsurewhichsidetofall on.
“Huh?Howyoulose?”
Afairquestion.“It’sjustrightthere,Icanseeit,”hesaid,whichwastrue.Itwas intact,lyinginnocentlybetweentheweedsandtallprairiegrasses.
“Getdown.Iwilldo,”Opasaid.HepassedEggandkeptonwalkingalongthe driveway.Whenhereachedagateinthefence,helethimselfthrough.Onthe pastureside,heusedhisgoodhandtosteadyhimselfagainstthefencerailashe
steppedgingerlythroughthewaisthighgrass.Thenhewalkedallthewaybackto whereEggstood.Eggpointedtowherethetrowellay.Opacrouched,pickeditup, andhandedittohim,glowering.“Youstayout,”hesaidagain,thenturnedand walkedbacktothegate. *
Hehopedtheunyieldingnoondaysunandhardmanuallaborwouldridhismind ofallitsturbulentthoughts,likesweatingouttoxinsinasauna.Sofar,thismethod hadn’tproducedthedesiredresultsbutatleasthecouldfeelself-righteousinhis wretchedness.Withsanctimoniousshowmanship,Egghadrefusedtojoinhis grandfatherforlunchinthesweetlyair-conditionedhouse.Frankly,hewouldrather sulkandstarvethansitthroughanothersermonor,perhapsevenmorelikely, supercilioussilence.Evenasheworkedatshovingyoungsproutsintotheirdirty holesanddumpingwhateverproducelookedreadyintobasketsandbuckets,he consideredstuffinghisfaceoutofspite.Rawkaleandplainlettuceleaves,however, hardlymadeforanappealingcombination,letalonefairretribution.Thus,itwas withsmugsatisfactionwhen,aroundmidafternoon,Eggfinallycompletedhis assignedchores,everysingleone.Hehadwatered,planted,gathered,sorted,washed, andbagged,andtakenonlyonebreaktopissinthebushes.Nowaytheoldfart couldcomplainnow.Sunburntandsensinganoncomingheadache,probablyfrom dehydration,Eggwanderedbacktothehouse.Hewaspleasedtofinditempty.Even thedogwaselsewhere.Acoldshower,hedecided,wouldbejustthethingtowash awaythetensionandgrime.Besides,hehadn’tbathedsinceleavingTorontoandhe wasstartingtogetawhiffofhisownripeness.
Ittooklongerthanitoughttofindacleantowel.Inthewashroom,hepeeledoff hisshirtandshortsbeforediscoveringthehand-writtennotesellotapedtothemirror. Itread,‘Five minute or less shower only’ .“That’sgenerous,”hegrumbled.“Still,theold manwasn’taroundtotellhimoff.Couldaten-minuteshowerreallybringtheworld toanend?Eggturnedonthetapandsteppedunderthecoolwater,relishingthe sensationofdirtandsweatbeingwashedaway.
Asherinsedthelastsudsfromhishair,feelingmuchbetter,Eggheardpounding onthewashroomdoor.Bang,bang,bangitwent,likethebatteringofrisingblood pressure.Heturnedoffthesqueakytapand,wrappedonlyinatowel,crackedopen thedoor.
“Toolongshower,”Opasaid.“Fiveminuteorless.Younotseesign?”
“ShouldIsetatimer?”Eggasked,meaningitasajoke,butOpaonlyscowled andpassedhimanoventimershapedlikeachicken.“Alright,I’ll,uh,setthetimer nexttime.Sorry.”
“Don’tbesorry.Don’tdo!”
“Okay!Igetit.Jeez.Butnexttimeyouneedtolectureme,couldyouatleastlet meputonsomepantsfirst.”
“Nexttime,youpayattention.Nolecture.”
CONTRIBUTORS
Alexandra Bergmann isawriter,educator,andscientistfromtheSanFrancisco BayArea.Theyarealsoanavidrunner,baker,andbirdwatcher.Alexandra'sworkis forthcomingin Mantis, Tendon,and SAGE Magazine.
Laura Bettenhausen graduatedfromUW-Madisonin2024andisnowworkingat RootedastheTroyKids'GardenManager.Theylovebeingoutsideandgettingkids excitedaboutgrowingfood!Whennotatthegarden,Lauraenjoyshiking,crafts, andboardgamenightswithfriends!
Soffía Blystra isanaspiringLatinxwriterwhoenjoyswritinginSpanglish.When sheisnotreading,shelovestospendtimewithherfamily,friends,andpets.Sheis theeditor-in-chiefof (Zine)Lugar Zine,adigitalfanzinefocusedonidentityand belonging.
N.T. Chambers,aChicagonativeandformereducatorandprofessionalcounselor, writesabouttheemotionsandexperiencesintrinsictohumannature.Theauthor livesinthehighdesertofArizonawithapartnerandyoungEnglishbulldognamed Tulip.Workshavebeenpublishedbyover35journalsandmagazines.
