By Kate Taylor
I can’t believe it’s already February and time to pack up and leave Minnesota! I’ve been working here at Main Street Project/Rural Enterprise Center for 5 months as part of my Emerson National Hunger Fellowship, and it feels like just yesterday that it was still warm enough to head out to the farm in Northfield or enjoy the walk over to my favorite coffee shop in Minneapolis (and still feel my toes). It has been quite an amazing experience – I have learned a tremendous amount in the short time I’ve been here. I thought I’d share a few of the more interesting moments from the past 5 months:
“No, I swear, the weather is not always this bad!”
The weather has continued to challenge my understanding of what it is to be cold. I’m from Chicago, so I’m no stranger to the frigid cold or mountains of snow, but I have to say, Minnesota winter, or at least this winter, has been quite an experience. From a freezing rain induced ice-covered I-94 to the biggest snow storm in 20 years, my car and I have taken a winter beating!
Goats are a girl’s best friend
I am a self-proclaimed city girl (yeah Chicago!), so I’ve probably spent more time on farms in the past 5 months than in the last 22 years. While I really loved the animals and learning about food systems, I have to say, witnessing poultry “processing” was not quite for me. Just ask my supervisors, Kat and Regi, and they’ll tell you that I spent a lot of time petting the goats that day…
People make all the difference
A large portion of my work has included talking to people – in Northfield and other towns in the region. The people I spoke with made this experience what it was, and I learned so much from my conversations with each and every one of them. I am extremely grateful for their openness, thoughtfulness and willingness to talk with me.
The people I have been working with here at Main Street Project and the Rural Enterprise Center have also had a tremendous impact on my work. Kat and Regi have both been incredible supervisors and I have thoroughly enjoyed working here.
Now I can’t say that I’ll miss the weather (just ask my roommate) when I head off to Washington D.C. to work at Justice Policy Institute for the second half of the Fellowship Program, but I will definitely miss many things about Minnesota, especially the people.
Thanks to everyone who has made this such a great experience!
The Team ready for winter (Kate Taylor, Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin and Kat Vann)
