About — Little Seed Gardens

The Farmers

Willy and Claudia pose side by side at the Little Seed farmers market stand. Willy is holding a cup of coffee and Claudia is writing market labels. They are both smiling lightly. Color film photo from disposable camera. — *Portrait by MDK*

Willy and Claudia are sitting side by side holding hands in two outdoor chairs. They are in their twenties and both have short dark hair. Behind them is a raised bed with an unruly array of vines and leaves and plants growing out of and around it. — *Self Portrait in their first community garden plot. Philadelphia*, PA 1988.

Willy and Claudia began Little Seed Gardens out of their passion for gardening and their desire to integrate work, home and family life.

Willy likes old tractors, roads with pot holes and emerald waves of salad mix blowing in the wind. He takes on the task of organizing and implementing production of our 20 acres of vegetables and integrating the livestock to build soils. Claudia was drawn into a life of farming through the joy of playing in the dirt and the desire to create healthy community. Claudia cherishes her evenings and weekends working on the farm and weekdays working with the farm community with the NYS Agricultural Mediation Program.

As farmers, we look back on the history of agriculture with both gratitude and grief for its gifts and its costs. We look forward with the commitment to leaving the land we steward more capable to support the community of life and more able to foster freedom and kindness.