While I was trying to avoid equating the moving on of our long-time Education Director Jen Clapp and the hiring of a new Education Director with the washing away of our soil and the replacement of that soil with a brand new batch of compost, well...I just could not help but see the connections.  We have had some remarkable opportunities this year to overcome our obstacles-and feeling of the disaster of our soil leaving was comparable to my first reaction to our beloved Jen leaving.  Both seemed like obstacles that I rather wished had not happened, but in fact, both turned out better than anticipated!

Four years ago Jen Clapp proposed creating an educational programming component--one that would build upon our already vibrant volunteer effort of offering various workshops to our community.  In those years since, Jen has built up a solid base for us in programming for children and adults--as both Education Director and instructor.  Over this time, Jen has developed programs for preschool age kids and their parents which fill up every spring and fall, she has created a program based on the Little House on the Prairie series that draws crowds Valley wide and beyond, she has developped programs for local school visits and summer camps, as well as expanded the adult learning programs for our farm. 

Jen is a beloved instructor and has a long and deep connection to Common Ground Farm, so much so that we really were unsure how we would fill the gap upon her departure to new frontiers in her life.  That said, we are so, so pleased to have connected with Sember Weinman, our new Education Director, starting this October for Common Ground Farm.  (BTW Jen will not be completely missing from the landscape here, she may teach some classes and will certainly remain connected to the farm!).  Sember lives in Beacon and comes to us with experience working with youth in arts and having farmed as well (what a perfect combination for this neck of the woods!). Sember will continue to build upon the fantastic programs created by Jen and also bring her own experience and perspective into creating even more ways to connect and educate members of our community.

On behalf of our staff and board of directors I wish to welcome Sember as our new Education Director and please feel free to contact her at education@commongroundfarm.org with any questions or ideas you might have! 

Lisa Jessup, Executive Director