In My Words, Aaron Englander
Aaron Englander, Associate Director of Stewardship at Aldermere Farm and Erickson Fields, joined MCHT as the Erickson Fields Farm and Program Manager in 2014. In 2023, he stepped into his current role as Associate Director, leading the successful completion of a $4.4 million capital campaign that will expand the growth and impact of these working farm preserves in the years ahead.
What is your connection to Maine’s lands and waters?
My parents were “back to the landers” in the 1970s and built a cabin in Limerick. I grew up in Concord, Massachusetts but was in Maine every summer, all summer long, from the time I was born until I was 21 years old. I have always felt very at home here.
How did you find your way into farming?
I don’t come from a farming background, my parents were both social workers. In my late teens, I spent some time in Appalachia and saw how people lived off the land down there. That really inspired me to pursue learning more about self-sufficiency and growing food for my community.
I went off to Oberlin College in Ohio and majored in biology with a focus on botany, but still wanted more of an agricultural background. I got involved with the George Jones Memorial Farm in Oberlin, a student-run farm named after a late botany professor. I was there for five years and immersed myself in sustainable agriculture and community food systems, and even bought an old Amish Draft Horse named Kate. I realized at Oberlin that farming was my life’s calling: it is such a key intersection between humanity and the natural world. Seeing young people connect with the elements and grow their own food is such an amazing transformation to witness.
After graduating, I worked on a few farms across the country, including one in Hawaii where I was introduced to Korean Natural Farming practices. I then found a master’s program in soil science up at UMaine Orono; as I was finishing my degree in 2014, I applied for this really cool job in Rockport with MCHT as the Erickson Fields Farm and Program Manager. (The rest is history!)
“Seeing young people connect with the elements and grow their own food is such an amazing transformation to witness.”
That was more than a decade ago! What have you found especially gratifying about your work with MCHT?
I have been very lucky to work with amazing coworkers, program participants, volunteers and donors. The work at MCHT aligns my personal and professional values, and that is very rewarding. I have been able to use my voice, express myself, and share my perspectives, particularly around youth engagement, food security, and working with Wabanaki communities. As a land conservation community in Maine, I think it is important that we recognize we are on Wabanaki homelands and take measures to address the challenging history of colonialism. The collaborative work we are doing to restore Wabanaki access to land and water and undo Indigenous erasure narratives has been a source of inspiration for me at MCHT.
Whether it’s hiking, boating, hunting, fishing, farming, forestry, ADA trails, community gardens or Wabanaki cultural use, MCHT prioritizes ensuring that there are lands open to broad audiences for diverse uses that I believe ultimately support the health and well-being of our communities and the land itself. The land and the people all need healing; whether it’s growing a garden or taking a walk in the woods, MCHT is helping this healing happen.
How do Aldermere Farm and Erickson Fields support the health and well-being of communities and the land?
These two farm preserves are part of a bigger tapestry of farms that are actively engaging community and young people and addressing food insecurity. Our regenerative farming practices help to enhance both the productivity of the land and carbon sequestration. They demonstrate how agriculture can be a climate solution, not a climate problem. It is getting harder and harder for people to farm on their own, so it is important to have places like these that are community-run, collaborative projects that are engaging youth and addressing food security.
“The land and the people all need healing; whether it’s growing a garden or taking a walk in the woods, MCHT is helping this healing happen.”
What have been some highlights from your first year in your new position?
One of the most exciting things for me has been filling out the farm staff and helping everyone work together as a team. And fundraising! I have really enjoyed this part of the job because it gives me the opportunity to speak passionately about this work. The recent campaign was validating in how important these farm preserves are to people. I am really excited to build out a new strategic and business plan to help guide us through the next five to ten years. And of course, the cows! They are so charming, and I have really enjoyed learning more about animal husbandry and helping to care for our beloved Belted Galloway herd.
Want to collaborate with Aldermere Farm and/or Erickson Fields? Aaron would love to hear from you! You can be in touch at aenglander@mcht.org.