Rose Avenia loves everything about food. She loves to grow it, share it and eat it. Her passion for innovative ideas that help her grow bigger, better vegetables while also enriching ecology is infectious. She has high standards for weed control and is especially excited about compost and orchards and (well, she is just enthusiastic about everything). Her favorite garden vegetable: “the snap pea…and melons…and rutabagas…and asparagus…and cauliflower. Do I have to stop? Can’t wait for them all!”
Rene Jenson is in their sixth year farming and has called Mount Desert Island their second home since 2014. A transplant from the field of emergency medicine, they decided in 2020 to hop on the farming bandwagon full time, in order to live a more joyful life. They enjoy hiking, traveling, reading, and baking for the farm crew. They manage crop irrigation and social media marketing for the farm.
Their favorite tool is the broadfork. “Working the land with this tool always makes me think of the strength of our ancestors, whose hard work is echoed in the modern farming we do today.” Their favorite veggie is the tomato. “I could eat Gin Fizz tomatoes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
Avery Preston-Schreck , a recent graduate from MDI High School, is back for a fifth season, this year as a full-time worker at Bar Harbor Farm.
”I love being able to see exactly where my food comes from. It is incredible to have the opportunity to watch seeds go from little seedlings to delicious vegetables!” She is looking forward to learning about all matters of composting this year.
Brynn Reese: " This will be my 6th season farming, and I’ve mostly farmed in Pennsylvania; but just completed an apprenticeship on Long Island last season. My favorite vegetable to grow is carrots, especially in the fall when they get so crisp and sweet (and make a very satisfying pop sound when you pull them from the ground!). This is the first no-till farm I have worked on and I am super excited to be here and learn everything I can as well as connect to this community!"
Catherine Preston-Schreck is a multi-talented, active mother of four (a strong resemblance to Avery Preston-Schreck may be detected) with a strong academic background in literature. Not only is she an excellent worker, but she also can supply us with a plethora of books to enhance our weeding conversations.
When asked what her favorite vegetable is, she replied,"There are so many to love: tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, onions, garlic ... I could go on. I love them first of all because they are delicious, but also because I love tasting the efforts of farming: the magic of hard work, weather, soil, and community ."
Glenon and Gary Friedmann, can be seen around the farm working on special projects. After a good many years in the field, Glenon has given the reins to the other managers. She lends a hand with pick-up, growing flowers, harvest record-keeping and planning. Gary manages the bookkeeping and helps beat back the brush on the edges of the field. Glenon likes the basic crunch of a sweet carrot; and Gary likes enormous pumpkins!
When Kathleen Campbell retired from her upper level management job at Holland Tractor she vowed that she would never do anything again that she couldn't do in flip flops. Kathleen enjoys sewing, crafting, golf, Disney, mahjong with friends, and cooking/baking. She provides a continuous stream of delicious snacks and lunches for the field crew. She mows all the lawns on the farm in her flip flops, astride her riding lawn mower she has named "Joy". If we all had to survive on a desert island, we would want Kathleen leading us.
Steve Campbell grew up in Central Ohio and after returning from Vietnam, moved to Lancaster County, PA to work for New Holland Machinery where he worked for 26 years as a design engineer. He retired in 2004, married Kathleen and they spent the next years enjoying national parks in their RV’s.
Steve can repair anything; and has been an invaluable help upgrading our operation. Have you seen the lettuce mix bubbler? A recurring refrain around the place is: "I wonder if Steve can fix this?!"
Tom Walsh, a farm partner for many years, can be seen tinkering among the tools, mowing the fields and feeding the chickens. When he is not helping at the farm, you can find him rambling in the hills of Acadia; splitting logs for the woodstove, or enjoying a spirited game of Hearts. Being of stout Irish descent, he is mighty partial to potatoes.