Matt Cooper isateacherandlifelongwriterfromWichita,Kansas.Hehasworked asajournalistinKansasaswellasaninternationalcorrespondentduringhistime writingabroadinJapan.HeisthesonofaLakotamotherandanIrish-American father.Inresponsetothequestionofhisendgoalinthecraft,Matttendstoposit that:“ItisoneofmymostprecioushopesthatIcantellmyparents’storytothoseall aroundwillingtolisten.Mixed-Indigenousfamiliessurroundyouinallthe commonsofAmerica.Theypassrightinfrontofyoureyeseveryday andmostof themwilltellyouexactlywheretheycomefrom righthere.”
Emily Grandy istheauthoroftwoaward-winningnovels, Michikusa House and Cupido Cupido.Thisshortstoryisanexcerptfrom Cupido Cupido (TexasTech UniversityPress/Terrain.org),whichwontheSowellEmergingWriter'sPrizeand wasafinalistforthePEN/Bellwether.Thebookwillbeavailableinspring2026.Her otherwritinghasappearedinbothscientificandliteraryjournalsandcanbefound viaherwebsiteatemilygrandy.com.ShelivesinMilwaukee,WI.
Chase Harker isapoetfromNewBern,NorthCarolina.HeisaMFAstudentat UNC-Wilmington.Hisworkhasappearedin Appalachian Review, storySouth, Roanoke Review,andelsewhere.
Natalie Khmelevsky iscurrentlyafreshmanpursuingadualdegreeinArtwitha focusinGraphicDesignandDesign,Innovation,andSocietyontheTechnology PathwayattheUniversityofWisconsin-Madison.Withafoundationincolorpencil, shehasjustrecentlystartedbranchingoutintotheworldofoilpastels.Herartistic andcreativejourneycanbefounddocumentedonherInstagram,@natalie.khm.art.
Nathaniel Lachenmeyer isanaward-winningdisabledauthorofbooksforchildren andadults.Hisfirstbook, The Outsider,whichtakesasitssubjecthislatefather's struggleswithschizophreniaandhomelessness,waspublishedbyBroadwayBooks.
Nathanielhasforthcoming/recentlypublishedpoemswith North Dakota Quarterly, F(r)iction, About Place Journal, Santa Clara Review, Epiphany, The Normal School, Berkeley Poetry Review and DIAGRAM.NathaniellivesoutsideAtlantawithhis family.www.NathanielLachenmeyer.com.
Eve Lazarski isafreshmanatUW-Madisonstudyingbiology.Sheenjoysartand photographyinhersparetime.
Grace Melstrand isafreshmenatUW-Madison,wheresheispursuingadouble majorinCreativeWritingandPsychology.OriginallyfromWestBend,Wisconsin, shehasalwaysbeendevotedtowritingandrecentlyfoundaninterestinpoetry.She isanawardwinningartistwhoisheavilyinspired,inbothartandwriting,byhuman interactionswithnatureandthequietbeautyofdailylifeinruralsettings.Sheisvery excitedforherfirstpublication!
Megan "MegLynn" Moss isawriterandpoetfromKingston,OklahomaShehas beenpublishedinheruniversity'sliteraryjournal Originals andhasbeenafeatured readerattheWednesdayNightPoetryeventinHotSprings,Arkansas.Sheis currentlyastudentatEastCentralUniversitywheresheiscompletingher undergraduatestudiesinEnglish.
Melina Nguyen (she/her)isaseniorstudyingPoliticalScience,Geographyand EnvironmentalStudiesatUW—Madison.ShehasbeenpartofThePeople'sFarm since2022andissogratefulforthepeopleshehasmetthroughthisorganization. HerfondestmemoriesatthefarmincludediggingforpotatoesduringHarvest seasonandbonfireswiththeboard.
Stephen Toogood isateacherinTbilisiwhoenjoysguitarand20thc.American Lit.Hispoemshaveappearedin Eunoia Review.
Charlotte Trumble isapoetandpianistfromMequon,Wisconsin.Shestudiedat LawrenceUniversity,whereshereceivedthe2020-2021HicksPrizeinPoetry.Her workcanalsobefoundin fsm. Art Journal and The Dewdrop.
Kevin Wei isafreshmanattheUniversityofPennsylvaniastudyingDigitalMedia Design.Heenjoyspoetryaswellasgamedevelopment,playingtrumpet,and walkinghisdog.
Courtney Weston isasecond-yearGlobalSecuritystudentattheUniversityof Wisconsin-Madison.Inherfreetime,sheenjoysreading,hiking,andspending timewithherfriendsontheUWSoilJudgingTeam.Youcanfindmoreofher writtenworkwith the Rachel Carson Landmark Alliance, the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets,and The Ekphrastic Review.GoBadgers!
AlexandraBergmann
LauraBettenhausen
SoffíaBlystra
N.T.Chambers
MattCooper
EmilyGrandy
ChaseHarker
NatalieKhmelevsky
NathanielLachenmeyer
EveLazarski
GraceMelstrand
Megan"MegLynn"Moss
MelinaNguyen
StephenToogood
CharlotteTrumble
KevinWei
CourtneyWeston
